Alright this is my idea... i posted this in another thread but i don't hink anyone will look at it because its kinda of an old thread. But my idea is making metal pieces that would work like the piece that they use on wind doors. your just slide it down and holds it there. If this idea works, and try to make a group buy out of it, it prob would cost us about a buck a piece or something. Correct me if this idea wouldn't work.

 

aahahaha, AWESOME! i never would have thought of that. give it a shot man! let us know. i'm game to try it out.

 

i'm going to have to dig out the spare shocks that i have that i took out from my spare .... but doesn't that sound like it would work? honestly?

my teachers have always said that i always think outside the box ... am i doing that again now

 

funny how some of my greatest work comes out when i'm dead tired and just listening to crazy music ( i just got off a 16 hour shift) gotta love march break ... more money more parts

 

I thought about that before too, but I never tried it. Too lazy I guess. The only thing I can come up with is getting it on the rod. Do the ball ends easily screw off the end of the rod? If so, just go take one off your screen door and try it.

~T.J.

 

I don't know ... i'll have to check that out ... but i'm pretty sure that they do ...i'll have to check that out tomorrow ... to tired right now to look for it

 

Between getting it over the end of the strut, and the fact that you would really need 2, one for each side to prevent twisting force on the hatch, the only other item I can think of, is the rod too hard for this to get a grip on?
Vise grips will not hold cause the rod is too hard. I think it is hardened metal. Will this prevent the tab from being able to grip?
I have doubts it would work due to those reasons, along with the weight of the hatch. On a screen door, the only thing it has to resist, is the force of the shock itself. Niether of my screens will stay open when using that tab, when the wind is blowing. Both doors are less than 6 months old, just to eliminate the thought that newer shocks may correct the problem.
I would be interested in knowing if it works, but I am not too willing to use my head as a test, even if supplied with a new helmet..............

 

haha ^^ the typre of steel should not be an issue, but i have thought abour the weight and i think that even that would not effect it unless you "slam" the hatch down then it will probably occur ... never the less i will try to do it tomorrow or sunday. when ever

 

One more thing, most struts have a chrome plated rod. This causes it to be rather slick, making traction a bit of a problem.
I have to admit, I'd love to be proven wrong, and this idea end up working great. Even brand new shocks will not hold up the hatch in windy conditions, especially with a spoiler and/or wiper.

 

I'd like to see a first gen with a spoiler on the hatch. I think the idea is creative. I think best when I am tired to as I just decided to use my spare 12a in my boat hehe

 

I made something like that but as a prop job, outa thin aluminum, 3/4 X 1/8 inch. I notched one end so that it fit inside the bracket attached to the window and rounded the other end around the shaft of the hatch strut. Worked great till I forgot to take it out one day and closed it. Fortunately it was aluminum and I just bent it back to shape and used it again. I found that for the 79 80 rx7 rear glass guys that the hatch struts are only $16 each at advance auto parts. I have an 85 but changed the glass to an earlier model to save weight and clean up the appearance or the car.

Here is a pic of what i made to keep it open the hatch strut helper My hatch struts had enough strength to hold it open for a couple seconds, when the weather was right. Other wise it would just slowly fall back to closed. I didnt have any probles with twisting.

 

Your talking about like the little slider on a screen door. thats a much better idea than the vise grips I used.

Great idea. You get lots of brownie points for that one.

 

someone said vice grips don't work, that's exactly what i've been using for a long time i think this idea could very well do the job. someone give it a shot! hahaha, i dont have one of those screen door pieces.

 

Don't the rear hatch shocks on 2nd gens have a little "Tab" on them to lock them into place (open)?

 

I had a way of doing it: Mr. Stick, as the PO called it. It was a stick screwed into the passenger side strut mount on the hatch. When you opened the hatch it folded down and propped the hatch open.

 

Here in Canada we just use the snow brush that's in the back of the car all year long.

 

now why didn't i think of using that ... i'll be trying this idea out tomorrow probably if the weather is nice ... i got too busy today with other stuff ... will let you know as soon as i find out

 

I always thought that was the Michigan hatch prop! LOL. I guess common sense can be universal...

 

Just buy new shocks cheapskates..............



www.victoriabritish.com

 

if you haven't noticed we live in canada .... and we need our rear wipers in order to see the back through the winter, and they don't sell any shocks that come stock to replace the ones that come with a wiper (due to electrical wiring), so no i'm not a cheapskates ... i'm trying to come up with a better i idea than the stuff posted out there ... something that looks more stock and professional (than a stick holding the back window.)

 

im glad i dont have the same problem......mine stays open all the time with no problem and has a wiper on it.......i can even go down the road and it wont shut....hope your idea works though maybe you can make a lil extra cash

 

are you still using the stock shocks? if so those things are holding up pretty damn well for a car thats 20(+) years old.

 

I read about a company that was selling these, but I can't find them on google.

Worth a try for sure.

Oh, and trust me, vice grips work very well!

Jamie