I’m interested in getting some advise on the rear hatch shocks that hold the glass in the rear. I have an ‘85 GSL-SE that has the rear windshield wiper and uses a rig that I’ve never seen to send the electrical signal to the rear wiper. This gas shock is different since it has wires and the electrical contacts. I need to find who sells them at a price that is reasonable ( not more than the car is worth) or any ideas as to how to go about replacing them.

Thank you for your advice and help!!!

Condores.

 

I replaced the driver side hatch strut with a pep boys special (SACHS I belive was the manufacterer). This unit does the
job of 2 good hatch struts.

 

I had the ones on mine rebuilt. Didn't cost much and they work perfectly. Though I don't know if you'll be able to find anyone in your area who does this sort of thing.

 

I bypassed that crazy wiring setup for my rear wiper with a self-coiling power tool replacement cord from Grainger. I just coiled it around the strut, and looks like it could have come from the factory that way. Mazdatrix sells struts they claim will work with the wiper. Look at their part #, part of it is the same as the Strongarm brand (I think) part number (I think it was 4709). That's gotta be the same thing. If I'm not mistaken, Advance Auto Parts carries the Strongarm brand. I've been in the parts industry long enough to know that when a specialty shop like Mazdatrix re-uses someone else's part number, it's because that's what they are buying.

Kerry

 

I did the same thing as SJB... Go to the local parts store, buy one 9$ strut and replace only the one on the drivers side... Has been working just fine for quite awhile now. Didn't even mess with all the wiring.

 

i bought two and i did them both. i didnt have to mess up any wiring. it was just some shrinkwrap around my passenger side one, and i took that off and took the wire and wrapped it around with electrical tape. no cutting or anything and it works the same.

 

Phatcat,

I find it hard to believe that you were able to replace the harness that is found on the right rear hatch shop without first cutting the arm so that you can pull the harness out of the old.

I can get that far. It is finding a shock that will allow the tip to be unscrew so that you can slide the harness back in to the shock.

Is this what you did? Where did you find a shock that will allow this to be done? What brand?

Thanks!

Condores

 

Kerry,

Thanks! You seam to be the only one that has an answer to this problem.

I’m a purist and believe the best way to protect the value of these cars is by keeping them as original as possible. However, in this particular case, I believe your method is better than what the Japanese engineers formulated back in the 80’s.

Can you be a little more specific as to how you did the conversion? Another words, can you list the parts that you bought and from which vendor. Also, if it’s not too much to ask how you when about doing it. I presume the rear wiper works after the conversion and also the rear defroster.

Again, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with me and with others that are facing the same problem.

Condores.

 

Carquest sells a direct replacement for the drivers side.
Ask them for a StrongArm hatch strut #4709. I just replaced mine this summer, and the one strut actually raises the glass once it's past half way.

It bolts right in the same as stock and looks stock.

 

My defroster is shot, but the changes I made would not affect it anyway. Grainger has a 12 foot, 3 wire "Retractable Power Cord", Stock # 2W551, price $10.80. It's coiled in the center and staight on the ends. I hooked it up to the wiper, then coiled it around the strut. The coiled section is just the right length and diameter to hold it on the body of the strut and allow the shaft to extend. I just used crimp on terminals to hook it to the wiring at the body. Seems like I had to get creative for the ground wire.

Hope that helps,
Kerry

 

Kerry,

Thanks! I’ll try it out. Why is the defroster shot? Or, were you not able to make it work with your invention?

 

The defroster wiring is totally separate from the rear wiper. It is powered by the coiled wires going to the tabs on the glass. The wiring on the strut goes only to the wiper. My defroster grid was messed up when I got the car.

Kerry

 

Condores-

sorry for not telling you but i did cut it off. it wasn't all that big of a deal, just got a saw and cut the thing off!

 

Phatcat,

How did you get the mechanical part back on? Are you telling me that the hatch strut that you used as a replacement can be screwed at the top?

Please clarafy and if this is the case how about the brand of hatch struts that you used. Oh! one more thing... the contraction in the back of the strut... the one in the larger diameter part... it has an area that is indented so that the contraction snaps into it. Does the ones you used, as a replacements, have the indentation?

Thanks!

Condores

PS. I will be login off soon and will be traveling next week.

 

Another option: remove the rear wiper. I took mine off about 10 years ago and havn't missed it. I didn't like the big black box in the rear view mirror and found I never used it. I keep the car original also, but don't mind removing/modifying something I can return to original. As I've kept the wiper motor and original shock, I can always put them back.
Regarding vision, on the highway the air flow keeps the rear window clear and in the city, unless you tend to keep it running often, you won't miss it. If I had found it compromised vision, I would have put it back on the car. But I just don't miss it.
I used a couple of black metal caps with rubber grommets (just by asking what was on hand at the parts store) to seal the holes in the glass.
Of course, I'm talking about rain. For somebody who drives the car in the winter, you want to keep the wiper.
If you want to keep the wiper, just tape the original wire to the new shock (as it was) and solder that wire (use crimp connectors if you must) to the motor wires, making sure to keep the polarity.

As I mentioned, just another option.

-John.

 

JC Whitney sells a hatch lift support that costs 7.99. It locks the strut in the extended position when the hatch is lifted. Check out their website.

 

Pair of vice grips do that nicely. My dad keeps an old broom stick in his cars as both of them have dead hatch/tailgate struts.

When my Honda dies, I'll be sure to snag the tailgate struts. :p

 

As I mentioned before, I’m a purist when it comes to restoring cars, and from previous experience in restoring and selling Mercedes Benz 560SL and MGBs Midgets and ‘As’, they will return most of your money if you keep them original and without broomstick or pliers to hold them together. To those that are interested in these cars or other older sports cars they are toys to then and not everyday cars.

The rear windshield wiper was put on these cars for a reason and they are part of the originality of the car. Removing them or modifying the wiper will take away from the car and its value. If the car is shown or, let’s say 50 years from now, someone is interested in purchasing the car its value will be determined on how close is the car to the day it rolled off the assembly line; otherwise, they will either dye slowly or just be bought by someone for parts.

If anyone is interested in how I went about making the rear wiper contraction work with the new air shock lifts you can email me at: nicholj@rjrt.com

Again, thank you to all that replied to my request.

Condores

 

Condores, I admire your patience. Whenever I look at a haphazard design, my brain says "Hell, even I can do better than that", and the butchering beginneth. Yea verily. But then again, I deal with items on the lower end of the food chain. The only reason a purist would have wanted my car when I first got it would have been for a post-mortem. It was pretty sad. Again, kudo's to you.

Kerry

 

Condores,

How'd you do it?

 

I also have the StrongArm strut unit, and it includes instructions on removing the old harness/hardware from the old strut and installing them on this unit. Apparently the Strong Arm has a removable end fitting to allow for this! It does mean actually cutting off an end of the old strut to remove it. haven't done it yet myself but was surprised (pleasantly) to see this added detail.
Stu Aull

 

Use the Strongarm 4709's for both the right and left sides. The electrics on the right side come right off the old strut with no problem. The wiring is just shrinkwrapped to the strut body and the bottom "fork" on the strut unscrews so you can slide the connectors off - but it is very tight and you'll probably bend the **** out of it like I did. No prob since you're gonna trash it anyway. Then just unscrew the fork and install the electric on one of the Strongarm struts and put it on the right side. The fork will come off easy on the Strongarm. Use some wire loom to hold the wiring to the side. Note: While you have the electrics removed, take some time and wire brush all the contacts.
Here's what the Strongarm will look like installed on the right side...
TRUST ME I have an SE and I did both of mine. Took about an hour...

EDIT - Crap, I didn't realize this was a thread from the dead when I replied to it. Oh well...

 

It's okay... It should be stickied anyhow since it gets asked so much... Plus you've added a pic that shows your addition of the electrics...

What store did you buy the StrongArm ones from?

EDIT: Nevermind. Carquest sells em...

I also forgot to rate this thread... I seldom use that feature.

 

that looks clean!! i too need to replace mine but i thought $30 could go to sometign else for now... VB... so i have a peice of wood that is attatched to the strut that holds it in the up position. hey it works, might be alitle gheto but it helps when unloading groceries. lol!

 

Since I never leave my hatch partly up or down and only have it all the way opened or closed I use the aftermarket strut support on the passenger side that costs about $7-$10 at Advance Auto. I just do not find a need for the hatch to be partly opened. The support is hidden and the car looks original. I find the replacement cartridges vary in resistence with the hot or cold weather extremes and do not last long either.