wormhole

What all is involved in replacing the strut on the rear hatch of a 4runner. On the 2000 4runner I just picked up the struts are shot and was wondering what is involved in replacing them.

Bighead

BACK DOOR STAY REPLACEMENT

1. REMOVE BACK DOOR STAY
(a) Remove the bolts and back door stay from the back door.
HINT:
While supporting the back door with your hand, remove the
back door stay.
(b) Remove the bolts and door stay from the body.

2. IF NECESSARY, REPLACE BACK DOOR STAY
NOTICE: Handling the back door stay.

Do not disassemble the back door stay because the
cylinder is filled with pressured gas.

If the back door stay is to be replaced, drill a 2.0 - 3.0
mm (0.079 - 0.118 in.) hole in the bottom of the back
door stay as shown in the illustration to completely
release the high-pressure gas before disposing of it.

When drilling, chips may fly out so work carefully.

The gas is colorless, odorless and non-toxic.

When working, handle the back door stay carefully.
Never score or scratch the exposed part of the piston
rod, and never allow paint or oil to get on it.

Do not turn the piston rod and cylinder with the back
door stay fully extended.

3. INSTALL BACK DOOR STAY
(a) Install the bolts and back door stay to the body.
Torque: 17 N·m (170 kgf·cm, 12 ft·lbf)
(b) Install the bolts and back door stay to the back door.
Torque: 17 N·m (170 kgf·cm, 12 ft·lbf)

Ritzy4Runner

iTrader: (1)

Get someone to help you hold the door up. Trying to do it yourself is Superman stuff and dangerous! If you don't have anyone to help you then use a cut 2x4 that will hold the lift gate FULLY open. Remove the bolts that are holding the hydraulic lift to the lift gate. Install the new lift with the removed bolts. It really is THAT easy.

aowRS

My original hatch struts are at the end of their life. Curious, I swung by the local dealer where I get wholesale pricing, and was told that each strut is $170!!

That's beyond ridiculous.

Has anyone found a supplier of quality aftermarket hatch struts that come with the proper brackets - for a normal price?


Andreas

SRT4runner

I replaced mine last year when I bought my truck. The originals were on the way out. I purchased a set from www.rockauto.com for I believe around $40 shipped for both. I forgot what brand they are, but they work great. The only complaint is they are starting to get minor surface rust on the end parts that attach to the door, but I consider it a minor problem.

toykidd

i finally decided to do this after getting knocked in the head multiple time by my rear hatch

twa318

Is this a common failure item for our trucks?

My '99 lift gate will open to about 75%

If I physically push the lift gate up it will extend all the way open and stay there.

A minor annoyance at this point, but rockauto has them for $15 a piece, so this will be on this list for the near future

Compressed

That's about how my '97 is. It's worse in the winter though. I tried rejuvenating the seals and piston with some 3in1 oil but I don't think it did anything.

wormhole

Well, I say this the struts I got work great in the summer but when it turns cold they suck and don't like to hold the hatch all the way up.

DailyDrive

For search:
Monroe Part # 901446
Applicable to all 1996-2002.

DailyDrive

Pepboys carries this item @ $25 each, special order. So makes sense to get online.

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

My experience with aftermarket lift struts has been this: They will open the gate to about 75%, then you have to push them up the rest of the way where they will hold. I have experienced this several times with different vehicles.

The 4Runner gates are very heavy, and the factory lift struts can barely handle them. From the factory they push them up all the way, but over time they wear out. This can be compunded if the glass is in the down position, as it adds additional leverage beyond the fulcrum point.

Granted the OEM struts are expensive, but they work right the first time. Aftermarket works ok, but not as good as OEM. Its really just a matter of how well do you want them to work. Cheaper usually means just that: Cheap quality.

Jeffkin

I took 1 of my old ones off and the rubber grommet that keeps the pivot at the top tight and quiet is falling apart.

If you've already replaced these with aftermarket shocks, did you find new grommets somewhere?!

I asked the Toyota parts counter and they showed me the screen, they don't ever sell them separately from the shocks.

I just got 2 of these from Amazon for $47.50 delivered...

StrongArm 4286 Toyota 4Runner Liftgate Lift Support 1996-02

I'm thinking most used ones I could find, would be falling apart as well...

Jeffkin

Anyone found replacement rubber grommets for these?!

2000Runner

Ok, I just replace my OEM tailgate lift by a pair of Strongarm. They aren't very good. The diameter of the shocks are a lot smaller and I wonder if that's the reason. Anyway, the tired OEM ones are still better off than these new Strongarm ones. Anyone tried Monroe Maxlift? I heard they don't hold up very well either in winter time. Can someone shed some light? And what other options do we have other than Strongarm and Monroe? I also have a ladder attacch to the gate, so it makes the gate even heavier, but my OEM struts used to do very well even with the ladder on the tailgate. Do I really have to get the OEM in order to get some strength?

Has anyone use a bigger struts? Something not particularly for 4Runner, but will work with the 4Runner? Any suggestions is appreciated.

Thanks,

FlzRider

iTrader: (1)

Just noticed the same thing on my bushings. Since Toyota does not sell as a stand-alone part, does anyone have a solution or work-around???

canyonbov

I installed the Monroe struts from Rockauto ($13) on my 2001 4Runner which work fine but I won't know until the winter the cold performance. Definitely better than what was on there even if a considerably smaller diameter. Installation note: I managed to drop a washer (thankfully not the bolt) into a small opening in the taillight so be careful when installing the lower washer as the opening is a few inches from where you are juggling the bolt, washer and strut during installation.

FlzRider

iTrader: (1)

I'm still on my original set of rear hatch struts and, like others, am experiencing the 75% lift symptom. It doesn't bother me THAT much, but if it gets any worse I will have to replace them. However, the bushings on mine did wear out a while ago and I had to machine new ones out of delrin. So far so good.

Yotadawgjr

Since I've been needing to replace mine, I thought I'd post some results of my research. After reading numerous threads about Monroe's or other popular replacements, i came to the conclusion that none are suitable for cold weather. So I took a look at OEM again and found that there are actually two different sets, one regular and one cold spec.

http://www.villagetoyotaparts.com/sh...ssembly=322484

now I don't think these are actual toyota part numbers, so maybe someone else can step up with the 4 different part numbers for regular LH and RH, and cold spec LH and RH ?

Yotadawgjr

Ok so went with Rebuilt OEM from Strutwise, will post my review once they are delivered/installed. Guy was very friendly over the phone and they were only $47 a piece for the rebuild.