Lift Supports (back door "shocks")

[Lou Baroo]

I just went through an ordeal I wish to share with the group. 

 

Bought a 90' DL Wagon a few weeks ago, pretty fair overall, but as probably many of us have experienced, the back door would not stay up.  Well this ride is going (now gone) to my daughter who is mom to 2 of my grandkids, and there is NO WAY I want that guillotine around my grand kids.

 

So, we went about looking for replacements.  Easy, right?

 

Well I went to Autozone (please go easy on me for that) and sure enough they sell those things and even showed a part for this car.  Once it arrived, it was clearly not the correct part.  As I looked around online I saw this was a problem not unique to Autozone.  It appears many of the parts search engine / databases have this wrong.

 

The part we received had a hole + bracket on one end (the top end) - which is correct, but it had a receptacle for a ball on the bottom end, which on this vehicle was incorrect.  The correct part for our vehicle should have a hole + bracket on both ends of the Lift Support.

 

In the end we found the correct part here:

http://www.theautopartsshop.com/tailgate-lift-support/rz4949l.html

This website shows a different part for left and right, the link above is for the left, but honestly I call BS on that and when the parts arrive I am guessing they are identical.

 

I will try to get pics and update here.

 

 

Thank you to all who contribute here, I am looking forward to getting back into these rides. 

3rd Gen Leone Wagon is my drug of choice

 

 

 

 

 

[Rust]

I have never had a EA82 wagon that the back door struts worked.  And if they do work wait for a cold day loading stuff up, it will drop trust me. They just were not designed to have a long life.  I personally would'nt trust any aftermarket strut to last long either. 

 

What is designed for long life is a wooden broom handle, works every time.  I drilled a hole in the tailgate for the broom handle so it won't get knocked out when loading up stuff.

 

So get yourself a broom handle stick, or some helmets for you and your grandkids.

[Gloyale]

Most places sell the legacy ones now for the older 3rd gen EA82 cars.

 

FWIW, the legacy ones WILL work.

 

Just install the ball post into the upper of the bolt holes on the door frame.  The brackets on the door will bolt right in.  We have this setup on my GF's Loyale.

 

And b oth types new or old style are symetrical, not identical.  There is a left and right.

Edited September 18, 2013 by Gloyale

[Lou Baroo]

My first rig, a 2WD 87 DL, never had a problem with the Lift Supports.

That is interesting about the Legacy part being used.

 

I have already ordered a pair that "appear" to be correct.

We shall see...