PaulThomasFarrell
Senior Member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2016
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- Location
- London UK
- Your Mercedes
- E220 AMG Night Edition Prem Btec A
MB. E320 CDI 2004 W211 Tailgate gas struts replacement
I bought a pair of struts for the above mentioned model from a breaker in Lithuania on E-Bay, they were advertised at £50 but I offered £30 and got them for £40. They arrived within the week and I tagged the 24th December to have a go at installing them. Now bear in mind I had no idea if these worked so it could have been a disaster but with the help of Mr Televisions instructions off I went.
The reason I felt I needed replacement gas struts was that my tailgate had suddenly started to try to kill me by unexpectedly dropping onto my bald barnet as I was loading my tools, god that tailgate is heavy unsupported.
Each end of each gas strut is a ball joint that is pressed onto a rigid socket at each end. One is fixed to the car body the other to the tailgate.
DANGER: Make sure you prop the tailgate up securely before you start work. Being an undertaker I used an old coffin lid and it was perfect.
Also buy some masking/gaffer tape and generously tape about 6" around the exposed hole that is seen once you've dropped the coat hanger hook (both sides) using a torx screwdriver bit. You really don't want to get oil or gunk onto the roof material and there will be lots in there. I also bought a box of disposable gloves and changed every time any oil or dirt got on them.
Shine a torch through the exposed hole/s and you will see a diamond shaped plastic cap. Prise this off with a flat screw driver then swear like mad as you try to get it out of the hole...it does come, eventually, I found looking just made it worse, close your eyes and use the force... You will then see the ball and socket joint of one end of the gas strut. I inserted a blunt wood chisel into the hole and with a lot of cursing levered off the strut from the socket. It actually wasn't that bad.
Then at the other end I was stumped as to how I'd get the strut out...it definitely wasn't coming out the coat hanger hole end. Then I remembered reading on here the post that mentioned the black plastic poppers with the little pin in the middle that hold trim in place. There are two of these holding the trim in place top right and left of the place where the tailgate hinges are.
Use a small flat bladed screw drive to tap the middle of these poppers and push the pins out. (try to find the plastic middle bit so that you can re use them) Then with long nosed pliers, firmly grip the now pinless popper and they'll slide out. The plastic trim can then be moved about allowing you access, albeit tight, to the other end of the strut.
Same procedure with the flat chisel and the other end was levered off the socket. I was then able to pull the old strut out through the rear.
Installation is the reverse. I popped the coat hanger hole end first and it was easy to lever back on. I can't tell you how I managed to get the rear end one back on but it took an hour of patience and tenacity, and it eventually clipped on. I had to lower my coffin lid support a little to align the strut socket to the strut ball.
I removed my coffin lid support and it ****** well worked! Hurrah!
Garage wanted: 2 hours @£110 per hour plus VAT plus two struts @ £120 plus vat for the pair.
£408…….
Total job cost me £40. (my time is free to me but it took three hours.)
Doing the work requires time and patience and of course the right tools at times.
Happy to discuss if my explanation sucks.
Love this car.
And thank you to Mr Television.
I bought a pair of struts for the above mentioned model from a breaker in Lithuania on E-Bay, they were advertised at £50 but I offered £30 and got them for £40. They arrived within the week and I tagged the 24th December to have a go at installing them. Now bear in mind I had no idea if these worked so it could have been a disaster but with the help of Mr Televisions instructions off I went.
The reason I felt I needed replacement gas struts was that my tailgate had suddenly started to try to kill me by unexpectedly dropping onto my bald barnet as I was loading my tools, god that tailgate is heavy unsupported.
Each end of each gas strut is a ball joint that is pressed onto a rigid socket at each end. One is fixed to the car body the other to the tailgate.
DANGER: Make sure you prop the tailgate up securely before you start work. Being an undertaker I used an old coffin lid and it was perfect.
Also buy some masking/gaffer tape and generously tape about 6" around the exposed hole that is seen once you've dropped the coat hanger hook (both sides) using a torx screwdriver bit. You really don't want to get oil or gunk onto the roof material and there will be lots in there. I also bought a box of disposable gloves and changed every time any oil or dirt got on them.
Shine a torch through the exposed hole/s and you will see a diamond shaped plastic cap. Prise this off with a flat screw driver then swear like mad as you try to get it out of the hole...it does come, eventually, I found looking just made it worse, close your eyes and use the force... You will then see the ball and socket joint of one end of the gas strut. I inserted a blunt wood chisel into the hole and with a lot of cursing levered off the strut from the socket. It actually wasn't that bad.
Then at the other end I was stumped as to how I'd get the strut out...it definitely wasn't coming out the coat hanger hole end. Then I remembered reading on here the post that mentioned the black plastic poppers with the little pin in the middle that hold trim in place. There are two of these holding the trim in place top right and left of the place where the tailgate hinges are.
Use a small flat bladed screw drive to tap the middle of these poppers and push the pins out. (try to find the plastic middle bit so that you can re use them) Then with long nosed pliers, firmly grip the now pinless popper and they'll slide out. The plastic trim can then be moved about allowing you access, albeit tight, to the other end of the strut.
Same procedure with the flat chisel and the other end was levered off the socket. I was then able to pull the old strut out through the rear.
Installation is the reverse. I popped the coat hanger hole end first and it was easy to lever back on. I can't tell you how I managed to get the rear end one back on but it took an hour of patience and tenacity, and it eventually clipped on. I had to lower my coffin lid support a little to align the strut socket to the strut ball.
I removed my coffin lid support and it ****** well worked! Hurrah!
Garage wanted: 2 hours @£110 per hour plus VAT plus two struts @ £120 plus vat for the pair.
£408…….
Total job cost me £40. (my time is free to me but it took three hours.)
Doing the work requires time and patience and of course the right tools at times.
Happy to discuss if my explanation sucks.
Love this car.
And thank you to Mr Television.
