w124 tailgate struts

[mercury]

The tailgate struts on my 1996 124 estate failed and I replaced them with considerable difficulty. I now have the same problem with my repacement 1997 300td avantgarde w124 estate. I am a dog owner and use the tailgate frequently and have been hit on the head by the falling tailgate. Has anyone had this problem and how did they replace the struts?

 

[television]

I can send you the details of how too later in the day, but you will need to activate your Email address in your user CP

 

[Mercedes 190E]

I didnt know 124s had struts-certainly none visible on mine! Are they built into the roof?

 

[mercury]

Yes the struts are in the roof space. Removal is fairly easy but replacement can be tricky because they need to be tensioned.

 

[Myros]

well fiddly

and you will skin your knuckles. do one at at a time and support the tailgate so that you can just swap the struts in and out at maximum extension ( their natural state) the retaining pins can be fiddly to get in and out, but the theory is straight forward. In reality it's cramped and abit painful. Some excellent how-tos on this site, just search the site.

 

[tobyd]

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w124-e-ce-d-td-class/243463-replacing-w124-wagon-hatch-struts.html

 

[mercury]

thanks for your help guys. I gave wrong info. I now have a 210 E class.I replaced the gas struts on my old 124 sometime ago.(I parted with my 1986 model at 200,000 miles )The tailgate works a treat now but the gearbox is now u/s. Wish I had my old 124 back as it was a manual and very few electronic bits to go wrong and proper paint instead of rust everywhere

 

[teddycatkin]

Thats why I went back to my W124 220te ? and I am happy again now.
It took 8 months to find a good one though --there are still a few good ones out there but they are becoming even harder to find. Good luck -Teddy.

 

[oigle]

The tailgate struts on my 1996 124 estate failed and I replaced them with considerable difficulty. I now have the same problem with my repacement 1997 300td avantgarde w124 estate. I am a dog owner and use the tailgate frequently and have been hit on the head by the falling tailgate. Has anyone had this problem and how did they replace the struts?

Where I come from, I can quickly and easily get my struts reconditioned for a fraction of the price of new. Surely such a service is also available in England too??

 

[television]

Where I come from, I can quickly and easily get my struts reconditioned for a fraction of the price of new. Surely such a service is also available in England too??

Interesting,,In Sweden the motor shops sell them all, you just buy the length that you need, and all cost £15 - £20 each

 

[oigle]

Interesting,,In Sweden the motor shops sell them all, you just buy the length that you need, and all cost £15 - £20 each

I guess that is why you don't have recon units. It costs us around AUS$20-30 to get one reconned and regassed. New ones here are up to AUS$100 each and some, depending on having special ends etc., can be OE only and cost heaps. Availability is sometimes difficult too.

 

[Simon21]

followed the benzworld instructions with some modifications:

Remove trim and headlining as per instructions.

Support rear door open with pole or similar.

Lift retaining tab on rear pins and with an old flat-blade screwdriver and a hammer lift the heads of the pins, and remove using mole-wrench.

With door still open look down gap at rear on outside and find/feel for clevis pins. Remove using long thin pliers. Push end of pin across and then using pliers/screwdriver. Remove.

Pull struts forward and out.

Insert new struts.

Drop rear seats forward.

Lower hatch carefully.

Pull back gaiter and insert rear pin, then insert clevis pin. A bit fiddly, but not too bad.

Lift rear door and support on pole - adjust pole so that forward pins can be inserted.

Knock in with hammer and close locking tab.

Replace trim.

Do-able in an hour in my case, single-handed

 

[Simon21]

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w124-e-ce-d-td-class/243463-replacing-w124-wagon-hatch-struts.html is very clear. It's a very easy DiY job with very few tools needed.

 

[Richard Elliot]

That is a simple job, my new struts were about 60 euros each, and although the mechanic did it it only took about half an hour.

 

[Simon21]

He works fast if he did it in 30 minutes. My struts came from a later W124 that I'm robbing/breaking for parts.