TOURING/WAGON owners: question about tailgate lifts

[cal45fan]

Is there a DIY procedure in replacing the tailgate lifts/shocks?

And, where is the source for these parts?

Thanks.

[yersole]

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=873806

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...hlight=touring

Rear Hatch Lift Support Strut 51248220072 (got mine from forum vendor - thebmwpartstore)
Shock for Rear Hatch Window 51248190688

You don't need the tool but it is probably much easier with it.
Tool 83300492604 (Bavauto has it for $122)

I bought the tool used from another member and sold it back to another member here. There were a few others who spoke for it too so not sure who has it now.

[Guam135i]

does the rear hatch window open separate than the rear hatch on all tourings?

[Pabloel]

does the rear hatch window open separate than the rear hatch on all tourings?

yes. There is a switch on the bottom of windshield wiper.

[Guam135i]

yes. There is a switch on the bottom of windshield wiper.

Thanks I'll check on mine I hope it does open

[Johntee540]

I have the tools and have just finished using them. NoodlesandSam is next in line. I just sent him a PM to see if he is still interested in buying them to do his car. I have an extra set of the Window Lifts for sale as well for $40. They are NIB. PM me if interested. I will update this thread if NoodlesandSam passes on his turn in line. Please and Thanks - JT

I have the tools and have just finished using them. NoodlesandSam is next in line. I just sent him a PM to see if he is still interested in buying them to do his car. I have an extra set of the Window Lifts for sale as well for $40. They are NIB. PM me if interested. I will update this thread if NoodlesandSam passes on his turn in line. Please and Thanks - JT

NoodlesandSam will have the tool probably by this weekend. PM him directly if you want to be next. I still have the Window Lift Shocks for sale. They are new in the box. Let me know if you need them. - JT

[cal45fan]

yes. There is a switch on the bottom of windshield wiper.

Can someone take a pic of this switch? I do not see one on the touring I am working on. Thanks.

[Qsilver7]

Can someone take a pic of this switch? I do not see one on the touring I am working on. Thanks.

...There is a switch on the bottom of windshield wiper.

Ditto Pabloel...the switch to open the glass in the tail gate is located on the underside of the rear windshield wiper (see the text highlighted in GREEN in the pic below and press on the button where the WHITE arrow is pointing):

[Aussie528iT]

You don't need the special tool. What you need is a 2 pieces of tube about 1 metre long that are a neat fit over each of the gaslifts and a piece of plastic or MDF etc to protect the edge of the tailgate opening edge as you need to lever the inner end of the gaslift up and down to get it off and on the ball joint inner end. The gas lift will come with a small amount of grease in the ball joint cup. Don't do what I did and put some more grease on it for good measure as I had to do the job again when the gas lift kept popping off the ball stud.
Hardest part of the job is getting the cable protection covers back on the hinges. A real PIA job.
You will need to support the tailgate while you do the work. I used an adjustable length rod off a paint roller. Put it between one of the handholds and the bottom of the tailgate opening.
I replaced all 4 of mine 4 years ago and the 2 large 1600N (360lb) force ones are losing the will to live already.
If you go to http://spaghetticoder.org/ you will find the TIS and instructions on how to go about it.

Hope this helps
RonR
99 528iT M52TU

[bschmidt25]

Who has the tool now? I need to do this job on my car too. How much easier does the tool make it versus dropping the headliner?

[cal45fan]

Who has the tool now? I need to do this job on my car too. How much easier does the tool make it versus dropping the headliner?

I just paid for the tool, from another member, and waiting on its arrival. I will work on it the weekend after thanksgiving. I can pass the tool along to the next Touring owner for the same amount I paid for it. $100 shipped.

The previous user said it saved him at least 1.5 hrs of labor.

[Qsilver7]

FWIW...I found this illustration in my pic "stash" that instructs how to change the struts of the tailgate's window section:

[tinius]

Is there a DIY procedure in replacing the tailgate lifts/shocks?

And, where is the source for these parts?

Thanks.

Back in July I sold an original BMW toolset for removing and replacing the struts here and included a link to lots of photos of the tools in use and the strut replacement process.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/83110750@N06/sets/72157630670740902/


I don't know where the instructions which Qsilver7 posted came from, but I didn't have to remove any panels, loosen any wire straps or push any hoses around. I didn't have to remove the headliner, either. Take a look at the photo series and let me know if you have any questions.

Some owners have been able to replace the struts using bars, large screwdrivers or other home-made tools.

Regards,

[KnudsonsM3]

Does anyone know the cheapest place I can buy these?

[geargrinder]

Funny! I just did this today and was about to make a post and noticed this thread up on the Touring forum here. Some thoughts.

• Special tools totally and entirely not necessary. Do they make it easier? I'm sure, but it was so easy without it can't really be tremendously better with them... I did think as I was doing it that if I had to do it more than once, I'd prob make my own tool (like some have suggested) rather than pay/wait. It'd be really easy to fake your own. I had some PVC that was the right size for the small struts but as I started eyeballing the job it was clear making a tool just wasnt worth the trouble - the whole thing was only going to take an hour at most...
• There is some idiotic post someplace suggesting you pull the headliner and unbolt the ball joint from underneath to do this job. There may be no stupider post on the internet. It is not done that way and that is like changing the ashtray by removing the transmission and reaching through the shifter hole. But hey - if you really have lots of time on your hands feel free to do it that way.
• Small thing - on initial disassembly I got caught for a second not noticing that the 2nd screw for the glass hinge covers is only available with the hatch shut and the window open. Take those 2 screws first, then close the glass for the duration of the project.
• Unsnapping and unthreading and then rethreading those little black covers was almost the toughest part of the job. Not tough, just pissy fussy.
• Once the basic prep is done and covers are opened up and the rubber trim is peeled back away from the hatch opening you are ready to roll. I didn't take the black plastic flat cover off the back either - I think some DIY's show that coming off too. Not necessary.
• If you are going special-tool free this is what I did:
  
  1. Be sure to have a good long pry bar or screwdriver. 12" longer than the struts is good. I have a HFT set of cheapy pry bars, the 2nd to largest one worked perfectlly.
  2. The glass hatch struts are super easy because you can take them off their pivot shaft before or after you pop the ball. I suggest to pull the shafts off the pin for the glass struts first, then slip your pry/screwdriver under the far end and gently pry up. It comes off really easily. They come right out, boom, so much for those.
  3. The big ones are trickier. Whats not immediately clear for the big struts is that they have to be all lined up with the pivot arm when loose, as there's not enough room to move them on once the ball is snapped in. If you are not using the tool, LEAVE THE PIN IN for those until you pry the socket off the ball so it helps with the prying leverage. The big struts have more of a decisive "pop" to them. Once they are popped off, pull the pin and boom you are 1/2 way there.
  4. Putting the big ones back in then to reverse order... Slip the strut into the cavity, put the pin in the bracket / lever FIRST, then work the socket over the ball and rest there ready to be snapped in. You can really tell easily when it's sitting on the ball waiting to be snapped down. This is NOT as tricky as it sounds/looks - it might take a little jiggling but if you're at all handy it's really easy. Then gently slip your pry/driver/thing down over the far end and a solid pry should give you a satisfying snap into place.
  5. I DID zip tie a piece of wood (some scrap trim I had lying around) to the struts to give me a better handle on them and help steer - sorta a half-ass half-version of the OEM tool - but truthfully with the 2nd one I got it positioned without even that just using needlenose pliers.
  
  
  Some other tips...
  
• When you have all 4 struts out, its a great time to clean dust and dirt out of this cavity which probably won't see light for another 10 years. I did my favorite compressed-air & vacuum combo platter trick in there (vacuum at front of hole while blowing out the inside w/ compressed). Worked great. Pic below.
• Also to make propping the hatch open extra easy, buy an E46 vert, then get a bargain on a hardtop with a BMW factory winch setup, install it in your garage, and then use the top winch to hold the hatch up while you pull all the struts. Tell your wife it's the only practical way to get the job done. Srsly it was very serendipitous - I backed right up to the spot where I usually pull the hardtop and the winch worked perfectly.

SumPitchaz....

Usin' the M-vert winch



Prying off a strut - note the glass strut is already out here and I'm popping the big hatch strut off...



Cleaning out the hole



Snapping in a new strut using ziptied piece of wood to hold position... the glass strut is still out as its easiest to do the big ones with more room to work

[djkev]

for those of you that replaced the shocks, was it harder to close the tailgate afterwards? I had the dealership replace mine after struggling with it for a day....

here's the issue, when I open the hatch using my key fob, it pops open violently and opens about 18"-20" from the bottom. It's also extremely heavy to lift up until about half way until the shocks take over and lift it all the way to the top. Also the hatch is open much wider than I remember it being used to.

Now when closing, it's fine until halfway down when it gets heavy again and basically drops down quickly if you don't hold it. Again, it stops about 18"-20" from the latch. I have to basically slam it down to shut and it's very difficult to get the auto soft close to catch and close it the rest of the way.

Does this sound normal? Or is the hatch out of alignment? Any thoughts on whats wrong...

[hans530i]

for those of you that replaced the shocks, was it harder to close the tailgate afterwards? I had the dealership replace mine after struggling with it for a day....

here's the issue, when I open the hatch using my key fob, it pops open violently and opens about 18"-20" from the bottom. It's also extremely heavy to lift up until about half way until the shocks take over and lift it all the way to the top. Also the hatch is open much wider than I remember it being used to.

Now when closing, it's fine until halfway down when it gets heavy again and basically drops down quickly if you don't hold it. Again, it stops about 18"-20" from the latch. I have to basically slam it down to shut and it's very difficult to get the auto soft close to catch and close it the rest of the way.

Does this sound normal? Or is the hatch out of alignment? Any thoughts on whats wrong...

Sounds wrong. I had all 4 shocks replaced and noticed no difference other than that the hatch goes up, all the way up, and stays up.

[tinius]

Re: djkev. Worst case: they took the door off the car to replace the struts and didn't replace/align it properly, instead of following the TIS procedure. Check the paint around the hinge screws.
If the struts were replaced properly, the door/window should still open to the same height and position as before. Maybe it wasn't opening all the way before the repair?

You could remove the strut pins (with an assistant to hold the weight) and see whether the door moves freely throughout the closed to open range or binds somewhere. If that's OK, then do the same for the window.

Regards,

[djkev]

Sounds wrong. I had all 4 shocks replaced and noticed no difference other than that the hatch goes up, all the way up, and stays up.

I kinda figured.... I'm getting really frustrated with this car and finding a shop I can trust to repair it.... Guess I'll give the dealer a call tomorrow morning and make them fix it

Re: djkev. Worst case: they took the door off the car to replace the struts and didn't replace/align it properly, instead of following the TIS procedure. Check the paint around the hinge screws.
If the struts were replaced properly, the door/window should still open to the same height and position as before. Maybe it wasn't opening all the way before the repair?

You could remove the strut pins from the hinges (with an assistant to hold the weight) and see whether the door moves freely throughout the closed to open range or binds somewhere. If that's OK, then do the same for the window.

Regards,

We'll the thing is that I removed the old shocks myself and brought it to the dealer to install them since I was having issues. It wasn't opening and closing freely after I took the old shocks out. so yeah I assume that the alignment is off. This is where it was getting stuck when I took the shocks out:

[tinius]

... It wasn't opening and closing freely after I took the old shocks out...

Ah, I just remembered you had a problem with the tailgate slipping out of alignment when you tried to replace the struts.

I can only recommend following the procedures I sent you before, or print them out and take them to the dealer for them to use - they have the step-by-step and tolerances for each adjustment to make the door and window fit properly. If the door and window don't move freely throughout the entire open to closed positions on their own, the struts aren't going to help.

Flash: the TIS procedures at spaghetticoder are no longer available. I may have a printout if you still need them.

Regards,

[geargrinder]

Weird. Yeah you got a problem w your hatch. I was about to haze your dealer but then you posted that your already had issues - I'm guessing they never fixed your alignment problem. That's a weird situation - did you loosen your hinge bolts during the process so it could have gotten tweaked?

My DIY went so painlessly I'd be happy to do it again for somebody else. And hatch works flawlessly - doesnt "pop" open but is super light to pull up and smooth through the whole range of motion.

I thinkin there's 2 very different things wrong - 1 = alignment and 2= heaviness.

The heaviness wouldn't be surprised to learn that one strut isn't on the ball - didn't get clipped in in first place or fell off later because it wasn't fully on. How does your glass open/close? I think the glass struts help support the full hatch so if one of those is off then maybe that's the heavy factor. If those work fine im sure its one if the main struts that isn't on its pin.

At any rate no way they should have given you your car back like that.

[jp5Touring]

geargrinder Nice write up and pictures,, Well done Sir

[noodlesandsam]

I have the toolset now. If someone needs it, I will lend it out for a fee. Let me know ( via pm or this thread )

[geargrinder]

geargrinder Nice write up and pictures,, Well done Sir

NP thnx. Always good to put up the info for the commune...

[djkev]

so I took a quick vid of the trunk popping this morning(click on pic):


and a photo of it all the way open. Does this seem abnormally high? I can barely reach it now.