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Thread: Touring Tailgate Struts... Replacement Question

  1. #51
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    California
    Posts
    62
    My Cars
    1995 525iT
    Hi I'm going to try this...I'm just wondering is the special tool / pipe just to give you extra length? which maybe offers extra leverage? any other function to it?

  2. #52
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Amman, Jordan
    Posts
    227
    My Cars
    1995 BMW 525i Touring
    for me I'm too scared to change them so not to break the glass.. no replacement where I am.. so my arm will have to do for the moment.
    E34 525i Touring 1995, M52B28 LSD... fully restored.


  3. #53
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    314
    My Cars
    1991 318is
    Quote Originally Posted by spencer00 View Post
    Hi I'm going to try this...I'm just wondering is the special tool / pipe just to give you extra length? which maybe offers extra leverage? any other function to it?

    That's it, it just slides over the strut to give you the leverage at the end to snap it into place.

  4. #54
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    California
    Posts
    62
    My Cars
    1995 525iT
    thanks Fantom

  5. #55
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    California
    Posts
    62
    My Cars
    1995 525iT
    Thanks Fantom I used a pole from a beach umbrella and was able to pop the struts on. SoCal solution.

    unfortunately they seem to be about 1/16" inch too long. I cannot compress them at all so I can't attach them to the glass side.
    My glass just went from intermittent to not working, so I am doing all this with the glass closed / hatch up / through that opening. I wonder if the glass alone can raise slightly higher than it can when it is closed into the hatch? (if the glass went slightly higher I could attach the struts)
    Is there some way for me to loosen something that will allow the whole hatch to open a tiny bit higher (including the glass)?

    Even with the glass not working i want the glass struts installed as I think they assist the hatch struts. and thats where they go.

    To related bnut larger issue: I need the glass to open anyway to allow the full rewire that has to happen eventually back there. (I too have hatch wiring probs, third brake light, other that that mostly false dash codes that i think all emanate from back there.)

    Ideally I find someone that can get the glass open and do the rewire, without paying crazy specialist shop prices??

    If not that right away, I'd at least like to get the glass struts on.

    any ideas out there? thanks all

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by zkd View Post
    for me I'm too scared to change them so not to break the glass.. no replacement where I am.. so my arm will have to do for the moment.
    zkd even tho I'm only halfway there getting mine on, I can tell you i don't think its hard on the glass, you don't really have to interact with the glass. im not sure about what your experience will be since I am working with the whole hatch open, it could be different doing it (properly) with just the glass up. Anyway good luck if you give it a go

    - - - Updated - - -

    one more thing. who thinks having the rubber boots in there is actually that important. Cuz the car ate one of mine.
    Last edited by spencer00; 06-24-2017 at 10:05 PM.

  6. #56
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    California
    Posts
    62
    My Cars
    1995 525iT
    update
    suddenly everything is working:

    i tried to pop the glass with the hatch about half open, and it worked. I had already tried the glass at different hatch heights. I don't know why it worked this time. But, great.

    I found that indeed the glass opened an inch further when not latched to the hatch.

    I reinstalled the glass struts onto the ball joint with my umbrella pole (went way quicker this time) and now that the glass was an inch more open, I could attach the the other ends of the struts to the hinges and replace the e clips.

    As a possible fix to the glass not opening, before I shut it, I adjusted the locking pin / bolt of the glass to protrude as little as possible. At first the glass wouldn't latch shut. I unscrewed a few rotations, trying to keep it as 'short' as possible but able to close. It latched shut.
    At this point I thought i might be done. thinking glass is again going to be closed permanently, but at least i got the struts on (which DO contribute to the overall lift of the hatch)

    But lo and behold now the glass is popping with every pull of the switch.

    so hatch works, glass works, and 4 new struts installed. stoked.

    still need the hatch rewired so still taking reccomnedations on where who might be able to help with that that really knows whats up.

    and still looking for opinions on whether it matters I dont have the little rubber boots. i have one i forgot to install but that means removing and replacing the e clip which sucked. the other was eaten by the car. im sure it's drainage / water thing but im just dubious its necessary. socal if thats relevant.

    thanks for reading

  7. #57
    moroza's Avatar
    moroza is offline MORΩN ΛABIA BMW CCA Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    BFE
    Posts
    11,090
    My Cars
    E34T
    If you were local I'd rewire your hatch. Really all that needs to happen is the section of wiring that flexes, near the hinges, cracks and needs whole sections replaced. Also the microswitches go bad. The two most important things I can suggest without typing out way too much hard-to-follow detail are: 1. replace the speednuts for the main inside liner piece with clips, so that even if the glass won't open you can still get the trim piece off, and 2. get wiring diagrams so you know what color wire to hack apart (outside the hatch) and manually jump or ground to get something to work.

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