'72 FJ40 Liftgate Struts (4 Viewers)

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Thanks gsdog2... I can't believe how many threads there have been about this and still no pictures... I'll post a couple myself when I figure this out...
 
jgray

I just went through this. The chrome on the struts was in poor shape and I was concerned about being able to economically refinish them. I tried the NAPA struts previously listed as slip-ins into the stock struts but was not satified with them. The chrome was bad on the stock struts and the fact that the hatch did not lift as high as with the stock springs in the struts had me dissatified. I am in the process right now of completely starting from scratch using only the gas struts. I know this will not work if you are doing a restore or are a purist, but it will work for me. I have taken pics so I will post them as soon as I can. The NAPA # given turned out to be 150 lb struts. I am down to 90 lbs each strut and with two struts together it is still too much for me. I am going to see if I can get them in 60 lbs. I'll keep you posted.

By the way how are you as far as fabbing small metal stuff? What I am doing requires a bit of fabbing.
 
Pics of each end and how they attach.

I have a set of the lower brackets that attach to the body for sale. See last pic. They are slightly pitted but were sand blasted and powder coated chrome. $10 + the ride... PM me if interested...
PB230007.jpg
PB230014.jpg
IMG_4167.jpg
 
Coolerman... I'll take the brackets... PM sent... I figure I can get some struts that work and just leave the spring cylinders out of the picture... Just need something similar in length to what I have but with different ends to connect to the brackets... I will let everyone know what I come up with...
 
jgray said:
Coolerman... I'll take the brackets... PM sent... I figure I can get some struts that work and just leave the spring cylinders out of the picture... Just need something similar in length to what I have but with different ends to connect to the brackets... I will let everyone know what I come up with...
Click to expand...

Got some ideas for you. Here's some pics of what I just finished.

1. Gas strut with hatch in open position, NAPA turbolift part # 819-5521, 20 inches open & 13 inches closed, 90 lb capacity (too heavy, lighter capacity would be better, maybe about 60 lb)

2. Gas strut with hatch in closed position

3.Ball stud NAPA part # 735-1896 packed 2 per box, about $5

more to follow
gas strut.jpg
door closed.jpg
ball stud.jpg
 
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More

1. Hatch mount bracket, made from modified stock bracket heated and dogleg straightened out with 5/16ths x 18 nut welded on

2.Cab mount bracket, made from scratch

3. lower mount again with hatch closed, showing close proximity to edge of hatch

By looking closely at pics 2 & 3 you might be able to see what I can see when I am looking at the real thing (not a pic). It might be possible to put the ball stud into the body without making a bracket. The stock thread size for the machine screws is 6mm x 1.0, or just under 1/4 inch. I'm not sure how big the captive nut is but it should be big enough to drill and tap for 5/16ths x 18 thread for the ball stud. The lower screw position is far enough back from the outer edge of the body and I think just far enough above the hatch latch to have enough room to fit the stud with the strut socket on it.
upper mount.jpg
lower mount.jpg
lower mount 2.jpg
 
Handcannon-- I picked up the same ball studs over the weekend after looking in the catalog with my napa parts guy. Funny you got the same thing. I was going to try to install the stud into the body as you were describing and modify the brackets that come from coolerman... Anyway I'll post up some pics when I get mine mounted... I am still using the 819-5565's that were suggested in earlier posts... Is there a reason you got a different strut? I can still exchange mine if needed.
 
jgray said:
Handcannon-- I picked up the same ball studs over the weekend after looking in the catalog with my napa parts guy. Funny you got the same thing. I was going to try to install the stud into the body as you were describing and modify the brackets that come from coolerman... Anyway I'll post up some pics when I get mine mounted... I am still using the 819-5565's that were suggested in earlier posts... Is there a reason you got a different strut? I can still exchange mine if needed.
Click to expand...

I had two reasons.

1. Since I decided not to use the stock strut housings the 819-5565's were way to short for me, the hatch did not lift high enough. I know, picky, picky, but I don't enjoy running into the edge of the hatch with my forehead when I am not paying attention to my surroundings (happens too often). The blinding white light, the sudden feeling that your head just exploded, and the occasional red film that obscures your vision does strange things to a person.

2. The 819-5565's were 150 lb capacity per strut. I am recovering from a serious illness and don't have the strength I used to have. A single 150 lb strut was about all I could pull down to shut the hatch, let alone do so with two struts (I'm only 160 lbs dripping wet right now). I traded the 819-5565's for a pair of 819-5521's. They are 90 lb capacity each, 20 inchs extended length, and 12 inches compressed length. The 819-5565's were I think about 17" and 11 1/2''. A single strut at 90 lbs is just right for me, but two at 90 lbs goes back up to being almost more than I can handle. I am going to go back to NAPA and see what they have in something about 60 lb capacity. I hope I can do the swap soon, just need to combine the trip with something else (Dr visit, grocery run, etc) to economize on fuel costs.

Don
 
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Does anyone have a set of the napa struts loose that could confirm some diminsions? My understanding is the diminsion of the tube is the issue usually.

here is the link to the napa struts;

Lift Supports - Universal Gas Charged, 10.25"; 17"

I have a supplier that has a strut with the following diminsion:

17.19" extended, 6.18" stroke, .24" rod, .59" Tube. 40 or 60 pound.

Price $10 each.

Thanks,
 
2fpower said:
Does anyone have a set of the napa struts loose that could confirm some diminsions? My understanding is the diminsion of the tube is the issue usually.

here is the link to the napa struts;

Lift Supports - Universal Gas Charged, 10.25"; 17"

I have a supplier that has a strut with the following diminsion:

17.19" extended, 6.18" stroke, .24" rod, .59" Tube. 40 or 60 pound.

Price $10 each.

Thanks,
Click to expand...


I don't have the NAPA struts right here, but I do have the stock lift gate struts close by. The smallest inside diameter in the stock strut is .660". You have .070" of clearance for the strut tube you have listed. Not much but probably enough.
 
Received the stock struts back from the powder-coater....went with semi-gloss black.
View attachment 312252

Removed the old hardware and replaced it with 1/4" x 3/4" shoulder bolts; had to re-drill the brackets and strut ends to 1/4".
View attachment 312253

Took a 3/4" copper pipe cleaner; flattened the handle to fit the drill and cleaned the insides of both struts.
View attachment 312254

Continued....
 
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gsdog2

Looks good! Could you post a side view pic of your 40 with the hatch in the up position? I'm interested in seeing how high the hatch lifts with the refurbed stock struts. Also, could you tell us where you found the shoulder bolts?

Update on my previous posts.

In post #22 I mistakenly stated that the first struts were 150 lb capacity. I got this from the counter jockey. Either I misunderstood him or he quoted me from the wrong line in his book. Anyway, I stand corrected with the 50 lbs being the correct rating. I don't have that part number in front of me but it is the same strut as what gsdog2 used.

In post #29 I stated that the 819-5521 at 90 lbs was too heavy capacity and that maybe a 60 lb capacity strut would be better. Well, it just so happens that NAPA does have the same length strut in 60 lb, 40 lb, and 30 lb capacities. I was concerned that 40 lbs would be too light so I went with the 60 lb struts, part number 819-5519. Working the hatch with these struts is firm but acceptable.

What I did is not for the purist but is very functional and works for me. What gsdog2 did looks very good and keeps things stock except for the chrome. Way to go gsdog2!
 
Ok, I'll post the attached strut pic as soon as I get the 40 from the shop; I think Monday or Tuesday. :steer: I got the shoulder bolts from my local ACE Hardware.
 
Looks good guys... I just got my brackets from coolerman but was out of town this past weekened... I will post up my progress as well...
 
Our TAC group has an account with MSC, a supplier of misc great stuff, and I found that they sell an identical strut to the NAPA strut, that worked perfectly. The great thing was the cost.... about $10 each. MSC number 00484089.. I got 60 lb units.
 
Hey Guys, I ordered the Auto Zone equivalent struts and should be in tomorrow. Excited, after following all your threads, to do this job myself!

Question: There seems to be a "critical length" after the install of the spacers on other ends. The measurement is referred to in a thread i can no longer find.

Anyone know, what is that length?!

C.
 
Cruiser1975 said:
Hey Guys, I ordered the Auto Zone equivalent struts and should be in tomorrow. Excited, after following all your threads, to do this job myself!

Question: There seems to be a "critical length" after the install of the spacers on other ends. The measurement is referred to in a thread i can no longer find.

Anyone know, what is that length?!

C.
Click to expand...

What was the part number for the AutoZone struts? Have you installed them yet?

I looked at AutoZone and the closest think I could find was D95779, a 55# strut that extends to 17" and compresses to 11." But the minimum (compressed) length is 3/4" longer than the Napa strut, and I remember reading that the Napa would just barely compress enough to allow the hatch to close.

Of course, the AutoZone strut is less than half what Napa charges, and it wouldn't be too hard to shorten the rod 3/4"!
 
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