Do-it-yourself repair of trunk gas shock absorbers

Shock absorbers are a kind of consumable item for your car. Moreover, the costs of maintaining the suspension in working condition are inversely proportional to the quality of the roads. Car owners are constantly looking for ways to save on repairs and maintenance of their cars. We will talk about self-repair and restoration of the characteristics of shock absorber struts.

When the front and rear shock absorber struts need to be checked

Typical malfunctions of this unit are known to everyone:

Depressurization of the rod seal. Leads to oil leakage from the strut. It can leak at any time. Characteristics change until complete loss of performance.
The rod moves too freely in the pipe. In fact, the shock absorber strut turns into a guide for the suspension spring. The malfunction is related to the internal valves.
Play during compression or rebound. Associated with production in the rod or cylinder. The consequences are similar to broken valves. The shock absorber does not perform its function in the car, it knocks, rattles and makes other unpleasant sounds, which is why driving in such a car becomes uncomfortable and dangerous.
External damage - dents on the body, cracks in the eyelet. They affect the chassis as a whole and can lead to more serious damage.

If any malfunction is detected, it is necessary to remove the strut and free it from the spring. Dismantling is carried out in the garage, without the use of special tools.

Sometimes owners of foreign cars, noticing that their struts have leaked, turn to a service station for diagnostics, where they will test them on a stand.

Replacing stops - step-by-step instructions

Open the trunk and support its lid with some strong wooden beam. It is advisable to replace both stops with bars so that it is convenient to work with them from either side.

After installing the safety stops, parts are replaced. It is quite simple and takes no more than 10 minutes. The hinged ends are secured with some kind of clamp. Typically, either a flat clamp or a C-shaped clamp is used. The latter should slide through the bottom of the cracker, and then under the ball. Only in this case will the fastening be reliable.

It is important to push out the old shock absorber correctly. Some car enthusiasts do this by using a screwdriver, inserting it between the ball joint and the metal, and then pulling like a lever. For this purpose, it is better to use needle-nose pliers or a small screwdriver, with which you should carefully lift the clamp from the cracker. Then all that remains is to pull the cracker off the ball. The same manipulations should be repeated with the second end of the stop.

Installing the new part will be made easier by applying a small amount of silicone grease to the inside of the cracker. To do this, the clamps are installed in a half-open position. Then you need to pull a new cracker onto the ball and snap the clamp.

It also happens that the hinge joint does not have a clamp, and the ball joint is screwed to the body panel. In this case, it is recommended to use a hex wrench to remove the old ball joint. You can screw on the new heel using an open-end wrench.

If the stop is mounted on a rigid mount, you just need to unscrew the bolt holding it in place.

The fastening on the pin should be disassembled using a locking spring washer or pin to prevent the stop from slipping off the pin. To release the lock washer, it must either be pushed or pulled in a specific direction. In some cases, it is enough to push it slightly with the tip of a screwdriver. You can also grab the end of the washer with needle nose pliers and pull it out. After this, the old hood or trunk lid stop must be removed, a new one installed, and the lock washer smoothly returned to its place until it snaps into place.

Usually the piston column has a coating that is resistant to external influences. However, when working, you still need to act carefully so as not to damage it. It is also important to install the new part correctly. If the old stop was with the piston down, the new one should have the same position. A device containing nitrogen or hydraulic fluid will operate more smoothly if the rod end is pointed down.

After installing the new shock absorbers, you can remove the wooden block holding the hood or trunk and enjoy the convenience of the system.

Watch a video about replacing trunk shock absorbers on a Nissan March K12:

Repair or replacement? What you can do with your own hands

In fact, this is not such a simple task. Before carrying out work, you should carefully study the material and follow safety precautions. First of all, you need to determine whether your shock absorber is collapsible or not. The monolithic body cannot be repaired; opening it with a grinder and welding it is unacceptable.

If there is a nut or retaining ring where the rod enters the pipe, such a shock absorber strut can be serviced and repaired.

This is what a repairable rack looks like

Do-it-yourself repair of trunk gas shock absorbers

Many drivers are already accustomed to the fact that the word “shock absorber” applies mainly to the chassis of a car. However, few people know, but shock absorbers are now used not only to reduce suspension vibrations, but also to support the hood of doors or trunk lids. This article will talk about how to choose a shock absorber for the trunk lid, rear door and hood?

Since the beginning of the creation of shock absorbers, they were precisely intended for car suspension. However, with the development of high technologies, such devices began to be used not only for the chassis, but also for many of the driver’s everyday things. They have proven themselves well when used in various doors with a hinge mechanism.

The requirements for trunk or hood shock absorbers are not as high as for the car's chassis. However, the criteria for their selection are still present. Let's try to figure out which one it is?

Bleeding the shock absorber

The rack must be completely disassembled and cleaned of dirt and old oil. Check the O-rings and the condition of the inner pipe wall.

Remove drips and other contamination from all rack mechanisms

No special equipment is required to work with oil struts

Video: how to restore the functionality of a non-separable mechanism and is there any point?

Checking the performance of the shock absorber

It is important to note here that, unlike the suspension shock absorber, the trunk and hood stops are not checked on special stands or by swinging. Visual inspection is ineffective if the gas stop is installed. However, you can check the shock absorber before it completely fails. The only caveat: a correct check is only possible in the cold season. If at low temperatures the shock absorber always works abnormally, i.e. he always has to “help”; replacement makes sense. In those cases when the stop works as if unstable, you can leave it - at positive temperatures everything will be fine with it. If a car has a gas shock absorber, instability in its operation always clearly indicates the need for replacement, because a gas-filled shock absorber does not depend on the vagaries of the weather.

Replacing the rod, valves, adjusting the stiffness of shock absorbers

The next malfunction is damage to the rod, seals, and valves inside the strut. There is a certain selection of spare parts on the market for repairing dismountable shock absorbers. In addition, an experienced car enthusiast never throws away old spare parts, but tries to repair them. In addition, you can always extract workable parts from them.

So, let's disassemble the shock absorber.

Don't forget to wear gloves, the job is dusty

Turning work is usually cheaper than the cost of a new shock absorber

Tip: The entire process of disassembling the shock absorber should be photographed. This will avoid problems during assembly.

Get rid of stains, dirt and dust while disassembling

All parts must be carefully checked

It is recommended to replace the oil seal

After pumping the oil, the rack needs to be pumped as usual

Video: How to repair car MacPherson struts

If you have basic information about how your shock absorbers work, you can save money on replacing them. Most rack models are repairable, and components are either purchased at reasonable prices or made independently.

Many owners of dates, and not only dates, know that over time the gas shock absorbers of the trunk lid begin to lose their position, and they often find out about this on their own heads or backs. And so, this misfortune did not bypass me, I got hit on the head completely.

What we have are two dead shock absorbers that need to be replaced. We go to existential, autodoc and other specialized sites, find spare parts by number and what we see: - 3200 rubles

from the UAE, a period of 2 months - from numerous reviews on the Internet I understand that the money will go nowhere, and I will not receive the coveted depreciation, and a period of 2 months is not very attractive;
— 6500-7000 rubles
existential, autodoc, period 5-12 days (+8-10 days delivery by road) — 14 grand for two gas struts, this price is not ice.

A little about the trunk supports

The trunk lid, as well as the hood of the vehicle, can treacherously drop at the most inopportune moment, causing injury to the motorist. The description of such a nuisance was reflected in many jokes and even movies, but it never promised anything good to the car owner himself. Automakers have found a simple and elegant solution - install special shock absorbers that simplify access to the trunk or engine compartment, and also guarantee safety during operation. They have several names: the most common “shock absorber”, the often used “stop”, “torsion bar”, less often “gas spring”. The most correct name is “pneumo-hydraulic stop”, although both buyers and sellers use it very rarely.

Car trunk shock absorbers take on a number of tasks:

Smooth lifting of the trunk lid in automatic mode without impact in the uppermost position;
Equally smooth lowering of the lid instead of a sharp slam;
Holding the trunk lid in the uppermost position without using other stops.

Such shock absorbers make the car even a little more comfortable and noticeably safer, because impacts from the hood or trunk lid on the head and back in some cases have caused very serious injuries. On modern vehicles, such shock absorbers are installed almost without fail (there are exceptions, but they are extremely rare). The widespread use of stops began about 30 years ago, and they were also installed on domestic classics like the Volga and VAZ cars.

Types of hood, trunk, rear door shock absorbers

But the shock absorber of the trunk, rear door or hood is no less important. Especially when you consider that it is the shock absorber of the rear door or trunk that often causes a lot of trouble for the car owner due to frequent failure.

It turns out that the trunk and rear door shock absorbers are very delicate mechanical creatures that require constant attention and compliance with the rules of their operation. And the shock absorbers of the rear door and trunk are used no less intensively than the shock absorbers of the car suspension.

By design, shock absorbers are distinguished according to the type of damping:

Hydraulic is a sharp deceleration. The trunk shock absorber is installed with the rod down.
Dynamic is a smooth deceleration. The shock absorber can be installed in any direction.

According to the state of the working substance:

Gas shock absorbers. Reliable and durable.
Gas-oil shock absorbers. Less resistant to low temperatures. But, they are more economical compared to gas trunk shock absorbers.
Oil shock absorbers. At a “popular” price, it has fairly normal performance characteristics.

Tips for long-term use of shock absorbers

Sometimes motorists complain about squeaks when opening the lid . To avoid such problems, you can try lubricating the stops and hinges. But in most cases the reason is the low quality of components or their obsolescence. At low temperatures, the viscosity of the working substance increases. Therefore, in winter, when operating in northern regions, you need to open the trunk with a smooth movement.

Often, after replacing one shock absorber, you have to apply more force when closing the door. Therefore, some drivers decide that one stand is enough. In fact, the load will be distributed unevenly, and the mechanism will begin to wear out faster. To avoid having to replace it again soon, it is better to immediately install two shock absorbers .

If the shock absorber no longer holds the door, it is not necessary to throw it away. You can make simple repairs to temporarily postpone the purchase of a new part for a while. Before you begin restoration work, you need to prepare tools - a cordless drill and a metal drill.

When carrying out a simple repair, you will first need to pull the piston out and drill a hole in the housing. In this case, it is important to get into the area located in front of the piston. Then you need to wait until the air comes out from inside. The oil is also drained through the hole.

The drilled hole will allow you to determine the position of the piston. You need to drill a second hole, which will be located exactly under the piston. It is made end-to-end.

A nail on a string is tied to the stop with electrical tape. After lifting the trunk, a nail is inserted into the hole, so the lid is fixed. To lower it, the nail is removed.

Inserted nail in repaired stop

Do-it-yourself repairs should only be done as a last resort and, if possible, new components should be supplied as quickly as possible. No maintenance is required after installation. In order for gas struts to last as long as possible, it is important to check that the trunk lock is closed before traveling. Otherwise, the cover may open along the way, resulting in damage to the glass and the stops breaking out.

How to choose the right trunk and tailgate shock absorber

We pay less attention to the hood damper for a simple reason. The hood of a car is the place where we look least often. Compared to the load carried by the shock absorber of the rear door or trunk of a car, the hood shock absorber is simply in a state of constant rest.

The only important advice when operating a car is the rule of using the hood shock absorber in winter. The working fluid becomes more viscous at low temperatures, so warm up the engine properly before opening the hood.

If you decide to check the oil before starting, then you need to open the hood slowly, without jerking. Neglect of this rule most often causes the hood shock absorber to fail.

Before choosing a shock absorber for the trunk and rear door, you must read the Operating Instructions for your vehicle. It doesn’t matter at all whether you are going to buy a gas trunk shock absorber or an oil one, you must take into account some features.

The type of shock absorber depends on the intensity of use of the trunk or rear door.
Climatic features of your region in winter.
Compliance of shock absorber parameters with the requirements of the car manufacturer.
Weight of the trunk lid or rear door. For heavy parts, it is necessary to select a shock absorber with a higher buoyancy force (N).

You can easily replace the shock absorbers of the hood, trunk or rear door with your own hands, provided you strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions. It is recommended to replace the rear door and trunk shock absorbers in pairs. When replacing shock absorbers, spend a couple of minutes adjusting the hood and trunk latches.

The best option when choosing shock absorbers is to select them from the electronic catalog of auto parts. Yes, it will cost a little more, but you will have a certain guarantee than purchasing shock absorbers on the car market from an unknown manufacturer with a well-known logo on the packaging. The choice is yours.

The easiest and most affordable way to select shock absorbers for the trunk, rear door or hood is to use the catalog or technical documentation that comes with the car. If you buy, for example, too short ones, then the hood or trunk simply will not open all the way; in this case, checking the oil level will be problematic, not to mention repair work. As a rule, when buying original components, you can count on reliability and a long service life; with outright fakes there will be no such guarantee.

How to replace a trunk shock absorber on a domestic car

When removing shock absorbers from a car of a Russian automaker, in addition to a screwdriver, a wrench with a diameter of 13 mm is used. The following describes the procedure for Lada Samara cars:

On each side, the trunk lid stops are held in place by two ball-head bolts. These bolts need to be unscrewed.

The bolts at the bottom of the mount are also unscrewed.

Then the new shock absorbers are screwed in exactly the same way. Those with a hydraulic mechanism are screwed with the rod down. If the machine did not previously have stops, you will have to drill holes for the bolts. There will be a gap at the bottom at the connection point. Therefore, it is advisable to install a washer that will press the bolt.

Videos with step-by-step instructions:

Shock absorbers for the trunk door Kalina

Why do you need to change the trunk gas struts ?
Firstly, this will make it easier for you to open the trunk; you won’t have to constantly be afraid that its lid will slam shut at any moment. Secondly, the trunk lid will not rattle on bumps in the closed position, since the stops constantly press on it from below. Now let's get down to business. The trunk gas struts on Kalina, sedan, station wagon, and hatchback change almost the same way. In this case, the work was carried out on a sedan.

I delayed replacing the trunk struts for quite some time. Lately, I even had to pull the trunk lid a little to open it.

After reading reviews about various stops, I decided to buy Aurora stops. They are not the most expensive, but, according to the Internet, they are quite high quality.

First you need to remove the old trunk struts. This is quite simple to do - take a flat-head screwdriver and pry up the fixing bracket. If the bracket does not pull up, it can be removed by pulling it towards the end of the stop (there are special slots there). Thus, you need to remove all 4 brackets from 2 stops one by one.

The stop itself, without staples, should come off easily.

Remove the first one, wipe the seats on the body and trunk lid. The seats on the stops themselves must be lubricated. If this is not the case, lubricate them with thick lubricant - silicone, grease, etc. These stops were lubricated, which undoubtedly pleased me.

Insert the fence and secure it with staples on both sides. It is best to insert the bracket into special slots using the same screwdriver. The second stop needs to be installed in the same way.

At this point, the installation of the gas struts on the Kalina trunk can be considered complete.

Replacing trunk shock absorbers is one of the simplest operations that may be required during the operation of Kalina. However, it is hardly worth rushing things and changing them every year for this reason, because the price of one high-quality stop is on average 400 rubles. At the same time, making trunk shock absorbers serve you for several years is not so difficult.

How to extend the life of trunk shock absorbers

Despite the fact that gas shock absorbers, which are used as trunk stops in Kalina, are considered quite durable and reliable, they fail quite often. The reason for this is, as a rule, insufficient attention to these details and neglect of basic operating requirements.

In fact, gas trunk shock absorbers turn out to be very demanding, primarily in terms of weather conditions. The fact is that at low temperatures the gas pressure drops, which does not have the best effect on their operation. In the cold season, abruptly opening the trunk lid can be detrimental to the stops, so in cold weather it is better to lift it smoothly, without rushing.

It is undesirable to help the shock absorber open the trunk quickly and in warm weather - this will also have a negative effect on its condition. In general, the more often the trunk opens and closes, the less the shock absorbers will last, which is quite logical.

The weight of the fifth door or trunk lid is also important. If a spoiler is installed on it or additional sound insulation is made, which increases the weight of the part, the standard shock absorber may no longer cope with its functions. In this case, it is necessary to replace it with a more powerful one, but identical in length and fastenings. It is better to replace shock absorbers in pairs at once, even if only one has failed.

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DIY rear door shock absorber repair

In the vastness of the forum, there are different ways to relieve pressure from the rack before disassembling, but there is not a single detailed one. Write down who does it and how, in detail, so to speak “competitively”, so that later you won’t be offended by the repair you just made, or worse, by a damaged eye.

A thin drill bit and a drill at low speed. True, I was dismantling a shriveled gas strut. Otherwise, the GP from the office chair was understood in the same way. Drill so that the future hole is located above the oil level. If you are afraid for your eyes, put a protective shield cut out of cardboard over the drill. However, I drilled without anything and there was nothing but zilch.

Where is the sealing ring located on the rod plug? I ask because it is necessary to maintain the maximum length of the pipe. Where should I drill? Here are two photos:

quote: Originally posted by Fake: Drill so that the future hole is located above the oil level

quote: Originally posted by Deni-kin: By the way, how much of this oil is there in general, what should you prepare for?

Honestly, I don't remember. I was drilling a stand that was already leaking, there was a little oil in it, a cube at most. You let it lie down in a horizontal position so that as much oil as possible drains off the top wall. Once the air is released, the oil will no longer flow, it will only ooze. Cover the pipe with rags if you are afraid of getting something dirty, but I don’t think they will be useful. I can’t tell you where to drill - I drilled in the middle, I was just curious what was inside

quote: Originally posted by Fake: You let it lie down in a horizontal position so that as much oil as possible drains off the top wall.

quote: Originally posted by Strelok-mod79: Yes, they drilled her hole and that’s it

Judging by the photo, the stand is stretched, made of a round coin, like a 12 gram can. This means the walls are a little thicker, but not by much.

This shriveled stand (it was easily pressed in) was removed using a dirty but safe method - the rod in the place number “1” was ground off with sandpaper, then it was pressed against the floor with the rod and pressed. I naturally bleed it down the machined rod along with the oil =) well, this was all done in the garage using old rags. I disassembled the next one by FINISHING it with a hacksaw in the place numbered “2”. file the current at one point (and not in a circle.) or it’s even easier to drill with a thin 1mm drill. when it hisses, don’t get scared and don’t throw it away (if it’s in a vice, you can cover it with a rag and step aside. If you’re drilling on the floor, you can put the stand in a thicker pipe, leaving only the tip into which you’ll drill), otherwise it will turn over and splash oil =)

Be sure to use safety glasses.

quote: Originally posted by Deni-kin: By the way, “zilch” looks like if you hold the fitting of a car pump with your finger, pump and release the fitting,

quote: Originally posted by REACT: this shrunk stand (it was easily pressed through)

quote: Originally posted by REACT: the rod in the place numbered “1” is ground off with sandpaper,

quote: Originally posted by Strelok-mod79: There is no more than a couple of cubes of oil.

quote: Originally posted by Deni-kin: Nevermind, “pairs of cubes”, there are 7-8 of them, if you don’t disassemble them correctly, all this will fly into physics, and even under pressure.

At one time I drilled into a stud along its axis. A small spritz and a drop of oil. All!

Which trunk shock absorber to choose and what to look for when purchasing

It is advisable to first remove the part and go to the store with it. Another option is to measure the length and height in advance; you can even make a pattern on paper. Before purchasing, you should study the instructions for the car; important parameters are indicated there:

There are many trunk shock absorbers, and they are different

Depending on the method of suppressing vibrations, shock absorbers are divided into hydraulic and dynamic. Hydraulic models slow down the movement of the lid sharply. Dynamic ones work smoothly.

Many motorists ask on forums whether it is worth replacing old oil stops with more reliable gas ones . It is important to consider that they will be more expensive, but their advantage is stable operation even at subzero temperatures. Value for money and acceptable quality - gas-oil models. Their difference from gas ones is only that in cold weather they are more susceptible to breakdowns, but they are more reliable than conventional oil ones.

Gas shock absorber for VAZ 2121 “Niva”

Sometimes there is no model of stops on sale with the ejection force of the original ones. Instead of 450 N, you can take 470 or 430 Newton. On domestic cars, it is not advisable to install shock absorbers with plastic fasteners and bolts that are held in place by clamps. When opening a heavy trunk of a Volga or Niva, the struts may break out. You need to choose parts with metal hinges that will be securely fixed.

Both pushers need to be replaced at once , although it may seem that even when installing one new one, the cover holds quite well. In fact, soon the problem will arise again, and the second shock absorber will have to be replaced. Therefore, it makes no sense to save, especially since the cost of the part is usually about 200-400 rubles. If you wish, you can install stops for VAZ on foreign cars or purchase imported shock absorbers for domestic cars. Such replacement does not affect the service life of components. However, many note that stops for foreign cars are superior in quality. It is important to remember that the price of imported spare parts is always several times higher.

How to open the trunk without a key

Any car enthusiast has encountered a situation where, due to absentmindedness or coincidence, the car keys end up inside the trunk or are simply lost. In order not to hack your own car, you need to prepare in advance for such a development of events. So, let's take a closer look at how to open the trunk of a Volga 3110 without a key.

The simplest and most effective technique is to attach a thin cable to the trunk lock drive, which must be routed inside the trunk lid amplifier through the rear parcel shelf in the place for the first aid kit. The end of the cable can also be brought out through a hole in the partition between the trunk and the seat. With this option, it will be invisible, and to access it you will need to remove the back of the rear seat.

These are, so to speak, preventative measures that need to be taken before the trunk is locked without a key. Now about how to open the trunk without any preparatory measures.

First of all, you need to make sure that there is a decorative lining on the lock. If there is one, then you need to insert a thick steel wire into the gap between the lock and the escutcheon, after first removing the rubber seal. The wire must first be bent at the end in order to hook onto the lock drive rod. If there is no cover, you will have to hook a wire to the lock rod through the holes for the speakers in the rear parcel shelf.

Thus, the trunk of the Gas 3110 is the subject of constant attention of a caring and hardworking car owner. Its modification will allow you to hone your technical skills and better understand the design of your own car, because, despite the fact that its production has ceased, many car enthusiasts continue to improve it, modify it and just drive it.

How to extend the life of trunk shock absorbers

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Shock absorbers for the trunk door Kalina

Why do you need to change the trunk gas struts ? Firstly, this will make it easier for you to open the trunk; you won’t have to constantly be afraid that its lid will slam shut at any moment. Secondly, the trunk lid will not rattle on bumps in the closed position, since the stops constantly press on it from below. Now let's get down to business.

The trunk gas struts on Kalina, sedan, station wagon, and hatchback change almost the same way. In this case, the work was carried out on a sedan.

I delayed replacing the trunk struts for quite some time. Lately, I even had to pull the trunk lid a little to open it.

After reading reviews about various stops, I decided to buy Aurora stops. They are not the most expensive, but, according to the Internet, they are quite high quality.

The stop itself, without staples, should come off easily.

Insert the fence and secure it with staples on both sides. It is best to insert the bracket into special slots using the same screwdriver. The second stop needs to be installed in the same way.

At this point, the installation of the gas struts on the Kalina trunk can be considered complete.

Replacing the Trunk Shock Absorbers of a VAZ 2114

innovation shock absorbers on VAZ 2114

Many novice drivers are interested in what springs are on a VAZ. 2114

and why they are needed. Replacement of rear shock absorbers on VAZ 2114. Exceeding the line, VAZ 2114. Replacement. functions shock absorbers are quite wide, they make the car more stable on the road, safer, more reliable, in particular their important role is manifested during sharp turns and when braking. If only the shock absorbers , if this had not happened, the car would have started the same second that the brake pedal was pressed. In addition, the described devices improve the driving process, reduce vibrations that occur on the supporting parts of the car, and prevent accumulation. This is why choosing the right vibration dampening device for your vehicle is so important. See what VAZ 2114 , how to replace rear shock absorbers

what nuances a driver should know

Purpose and types of shock absorbers

Shock absorber. This is a device designed to dampen vibrations and shocks that fall on the bottom of the car, which are then transmitted to the steering wheel and into the cabin. A shock absorber or, as it is also called, a support prevents this process, softens the harshness when driving, making it more comfortable and stable.

In addition, the part in question gives the car maneuverability and reliability. When equipped with good racks, they allow the car to easily make tight turns and withstand any road test. Today the following types of shock absorbers :

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