Silly 164 trunk gas-spring question

I have a silly trunk gas-spring question about my 1971 164.

My trunk gas-springs are shot (typical on a 47 year old car...)

Lots of people sell them, and I was looking at Scandix to order them as part of a larger order.

They have the gas-springs, http://www.skandix.de/en/search/?q=trunk spring&k=567, and they are not horribly expensive at around $35 each.

These do not come with the end fitting, http://www.skandix.de/en/spare-part...ngs/end-fitting-gas-spring-trunk-lid/1030649/

Apparently you need on per sprint to attach each end of the spring to the car. These are also not particularly expensive at around $30 each, but they are almost as expensive as the gas-springs.

I went over to the storage unit where the car is stored, and there is almost two feet of snow preventing me from actually looking at it. I want to get this order on the way, so I thought I would ask here, can the yokes from my existing springs be removed and used with the new gas-springs, or should I just go ahead and order them?

After all, this is Turbobricks...


David Riedle

The cold weather compresses the gas and makes them less effective. They may be better when it warms up.

See if you can find ones made by stabilus.

No spring even when it's 100 degrees outside. It's just old.


David Riedle

Rockauto.

There's a version of the trunk springs that actually have springs in them.

As I recall it's 70 and earlier that had the springs in them.

The early silver spring shown is what the black gas-spring replaces.


Dave Riedle

hiperfauto said:

There's a version of the trunk springs that actually have springs in them.

Click to expand...

Well, if the parts catalogs are to be believed, 142, 144 and 164 all used the gas spring until mid year '70. After that, 144 and 164 used the non gas spring while 142's still used the gas spring.

I can't see why the springs would fail. My '71 has the same spring as the silver one shown above. Might be worth taking one apart, but probably just worth getting two new springs. It's annoying to have to use two hands to open the trunk...one to twist the latch, and one to lift the trunk lid.

My hand often slips off trying to twist the latch, and then lift trunk lid.


Dave Riedle

The springs don't fail. That was the point of my previous post.

Having to use 2 hands to open the trunk is the norm with either type of spring. It would be nice if it popped up a little so it didn't re-latch when you let go of the knob (or key on the updated version), but it doesn't.

Don't try to take one apart unless prepared to deal with 2 rather strong and surprisingly long springs popping out. Part of the housing is plastic and easily broken. Simply letting one extend suddenly will cause it to fly apart, so be extremely careful.

I remember once seeing a picture of a handle that was available as an accessory for the 164 for the trunk. Not sure how it would look, but it sure would be helpful!

I'm pretty sure I put 240 springs in my 142 trunk. Is that an option?

Yeah, they're the same part for 140/160 and 240/260 sedans.

Btw hinges are different between 140/160 and '79 and on200-series.