Is there some sort of "trick" to putting in the rear hatch piston supports? It has such great pressure that I can't seem to compress it enough to screw it in. Also, the ends of my support have popped out of their ball socket. I can easily put it back on the ball joint, but it pops off both ends when I reopen the trunk. Is that fixable?

I don't suppose anyone's ever heard of some alternative to these gas pistons to hold the trunk up, other than a big stick prop?

 

i changed mine from the stock 280ZX to the Z32 pistons.. i just flipped them upside down and they work better then the stock versons.. even with the added weight of my rear wing.. find a set of pistons from a Z32 bat the junk yard and use them instead...

 

I'm not sure what to tell you about the ball joints popping out, but once on an old car i grinded a notch in the arm right below the cylinder at its highest point. I then cut a washer to slip it on and straitened it out. Then when you upen the trunk just slide it up and it holds great. Idk if that helps but it saves money and worked great.

 

I think the supports that were in my ZX when I bought it might've been aftermarket. In either case, I just bought one from Pepboys and will see if I have an easier time installing it tomorrow.

Btw, Isaac, I need to have my roofliner and a couple trunk panels reupholstered. Do you have any recommendations on local interior shops, since it looks like your interior's been redone?

 

go to Ables glass and upholstery on A street and Hesperian.. ask for luis hes got the best prices in the east bay and his work isnt bad.. he did my whole car for a fraction of what others quoted me on. P.M. me for his phone #.... and tell him Isaac with the silver 280Zx sent you.. lol

 

Go with the broken broom handle, it is much more classy. And the car show judges absolutly go crazy for that stuff. :hpydance: :hpydance:

 

Heh, on my old S12 200SX, I used a badminton racquet to prop the trunk up after I had a spoiler installed. ^_~

 

If you use "The Club" as an anti-theft device, it doubles quite nicely as a deck lid prop...

 

I've had the prop problem as well. Turns out, there's little 'lock pins' that hold the ball in the socket after you slide them together. If you look closely, you should be able to see the groove they sit in. If you don't have them (as I did), the ball will pop out of the socket, creating frustrated owners and banged-up hands. I first found out about the pins after they popped out while I had my hands on the back of the car. Tell you what, nothing gets your attention like a heavy rear hatch slamming down on your fists ...

 

Hey Isaac,
Did you find the supports to be the same size, the fasteners etc being interchangable or did you have to do any mods (i,e. other then turning them upside down?). and last but not least, since you have a 2 seater do you know if would they fit on a 2+2 hatch?
Thanks
Ali

 

there the same size as my stock ones.. and the threads for the bolts are the same as in the Z32.. i jsut fliped them upside down and it was all good...

 

Is there a reason you flipped them?

 

only way they would fit..