Liftgate cylinders

[Nickatnite]

I just purchased 2 Mopar replacement liftgate cylinders for my 2002 PT. Got them through WeRMopar.com They said the parts had a new x reference # based on my VIN number. What I got was 2 cylinders, and 2 ball stud screws that thread in with a hex nut on the body of the stud behind the ball. The original ones have a screw that goes all the way through & the ball is on it. I have no idea how these will go in as they don't look anything like the old ones. Does anyone have any experience with liftgate cylinders like these?

[quicksilverdon]

Not on a PT, but I've replaced them on other cars -
Contact where you bought them and explain.
I bought mine at a autostore with measurements of length and knowing what ends looked like.

[cjb15]

I've done a few just not PTs. Either there are clips that hold prop rod onto the ball studs that you take off or if no clips, you have to unscrew the entire ball stud from the car.

[snout]

Aloha!

Could anyone who has done this replacement weigh in? A friend is letting me use his vacation house and his vacation car (2001 PT Cruiser) The liftgate cylinders are shot. The liftgate gets used constantly (luggage, etc) and I think they'll appreciate discovering that the liftgate works properly next time they try it. I'm 3000 miles from home with none of my tools, and there aren't any tools here either, so I'll need to buy whatever tools I need when I pick up the replacement units tomorrow. At a quick glance, it looked like the struts are held in with Torx bolts, but it sounds like (on some vehicles, not necessarily PT Cruisers) there is a clip that slides off instead. I'll run back out to the garage to take a closer look, but it would be great to hear from someone who has actually done the repair to know which tools I'll need.

Mahalo!

[snout]

Ran out to the garage -- it looks like the Torx bolts (one on each end) are what's holding the struts in -- one bolt on each end of the strut.

In case you're thinking, "why doesn't he just go out to the parking lot with various bits to see which one works?", it's because the car won't be in the parking lot. I need to jump on a boat, travel to a different island, and then walk over to the auto parts place.

Thanks!

[Hooligan]

Welcome Snout!! I also thought it was Torx, but my 2008 uses clips. A small screw driver to Partially lift the clip, and slide it up the cylinder and pull the unit away. Better plan to have a prop or someone to help hold the lid up.

[CREWZIN]

They (Chrysler) might have changed them in the later years, but my 2001 (with the original liftgate struts) takes a #40 TORX screw on both ends (top and bottom). That's all there is to hold them on.

[Nickatnite]

Yup - #40 TORX on my 2002. I cut a board the right height to hold the lift gate up while I did each side. Mine replacements came from a Dodge/Chrysler parts place and the 4 TORX bolts were sold seperately. Easy job. Enjoy your stay and I'm sure your friend will appreciate the repair job!

[snout]

Mission accomplished! Glad I actually traveled over to the Lahaina NAPA instead of having the struts shipped over to me on the ferry, because when I visually inspected the replacement units, I saw that they were attached differently than the stock ones. The new fastener required an extra tool (13mm deep socket).

The T40 Torx socket got the old units off quickly. With the replacement units, I had to first screw in the 13mm bolts (with ball joints on their ends) where the torx bolts had come out. With the ball-tipped bolts in place, the new struts simply press and snap onto the ball at each end. If the car is still around when these wear out, the next replacement will have to be done w/a small screwdriver prying the clips off the ball joints at each end, but won't (assuming they're replaced with matching struts to these) require any additional tools.

I was able to swap out the cylinders myself. I changed 1 at a time and used my head to hold up the liftgate.

Thank you, everyone, for the information and advice that let me do this simple repair job with only 1 trip to the store -- a 2nd trip would have complicated the repair substantially.

BTW, this particular car was built in late 2000 (2001 model year?), so it's 10 years old and has only 20K miles on it. It's a clear example of the adage that the miles on the odometer don't tell the whole story. You might be excited about the prospect of picking up a 20K mile 2001 car, but in many ways, it's worn like a car with 5x or 10x the mileage. It has probably done zero highway miles, and has spent most of its life traveling one twisty road that goes from sea level up to the town center 7 miles (and 1800 feet in elevation) away. There's no dealership on the island, but there is an independent repair shop. I wonder if any factory recalls or scheduled maintenance have been done. With only 20K, it might not even be up for its first big service yet.