Hi guys,
Does anyone have a guide for replacing the gas struts that hold up the top lid on a convertible (roof stowage compartment... whatever you call it)?
Cheers
Gas struts for convertible top lid
Moderator: martauto
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Tzantushka
- E30 Zone Regular
- Posts: 464
- Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 4:18 am
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
Coops,
Often referred as the 'horsehoe' around here.
If your gas struts are original and retained by some 'E' clips like these:
It's a simple case of removing top and bottom and sliding the strut off.
You'll need a fine jewellers screwdriver or toolmaker's scribe to remove them and a pair of needle nose pliers to put them back on.
Couple of pro tips:
For those with dark colured vehicles and/or working in poor lighting - put some white paper or card down so you can find the E clips if they fly off.
(The clips can blend in with the grey felt in the stowage area)
Installation is like you're preparing to lower the roof.
Unfasten the two levers at the front of the roof & fold back the front section of the roof
Lift up the back section & open stowage compartment
Prop the fabric roof up to give you clearance for the horseshoe cover
I found removal was easier to:
- do 1 side at a time
- take off the bottom first and then the top E clips
- wiggle the strut off whilst jiggling the horseshoe cover slightly up and down
- having a helper, er... helps
Whereas for installation:
- found it install from the top first
- steel rod points down (keeps the shaft seal lubricated)
- Most slightly the new strut is stronger, so you can hyper-extend the top to make it reach (undo the other strut if need be)
If you're replacing those, most likely your struts for for the folding roof mechanism are also buggered.
Often referred as the 'horsehoe' around here.
If your gas struts are original and retained by some 'E' clips like these:
It's a simple case of removing top and bottom and sliding the strut off.
You'll need a fine jewellers screwdriver or toolmaker's scribe to remove them and a pair of needle nose pliers to put them back on.
Couple of pro tips:
For those with dark colured vehicles and/or working in poor lighting - put some white paper or card down so you can find the E clips if they fly off.
(The clips can blend in with the grey felt in the stowage area)
Installation is like you're preparing to lower the roof.
Unfasten the two levers at the front of the roof & fold back the front section of the roof
Lift up the back section & open stowage compartment
Prop the fabric roof up to give you clearance for the horseshoe cover
I found removal was easier to:
- do 1 side at a time
- take off the bottom first and then the top E clips
- wiggle the strut off whilst jiggling the horseshoe cover slightly up and down
- having a helper, er... helps
Whereas for installation:
- found it install from the top first
- steel rod points down (keeps the shaft seal lubricated)
- Most slightly the new strut is stronger, so you can hyper-extend the top to make it reach (undo the other strut if need be)
If you're replacing those, most likely your struts for for the folding roof mechanism are also buggered.
Last edited by Tzantushka on Mon May 04, 2020 1:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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coopman
- E30 Zone Regular
- Posts: 267
- Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:19 am
- Location: Sydney
Perfect, thank you.
P.S. The roof itself is relatively new, so it's possible the little struts for the folding mechanism were replaced at that time... but I'm not sure, which probably indicates that they weren't. The action of folding the roof feels very manual. Would fresh struts make it significantly easier?
P.S. The roof itself is relatively new, so it's possible the little struts for the folding mechanism were replaced at that time... but I'm not sure, which probably indicates that they weren't. The action of folding the roof feels very manual. Would fresh struts make it significantly easier?
-
Tzantushka
- E30 Zone Regular
- Posts: 464
- Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 4:18 am
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
-
coopman
- E30 Zone Regular
- Posts: 267
- Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:19 am
- Location: Sydney
I reckon I can live with a 'heavy' roof. I have bigger problems - I put a child seat in for my son and now I can't fold the roof back anyway.