C5 Estate Tailgate Spring/strut

[Guest alandt]

Can anyone help with an estate tailgate that won't stay open - gas struts seem to have failed - understand I need to drop headlining to fix - anyone done this and can help?

[paul.h]

Haynes does not say much (and suggests using a dealer or upholstery specialist) - lower headlining, prise off the retaining clips at each end and detach the struts from the balljoints, use a second person to hold up the heavy tailgate, refitting is a reversal of removal.

[fatgut]

I have 'nearly' done it in the past. Got so far as getting gas strut prised off with screwdriver after removal of the clip, then dropped headlining and gave up when found I needed to remove the little circlip that was retaining the gas strut at the end nearesr the front of the car, simply because I ran out of time, and had nobody to help me with the job of taking the tailgate weight. I did that 2 years ago and have never got back to it! I had found a company online in Derby that would re-gas the struts by post for I think it was £8 each strut plus postage, and I think it had a 2 year guarantee. Since then on our car the sagging estate tailgate problem is only bad in the really cold weather, so we have coped. Really ought to do it though, as it seems as if it would be easy.

[Guest womble]

Daft reply really but why dont you carry a piece of timber, say 2x2, to prop up the tailgate when it is open???

[PICASSOCONVERT]

Daft reply really but why dont you carry a piece of timber, say 2x2, to prop up the tailgate when it is open???

 

I've got the posh version of this - 2 rubber ferrules (walking stick ends to you) off eBay and a length of varnished wood dowel. Works a treat, doesn't slip if it rains and stows away easily. I only use it in the cold weather because when it's warm the tailgate stays open of its own accord.