Tailgate strut

Tailgate strut

Postby tbo100 on Thu, 18 Aug 2016 3:49 +0000

Hi guys. Just bought myself the tailgate strut that allows the tail gate to drop slowly. Problem is I can't get the top screw off that holds the tailgate arm. I even took it to Toyota with no luck. Tried impact driver and the other one that you have to hit with a hammer. Any other ideas
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby Drysie26 on Thu, 18 Aug 2016 5:25 +0000

Where did u get struts from? Got a part number or something?

Cheers.
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby tbo100 on Thu, 18 Aug 2016 5:31 +0000

Ezdown off ebay
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby Drysie26 on Thu, 18 Aug 2016 6:12 +0000

Had a look at them on eBay they look ok. Does it still use the original arms or are they replaced with cables on 2016 sr5?

As for getting screw off maybe try some nutcracker or soak with CRC if you haven't already.
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby davo94 on Fri, 19 Aug 2016 8:05 +0000

Heat the screw and affected are with a heat gun. Try cracking the screw by tightening it 1st to avoid possible rounding of the head.
Another 2013 sr5 owner..
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby martynvella on Sat, 20 Aug 2016 2:31 +0000

Try the other side of the tailgate.
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby HiluxFordy on Mon, 22 Aug 2016 1:57 +0000

Ive also bought an Ezdown, and had trouble getting the 'star' shaped screws off at the base of the tailgate. Ended up drilling it out! Anyway ended up getting Ezdown on one side fitted only to find that it didn't fit properly. Ive emailed the guys at Ezdown about it... lets see what they say
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby Magnum06 on Mon, 22 Aug 2016 8:28 +0000

Spewin! For how expensive they are and it doesn't fit. Let us know how you go. Was looking at getting one myself.
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby nicebike on Tue, 23 Aug 2016 6:10 +0000

tbo100 wrote:Hi guys. Just bought myself the tailgate strut that allows the tail gate to drop slowly. Problem is I can't get the top screw off that holds the tailgate arm. I even took it to Toyota with no luck. Tried impact driver and the other one that you have to hit with a hammer. Any other ideas


I've had success with screws in sheet metal when the impact driver failed by gripping the outside of the screw with vice grips, leaning hard on a corrrectly sized screwdriver, and turning both together. Might be a bit hard to get vice grips on to that particular screw, but if you can, worth a try.
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby akroehn on Mon, 05 Sep 2016 3:23 +0000

I bought a kit off ebay:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/REAR-TAILGAT ... 1799870034

It is a strut for one side only, seems to be oil filled rather than gas since I can hear the oil making noise as it lowers. It comes with a replacement cable (instead of the solid 2-piece arm).
The top screw was difficult to get off - I pulled off the taillight and hit the back with the heatgun for 20 or 30s, and the screw came out easily. Was held in with a lot of blue threadlock.

The bottom Torx (star shaped) screw was much more difficult. My drill wouldn't move on it, but I don't have an impact driver to try.. I hit it from the outside with the heatgun on high setting for a good 2 or 3 minutes! Had to shield the bead of sealer below it and took off the rubber/plastic plug nearby so they didn't melt.. Then used the torx head in a shifting spanner to get some torque and after all that heat (which didn't burn the paint by the way, super heat resistant!) I got it to move. No threadlock on it at all - it was just super tight.

Anyway once I got the strut on - I quickly realised it was cr@p. The cable they supplied didn't want to fold in the right place, and the strut itself was too fat to really fit the cable beside it. You would have to have manually held the cable to push it in the right place every time you closed the tailgate. Also the top bolt (supplied) that held the strut hit the metal bracket on the end of the cable and pushed it every time the tailgate was closed, giving extra resistance and forcing the cable to bend quite a bit every time.
And finally the metal wall, that the strut was screwed into, flexes quite a bit each time you lower the tailgate - there is a decent weight on that one point. Having the taillight screwed back in place might have helped strengthen it, but the light is just plastic so long term that is really not good.

So I took the strut off again, trying to send it back at the moment.

I am interested in the Ezydown units since 2 struts will reduce the stress by half on the top attachment points - but I am worried that the cable system doesn't have room to fold properly and that the same issue will happen. There is no point making it easier to lower the tailgate, if you have to hold the cables every time you put it back up again. I also notice that the ezydown has a sticker that says the load limit of the tailgate is 200KG - I guess this is due to the replacement cables? Doesn't seem like a lot if you're loading gear in and out. Eg 2 guys standing on the tailgate hauling something heavy, like a motorbike, or gas cylinder, would be well over 200kg. Or 3 blokes sitting on it having a couple beers would overload it!! Although my old ute (2006 SR5) had cables too, and I never had an issue with them..

Anyway I'd avoid the cheap ebay struts, and would like to be reassured about the ezydown kits before I bought one of them too..
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby telliscope on Mon, 05 Sep 2016 4:07 +0000

Have purchased and fitted the ezdowns kit, cables so far tuck in next to the strut when closing with no issues as yet.

Image
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby RAZ67 on Mon, 05 Sep 2016 5:09 +0000

I just bought the ezdown as well and fitted both sides, but decided to remove one side as I prefer for it to drop down a bit faster, its quite slow with both, guess I'll see how it goes, I've got a spare strut now if the other one packs it in, btw the torx screws and the phillips are locktited in, it took some oomph to loosen them. The cable fits in fine and I have the assurance it still has one factory arm.
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby taresk on Mon, 05 Sep 2016 10:10 +0000

So good to read this thread, I bought one ages ago and gave up when I couldn't get the screws out (thought there must be something I was missing), the ezdown has been sitting in my map pocket for about 2yrs now, lol.
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby Un Breakable on Tue, 06 Sep 2016 4:27 +0000

I have also fitted the strut to the tailgate and must have been lucky. I had the correct size Torx head for a multi driver and put a shifter on it. No prob's. The key was to use correct size Torx head.
I have also fitted the opening gas struts to the bonnet. That now opens and holds itself.
Gotta love Ebay.
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby Moose_ on Thu, 08 Sep 2016 10:32 +0000

For those doing this, a T40 torx bit in an impact driver for the bottom screw, and a number 3 Philips bit in an impact driver for the top screw, you will have the whole job done in about 10 mins. No need to heat up or drill out the screws.

I did my eBay one this morning which seems to be the same as the one mentioned above.
I just pull the cable up when folding the tailgate, rather than it folding down next to the strut. Works fine for now.
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby Moose_ on Thu, 08 Sep 2016 1:28 +0000

I mucked around with it a bit more this arvo and have got it working nicely. The only annoying thing is the noise the strut makes due to being oil filled... sounds like there is a few bubbles in it.
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby 60HAM on Thu, 13 Oct 2016 6:57 +0000

telliscope wrote:Have purchased and fitted the ezdowns kit, cables so far tuck in next to the strut when closing with no issues as yet.

Image



can anyone recommend a good seller for the ezdown struts from ebay please

cheers
Mike
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby Downesy on Thu, 13 Oct 2016 7:41 +0000

I just fitted a eBay one, works fine but I can't get the original cable to fold away with it. Anyone got any tips on how to make the cable work with it?

Also, whats the risk with just having the one strut installed with no cable on one side?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/162156148969 ... EBIDX%3AIT
-2011 SR5 D4D HiLux-
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby 60HAM on Wed, 02 Nov 2016 7:01 +0000

have my ezdown fitted now, awesome fit and quality product. glad i spent the money on the double sided kit and not a thailand/chine one.
not saying that they wouldn't be good, but just my opinion :)
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Re: Tailgate strut

Postby Canyoner on Mon, 02 Jan 2017 11:09 +0000

I just fitted a T-Lift http://sammitr.com.au/smm-t-lift/
Awesome product as not only does it slow the decent but makes closing easy too. See the demo here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWFWs0u ... e=youtu.be
It costs a Little more than just a strut but worth it, very easy to fit using all the existing holes and doesn't use any cable to support the tailgate as it keeps the factory steel supports.
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