Some time ago I decided to have a go at making my own brackets so that we could replace the decklid springs on our two notchies with gas struts. My first two attempts didn't hold up well, but presently my 3rd rendition of the brackets has been in use for over a year and I thought I'd share the design since this version is showing no signs of weakness.
It's pleasantly simple, and positions the strut adjacent & near-parallel to the ribs on the underside of the decklid when the lid is closed.
A single strut could be used to assist a set of weak springs, or add extra lift where scoops, wings, or other body work has been added and the original spings are no longer sufficient. Dual struts can do the job all on their own, allowing the body of the hinge brackets to be trimmed back should anyone have reason.
It may be possible to use this method "out of the box" with a fastback decklid, however due to differences in the plates which support the inner rear corners of the engine compartment vents some massaging is likely required. You're on your own for that--I don't have a fastback to play with.
What follows assumes that you're building a bracket to be installed on the left-hand (driver's) side of the car. The right-hand side bracket is a mirror image of the left; pay attention to the orientation of the components as you go...
It all starts with a simple little 2" corner bracket, available on-the-shelf from (I imagine) pretty much any hardware store.
Remove between 13 and 15 mm from the "top" of the bracket.
[This message has been edited by dguy (edited 04-24-2006).]
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09:37 AM
dguy Member
Posts: 2416 From: Beckwith Township, ON, Canada Registered: Jan 2003
Braze or weld the corner bracket to the Fiero's bracket in the orientation shown. Rivets or other fasteners may work, but I have no idea how well they'd hold up by comparison.
Clean it up and make it look pretty again, and mount one of the ball studs 1/2" above and 1/2" back from the edges the modified bracket.
[This message has been edited by dguy (edited 04-24-2006).]
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09:47 AM
dguy Member
Posts: 2416 From: Beckwith Township, ON, Canada Registered: Jan 2003
Since the corner bracket is now partially or completely covering one of the holes used to attach the small L-bracket you removed earlier, drill out the hole & re-attach the L-bracket. Since the flange and thread the original bolt used is now gone, replace that one with a nut & bolt.
[This message has been edited by dguy (edited 04-24-2006).]
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09:51 AM
dguy Member
Posts: 2416 From: Beckwith Township, ON, Canada Registered: Jan 2003
Drill & tap in to the decklid rib, and mount the second ball stud as shown here. The hole's center should be in line with the centers of the hinge bolts, and mid-way between the rear-most hinge bolt and the mount for the original decklid spring. If your victim has a '84 decklid, some trimming of the side lip of the center vent will be necessary.
Ignore the other holes you see in this photo... those are leftovers from earlier experimentation with strut lengths & positions.
Install the bracket on the strut tower, and attach the strut. The body of the strut should be attached to the strut tower, the piston to the decklid. Use washers to shim the ball stud on the decklid such that the head of the strut does not get caught on or rub against the hinge bolt while going through its range of motion. Depending upon the outer diameter of the washer(s), you may need to grind a flat in to the washer(s), or grind a curve in to the decklid hinge for clearance.
[This message has been edited by dguy (edited 04-24-2006).]
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10:01 AM
dguy Member
Posts: 2416 From: Beckwith Township, ON, Canada Registered: Jan 2003
The ones I used are a 90psi strut, measuring 12" from center-to-center of the end fittings when extended, with 4 1/2" of travel. Twin struts with these specs, with the torsion springs removed, support a luggage rack-equipped decklid nicely.
They have sufficient strength & leverage to hold the lid open against wind gusts, yet they are not so strong as to cause the lid to fly open when initially unlatched. I haven't had the opportunity to test these struts with a naked decklid, or one adorned with a wing. The supplier I use for the struts however also has a 120psi model in the same length should the 90s proove too weak.
...and I apologize now, as I do not have an automotive application reference for these struts. After running all over hell's half acre in a vain attempt to obtain operating specs for the struts used in various vehicles, I discovered that a local manufacturer of fire & emergency vehicles would sell these to me over the counter. I'll see if I can dig up a manufacturer name and part number for them.
edited to play with formatting a bit, and add VBook tags. Nice feature, Cliff!
[This message has been edited by dguy (edited 04-22-2006).]
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10:17 AM
Blacktree Member
Posts: 20770 From: Central Florida Registered: Dec 2001
that actually is listed as a application for a tool box powerlift P/N 5100-90 napa P/N 819-5586 ext 12.00" comp 8.50" force 90 lbs
but that got me thinking of non-automotive listings and i looked at some specs.
coping your setup i used a small piece of angle iron and the strut. that's it.
powerlift P/N 2100-120 napa P/N 819-5577 ext 11.90" comp 8.40" force 120 lbs worked well without the wing, (i took the wing off to make it easier to open when the torsion rod hook broke) but i didn't trust it after i put the wing back on...
so powerlift P/N 2100-150 napa P/N 819-5578 ext 11.90" comp 8.40" force 150 lbs works good with the wing.
it's very compact and only on the drivers side above the tranny. thanks for the help.
[This message has been edited by buddycraigg (edited 04-22-2006).]
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11:11 PM
Apr 22nd, 2006
jeffndebrus Member
Posts: 2772 From: Jacksonville, Fl- usa Registered: Aug 2001
that actually is listed as a application for a tool box powerlift P/N 5100-90 napa P/N 819-5586 ext 12.00" comp 8.50" force 90 lbs
but that got me thinking of non-automotive listings and i looked at some specs.
coping your setup i used a small piece of angle iron and the strut. that's it.
powerlift P/N 2100-120 napa P/N 819-5577 ext 11.90" comp 8.40" force 120 lbs worked well without the wing, (i took the wing off to make it easier to open when the torsion rod hook broke) but i didn't trust it after i put the wing back on...
so powerlift P/N 2100-150 napa P/N 819-5578 ext 11.90" comp 8.40" force 150 lbs works good with the wing.
it's very compact and only on the drivers side above the tranny. thanks for the help.
Nice! and a plus for buddycraigg too!
[This message has been edited by jeffndebrus (edited 04-22-2006).]
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04:34 AM
dguy Member
Posts: 2416 From: Beckwith Township, ON, Canada Registered: Jan 2003
At the risk of repeating things, I'm going to re-list the part numbers here allong with an application matrix so they'll appear for VBook users. If anyone (successfully) uses a strut/decklid combo not listed, please let me know via PM or post here so that I can update the VBook for everyone. Don't foget to mention what adornments, if any, your decklid has.
Strut Sources: *Manufacturers & part numbers courtsey of buddycraigg.
buddycraigg said: (copying) your setup i used a small piece of angle iron and the strut. that's it.
That's what I was thinking: an L-bracket attached by the two bolts that hold the bracket for the grating. No welding!
BTW, can you provide info for a distributer that we can buy from... or maybe sell the struts to us yourself? I'd be willing to give you a few extra bux for the convenience.
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12:14 PM
dguy Member
Posts: 2416 From: Beckwith Township, ON, Canada Registered: Jan 2003
That's what I was thinking: an L-bracket attached by the two bolts that hold the bracket for the grating. No welding!
One word of caution with this, as one of my earlier and less successful attempts will attest to. The "wrong" orientation or too light of a gauge of L-bracket will bend over time.
quote
BTW, can you provide info for a distributer that we can buy from...
Betcha you can find the Napa branded struts, at Napa affiliates.
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01:03 PM
buddycraigg Member
Posts: 13606 From: kansas city, mo Registered: Jul 2002
you pics still arnt working. these are mine. i used the hole for where the rod would normally attach to the hinge. you used the 90lbs up higher i believe. and the small piece of angle iron has two holes drilled in it, one on each side. one side has the ball stud, the other side is held to the existing bracket using the existing bolt hole, but i did need a longer bolt.
.
the deck lit is up as far as it normally goes, but doesn't have any "extra" pressure cause the strut rod is at the end of it's stroke. . . .
[This message has been edited by buddycraigg (edited 04-22-2006).]
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03:00 PM
Blacktree Member
Posts: 20770 From: Central Florida Registered: Dec 2001
Originally posted by Blacktree: BTW, can you provide info for a distributer that we can buy from... or maybe sell the struts to us yourself? I'd be willing to give you a few extra bux for the convenience.
if you cant find them locally i'll send them to you for cost plus shipping, the 120 and 150 were 21.11 plus about 7% sale tax.
i thought Napa was nation wide
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03:09 PM
buddycraigg Member
Posts: 13606 From: kansas city, mo Registered: Jul 2002
Anyone else having trouble with the pics I included? I can see them every time I check in. They're hosted via imageshack.us... never had problems with them before.
[This message has been edited by dguy (edited 04-22-2006).]
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03:21 PM
buddycraigg Member
Posts: 13606 From: kansas city, mo Registered: Jul 2002
2 words for ya Buddy....de greaser. (is that 2 words?) That engine is filthy. You should be ashamed of yourself + for you and dguy for the excellent pictorial though.
Hello all. This thread is just what I'm looking for. Has anyone done this conversion on an 88 Formula? The decklid spring on the drivers side of my car snaped today and rather than mess with replacing it I would like to switch to gas struts. The bracket on the strut tower of my Formula is much smaller than the one pictured. Thanks for any help you can give me.
Original Owner 88 Formula
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11:00 PM
May 4th, 2006
88fierocoupe Member
Posts: 508 From: Star Prairie, WI Registered: Jul 2004
Hello all. This thread is just what I'm looking for. Has anyone done this conversion on an 88 Formula? The decklid spring on the drivers side of my car snaped today and rather than mess with replacing it I would like to switch to gas struts. The bracket on the strut tower of my Formula is much smaller than the one pictured. Thanks for any help you can give me.
Original Owner 88 Formula
I did this on my 88 coupe. Heres a few pics of my homebrew this pic shows the struts and brackets por15'ed these pics are from before the strut tower brace
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02:00 AM
USFiero Member
Posts: 4877 From: Everywhere and Middle of Nowhere Registered: Mar 2002
I had purchased Sluppy’s front hood strut kit, and at the same time, had acquired a $20 gift card through a promotion at Autozone. While I was picking up the strut for the front hood (Mighty Lift! #95051), I asked the guy behind the counter if there was a strut that was less than 16 inches compressed and at least 19 inches extended, and with a ball mount on one end and a bracket for mounting on a flat surface on the other. He paused, and brought out a Mighty Lift part # 95572. It looked promising, so I coughed up the extra $23 for it. Here's what I had been using up to this point: ...the heavy duty type. Unfortunately when the wind catches the decklid, that'll wallop ya pretty good.
[This message has been edited by USFiero (edited 05-04-2006).]
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12:34 PM
USFiero Member
Posts: 4877 From: Everywhere and Middle of Nowhere Registered: Mar 2002
I had intended to drill and tap out the hole where the broken factory spring had been in the rear deck, and mount the other end on the firewall. I wound up drilling the hole too big for that, and so plugged the whole thing up with JB Weld. We’ll see how that holds up, but I already think I’ll wind up removing the bracket and using some washers and bolts to secure the ball. I'm not posting the size tap I got 'cause the one I got was wrong.
[This message has been edited by USFiero (edited 05-04-2006).]
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12:36 PM
USFiero Member
Posts: 4877 From: Everywhere and Middle of Nowhere Registered: Mar 2002
I tried mounting the bracket just to the side of the cruise control solenoid, but the strut interfered with the grill vent. The mount wound up here: Which interfered with the Cruise Control stuff. I moved the cruise components over about ¾ of an inch. One screw went back on top, and a new hole went in the face of the bracket. The slack had to be adjusted out of the cable. But no more wooden prop, or ‘Fiero bites’ from the wind raising the deck and the stick falling out then coming down on my head. The deck hinge flexes as the lid comes down, but it doesn't prevent the deck from closing easily. I’ll be back under there soon to repair the mounting point on the decklid. I'd actually like to space the bracket about a half inch or so away from the back wall for just a little more clearance.
[This message has been edited by USFiero (edited 05-04-2006).]
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12:41 PM
USFiero Member
Posts: 4877 From: Everywhere and Middle of Nowhere Registered: Mar 2002
The front was a relative piece of cake: Sluppy’s kit went together just as his instructions said - a single strut kit. I wound up putting the strut in the lowest hole in the bracket, and it does flex the front sheet metal some as the hood goes down. Everything snaps back into place though. Now I have a place to mount the fire extinguisher in place of the old prop. A nice day’s project, except for buggering the ball bolt hole.
[This message has been edited by USFiero (edited 05-04-2006).]
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12:44 PM
Original Owner Junior Member
Posts: 10 From: Sunnyvale Ca. Registered: Sep 2005
Thanks for the replys. 88fierocoupe do you have any closeups or drawings of your bracket? Your solution is exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks again folks.
Original Owner 88 Formula
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11:37 PM
PFF
System Bot
May 5th, 2006
88fierocoupe Member
Posts: 508 From: Star Prairie, WI Registered: Jul 2004
Thanks for the replys. 88fierocoupe do you have any closeups or drawings of your bracket? Your solution is exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks again folks.
Original Owner 88 Formula
Heres a few cropped pics, Let me know if you need any other detailed pics. These are also before I por15'ed everything. The gas strut has about 1/16 of an inch of a gap from hitting the lid when closed, this could be solved with shorter struts, these are what I had lying around so I made them work. The brackets also only flex about an 1/8 of an inch when closing which isnt bad for 3/16 steel
I can see them every time I check in. They're hosted via imageshack.us... never had problems with them before. 
