- 1). Raise the trunk of the vehicle and have an assistant hold it open. Examine the fastener ends. Some will bolt in place, while others will have either plastic or metal retainer clips.
- 2). Remove one of the support struts. They are mounted in three basic ways. For the bolt on type, use a socket wrench to remove the bolts. The bolts will also have a sleeve that acts as a pivot bushing. Be sure to save it for reuse. If the strut clips in place, remove the clips with a small screwdriver. The metal, spring-type clips are also reused, so be careful and work them off side to side. Take precautions not to break the clip. They also tend to pop off during removal and are easily lost. Plastic clip-on types unsnap with a small amount of leverage by a screwdriver. The plastic clip is not reused and is part of the new strut.
- 3). Install the new pivot by reversing the removal process, either bolting it in place or snapping the metal or plastic clip on the retainer. Do not have the assistant stop holding the trunk. One new strut is not enough to hold the trunk up. Replace the other side by following the same procedure and test the installation. The struts should move freely and not bind.
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