Rear hatch lift supports?

  • frostvectron
    frostvectron
    Senior Member
    • 1044

    Rear hatch lift supports?

    Does anyone know how those stupid balls are held in on the rear hatch?

    The ones attached to the body are just threaded in, but what about the ones on the hatch portion? When I try to put a tool on them, the material around it flexes a lot and it doesn't budge…
    Justin
    1986 NA 2-seater
    SCCA Solo E-Street Prepared #31
    Race Videos
    Build Thread
  • Z_Karma
    Z_Karma
    Administrator
    • 3318

    #2
    IIRC, They're welded or something on the earlier models.
    I've heard that you can cut it off, drill and tap an M6
    and use removable ones from the 87-89 hatch lifts
    or aftermarket lifts that have the ball.


    84 AE/Shiro #683/Shiro #820/84 Turbo
  • frostvectron
    frostvectron
    Senior Member
    • 1044

    #3
    Thank you! I'll cut and drill in that case since the aftermarket ones I bought have the ball.
    Justin
    1986 NA 2-seater
    SCCA Solo E-Street Prepared #31
    Race Videos
    Build Thread
  • G-E
    G-E
    Junior Member
    • 6320

    #4
    I just drilled out the bracket and used a nut on the inside to hold the ball, then I cut the remaining threads with a cutoff wheel as flush as I could
  • frostvectron
    frostvectron
    Senior Member
    • 1044

    #5
    Issue solved. Didn't even get rid of the oem studs. Just drilled 2 holes about 1 cm forward of the oem stud and fastened an M8 rivnut in there. Attached ball stud. Boom, done.
    Justin
    1986 NA 2-seater
    SCCA Solo E-Street Prepared #31
    Race Videos
    Build Thread
  • zdadgeezer
    zdadgeezer
    Member
    • 50

    #6
    Originally posted by frostvectron
    Issue solved. Didn't even get rid of the oem studs. Just drilled 2 holes about 1 cm forward of the oem stud and fastened an M8 rivnut in there. Attached ball stud. Boom, done.
    Pictures?
  • frostvectron
    frostvectron
    Senior Member
    • 1044

    #7
    Shouldn't be hard to imagine… but:



    Trunk opens a bit more than normal, but not too much of a difference.
    Justin
    1986 NA 2-seater
    SCCA Solo E-Street Prepared #31
    Race Videos
    Build Thread