Anyone done a dual-strut hatch update in their 240z?

[BTF/PTM]

Not sure if any 240-series cars had hatches fitted with strut mounting holes on both sides, but mine has this feature. If not, it's had its hatch replaced at some point in its life. Of course, there's no mount for the strut bracket on the passenger-side body of the car. I picked up a working passenger-side strut and brackets from a local parts yard off a 280z just in case it would fit (while out looking for other stuff).

Has anyone mounted a passenger-side bracket on their 240z to use both struts? Seems like it would be a nice perk to have two struts there.

Edited May 13, 2010 by BTF/PTM
more descriptive title

[zKars]

Can't remember the details of doing it posted here before, it has been discussed. I would bet your hatch has been replaced with a 260/280 hatch to have the two 6mm holes on the pass side.

You will have to do two mods to the pass side body. One would be to weld on the L-bracket/tab with the 8mm hole that mounts the stud from the strut brackets you borrowed from the JY car. If you didn't already get it, should go back for it. You would have to drill some spot welds I'm sure, but its do-able. Might be able to do it with rivets, but that bracket takes a fair bit of torque, welding would be better.

Then the interior plastic needs the notch cut out to clear that bracket. Sound like a nice afternoon project. Now to hope that the passenger side strut has some "ohmph" left in it.

Jim

[Bonzi Lon]

I tried it and it won't work unless you use the 280 struts. The single 240 struts have more pressure in them than the 280, maybe twice as much. I didn't realize that until I had everything welded in and all set. Put 2-240Z struts on and could barely close it because of the pressure. When opening it shot up so fast my nose could feel the breeze.

Also, if the body brackets are not perfect, say 1/4 inch to far to the rear of the hatch, the hatch will tend to buckle up, breaking the seal and allowing exhaust gasses to enter. I think that is why most 240's have the left corner up a bit more than the passenger, that one strut is powerful. Putting the plastic piece in without the cutout made it bulge out. Removed everything and made sure the original body bracket was properly welded in.

If I had the 260-280 struts it might of worked, but I had several 240 struts on hand and a spare body bracket and made a plate with capture nuts for the hatch part. The reason for trying this in the first place was the body bracket spot welds had broken years earlier. I have heard from others that their '73' body brackets had come unwelded also, most were of high VIN like mine.

Bonzi Lon

[tomb]

I had a crapped out old stut, and the hatch fell down on it's own every time I opened it. I carried a stick to hold it up.

After I installed a new hatch strut I bought form Oliver at Zspecialties, I had to really push to get it closed. And it takes very little effort to get it to pop up on its own.

All you need is a new strut. I can't believe i waited so long.

Tom

[BTF/PTM]

My existing strut works quite well, my curiosity comes from the fact that, with just the one strut (and with many many other vehicles other than our z's), having just one strut on the hatch means that it's got a slight twist to it after many years of just having that one strut. Two struts would lift it evenly.

The problem of having the two brackets welded out of parallel causing buckling and leaks makes a lot of sense, though, I dunno if it's worth the trouble given the amount of precision required.

Edited May 13, 2010 by BTF/PTM

[zKars]

There was a thread here just recently discussing the common left side hatch twist.

It was mentioned to not be related to the hatch strut. While I can also apparently vouch for this, as I have a really nice twist on my 73 that is driving me nuts, and found that removing the strut does not make it go away. When down, the strut applies no force to hatch, at least not upward force.

That said, it may be that years of having the hatch propped open on the left, allowing the right side to SAG, has eventually over time twisted the whole thing, resulting in a left side sitting up too high today. I don't remember if anyone mentioned that they have had this issue since the very early life of their cars, which might settle if this may be or contribute to the cause.

Ah! Did they also discuss if dual strutted 280's have this issue? If so, then its definitely not strut related. time to find that thread and re-read

All that really sticks in my mind is the one person who solved it by having his bodyshop beat the left side weatherstrip lip down with a block of wood and a mallet I believe until it did fit. Ouch!!!

Jim

Edited May 13, 2010 by zKars

[BTF/PTM]

I'd contend that the strut does in fact exert a force on the hatch while it's closed, it couldn't open the hatch to begin with without a certain amount of outward oomph to begin its arc of travel. If you compress the strut while it's not attached to the car, it springs back out as soon as you let it go. It's doing the same thing to the hatch when it's closed. Probably not a lot of force if the angles of the hatch closed against the body were thought through properly, but a small amount nonetheless that isn't countered by an equal force on the opposite side. Combine that with gravity pulling the other side of the hatch downward while it's open, the fact that people almost always close the hatch at its middle instead of over the one strut which creates a twisting force of its own and decades of those gradual forces, and you have the makings of the mild twist that apparently many of us see. I've seen much newer hatchback vehicles with single-strut hatches that had the same problem. I could be completely wrong, but it seems logical to me.

In any case, beating a seal into submission sounds like a terrible idea to counter such a problem!

[jackboxxx]

there was a thread here just recently discussing the common left side hatch twist.

It was mentioned to not be related to the hatch strut. While i can also apparently vouch for this, as i have a really nice twist on my 73 that is driving me nuts, and found that removing the strut does not make it go away. When down, the strut applies no force to hatch, at least not upward force.

yes the strut pivots to the rear when closed, applying a bit of pressure to the mount on the hatch. Not nearly enough imo to cause any type of "twist" to the hatch..

that said, it may be that years of having the hatch propped open on the left, allowing the right side to sag, has eventually over time twisted the whole thing, resulting in a left side sitting up too high today.

id have to agree there as just walking backward from your z with the hatch open you can obviously see the right side sagging from the sheer weight of the hatch.

to me , someone who installs struts often, im still amazed that the nissan struts are so well made, and have had a couple of 240z's now that seem to have an original nissan stamped strut in good working order on my z's.

The cheap struts most cars come with nowadays, seem to give out after only a few years use...5-7 if your lucky.

i don't remember if anyone mentioned that they have had this issue since the very early life of their cars, which might settle if this may be or contribute to the cause.

Ah! Did they also discuss if dual strutted 280's have this issue? If so, then its definitely not strut related. Time to find that thread and re-read

all that really sticks in my mind is the one person who solved it by having his bodyshop beat the left side weatherstrip lip down with a block of wood and a mallet i believe until it did fit. Ouch!!!

Jim

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