Fly Navy

What's the trick to these? How do you remove the old hood shocks? Just received two new shocks from 928 Intl but their plungers are not moving at all off the car? Is that normal - Do they need to be installed first to move? Nothing moves on these new shocks - no screws to adjust pressure...

Why aren't there other S4 owners in Williamsburg! I need a mentor to keep this car.

Mike

SeanR

there are slide clips that wrap around just below the ball. Take a small screw driver and unclip, push them out. When done the shock will come right off.

Fabio421

The shocks when new are pretty stiff. If you push it down against the ground you should be able to move it a little at least.

Mike Frye

The new shocks are pressurized, you won't have to collapse them to get them in. Get a stick that is strong enough to support the hood and use it to prop the hood all the way open. Remove the old ones as Sean suggests. You'll be able to remove the old one and put the new ones in with the hood up, it will line up with the little ball. Then just put the new clip on to hold it in place.

the flyin' scotsman

Be careful to orient the shocks the correct way. The shock body should attach to the hood with the 'plunger' end to the car body.

They do work inverted but dont last as long.

FlyingDog

Other than welding, does anybody have a solution for a missing ball?

JHowell37

I broke the ball off my hatch and unfortunately the only solution I could come up with was welding.

Fly Navy

Thanks all - got it!

FlyingDog

D'oh!

dr bob

Check marine supply stores (West Marine, Boat US, etc) for a new ball with a threaded stud on the back. The gas lifts are popular for holding up hatch covers. Use a nutsert threaded insert in the body to give yourself a place to put the ball. Use locktite on the stud where it goes into the nutsert. It may not be as great as welding but it takes no repainting. Seal around the nutsert with RTV --after-- it's installed to keep the water from migrating into the hatch when you are done.

JHowell37

Is it the hood or the hatch with the broken ball?

FlyingDog

Thanks Dr Bob!

It's the hood. It actually works fine with just the pin sticking out.... unless the hood is lifted past the point where pressure is applied to the shock. At that point the shock falls off the pin.

mstolo

I just completed the project of replacing the hood struts in my 993. What a pain in the butt, tough to get the old ones off. One trick that helped me was spraying some Liquid Wrench in around the ball, that helped get the strut off. Another trick, make sure when you go to put the new strut in, you slip the top part under the bracket before you attach the bottom one on the ball, made that mistake on the first one.

RED SHARK 1990

Hello i just did mine,used a pair of smooth needle nose plier or flat square jewelers plier or small craftsman plier-tools.I pull the old one off by sliding it under the clip.Here is the trick on the new shocks - used the plier of your choice lift the clip up half way to the front meaning the front end of the smooth ball of the shocks.Do it to both ends and changing one side at a time,once they are on used the plier to slide the clip down and it will snap in place with a click.If the clips feel loose removed them and bend them with the plier till the two ends they are almost meet.Then repeat until it snap with a click.Good luck.

Chazz

Sounds like you got the struts on OK. However for others facing this task, you will find it works best if the spring clips are only pulled back halfway - enough to release the ball joint - but allowing them to easily snap back into position. You don't want to completely remove the clips from the struts.