Truck Toolbox Strut Replacement

[Bigbandguy]

This afternoon I got replacement gas struts in for my truck toolbox. I found them by getting the stock number off the old ones (thats the one that kept dropping the box lid on my head) and entering it into an ebay search. I found a pair for the price of one bought locally .. I think it was about 18 bucks for the pair. I thought I would just pry off the old one and pop on the new one... guess what ... it would not come off. What now?

I first searched "Garage Journal" ... no luck... then some of the truck forums... lots of truck box articles but nothing on how to get the damn strut off... NADA! It is really very simple. There is a clip on each end and if you pry it up by sticking a small screwdrive in the slot (see arrows) it pops right off. The new one just pushes on. Now my truck box has lids that stay up, a nice liner on the bottom (good old HF) and locks that work. Investment about 30 bucks total on a pretty nice box that came with the truck in sort of crapped out condition. Since there was no info to be found on how to do this we now have a tackly little resource with picture... may the job not be as much of a pain in the **** for the next person as it was for me. Mods, if this isn't the right place please move, but for once I actually did something IN the garage rather than under my usual shadetree.

 

[gungatim]

those are called "Jesus Clips"...as you probably already figured out.

 

[Bill Bowman]

Small pocket screwdriver on back side of the clip. Pry the clip up a bit and pull the rod off the ball. Once you've done it, easy peasy.

 

[Bigbandguy]

those are called "Jesus Clips"...as you probably already figured out.

That I can believe although appeals to higher powers were no help nor were imprecations inspired by the other side.

Small pocket screwdriver on back side of the clip. Pry the clip up a bit and pull the rod off the ball. Once you've done it, easy peasy.

Once you do it once it is easy but try finding out how. A simple one line sticker on the side of the strut or a piece of paper in the envelope they came in would be nice... so hence this tacky little how to. Maybe I should look for fame and fortune on YouTube with it. NOT! I probably should have posted the question and somebody like Bill would have probably helped but I was determined not to let it win.

 

[gungatim]

you need the higher power to find the clip once it flys off when you pry it the first time and you can't figure out where it landed, LOL...

 

[Bill Bowman]

You do not neet to remove the clip. Just lift it up slightly while pulling the shock off the ball swivel.

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[Bigbandguy]

You do not need to remove the clip. Just lift it up slightly while pulling the shock off the ball swivel.

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That is what I did. Also you get a new clip with the new strut which just pushes right on. The royal pain in all this was figuring out what to do in the first place. I guess that is why it is called "experience". I still can't believe that the new latches I paid 20 bucks for the pair of on the bay were only 50 each if bought from the manufacturer of the box. Nice customer support... makes me REALLY want to buy something from them.