Volvo 850 » Tailgate & Trunk Lift Supports

Replacement strut works well. Installation requires removing a screw from the side trim under tailgate hinge and then carefully prying off trim panel . Once trim is removed and you can view the strut, have someone support the tailgate, then pop the old strut off the rear stud using a long wide bladed screwdriver. Next, pop off the front. To install the new strut, use the screwdriver to again pop the socket on the stud levering against the car body/hinge. To save money I decided to only replace one strut and that did the trick.

Wow, that was so much easier than what I expected... When it started saying pry and pull off panels, I did panic a bit. I thought there would be rattles and I'd never get it all back together again. But following the instructions, I had no problem and it probably took me 1/2 hour. I'm between a 1 and 2 skill level, so don't worry, if I can do it, anyone can.

Nice to have the tailgate pop up by itself, just hard to get used to after all that time lifting the gate by hand. I removed the center panel, the one with the light, then the side panels to gain access. Bring that big screw driver, and pry off the back attach point first, but before you do that, be ready for the hatch to slam down on your knees when it pops off. If you have help, have them force the hatch up and hold it, it makes installing easier

I installed these lift support struts in about an hour. I had some difficulty discerning how to remove the existing (and leaking) parts, but a call to Scott Hart got me pointed in the right direction. Once the existing struts were removed (hint: use a large, flat-bladed screwdriver to pry off the rear ball joint and get to the front ball join through the hole in the tailgate hinge...), these struts pop right on. The result is factory perfect. I'm really pleased with the result and the savings in labor was well worth the minor effort.