Any keen motorist needs to learn how to look after their car and fix it when certain issues arise, and this can save you a huge sum of money as well as give you the personal satisfaction of knowing that you did it yourself. There are all kinds of problems that can arise with an automobile, and this is because they are such large and complex machines, but not every problem will require the services of a mechanic and you should know how to fix these problems. If you are a keen motorist then you will need to have the knowledge, but also the tools and equipment in your garage to take on the work, and this is so that you can do the job properly and safely.
One of the more common problems that you see with cars which can be easily done in your garage and without the help of a mechanic is removing and replacing a gas strut. This is a job that should not take too long once you have everything you need and understand how they work, but it is also important to note that it is a two person job and you should never remove one of the struts and rely on the other one to keep the tailgate open. The first step will involve removing the faulty gas strut(s), and this can easily be done by sliding a flat headed screwdriver under the metal band where there will be a groove, and you simply lever the band back until it pops out of place.
Finding Replacement Gas Struts
Moving on to replacing the gas strut, you need to first make sure that you have the right one for your car. You can find these at engineering specialists, and you can visit their websites and look for Peugeot 307 bonnet, boot and tailgate gas struts, for example. To fit the gas strut you push the socket over the ball stud on the car where it should click into place, and you then do the same with the cylinder end fitting. If they do not line up then do not panic, you just have to grip the cylinder and rotate until they do. As you can see this is a very straightforward process and one that certainly doesn’t require a mechanic, and all you need is a replacement and a spare pair of hands to complete the job.
