I have just had to replace the rear boot struts on my 340 and purchased a 2nd hand set from my local scrap yard. Seeing as they were just held in by clips, and not being that technical, I thought even I couldn't knacker this job up........
I removed the clips and replaced the old struts with my new 2nd hand ones......
Now either I have done something wrong, or the 2nd hand stuts I have purchased are as knackered as my old ones, as it has made no difference at all
As this is the only thing I have had to do on my 340 I do not have a Haynes manual but noticed a connector on the right hand strut (as you look at it from behind).
Could anyone elighten me as to what this does, if anything, and also advise me if I have bought a duff set of stuts please.
Thanks in advance to any help - Jason
P.S. My G reg 340 went in for it's MOT last week and passed with flying colours. Not a thing wrong with it
Hi and welcome to V3M! I would probably think you've managed to find another duff set of struts. Most of them have failed at this point in the cars life and people rarely bother to replace them. Instead they go for all the bother of a broom stick or some sort of wedge. For a few quid you can buy new, I believe they are GSF or something like that, SteveP will enlighten us, he bought some when he had a hatchback. The connector on the o/s of the car is for the boot light. It is a basic switch in the strut, but I believe on the new struts Steve got you need to extend it slightly to fit, nothing too major.
Do you have a boot spoiler fitted to the car on the hatch? This normally leads to premature boot strut wear, as it is quite an extra weight.
Good stuff that it went straight through the MOT, happy motoring and I expect SteveP will read this to inform you of where to buy the boot struts.
Connector thingy (the cylinder shaped thingy where the wire goes) is a switch for boot light.
I would say that those second hand struts are as knackered as your old ones.
And if you have a spoiler, there are stronger struts for boot with spoiler. (460N for spoiler, normal ones are 350N) I bought those 460N ones from local parts shop and they cost ~20e a piece.
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What can I say..................but a big thank you
I just popped out to top up the water and oil and came back to find not one, but two, awesome posts
I kind of felt that I had been done buying those 2nd hand struts but at least it was just a fiver. I didn't have chance to test them as the car was about to be 'scrapped' when I was on the phone apparently and they just took them off. I did find some new ones on eBay a few weeks ago for £15 so might have another look and see what it throws up.
I have thought about the wedge solution but with the arrival of a baby, messing about with that just isn't practical now. The boot I have doesn't have a spoiler so I'll hopefully be able to get some replacements
Thanks again for everyones top advice and help, especially on 'the connector thingy'. It is really appreciated
For a bonus get some boot struts from a 440 with boot spoiler. They are stronger rated. The ends unscrew so thats not a problem just swap them over.
Adam
You almost certainly have a second set of worn struts - it's a very common problem. As fuse says there are 2 types. The following may help.
If you want genuine Volvo the part no. is 3344245 for cars with spoiler and 3342881 for cars without. (would be quite expensine though).
Euro Car Parts do a single type suitable for both, pt.no. 8596600 @ £13.50 + vat each. German Swedish & French do two types pt.no.V87710 (without spoiler) for £8.00 + vat each and pt.no.V87705 (with spoiler) @ £12.50 + vat
Prices seem the wrong way round - but that's what their website suggests.
As everyone has said the 'cylinder' is a switch - it actually switches the earth side of the lamp (closing the hatch breaks the contact). Make sure the replacement struts you get, either have the switch fitted, or have ball joints that can be removed (as do the genuine ones) to allow you to transfer the switch (unscrew the joint and the switch cylinder just slips over the end). If you cannot get struts which take the switch you can just fit an
'ordinary' switch next to the lamp and take it to a good earth.
Your welcome! There's normally someone on here at most times of the day who can probably answer most questions or at least know who will be able to!
It is very difficult to test the struts once they are off the car, they will appear to be very strong, however it can be a very different case once they are on the car! You may be able to make a combination of one old strut and one new to hold your tailgate up. Sometimes you can feel which side is weaker, as it will allow the boot to twist slightly when you pull it down, as one compresses easily, while the other has more resistance. That way two might just about do the job, until you can find some better ones.
Pete
G reg 360 GLT, G reg 340 GL Variomatic, plus many more..........
Just a final thanks to everyone who has added to this post with advice and places to purchase srtuts. I am going to check out a couple of scrap yards at the weekend and if I have no joy will then more than likely purchase some new ones.
I'd purchase them from GSF... www.gsfcarparts.com £10 each if I remember rightly, most of the ones in scrapyards will be worn now. There are two types, one for the spoiler, one without. Carl now has the ones I originally bought for my old hatch, and I believe they're still very strong!
You'll have to extend the switch, bit of tubing or something will do, so that it turns off when the boot is closed.
EDIT: Just read above and realised I've just pretty much repeated everything - nevermind!
For the GSF ones, use a bit of a pen to extend the switch, and use the orig Volvo ball socket, as the plastic GSF one doesn't conduct!!!
I'm not convinced about hailing the GSF ones praises anymore, as anyone at last years BKV will remember, they had stopped my boot from opening fully after 3 years. They were great for 3 years, but I expected a longer life...
This weekend my girlfriend got the tailgate on her neck (GLT tailgate with wiper, 3th brake light and spoiler of course...), you can imagine the pain... I was very scary and I must say that it's my fault because I'm waiting for so long to change the gas struts.
I was reading the topic again and I definitely need the 460 N model. Is there a shop on the internet with possible shipment to Belgium / Europe?
Collection: '78 343 Black Beauty, '82 345 GLS, '83 340 DL 2.0, '84 340 DL vario, '88 360 GLT 5d (2x) & 4d (2x), '89 GLT, '91 340 vario Dad's cars: '87 340 vario, '89 340 vario
Lot of donors cars and parts... V3M for life!
I've choosen the quickest way for this time, they are ordered to Volvo. They still exist for the tailgate with spoiler, that's a good news; of course the bad news is the price, 50 € each incl VAT. I also ordered a lot of aerials, the black roof aerial isn't produced anymore, it's only the chrome one that is still available.
Collection: '78 343 Black Beauty, '82 345 GLS, '83 340 DL 2.0, '84 340 DL vario, '88 360 GLT 5d (2x) & 4d (2x), '89 GLT, '91 340 vario Dad's cars: '87 340 vario, '89 340 vario
Lot of donors cars and parts... V3M for life!
I'm amazed any 300 arial at all is still available from Volvo TBH. How much was the chrome one, Aymat? The one on my GLi is slightly corkscrew-shaped after I forgot to retract it in a car wash many moons ago
