Jill showed us how to repair a lifting gate that lost its lift.

This week, Jill Washburn of all of our industries showed us how to repair and/or replace the hydraulic struts that support the lift doors and sometimes the luggage compartment on many vehicles.

Over time, these pillars can dry out, become clogged with road dirt, or wear out completely. They are actually very easy to serve themselves. Moreover, if you need to replace it, you can also replace it yourself. They are really affordable and can be repaired quickly.

Here, I will show you how to determine if your liftgate struts need to be replaced.

How do you know if your pillars are broken? Well, if they still hold the hatch or liftgate, they might still be fine, Jill said. She said that even if they did not rise all the way, as long as they persevere, you will be in good condition.  

In Jill's case, the elevator door kept stopping at it all the way up. Jill believes that they don't need to be replaced, just a little attention. Most likely, they need a little cleaning and some fresh lubrication. Jill started with small ball and socket joints at the ends of the pillars, which were connected to the vehicle.

I am here to show you how to separate your liftgate struts from your vehicle.

To loosen these, you may need to loosen the screw-in bracket or loosen the spring clip. Jill's car (2011 Grand Cherokee) has a clip. She loosened the clamp slightly with a small flat-head screwdriver. Then she used needle-nose pliers to pull it off the joint. Track the clip, Jill said. When you are done, you need to put it back in place.

After finishing, she used needle-nose pliers again to twist the joints apart. ****Get ready**** You should open the lift gate or someone supports you, because once you pull down one end of the pillar, the lift gate will fall. Lift doors and hatchbacks are heavy, and one pillar alone is not enough to keep one open. You don't want it to fall on your head or pinch your fingers. Removing the other end of the pillar should be the same process. Obviously, if you want to replace the pillar, you only need to reverse the process and immediately place the new pillar on the pillar.

I will show you how to clean the ball and socket joint where the pillar is connected to the vehicle.

If you are just repairing it, you need to turn your attention to cleaning the existing pillars. Jill said that once it is completely removed, spray a little WD-40 on the socket end of the post, and then wipe them clean with a rag. Most likely, they will be very dirty, and cleaning them up will help the joints move more easily. In addition, spray a little WD-40 on the ball end of the joint, and then wipe it. WD-40 is indeed more like a cleaning agent for mechanical equipment than a lubricant, and it is very suitable for this type of task. It also helps to retain moisture.

After cleaning the end of the joint newly, reinstall the struts by ejecting the socket end from the ball end of the joint, making sure to secure them with the spring clips or screw-in brackets that were originally removed. Jill said that the alligator clip may be a little booger, put it on again. You may need to use a screwdriver (or two) or needle-nose pliers to open them and reattach them. Jill recommends wearing gloves on this part to prevent fingers from being pinched.

With the strut reopened, it's time to look at the point where the rod enters the hydraulic piston section of the strut. That's where silt and dirt accumulate, especially when you are driving on a lot of dirt roads like Jill. Dirt just found a way. Jill's body was covered with accumulated dirt. Jill again used a small screwdriver to gently dig out the dirt from the connection. Once the dirt disappeared, she wiped it with a rag and applied a light lubricant. Three-in-one oil will work. Jill uses Tri-Flow, which is also what she uses on the bicycle chain, so she already has it in her shop.

Jill says that you may need to open and close the lift door multiple times to help apply lubricant. You may even need to reapply the oil immediately to ensure that there is enough oil to coat the rod when operating the liftgate. After this process, Jill immediately noticed that her lifting gate was easier and fully stretched, something it hadn't done in a while.

Therefore, you are on your way to a better lift gate, and you may be able to avoid going to a dealer or auto repair shop.

To watch Jill guide you through the process, click on the video player above.  

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