DonBon

2011 RX 350; hatch closes on its own

Clutchless

Does it stay up after being raised by the motor? Or does it fall down right away? Is it hard to lift up manually? All are signs the hatch struts are worn out. Mine are starting to fade as they do not want to lift it up all the way anymore, same with the hood.

F250

Strut failure is common in colder seasons. The struts are very easy to replace.

Just a few tidbits. The parts listing shows two separate part numbers, one for each side. It is of no consequence for our vehicle though as both parts are priced identically... some automakers price one side a little higher than the other side. Why does that matter, you ask? Well, the head on the piston shaft spins 360°, so you can actually use either lift cylinder part number on either side of the hatch by just flipping the head around 180°. I know this to be a fact because I've removed the ones on my RXh and swapped sides just for verification.

Price... you can overpay WAY too much by getting the Lexus part for something in the range of $155-$175 each, or you can buy aftermarket lift struts for something like $23 each which is much more palatable and equally effective. Even if they only last half as long, you're still mucho dinero ahead.

Link to aftermarket option >>> https://www.liftsupportsdepot.com/li...strut-017908w/

Replacement effort... all you need is a tiny flat tip screw driver and 10 minutes of your time (I've done it in less than 5 minutes myself).

Link to video on how to do the replacement >>>

DonBon

Thank you. It is easy to lift manually but drops/closes pretty quickly.

DonBon

Thank you. Does this work with the "auto" open models that work off the key fob?

F250

The strut part number is the same for all models, from what I can tell.

Clutchless

Pete, Do you have a preference among the brands offered at Lift Support Depot? I see House Brand, Strong Arm for $5 more each and then for the hood that Sachs makes some for a bit more $.

F250

When I buy mine, I'll not use their House Brand and will go with what appears to be potentially better units from Strong Arm or Sachs. My only reasoning at this point is primarily a matter of principle, I generally never consider the cheapest option when buying parts. The Strong Arm option seems to have a slightly stronger lifting force to it which is good on the upswing, but may also impart more resistance against the motor during a powered closing.