mikeloc24

Can I tell you guys how pissed I am right now? It's times like this that I hate dealing with the damn dealer. I installed new "True Lift" trunk struts in my 92 SC300 and all was fine for a couple of weeks....until one of the little metal retaining clips popped off and disappeared under my gas tank somewhere! I tried to reach around the gas tank and see if I could find it but no luck, so I called the dealer to find out how much it would be to get a new clip...the jerk-offs want me to spend $107.00 on a single new strut just so I can have that little metal clip! Ridiculous! Is there another way that I can secure the base of the strut onto the body of the car so it stays in place? I thought maybe a nut would work but there's no threads on the stud. Someone else said to try to bend a piece of a wire hanger around it to hold it on...that didn't work and it hurt the hell out of my hand. Anyone got a clip they don't need or know where I can get one? I'm in Los Angeles and about 2 seconds away from driving up to Beverly Hills Lexus and kicking some azz!!!! Man this is frustrating....I really hate the dealer right about now....REALLY...

Baby ///M3

Sorry to hear what happened.

You mentioned that the clip is metal. Have you tried to use a piece of magnetic device to fish around under your gas tank? Perhaps you may get lucky and find the clip that way.

If this doesn't work, perhaps you can use some Loc Tite on a nut to see if it'll stick on to the stud?

Jon

PERRYinLA

If you're really coming up to Beverly Hills, don't stop by Jim Falk Lexus, come see me- I am 4 blocks east and 5 blocks north of their location, and I'm certain we can rig something up.

The coat hanger wire would have worked, but you need to use a pair of pliers to twist the two ends together tightly and from your description it does not sound like you used one. Or, like I said in the post you read, you can drill a small hole in the stud and cotter pin it.

2jzsc3

over 100 for a single strut??? i bought both of my aftermarket StrongArm struts (made by Monroe) for under 20 bucks! I suggest you buy those and return the dealer parts, if possible. Say its defective!

mikeloc24

Gents, thanks for all the replies, I was seriously pissed off about this. Mainly because of how small and cheap the actual part I need is and how much of a headache it's caused. Baby M3, I did think of trying to fish around with a magnet to see if I could get the clip. Funny you mentioned that because it did occur to me but then I thought that since the clip keeps popping off salvaging that part would be a waste of time. It's been bent so many times that it's bound to fail, so I just decided to leave it in there unless I could hear it rattling around from within the cabin, then I'd be forced to fish it out of there. Perry, yeah, I usually deal with Jim Falk unfortunately, either them, Lexus of Cerritos, or Lexus of Westminster. I work closer to Jim Falk but I live closer to the other 2 dealers. I guess that if worse comes to worse I will just go and buy another shock, one that comes with a clip that is. Perry, let me know what times work best for you and we can hook up. Thanks for the offer.

mikeloc24

Okay, you got 2 struts for under $20? From where? Did they come with retaining clips or some method of securing the struts to the base? If they come with a way of being secured to the base then I'll just drop the $20 and get 2 of those to be done with the headache...

PERRYinLA

if you'll do a search on "rockauto" and "trunk", you'll get many threads that describe a few sources for struts, but they all run about $20 or so each, not for the pair.

So unless our friend 2jzsc3 has some new source (and if so, please share!), it's probably a typo.

Mike- I'll be glad to help. C'mon by anytime, or you can try it yourself, but you will need a pair of pliers to twist some coat hanger wire around the slight notch in the stud.

Just get a good grip on the 2 ends of the wire and twist it tight around the stud, just like you were sealing up a loaf of bread with a twist-tie. The only way that wouldn't work was if the notch is not deep enough for the wire to nest in and stay put. In that case, use a file to make the notch deeper.

2jzsc3

I got them from my bro's shop, K&E Auto Parts in San Gabriel, CA. It came with everything I needed and I've been using these for the last year and they work great! They are lifetime warranty also, so if anything goes wrong, I'm covered. And its not a typo! My cost was $20.00 for both. But if you're a walk-in customer to K&E we'd probably charge you $30.00 bucks for both. Go to Pep Boys or Kragen'z and they'll charge you $30.00 each.. hahah

mikeloc24

2jz, so are you offering a parts hook-up from K&E or are you simply offering your opinion?

PERRYinLA

Well, OK, so it is not a typo. But nor is $20/pair a price anyone else could get at the retail level- you didn't initially mention that you worked there, did ya now?

I kinda thought it was too good to be true, hence my typo remark...

2jzsc3

i'll hook you guys up though, if you're local to any of our 6 locations in southern cali, just let me know and i'll make sure the ppl workin there will hook you guys up. maybe not at wholesale price, but i bet you'll get a better deal than anywhere else.

mikeloc24

2jzsc3, I'm in Los Angeles but I drive between LA and Long Beach daily. Tell me which one is closest, I travel the 110 and the 405 usually. Thanks.