The title says it all... holy mother of mercy...

I wanted to get new ones since mine were long gone awhile ago but I never knew they cost that much from GM...

anyone have a clue as to a decent priced option for me...

i have a 88 TBI SC with a rear hatch defroster which has the connection for power on the struts themselves...

 

Broom handle is a decent price option IMO.

 

Any major parts store should have them. Got mine at Pep Boys for $80 pair. (US) There was no option for the defroster connection. They all have it.

 

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRoaaaad trip time!!!!!!!!

 

Broom handle does work well, but it requires the use of a helmet in case you knock it out of place while loading/unloading the car.

 

Think rear hatch, raised high then falling onto your back with the hatch piece hitting you directly on your lower back on your spine... 3 years ago that happened to me.. very painful...

 

Anytime you want something from GM, you are going to pay for it. Just price out a headlight motor for a TA, Any time I needed a strut in the past, I just went to an auto wrecker and find a good one. alot of times, if the strut works well, it won't be the original. I paid $25 for two and they worked for years. They were still working when I sold the car last year.

 

Try Walmart, they sell the Strong Arm units.
They have to be cheaper than the others.
I got a set from a friend at the factory, they seemed to be too strong...was hard to put the hatch down, I figure if I wait a few years they will be weaker as the gas comes out.

 

I bought mine at Canadian Tire 3 years ago and they work perfect. The hood struts I've changed twice already though...

I also have a fiberglass spoiler on the back which helps BIG TIME>

 

That's GM for you. Try Canadian Tire. Seriously Rovic call them and see what they want for them. Probably save yourself $50 or more.

 

They're about 35 bucks each regular price BUT THEY WERE ON SALE TWO WEEKS AGO FOR LIKE 24.95 EACH! Go in to a Canadian Tire and ask for the sale price. THey will look it up, clear it with the manager and you'll get them.

Trust me

 

Now the goal is to find a CT with them... hopefully I can figure a way to keep the defroster powered ok...


It lost the last of its charge when the car got baked during painting... its really really heavy again and as I have newly fractured bones in my left hand, not as severe as my right hand was 3 months ago, it makes for opening the rear slightly difficult.

 

i bought mine a few years back from a carquest store they were about 80 bux a piece for them, but that was about 6 or 7 years ago. They were made by monroe the shock manufacturer. They are still working very well on my car with lots of pressure still ( I hope i didn't jinx myself with that statement ) I really liked them and would buy monroe again when they do finally go again.

 

if you dont like the broom handle..A baby vise grip would work too

Daz

 

Get them at CT...kif they don't have them in stock you should be able to order them. They are not cheap, but a fraction of the cost of the GM pieces.

And WARNING!!!...the GM ones are crap! I bought them for my hood struts last year, thinking for the price them would be better than the Crappy tires ones. Well in less than one summer the GM hood struts are now toast! Not worth the coin at all!

Did I mention the CT Strong Arm brand has a lifetime warranty? Just be sure to keep the receipt.

 

i'm using the baby vise grip right now lol

That's what I used on my hood till I got new struts there.

 

Like IROCKER said Crappy Tire is your best bet and keep the receipt for they have a lifetime warranty and thats on both hood and hatch struts.

 

As for the vice grips, I used a pair to hold up the rear glass on my Jimmy when I first bought it (tiny glass compared to the T/A, but still heavy enough to hurt). I used them for months until CT's struts came on sale. Wouldn't ya know, not only was only one of my old struts bad, and take a wild guess which one I had been using the vice grips on?