FYI: 2001 liftgate cylinder replacement

[Todd H.]

For the net.archive in case someone has a similar issue:

From the snowbelt... I encountered my first dead rusted part.

The lower pin of the left (driver's) side rear hatch lift cylinder on
my 2001 Outback rusted and sheared a week or so ago. It's a little
bolt with a "ball" on the head that snaps into the socket of the
extension arm of the pneumatic lift cylinder. I think the cylinder
finally bound or became so hard to compress that it sheared the aging
rusting lower pin.

subarugenuineparts.com replacement cost for the cylinder assembly was
$68 and included the pin, the cylinder and the upper bolts.
Installation was trivial: involved just a 10mm socket on the two upper
bolts (or a large phillips head screwddriver), and a 12mm open end
wrench for the lower pin. Good as new.

While I was at it I put some white lithium grease on the other
cylinder in hopes of keeping it running smoothly and avoiding the same
fate. It looks pretty rusty too, but we'll see.

Carl, thanks for the tip on subarugenuineparts.com and encouragement
to email their customer service folks (cus that OEM parts website
SUCKS--can't find anything the first time it seems). I got a prompt
response from the woman who handles those requests and all went
smoothly.


Best Regards,

 

[AS]

Thanks for the post

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

For the net.archive in case someone has a similar issue:

From the snowbelt... I encountered my first dead rusted part.

The lower pin of the left (driver's) side rear hatch lift cylinder on
my 2001 Outback rusted and sheared a week or so ago. It's a little
bolt with a "ball" on the head that snaps into the socket of the
extension arm of the pneumatic lift cylinder. I think the cylinder
finally bound or became so hard to compress that it sheared the aging
rusting lower pin.

subarugenuineparts.com replacement cost for the cylinder assembly was
$68 and included the pin, the cylinder and the upper bolts.
Installation was trivial: involved just a 10mm socket on the two upper
bolts (or a large phillips head screwddriver), and a 12mm open end
wrench for the lower pin. Good as new.

While I was at it I put some white lithium grease on the other
cylinder in hopes of keeping it running smoothly and avoiding the same
fate. It looks pretty rusty too, but we'll see.

Carl, thanks for the tip on subarugenuineparts.com and encouragement
to email their customer service folks (cus that OEM parts website
SUCKS--can't find anything the first time it seems). I got a prompt
response from the woman who handles those requests and all went
smoothly.


Best Regards,

I have no connection with them. Just a happy 3 times customer. If you
spoke to Jamie, she is great! check her personal racing website at
www.subiegal.com .

Carl

 

[Todd H.]

I have no connection with them. Just a happy 3 times customer. If you
spoke to Jamie, she is great! check her personal racing website at
www.subiegal.com .

Yeah, it was Jamie who helped me. I need to ping her about these oil
filters they sent me though. They _seem_ smaller than the last ones
I had, and I'd sure hate to be in mid oil change to find out they
aren't right.

Where can I find the right subaru oem filter part number for my car?

 

[Yousuf Khan]

For the net.archive in case someone has a similar issue:

From the snowbelt... I encountered my first dead rusted part.

The lower pin of the left (driver's) side rear hatch lift cylinder on
my 2001 Outback rusted and sheared a week or so ago. It's a little
bolt with a "ball" on the head that snaps into the socket of the
extension arm of the pneumatic lift cylinder. I think the cylinder
finally bound or became so hard to compress that it sheared the aging
rusting lower pin.

Yeah, that happened to me a couple of years ago too. The thing was there
was no visible sign of rusting on the part, it just snapped anyways. I
had thought of fixing it myself at that time too, but the strut looked
like it would be too hard to stretch and pull open when installing, so I
let the dealer do it.

Yousuf Khan

 

[Todd H.]

Yeah, that happened to me a couple of years ago too. The thing was
there was no visible sign of rusting on the part, it just snapped
anyways. I had thought of fixing it myself at that time too, but the
strut looked like it would be too hard to stretch and pull open when
installing, so I let the dealer do it.

The strut actually comes extended (if it wasn't that way naturally
then it wouldn't hold the door open very well, I guess). Compressing
it a little was needed, but you can do that with the help of the door
once you install the upper part. You'll have half the weight of the
hatch on your head as you do this unless you were bright enough to
bring somethign to prop the lid up or have a helper handy.

 

[YKhan]

The strut actually comes extended (if it wasn't that way naturally
then it wouldn't hold the door open very well, I guess). Compressing
it a little was needed, but you can do that with the help of the door
once you install the upper part. You'll have half the weight of the
hatch on your head as you do this unless you were bright enough to
bring somethign to prop the lid up or have a helper handy.

Yeah, basically helpers were hard to come by, so I was all on my own,
so I just let the dealership do it. They don't seem to have a shortage
of helpers.

 

[Todd H.]

Yeah, basically helpers were hard to come by, so I was all on my own,
so I just let the dealership do it. They don't seem to have a shortage
of helpers.

Hee hee. Yeah, hopefully they didnt' charge too much.

I was helperless but the hatch on head technique worked acceptably.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Yeah, it was Jamie who helped me. I need to ping her about these oil
filters they sent me though. They _seem_ smaller than the last ones
I had, and I'd sure hate to be in mid oil change to find out they
aren't right.

Where can I find the right subaru oem filter part number for my car?

Not sure on the part number thing - maybe www.cars101.com?

But, the sube filters of 3-4 years ago were leaking from the crimp and
FHI started sourcing them from somewhere else. Dunno if you got 'old'
stock or new - maybe email jamie. I DO know that my wife's 03 OBW with
the H6 uses the precise same filter as my 06 WRX!!! And they do seem
small - but folks claim it's the inside that matters - filter area,
mesh, silicone valves,etc.

Carl

 

[Todd H.]

For the net.archive in case someone has a similar issue:

From the snowbelt... I encountered my first dead rusted part.

The lower pin of the left (driver's) side rear hatch lift cylinder on
my 2001 Outback rusted and sheared a week or so ago. It's a little
bolt with a "ball" on the head that snaps into the socket of the
extension arm of the pneumatic lift cylinder. I think the cylinder
finally bound or became so hard to compress that it sheared the aging
rusting lower pin.

subarugenuineparts.com replacement cost for the cylinder assembly was
$68 and included the pin, the cylinder and the upper bolts.

*correction* This part was actually only $42. The list on it is in
the low $60's.