Trunk struts

[mekstromnsx]

Good evening all. I am in need of some new trunk supports for my 91 NSX. I had bought some from GSB supports. They did not last long. The GSB rear hatch supports are still holding up well but not the trunk. Anyone have an idea where I can get a good set. Also, does anyone know if they make trunk supports that are the scissor type and not the strut type. Just wondering if they would hold up better and last longer. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

Mike

 

[jeffreygebhart]

I recently purchased a set from Science of Speed. OEM Honda parts. Easy to install, work just fine.

 

[emac]

I sent my OE struts to strutwise and had them rebuilt. They lasted about 5 years. Sent them back again this year.

I need to check on what I paid strutwise......SOS shows them for 149/pair. Not sure what is the better way to go. I would have liked to have gotten more than 5 years out of the rebuilt ones.

Maybe buy new ones and send old off to be rebuilt!

 

[nsxbuilder]

I seem to go through a set every 3-4 years...had it fall last weekend and drop onto a row of tools I had sitting on the back edge while installing a shorty antenna...bastard!

 

[JLCoolman]

Call Tim Poliniak at oemacuraparts.

https://www.oemacuraparts.com/v-1992-acura-nsx-coupe--nsx--5-speed-manual/body-air-conditioning--trunk-lid

#19 Stay Assembly, Trunk - Acura (74872-SL0-305)
$64.03

#24 (unless you want to reuse your ball studs http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showt...s-From-Trunk-Struts-to-Re-use-with-New-Struts)
Stud, Ball - Acura (90102-SL0-003)
$15.51

 

[latzke]

unless you want to reuse your ball studs

Good luck separating them from the old struts.

 

[RyanRA]

Good luck separating them from the old struts.

It’s possible to, but tedious.


https://youtu.be/eFloaEWTYmI

 

[Old Guy]

I replaced the trunk struts on my 2000 in 2011, so 11 years on the first set and still waiting for the second set to fail. When I replaced mine I reused the studs and don't recall that much effort in removing the stud from the strut; but, that was 9 years ago and I tend to blank out bad things!

Amayama has the nice price on the struts - $37 US$ each. However, if you are in a hurry you might want to check on whether Amayama is shipping to the US. They had stopped shipping a couple of weeks ago because of a lack of aircraft flying between Japan and North America (although an order I placed about 1 1/2 weeks ago was shipped and still seems to be in transit).

You might want to contact Strutwise. I sent him some trunk struts for another vehicle back in mid March. After not hearing back from him I contacted him and he advised that he had a health emergency and ended up hospitalized. I never had any follow up from him and eventually gave up and ordered some OEM replacements. The website is still up; but, you might want to get a confirmation that they are processing stuff. At Amayama's price with your cost to ship to Strutwise and have them rebuild them and ship it back to you itmight not be that much of a saving.

 

[latzke]

It’s possible to, but tedious.


https://youtu.be/eFloaEWTYmI

Does sound like with the right tool (dental pick, which I don't have) it might not be difficult.

Interesting that the ball studs are yellow in that video. I thought they came unpainted (black or silver) when the car rolled out of the factory. So either that area was repainted without removing the strut but just masking around it, or I'm wrong.

I encountered/learned something interesting last year when I replaced both my engine and trunk struts at same time...

The engine hatch strut assembly (74820-SL0-315) comes with a black ball stud included. That ball stud cannot be ordered separately (no separate part shown in catalog).

The trunk strut assembly (74872-SL0-305) does not come with ball stud included. When purchased stand-alone, the trunk ball stud (90102-SL0-003) is silver.

Kind of surprising Honda/Acura made two separate (different-color) versions of a part that is otherwise the same (dimensionally/functionally). I'm sure they intended the engine hatch one to be black, so there wouldn't be something shiny in there to draw attention, reflect off the glass. Would seem to make sense to use the same (black) part for the trunk also. Which maybe they did, because my trunk strut balls have always been black...but then that would mean they added/switched the replacement trunk ball studs to silver sometime in the last 30 years. [shrug]

 

[JLCoolman]

Good luck separating them from the old struts.

Thanks!
I need to do this eventually, but first gotta get my car running, lol.
(Well, technically, I could just do the trunk/engine struts first, but what's the point if I can't drive the car, hahaha).

Does sound like with the right tool (dental pick, which I don't have) it might not be difficult.

Interesting that the ball studs are yellow in that video. I thought they came unpainted (black or silver) when the car rolled out of the factory. So either that area was repainted without removing the strut but just masking around it, or I'm wrong.

I encountered/learned something interesting last year when I replaced both my engine and trunk struts at same time...

The engine hatch strut assembly (74820-SL0-315) comes with a black ball stud included. That ball stud cannot be ordered separately (no separate part shown in catalog).

The trunk strut assembly (74872-SL0-305) does not come with ball stud included. When purchased stand-alone, the trunk ball stud (90102-SL0-003) is silver.

Kind of surprising Honda/Acura made two separate (different-color) versions of a part that is otherwise the same (dimensionally/functionally). I'm sure they intended the engine hatch one to be black, so there wouldn't be something shiny in there to draw attention, reflect off the glass. Would seem to make sense to use the same (black) part for the trunk also. Which maybe they did, because my trunk strut balls have always been black...but then that would mean they added/switched the replacement trunk ball studs to silver sometime in the last 30 years. [shrug]

Nice tidbit, good to know.
Either way, the trunk ball studs should definitely not be painted/body color matched.
That's what I was thinking when reading through the link I shared and saw some red trunk ball studs.

 

[drew]

>Either way, the trunk ball studs should definitely not be painted/body color matched.

??

appears the factory did just that....likely easier to install with a socket and not an open wrench.

 

[JLCoolman]

>Either way, the trunk ball studs should definitely not be painted/body color matched.

??

appears the factory did just that....likely easier to install with a socket and not an open wrench.

I stand corrected. You're right, drew.
I just checked my '92 and it has body color matched trunk ball studs (and I'm fairly positive that they are original).
The '94 I was looking at had black trunk ball studs, but I'm pretty sure those have been replaced as the struts are non-OEM (and don't fit the little bracket on the left side for the spoiler brake light wire which probably caused it to crimp and get cut when closing the trunk).
edit - The black trunk ball studs on the '94 are non-OEM, as well. Completely different shape and size compared to OEM.

So looks like the trunk ball studs should be painted/body color matched, and if they're black or silver, that means they've been replaced.
This is interesting, I think I'm going to start looking at these when I see other cars, haha.

 

[latzke]

I stand corrected. You're right, drew.
I just checked my '92 and it has body color matched trunk ball studs (and I'm fairly positive that they are original).

I stand corrected also. Interesting tidbit.

 

[jukngene]

I have a pair of the OEM ball studs in unopened Honda packaging that I ordered, but did not use, since my mechanic was able to extract the old ones from the struts. If anyone wants them, I will be glad to send them to you for a reasonable fee (around $25 postage-paid). Please PM me if interested. They are Honda part number 90102-SL0-003.

Gene Strupe

 

[SMYLDOC]

Frank at Strutwise repaired some gas struts for my dental chairs back in Nov 2020
His health is not good, he told me he was waiting for a lung transplant and is tethered to an oxygen tank.
He works when he’s feeling ok.
Be patient with him. I talked to him on his cell: 604-417-1883
Say a prayer for him, he has helped many of us for many years