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My tailgate doesn't hold up up anymore and I'm tired of banging my head. Has anyone here replaced them? Any instructions or do's and dont's would be greatly appreciated. I'll be tackling this fix on the weekend or next.
Liftgate strut cover, left hand side, looking rear. Note the two black cables are part of the cover and thus i can't remove the cover.
This is my first time posting to this forum so I don't know if I should be replying to this thread or starting a new one.
Anyways I am replacing the liftgate struts on my 2006 E350 Wagon. I've seen some people call for headliner removal while some say it is not necessary. There are some links to the startek site that don't work any more...
So I've managed to get the old strut off but how in the heck am i supposed to get in there to push the new strut down on the ball/socket joint. The issue I seem to be having is that all the documentation shows the right side, that has this little brown cover that pops out giving you access from the opening of the safety net bracket. On the left side however, the cover has two cables running through it and I can figure out how I'm supposed to remove it to access the strut. (see image). I'm floundering so any help is appreciated. If headliner removal is required can someone point me to some docs on how to remove the c-pillar covers.
Liftgate strut cover, left hand side, looking rear. Note the two black cables are part of the cover and thus i can't remove the cover.
This is my first time posting to this forum so I don't know if I should be replying to this thread or starting a new one.
Anyways I am replacing the liftgate struts on my 2006 E350 Wagon. I've seen some people call for headliner removal while some say it is not necessary. There are some links to the startek site that don't work any more...
So I've managed to get the old strut off but how in the heck am i supposed to get in there to push the new strut down on the ball/socket joint. The issue I seem to be having is that all the documentation shows the right side, that has this little brown cover that pops out giving you access from the opening of the safety net bracket. On the left side however, the cover has two cables running through it and I can figure out how I'm supposed to remove it to access the strut. (see image). I'm floundering so any help is appreciated. If headliner removal is required can someone point me to some docs on how to remove the c-pillar covers.
Yup it's a PITA. I only replaced the passenger side one and gave up on the driver's side. I figured one working strut is better than none I'll just have to replace it twice as often lol.
Nuts. I have auto door. is there documentation for removal of the headliner. Do i have to remove the whole thing or just pull down the back.
I just did both sides on my 06 e350 wagon with auto door. Not too difficult, but not too easy. I just pulled the back half of the headliner down. Removed pieces from c and d pillars but not fully. I did not remove seatbelts from the 2nd row pillar; just the trim piece. You will for the rear outer upper trim pieces, there are only two clips and then two screws toward the bottom where you latch the retracting cargo cover.
Once there, there are two ceiling clips at the rear of the headliner. Those come out by pushing forward on them.
For the rest, there are videos online on how to access the lifts. Once you remove the covers, you will see there are two struts on each side. The actual lifts are the outer ones on each side. One of mine was good and the other was completely useless. Door works like a charm now.
Hi, just this morning my tailgate struts stopped holding up on my 2004 E320 W211 4Matic Wagon. It is used to have the auto lift that stopped working a while ago. I was able to simply use it by manual lift until this morning. I've read the notes above and am not eager to spend a ton of money removing the headliner etc. From what I read so far, seems I can do the passenger side using the simple procedure or do both by doing the partial pullback of the headliner. If I do the passenger side only and plan to use it as a manual lift, do I purchase the same part as for auto lift or purchase the manual lift part.
Hi, just this morning my tailgate struts stopped holding up on my 2004 E320 W211 4Matic Wagon. It is used to have the auto lift that stopped working a while ago. I was able to simply use it by manual lift until this morning. I've read the notes above and am not eager to spend a ton of money removing the headliner etc. From what I read so far, seems I can do the passenger side using the simple procedure or do both by doing the partial pullback of the headliner. If I do the passenger side only and plan to use it as a manual lift, do I purchase the same part as for auto lift or purchase the manual lift part.
Not too bad of a job, took an afternoon. Here's a video I made of me removing my headliner.
Sandygear, thank you very much for the video. I don't know if I have the courage to do what you did and remove the entire headliner. I may go for the partial pulldown so I can get to the struts. Thanks again.
Instead of pulling the headliner and doing all that work to replace the two gas struts, You might consider bringing the hydraulic lift pump back to life. In my case It was low on oil. There's no fill plug on the pump reservoir, I had to drill a hole in it and push in fluid with a syringe.
tjts1, thanks for the suggestion. Couldn't tell from your picture where the pump is located. I notice you have a 2004 E320 Wagon as well. Just trying to understand - my pump stopped working first and I was able to open and close manually. Now the hatch won't stay up and I thought to replace the struts get back manual operation. What I understand from all the posts is that to replace the struts for a previously manual model, the procedure is straightforward. To replace the struts for a previously automatic hatch lift, even for a purely manual operation, the procedure involves removing the headliner. What you suggest is that if one is removing the headliner and doing all that work, why not bring the lift pump back to life. Did I get this right? Thank You.
tjts1, thanks for the suggestion. Couldn't tell from your picture where the pump is located. I notice you have a 2004 E320 Wagon as well. Just trying to understand - my pump stopped working first and I was able to open and close manually. Now the hatch won't stay up and I thought to replace the struts get back manual operation. What I understand from all the posts is that to replace the struts for a previously manual model, the procedure is straightforward. To replace the struts for a previously automatic hatch lift, even for a purely manual operation, the procedure involves removing the headliner. What you suggest is that if one is removing the headliner and doing all that work, why not bring the lift pump back to life. Did I get this right? Thank You.
The pump is located in a black box on the left side of the trunk just ahead of the fuse box. You have to remove the panel over the fuse box then you have to flip the rear seats forward then you have to unscrew the panel that goes from the left rear seat belt all the way to the fuse box. Behind that trim panel you'll find a rectangular black box with clips at the top, Open those clips and inside you will find the hydraulic pump surrounded by foam insulation. The pump has an integral reservoir that is sealed. Mercedes doesn't sell the pump on its own it sells the pump with hoses and piston together pre-filled with oil. Once the oil leaks out you're supposed to replace the pump. I just drilled a hole in the tank and refilled it.
The I replaced the strut on the passenger side without removing the headliner at all. The strut on the driver side looked way more involved so I just skipped on that one. So right now I have a working pump and one good strut on the passenger side and it seems to work just fine.
I used a screw to plug the hole in the reservoir. I've seen versions of this pump on other MBs that have a fill plug but mine didn't have one. It had to be drilled.
Wow! tjts1 this is so useful and adds new information to this thread. Thank you! Okay so now I know I don't have to remove the headliner at all - replace the passenger side strut and 'ave a go at refilling the pump! Just one more question - what kind of oil?
Wow! tjts1 this is so useful and adds new information to this thread. Thank you! Okay so now I know I don't have to remove the headliner at all - replace the passenger side strut and 'ave a go at refilling the pump! Just one more question - what kind of oil?
That's what I keep asking myself I wish I could remember but it's been a few years. I don't want to give you wrong information. Run a YouTube search the hydraulic pump on an ML tailgate or an SL or SLK roof, It's the same pump. Those cars have a screw plug in the reservoir. Use whatever fluid they're using.
That's what I keep asking myself I wish I could remember but it's been a few years. I don't want to give you wrong information. Run a YouTube search the hydraulic pump on an ML tailgate or an SL or SLK roof, It's the same pump. Those cars have a screw plug in the reservoir. Use whatever fluid they're using.
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E 320 Wagon tailgate struts
