91 Escort Wagon Liftgate Struts

[The Critic]

Friend's mom has a '91 Escort Wagon that needed lift gate struts. I ordered a set of Monroe liftgate struts from a local distributor and found that I would need to pry the ball out of the old struts and reuse the ball and hardware with the new struts.

The ball seems to be difficult to remove from the old struts and I would rather not do it if I can purchase a set of lift gate struts that have new hardware included.

Does anyone know of a brand for this application that would include new hardware (ball and brackets)? The Monroes I purchased were part #901260.

Thanks.

 

[The_Jeff]

Usually there's a stamped clip that you pry off with a screwdriver then the ball just falls out.

 

[edwardh1]

whats the best brand or are they all made in one plant but different names

 

[bdcardinal]

Can't help on the OEM side, they are disco duck.

 

[morepwr]

I had to do the same thing on my Escort and I got whatever brand they carry at Autozone. They came with a bracket to use. You just unbolt the stock piece and bolt on the part that comes with the new struts.

There is no way your getting that ball joint piece out with making a mess of it. There is no release clip.

 

[bdcardinal]

It looked like when available they came as all one piece, but they are disco duck, so no more.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
It looked like when available they came as all one piece, but they are disco duck, so no more.

My boy, "disco" was the '70s. A '91 Escort would be more "grunge", as in "Kurt Cobain", instead of "Debbie Harry". But Blondie had better music than Nirvana, so disco beats grunge any day, as far as I'm concerned.

As for the OP's issue, my own searching indicates that even OE Ford struts didn't come with a ball. I found this page, which may help:
http://www.cargasstruts.co.uk/how_to_replace_car_gas_strut.php?Year=0&Model=all&Make=all

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
It looked like when available they came as all one piece, but they are disco duck, so no more.

My boy, "disco" was the '70s. A '91 Escort would be more "grunge", as in "Kurt Cobain", instead of "Debbie Harry". But Blondie had better music than Nirvana, so disco beats grunge any day, as far as I'm concerned.

As for the OP's issue, my own searching indicates that even OE Ford struts didn't come with a ball. I found this page, which may help:
http://www.cargasstruts.co.uk/how_to_replace_car_gas_strut.php?Year=0&Model=all&Make=all



disco duck is short for discontinued, aka obsolete.

The diagram we have on our parts look-up shows it as one huge piece.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Usually there's a stamped clip that you pry off with a screwdriver then the ball just falls out.

You're right, I'm the idiot.

Guess I was in too big of a hurry yesterday and did not notice them. I just took the new Monroes out of the package again and I now see the clip you are talking about.

Thanks.