Trunk lid spoiler issues

4033 Views 11 Replies 7 Participants Last post by AxelWulff, Apr 24, 2009

AxelWulff

Discussion Starter · Apr 18, 2009 (Edited)

A lot of us who've added trunk lid spoilers to our cars have run into the issue that, with the added weight, the trunk lid does not stay open anymore and we have to either accept crushed fingers, bumps on the back of our heads or (very embarrassing..) resorting to a stick to hold the trunk lid open.

Mine was better than most and on flat surfaces, it would stay open.

Why leave good enough alone? Adding sound dampening ensured that my trunk lid will work almost as good as a guillotine.

OK, all the coupe trunk lids are made of aluminium, but several versions of the sedan have steel lids which require stronger springs.

Easy, just swap the trunk lid irons and problem solved....

I mean, how hard can this be?

Markus happened to have a sedan wreck with a steel trunk lid and after some embarrassing oversight was overcome, I had a set for steel trunk lids.

As you can see from these pictues, the springs for the steel trunk lid are much beefier than the ones from my coupe. We're on the right track.

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AxelWulff

Discussion Starter · #2 · Apr 18, 2009 (Edited)

So I remove the trunk lid irons from my SEC and install the ones I got from Markus.

Trying to put the trunk lid back on, I discover that it doesn' fit.

Sure enough, lining up the two different sets of trunk irons, the differences are obvious.

Not only are the irons on the SEC longer, they are also wider.

OK, next step; transfer the steel springs to the SEC's irons. :thumbsup:

Only, the pin holding the spring assembly in place is spot welded.

Some quick work with my Dremel and I have the steel springs.

Now I just have to find a spring compressor to allow me to install them on my coupe irons. Any suggestions?

Stay tuned.........

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AxelWulff

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 18, 2009

Dimmuburger said:
What you could do is tie 2 or 3 wires around each spring before you cut them out, leaving them compressed for installation onto your car.

Oh, wait...

Now he tells me..........LOL

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AxelWulff

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 18, 2009

Car spring compressors are much too big for this job.

I've come across a couple of ATV/Motorcycle spring compressors. The size appears to be closer.

Hi-Performance Engineering Shop Equipment / Tools

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AxelWulff

Discussion Starter · #12 · Apr 24, 2009

Got the springs swapped today.

In the end I decided to have my local mechanic do it. I needed him to do the welding anyhow.

He used a fairly substantial C-clamp spring compressor and then zip tied the compressed springs for the swap.

Yes, zip ties.

More substantial than the regular ones for holding electrical cables together, but still made out of plastic. Quite intriguing.

In the end it cost me about as much to have my mechanic do it as it would have cost me to buy the tools, though I would still have had to have him do the welding. I'm not about to venture into that area.

It works great. :thumbsup:
I just have to be a little bit careful when opening the trunk..........

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