SL350 (R231) manual lift boot struts

[David44]

I have the original ones still fitted and would like to know how high the boot lid should lift, at present it only raises about 8 inches and the rest of the way up needs manual assistance.

 

[MrGreedy]

Seems a bit feeble (not that I have a R231 to compare).
On my 10 year old (at the time) w203 hatchback, I needed to replace the boot struts for the same reason, and I see you car is around that sort of age now.
It was an easy job with an assistant to take a bit of weight of the boot lid whilst I changed the struts, one side at a time.
It was pretty inexpensive as I recall, at about £15 a strut, and just a small flat blade screwdriver and some long nose pliers. 10 minutes tops.


Maybe these? £37?
Magneti Marelli GS1201?

2x Tailgate Boot Gas Struts for MERCEDES-BENZ SL (R231) 350 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2x Tailgate Boot Gas Struts for MERCEDES-BENZ SL (R231) 350 at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[David44]

Seems a bit feeble (not that I have a R231 to compare).
On my 10 year old (at the time) w203 hatchback, I needed to replace the boot struts for the same reason, and I see you car is around that sort of age now.
It was an easy job with an assistant to take a bit of weight of the boot lid whilst I changed the struts, one side at a time.
It was pretty inexpensive as I recall, at about £15 a strut, and just a small flat blade screwdriver and some long nose pliers. 10 minutes tops.


Maybe these? £37?
Magneti Marelli GS1201?

2x Tailgate Boot Gas Struts for MERCEDES-BENZ SL (R231) 350 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2x Tailgate Boot Gas Struts for MERCEDES-BENZ SL (R231) 350 at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

I did buy two new Stabilus struts last year and to be honest they made very little if any difference. There are versions of the same original part number according to the weight of the lid.

 

[David44]

Seems a bit feeble (not that I have a R231 to compare).
On my 10 year old (at the time) w203 hatchback, I needed to replace the boot struts for the same reason, and I see you car is around that sort of age now.
It was an easy job with an assistant to take a bit of weight of the boot lid whilst I changed the struts, one side at a time.
It was pretty inexpensive as I recall, at about £15 a strut, and just a small flat blade screwdriver and some long nose pliers. 10 minutes tops.


Maybe these? £37?
Magneti Marelli GS1201?

2x Tailgate Boot Gas Struts for MERCEDES-BENZ SL (R231) 350 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2x Tailgate Boot Gas Struts for MERCEDES-BENZ SL (R231) 350 at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

Just looked at the link and you may be on the right track for a solution, these struts are rated at 635n the ones I bought were only 580n

 

[MrGreedy]

Just looked at the link and you may be on the right track for a solution, these struts are rated at 635n the ones I bought were only 580n

It doesn't sound like alot of difference between the two makes, but more generally both of those figures are a mind blowing amount of force for opening a boot lid.
If we roughly translate into kgs, that's 63kgs of force, which seems incredible to lift a lid a fraction of that.

So I guess if we look at the alleged difference, 63.5kgs vs 58kgs (using rough 0.1kg to the N) is a 5.5kg difference. I'm assuming the effort required to lift the boot is next to naff all, so maybe a tiny bit more oomph on the strut would do it?

 

[ToeKnee]

On my 231, when I open tune boot it doesn't raise at all, just unlocks, I have to lift it up completely by hand.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I'm no Engineer, but as the son of an Engineer, I'd say you've got two choices.

Either live with it. (Old Engineering tradition - if it's working, leave the ruddy thing alone)

Or replace it for correct OEM spec - whatever that actually is - and see if it gets back to what you remember. Cost is tiny and it's easy to fit.

On both my R230's, the boot lid certainly didn't bounce wide open like a saloon when released. From memory it just slid gently up.

 

[pioneercollector]

I'm no Engineer, but as the son of an Engineer, I'd say you've got two choices.

Either live with it. (Old Engineering tradition - if it's working, leave the ruddy thing alone)

Or replace it for correct OEM spec - whatever that actually is - and see if it gets back to what you remember. Cost is tiny and it's easy to fit.

On both my R230's, the boot lid certainly didn't bounce wide open like a saloon when released. From memory it just slid gently up.

This post! Mine isn't a trebuchet when opening, just glides open with some light assistance from me..... of course mine could also be on the way out!!

 

[BoristheBounce]

Hi David,

Take a look at this thread. SL350 (R231) Manual Opening Boot Using Gas Struts | Parts, Maintenance & Servicing

Mine is an R231 SL400 (2015) and the release button just unlatches it and you have to heave the bloody thing up it weighs a ton!

Where are you exactly I was born In West Auckland, a long time ago