Cold weather makes sagging lift supports worse!

If you live in a cold weather climate, you may have noticed that your trunk, hatch or hood is not staying all the way up. Original equipment (OE) Gas Lift Supports naturally lose pressure over time, and pressure drops further at colder temperatures. Sagging lift supports can be more than annoying if it becomes impossible to open a heavy hatch or if worn supports lose pressure and let the hood slam down.

RockAuto offers Lift Supports from respected brands; Stabilus, StrongArm, Tuff Support and more. Find the correct Lift Supports for your specific vehicle under "Body & Lamp Assembly." Open the lift support's Info page to see how it meets and often exceeds OE specifications by using improved piston rod metallurgy, corrosion protection, seals, hydraulic oil and/or gas pressures.

Lift Support replacement is typically quite easy and RockAuto's reliably low prices and fast shipping can help you restore the convenience of a lifted hood or hatch in no time!

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Our minivan, a 2016 Chrysler Town and Country, did not come with a spare tire, and this is commonplace with some newer vehicles. But you could purchase the spare, hoist, and cover on RockAuto so I wasted no time ordering it on the way home from the dealer. Everything went fine during the install, and I was satisfied that we were prepared in case of a blow-out.

All went well until 2020, when a loud clunking noise started coming from near the center console when turning. I looked underneath, and the only thing in the area was the spare. I hung my head thinking something must have gone wrong with my installation. I pulled out the spare and inspected the hoist and still could not identify what had gone wrong. Out of an abundance of caution, I took out the mounting bolts and reinstalled them.

After all that effort, the clunk remained, and my significant other complained that it had only gotten worse. I spent the next two months crawling under that vehicle inspecting transmission/engine mounts, suspension components... etc. You name it. I celebrated when I found a sway bar end-link starting to go, but the clunk remained after that fix as well.

I finally gave up and was going to bring it to a shop before our next road trip. We began the arduous task of removing all the stuff that the kids would need while the van was at the shop. Then in the throes of defeat, I opened up the storage compartments underneath the seats only to find the culprit. During an outing, my wife had allowed our four-year-old to collect...a rock (about the size of a brick). I could not believe that this was the cause of my headache. We had a good laugh about it though!

Andrew in New York

Tell us about your most infamous auto repair blunder or unconventional fix. Use your woe to help others avoid similar mistakes or share off-the-wall solutions that worked (at least for a while!). Please email your story to flamur@rockauto.com. Include your mailing address and if you would like a RockAuto T-Shirt (please let us know your shirt size) or Hat if we publish your story. See the T-Shirts and Hats under Tools & Universal Parts in the RockAuto catalog. The story will be credited using only your first name and your vague geographic location (state, province, country, continent, etc.) so you can remain semi-anonymous!

Older engines designed to use ethylene glycol, the classic "green" coolant / antifreeze, should be filled with 100% ethylene glycol when located in extremely cold regions such as Siberia.

A. True
B. False

Answer below

We are about halfway through the winter season which means now is a great time to hose the corrosive road salt and grime off the underside of your vehicle. Once the crud is gone, look for parts that could use a little extra cleaning followed by lubrication. Some newer vehicles, especially trucks, may still have u-joints, ball joints and other parts with grease fittings. Maybe they came that way from the factory or a previous owner replaced sealed OE parts with heavy-duty parts that include grease fittings.

There is also a chance your newer SUV or truck may have parts to clean and lubricate that were not on your last vehicle. Here are a couple of examples:

Running Board Motors:
Over the last fifteen years, running boards that automatically extend have become common on large, luxury SUVs and trucks. Big electric motors and linkages extend the running boards to assist people stepping in or out and then retract the running boards when the doors are closed.

Clean and / or Lubricate

Cleaning the running board motor linkages with soapy water followed by penetrating oil helps free them up. Greasing as many bushings and joints as possible may further reduce the strain on the Running Board Motor. Sometimes a running board motor linkage that continues to bind up can be fixed, at least temporarily, by loosening and then re-tightening the Running Board Motor bracket mounting bolts.

Running Board Motors eventually wear out because they cycle every time somebody climbs in or out of the vehicle. Find new Running Board Motors for your specific SUV or truck under "Accessories" in the RockAuto.com catalog.

Slip Yokes:
The drive shafts on 4WD trucks and SUVs may have slip yokes that allow the drive shaft to lengthen and shorten by a few inches as suspension components compress and expand while the vehicle is clambering up a trail. 4WD vehicles that have been lifted may have had aftermarket driveshafts with slip yokes installed to enable increased suspension travel.

The slip yoke tube that slides in and out of the main body of the drive shaft is exposed to grime that can cause it to bind up. The driver may hear subtle clunks, grunts and rattles as the slip yoke struggles to move.

Many slip yokes have grease fittings to ensure enough grease is present to both lubricate the slip yoke and keep pressure on the seals designed to keep out under-car grime. If accessible, cleaning and applying a film of grease on the exposed slip yoke tube can help as well.

The entire drive shaft is typically replaced if the slip yoke portion has seized up or worn out. See the drive shaft for your specific vehicle under "Drivetrain" in the RockAuto.com catalog.

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

To read more of Tom's articles, click this link and choose from story titles on the Newsletter Archives page.

Here is my 1965 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. I am 26 years old and live on the Maltese island of Gozo. It is a tiny island but the classic car scene here is unbelievable. I have always yearned to buy a classic American "land yacht." They have always fascinated me; with their great presence and comfort which only an American car can offer. I saw a 1965 Cadillac at a local car show and immediately wanted one. I started searching online and I found this gorgeous car in Texas. A rust free, Crimson Firemist Red, Sandalwood (Beige) interior, twin spoke steering wheel (apparently a rare option) with only 41,000 original miles! It even has the original sticker on the rear bumper from the dealership in South Carolina where it was purchased in 1965.

I wanted to fly to Texas myself to take a look at this car before buying it, but due to Covid it was not possible. But, I decided to risk it and buy the car sight unseen. The journey from the US to Malta took about eight weeks. During that time I learned of RockAuto from other enthusiasts online. I ordered basic service/tune up parts (spark plugs, engine gaskets, carb rebuild kit, etc.) which I wanted handy the moment the car arrived.

I believe that driving a classic car is part of maintaining it. I have driven it about 2,500 miles in the past year. RockAuto encourages me to keep doing so knowing that it will not be a pain to find parts to maintain and repair my Cadillac when needed.

Adrian in Malta

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Do you purchase parts from RockAuto? If so, RockAuto would like to give you the opportunity to have your car or truck possibly featured in one (or occasionally more) of our publications such as the monthly newsletter, collector magnets, RockAuto social media or other commercial use. New, old, import, domestic, daily driver, trailer queen, classic, antique, we want to see them all! For submission instructions and tips for taking pictures of your car, please visit our Photography Tips & Submission Info page

Older engines designed to use ethylene glycol, the classic "green" coolant / antifreeze, should be filled with 100% ethylene glycol when located in extremely cold regions such as Siberia.

A. True
Answer: B. False (Ethylene glycol should be mixed with distilled water because an ethylene glycol and water mixture has a much lower freezing point than pure ethylene glycol does. When summer arrives, an ethylene glycol and water mixture also cools the engine more effectively than pure ethylene glycol.)

Back up to trivia question