I was dreading this job. I’ve owned the SLK for 5 years now and over that time the gas struts have degraded to such an extent that the boot lid would slam shut from fully open if you let go of it (and it’s heavy…)
I searched the various MB owners forums and found loads of posts saying how difficult it was and that it was a two man job (one to hold the boot lid open and force it up to relieve the tension on the strut, while the other removes and replaces said strut).
So here’s the low-down.
Firstly, move the car so that you don’t get wet (it was raining)
Next, tie boot lid to garage door using a bungie strap (now it’s a one man job!)
Make sure that the Boot Lid can't fall down when you remove the strut...
The struts are fixed to a ball joint (top and bottom) and held on by a spring clip.
Original (OEM) Top Fixing
Original (OEM) Bottom Fixing
Gently slide a screwdriver blade into the spring clip and pull the strut away.
Same with the bottom fixing.
It's easy with a screwdriver...
Take one new strut and offer up to the two ball joints
Hey! They match (thank God for that…)
Line up the new strut
Slightly different design but the same principle. Lever spring clip with screwdriver and drop onto ball joint.
Snap into place.
New strut fitted
Bin the old parts.
Mercedes SLK Gas Strut Retirement Home
The whole job (including moving the car) took me less than 10 minutes.
Eat your hearts out MB Forum members!
Excellent instructions and much appreciated was exactly as described, literally a 10 minute job. The bungee cord idea was a massive help. Cheers again.
Just carried this out using your jnstructions and you are right, simple 10 min job, i just propped the boot lid up with a timber post !
Glad it was helpful.
Next up is the driver’s door mirror glass!
Thanks a ton mate!!
What any easy to follow instruction. Thanks very much, I am still nursing a headache from my boot lid falling on me.
Hi Guy.
The old struts would not hold the boot lid – it crashed closed (dangerously)
The new struts hold it where you leave it, it neither rises nor falls.
Both sets (old and new) proved impossible to compress by hand!
Watch out for my SLK series… I have a few more jobs lined up:
1. Change driver’s door mirror glass which has deteriorated to the point of uselessness.
2. Replace near-side wing mirror indicator lens (wife broke it)
3. Repair kerbed wheel (wife again)
4. Fix water leak in boot (I think it gets in via the new boot lid brake light plastics that I fitted.
Hi Steve,
thanks for that. I’ve just bought an SLK and the boot struts are not quite as bad as yours, but we have had a few hairy moments with the boot and the groceries. What I would like to enquire is, after replacement does the boot work like others cars, or is the weight of it a structural problem and the struts never really manage to balance the weight.
I’ve taken the struts off and they seem to be working fine.
Thanks a lot