Strongarm23 Inch Extended Length Automotive Replacement Hatch Lift Support for 1996-2002 Toyota 4Runner; Part #C4286 Black

Bought another pair of the same ones 6 years ago and they worked great but lost their “lift” about a year ago.So good for about 5 years.Not too hard to install but much easier if you have someone to help keep the lid up.The lift gate is HEAVY so be careful!

easy to install.

Performed as advertised. Great quality, durable and easy to install. Recommend that you 2 people for a safe installation.

Wayyy better than my busted OEM lift support tbh they lasted 23 years on my 4runner! This one lifts the gate just a lil bit higher than the original ones did! I hope they last a long time too even though I know they won’t last as long as the oem ones!

Great replacement for my 1996 4Runner. A previous review by Jim is correct, these are not the OEM liftgate struts and don't perform quite as well, but, in my opinion, they are a reasonable aftermarket replacement at a reasonable price.Pros:- Price. Look, my 4Runner is 18 years old now. It's hard to justify spending $400 for EOM struts vs $35 for a pair of Strongarms.- Easy to install. Make sure rear window is rolled up. Remove one locking washer, a slideout bolt, and another washer (top and bottom per side). Do one side at a time. Have someone hold up the liftgate for you or just use a 2x4 to wedge it open like I did. Took me about 40 min -- would have been faster if my fingers weren't freezing.- Fast shipping from Strongarm. I live in UT and my order for 2 struts arrived in 4 days.Cons:- Cold weather performance isn't quite as good. About 18 degrees here in UT when I installed them. With rear window up, it lifts the liftgate so that it's parallel to the roofline. If I manually push it up (maybe another 8 inches to full height), it stays there by itself.1/12/2015 update: At 35 degrees, the Strongarm struts bring the liftgate up almost to full height -- if I want full extension, I have to manually push it up the last ~3 inches where it stays by itself. To me this is perfectly acceptable. I expect that with warmer weather, this will not be an issue.10/14/2020 update: These struts are still working great for me. With temperatures above 40 F or so, no issues whatsoever. They'll open my tailgate to full height. Below ~40 F, you may have to manually put it up the last few inches where it will stay by itself. I see the price has dropped since I purchased it so it's an even better deal now.

The only complaint I have about this support arm is that it did not come with any mounting hardware. I kind of look at this type of product like a shock absorber. It should come with the mounting pins, washers, grommet, c-clips, etc. Maybe I'm asking for too much.A note on installing this for someone new to this; You will need a helper to hold up the liftgate or a stick to prop it up. As soon as you remove the support rod on one side, the other one does not have enough lift to keep the liftgate up. I'm tall and I let the liftgate rest on my head, which worked ok until I dropped one of the washers on the garage floor. If I had used help with the liftgate, I probably would not have dropped the washer.Anyway, now my liftgate rises all the way up without my needing to push it up. My 4runner is a 1999 model.

I just replaced the two struts in my wife's '98 4Runner, & can't believed the difference!!! Although these struts appear to be smaller in diameter than the factory OEM's, they clearly work just fine!!!The one thing I will mention, with a word of caution, is that if you are replacing a pair of them, that tailgate is heavier than stink!! That means you are going to need to support the entire thing while you are inserting the new strut! Be smarter than I was & get some help!! I spent the entire next day in bed with a hurt back because I twisted it trying to hold that darned gate up while I was installing the first strut!! The opposite side was a breeze, but if both sides are worn, unless you are younger, or stronger, than myself, you can get in trouble in a hurry!!!

This is my second set of lifts I have purchased from Strong Lifts and I tell you I am never dissatisfied. The low cost and ease of install is a no brainer. These things look smaller than my shot OEM ones but they are very strong!!! A++ quality.

Fit my 98 4runner. Wished it had a little more lifting power

Fits well and works ok.