Weak trunk torsion bars...

[Touchdown038]

89 240 coupe.

This has been a problem on my car for as long as I can remember. It seems the torsion bars do not exert enough force to keep my trunk open except for at its highest point. If it is anywhere below the highest point, it has to be propped open or else gravity will do its job. This also makes the inside-the-car trunk latch useless.

Can these bars "wear out", that is, stop providing force to keep the trunk open? Or what else could be going on here?

[Touchdown038]

I have an idea I'd like to throw out.

My car has a non-OEM spoiler on it (on the car when I bought it) but it is a little foam deal and can't weight more than, say, 5 pounds when completely wet. Would the weight of the spoiler, plus the weight of the trunk lid, be enough to overcome the force of the torsion bars?

If so, is there a stronger set of torsion bars that I can put on without too much trouble?

[VanNelson]

I'm pretty sure you can get some aftermarket torsion bars at your local parts dealer and throw them. My bars ('93 240sx Vert) don't work anymore either; I HAVE to use a key to open the trunk. Maybe put a spring under the trunk lid to at least pop it open without using a key for now?

But yea, i'm pretty sure they're just old and worn (pull them out and try to exert force on them with your bare hands) and some new ones will open the trunk.

[VanNelson]

Boom, headshot...

zerothread?id=80918

[Touchdown038]

Yeah I noticed that thread, but the convertible apparently uses traditional shocks, but the coupe (like mine) uses a pair of crossing bars below the speaker deck to hold the trunk up. Also, every time I try to look the parts up in an auto parts store search, all I get are the shocks for the hatch.

Any other ideas?

[rdx4me]

Got the same problem on my 95, looked in the factory manual and there's nothing about adjusting them?