RT seat and trunk shock strut replacement

[Arion]

Today turned out to be the day I replaced the trunk lift strut on my 2015 RT-S and the trunk and seat lift struts on my wife's 2021 Sea to Sky. All three are Show Chrome heavy duty struts available from Lamonster Garage and several other vendors. Both trunk struts include detailed instructions and are straight forward requiring no more than 10 to 15 minutes (without breaks). And both function as advertised - the lids open easily and stay open.

The 2020+ RT seat strut replacement is a bit more complicated. The instructions are adequate, but I found an excellent video by Pierre at canamspyderaccessories.com was very helpful. It's very well done and offers tips that make the task easier than some other forum members have experienced. The best way to release the bottom of the OEM strut from its post is with a long narrow flat bladed screwdriver as described in the Show Chrome instructions. It may take a few attempts, but it does work better than Pierre's "from under the Spyder" technique, at least for me.

Attachment of the lower end of the new strut using Pierre's technique works exactly as he demonstrates. The best way to understand is to watch the video but, with more than a few words, here's how it works. Standing on the left side of the machine facing to the rear, align the strut socket with the lower post. Grasp the body of the strut with the left hand and the upper attachment point with the right thumb and forefinger. While pushing to the rear with the left hand, pull sharply toward the front of the machine with the right hand until you hear a distinct snap. That's the hardest part; attach the upper strut screw, replace the passenger seat and the driver backrest if appropriate. The driver's seat will now remain in the up position when you want it to. Another improvement that's worth the cost of the items.