How to Install Lift Supports on a Chevy Tahoe

Table of Contents

1. Identifying The Symptoms of Failing or Damaged Lift Supports
2. Installing Lift Supports on Your Chevy Tahoe
3. Performing Regular Maintenance Will Improve Service Life

You count on your Chevy Tahoe every day, which is why you need to take good care of it yourself. Unfortunately, you’re going to deal with some regular wear and tear. This means repairs, maintenance work and regular replacements to ensure your car runs smoothly. One of the commonly ignored but handy components of your Chevy Tahoe is the lift supports that provide safe and reliable support for your hood or liftgate.

After prolonged use, or due to lack of regular maintenance, your Chevy Tahoe lift supports can lose their firmness, leading to gradual and slow collapse as you continue using them. When your Tahoe lift supports are in need of replacement, it’s quite easy to tell, as they just don’t hold up. At this point, you’ll need to replace them with high-quality recommended parts for your specific Chevy Tahoe, based on certain specifications like your car’s year of manufacture.

To get started with the lift support installation process for your Chevy Tahoe, here are some of the early signs you should look for to avoid the frustration of dealing with failing lift support, as well as our simple step-by-step process on how you should replace your lift supports:

Symptoms of Failing or Damaged Lift Supports

When you open the hood or hatch of your Chevy Tahoe, the gas strut is usually fully extended, and the pressure created by the gas inside the strut cylinder provides the support needed to hold the full weight of the hatch or hood, or even your lift gate. When working properly, it’s not supposed to retract under the weight. When your Chevy Tahoe lift supports fail, it often leads to problems like difficulty keeping your hood or hatch open, which can be a safety risk for anyone.

The good news is, it’s easy to identify a failing or damaged lift support by watching out for some early signs:

• Hood or Hatch Slowly Closes on Its Own - The first sign of failure in your lift support is when it starts to slowly collapse on its own when opened. Gas struts use pressurized gas that’s sealed inside a shiny metal cylinder to the sustain the weight of the hatch or hood. However, over time, these seals can wear out and start to leak slowly. This means that over time, the lift support can no longer hold the weight, causing it to slowly collapse until it closes.
• Hood or Hatch Suddenly Closes When Lifted - Another sign of a failing lift support is the hood or hatch suddenly closing on its own. This is mainly caused by extensively worn or damaged seals. When this happens, the lift support may seem to hold the weight of the hood or hatch but may unexpectedly close shut. This comes with a huge safety risk because the hood or hatch can come down suddenly, potentially causing injury.
• Hood or Hatch Doesn’t Stay Up At All - If your hood or hatch doesn’t stay up at all when opened and immediately comes down, then you have damaged Chevy Tahoe lift supports. You need to replace them immediately to make it more convenient and easier to open and close your hood or hatch or use your liftgate. Lift supports are designed to last many years, but if you suspect you have a lift support issue, or see hydraulic fluid stains around the support piston, it’s time you got some quality replacements.

Installing Lift Supports on Your Chevy Tahoe

Of course, you’ll need first to buy the right lift supports for your specific Chevy Tahoe. It’s easy to get aftermarket lift supports online at pretty reasonable prices. What matters is getting the right fit for your Chevy Tahoe lift support installation. You can search the perfect-match strut you need based on car make, model, years of manufacture, part number, size, fit, and other specifications. If your hood or hatch comes with two lift supports, replace them both to ensure reliable performance.

Now that you have the right replacement Chevy Tahoe lift supports, it’s time to install them:

1. Open your hatch or hood to the maximum height and use something sturdy to support it. You will want to be sure that it is properly supported before beginning work. If necessary, enlist the help of another person to ensure that the hood or hatch stays up.
2. Before removing the damaged or faulty lift supports, inspect the end connections and compare them to the replacement units you purchased for your Chevy Tahoe to be sure they’re the same. Confirm that the length when fully extended is the correct one.
3. Use a flathead screwdriver to disengage the hood or hatch lift support. The screwdriver will help you release the lift supports from the retaining clips that usually hold them in place. Keep in mind that there are different styles of attachments with brackets, clevises, or bolted fasteners. Keep a socket and ratchet set handy just in case you’ll need to use it.
4. With the Chevy Tahoe lift supports removed, you can now put the struts in place and attach the new lift supports to your car. Don’t tighten them down yet. Simply use your fingers to create some pressure on the ball joint of each lift support so you can snap it onto the top ball joint of the car. Make sure it locks into place.
5. Grab the body of the lift support and turn it clockwise one full turn to release the gas strut cylinder. Once you have both ends of the ball studs, give your lift support a gentle tug to be sure they’re securely attached to your car. You can remove the clamp and release the hood or hatch slowly to be sure they’re supporting the weight as expected. Your Chevy Tahoe lift support installation is now complete.

Regular Maintenance Will Improve Service Life

With your new Chevy Tahoe lift supports, you should be able to enjoy easy hood and hatch lift support. However, to ensure that they last longer, it’s good to adopt some regular maintenance procedures. Ensure that the gas strut rods are always kept clean and free of any dirt or nicks. Use a soft, dry cloth to clean the polished rod surface to leave a dust and dirt-free surface.

Don’t use any detergents or cleaners as they may affect the seals, damaging your struts. Also, make sure your hands are clean and avoid anything that could scratch the strut rods. This simple maintenance routine will improve the overall service life of your lift supports.

Shop Replacement Chevy Tahoe Lift Supports Now

Want to replace your Chevy Tahoe lift supports? Order now at Lift Supports Depot and get to choose from the largest selection of lift supports from the world’s leading brands. Need assistance selecting the right lift support? Call us at 866-969-5438 or contact us online.