NA Bootlid tension

[Gazbo]

Can anyone advise which tool(s) I neeed to adjust the torsion springs on the bootlid?

I've had no luck using large pliers or a large flat-blade screwdriver

[Juffa]

Stolen from the big forum.

It's pretty easy, actually. I have an '01; I think they're all the same, but if not, one of you NA experts will have to chime in.

'Get a long, sturdy screwdriver. You can see the torsion springs on both sides of the trunk, near the hinges. There are two or three settings on each side. Take a minute to figure out which way will increase the tension and which way will lessen it. Then just put the screw driver in there and adjust the spring to a "stiffer" setting. If you do both sides, that should be plenty to keep you open. Two cautions. Someone on a way older post noted that those springs have a lot more tension than you might think, so don't get your fingers caught in them. I wore leather gloves, but the truth is, you should be able to do this without getting your fingers very close to the springs. Secong thing, if you don't want to chance scratching the paint on the springs, wrap your screw driver in something to insulate it from metal-to-metal contact -- maybe duck tape some stiff paper around it or something. G'luck.'

[Juffa]

Found another one.

'I have an R package and until recently it had both the R package rear spoiler and an OE luggage rack on the rear deck . . . . my trunk wouldn't stay open very well either - Slightest gust of wind and . . . . BANG!

3 or 4 years back, I got to looking at the torsion bars which hold up the trunk to see if there wasn't some way of increasing their tension . . . . mine were already in the stiffest notch too

It occured to me that if there was another notch, they could be twisted a little tighter and maybe my trunk would stay open . . . . but there's no notch above the highest one

So . . . . I raised each torsion bar out of it's notch a little by prying them with a screwdriver and put a nut and bolt down in the notch, so the bar couldn't go back down as far as it is when it's laying down in the notch - Viola! No more problem with the trunk slamming shut. I had the nuts and bolts in the junkbox, so it cost me NOTHING - Been working fine for several years too. I recently got me another deck lid, with just the spoiler and no luggage rack . . . . Boy it REALLY stays open now

Don'

[Gazbo]

Thanks for those, sounds like I'll need to try a bit harder with that screwdriver.

[Garry]

When I got my bootlid spoiler it came with stiffer tension springs. So if adjusting your current springs doesn't give the desired effect you might be able to get some stiffer ones from Mazda.