2 Sets of Hood Struts-Still Won't Stay Up!!

There HAS to be a Viagra joke in here somewhere.

geffen365gtc/4

 

Jerry -

Are the original ones Sachs or Stabilus?

 

I had 1 set of "new" stock TR front Stabilus/Sachs gas springs perform with little margin when first installed (but they didn't "not work"), and my last set of NAPAs (which are now poor after 2~3 yrs) must have been relatively fresh because they worked well at installation and measured greater than the force rating when tested with the bathroom scale method.

Did you make any feel and/or measurement of the 75N force rating before installation?

 

This is odd. When I replaced mine last year from Rock Auto (same part #) I found that 1 alone was strong enough to hold up the front hood.

I'd say they're defective.

 

Sent my 348 (Stabilus) off to Lift technologies in canada. Had them back in 5 days. Front hood holds great and engine hatch will lift itself ever so slowly. Also did glove box. Under 25 bucks per strut. Time will tell how they hold up.

 

I replaced my struts last year. I purchased them from the dealer and they dont work.
In fact, I only opened the hood twice last year, and once this year, last night to see if they worked. They failed.
Where can I get a decent set?
- Ron

 

Unfortunately, as far as I know, no one has reported finding anything else that works better yet (and I've looked into it some myself and found no easy better alternative). IMO the problem is that the gas volume is just so d*mn small that after three molecules leak out the force goes way down . About all you can do is perform a "bathroom scale force test" on the "new" ones and return/exchange them with the supplier if they don't meet the force specification (75N/16.8 lbs on the Sachs and 80.4N/18 lbs on the NAPA IIRC).

 

Here's the non-scientific test I used when I got mine . I grabbed the body end, put the rod end on the floor and pushed the down. My existing struts compressed easily and the new ones I couldn't budge even a bit.

 

Isn't there a way to double up shocks using two shocks/struts everywhere there was one? I'd hate to do it to an F-car, but if the bonnet or hood won't stay up no matter what else...

 

Just wondering, can lack of use cause the struts to go bad prematurely?

 

From the Stabilus website:

"Transportation and Storage
If storage of the gas springs is required, the preferred storage position is with the piston rod pointing down. After a maximum storage time of 6 months, the gas springs should be actuated. In order to avoid damage, gas springs should never be transported as bulk material. Furthermore, foils and adhesive tapes should be avoided, as they may damage the gas springs."

which indicates to me that there is some badness to extended non-usage (probably seal/lube related) -- although I doubt that there's any Auto Parts stores out there that are actually tracking the shelf life of their inventory or worrying about which end is down

 

Jerry, The car is not going to look good at the air show if we can't keep the lid up.
I called some people in Grand Rapids who may be able to help. I will call you when I get an answer back from them. -Skip

 

It could be that only one of the struts is flawed, so it's causing a problem. Even though they're new.

 

This leads us back to the debate as to whether to install the springs piston rod pointing up or down. From the above it would appear that rod down is the perfered way. I installed mine rod down and open the hood every week or two during the winter.

Jerry did you install yours rod up or down ? Might want to swap em around and see if that helps.

As far as shelf life, I don't think it's a concern for the Stabilus as when I first tried to get mine Rock Auto had them back ordered from Stabilus and it took a few months to get them.

 

The companies that re gas can also increase the pressure to compensate for deck spoilers, etc. so I would imagine they could do the same for the hood.

 

hzimmer -- Where are you located? From my location, the cost gets too high -- how do you do it?

 

I am in Pennsylvania. I found my reciept. I paid 24 usd each. I needed them asap so a overnighted them. The phone for LS technologies is 306-683-5000. It says 1 year warranty on their letter head. The aussie I spoke with did tell me to make sure rod faces down so the oil in the cylinder hits the seals.