engine struts installation HELP

Ferrari mounts the struts on the rear upside down. I suspect that you'll get longer life out of the OEM struts by mounting them with the black side down, chrome bar extending up, instead.

 

ND - That's an interesting idea. I know very little about the physics of hydraulic struts, so why would that make a difference?

 

Beats me, but you'd be hard-pressed to get less life out of generic struts. I say, "Try mounting them correctly" just in case they last longer that way.

 

I once read in a thread here that the proper orientation is the way Ferrari does it, with the piston up, and the rod down....supposedly there is some lubricant in the piston, and pointing down, keeps the seal from drying out. Sort of makes sense...but who knows if it makes a difference?

I'm still on the "beta test" of the Ford Focus lift struts...still working good so far..have about 24 more months to go to see if they actually last longer than the stock oem ones. But even if they last the same, since they cost less than $30 per pair, it is worth using them.

 

Yes make sure you put them back in with the pressure accumulator on the top, and the piston rod on the bottom.

 

Ha! So they could have even shorter lives if you do it the other way?!

 

Yup. After a while the seals will get dried out if put in the other way. Having the accumulator on the top it keeps oil around the seal on the bottom. So it slows down the process.

 

Smart boy, that is exactly correct.

 

So there is something to this rumor I posted above? I noticed that not only in my Ferrari, but also my BMW and my gf's Toyota, that the Stabilus gas struts are all mounted the same, with the piston or strut on top, and the rod on the bottom. But perhaps ND is right, and this is a giant conspiracy by Stabilus to ensure a growing replacement market for prematurely worn out struts???

 

I think that Ferrari has only spec'd the wrong tension. Order the Stabilus ones for the Ford Focus, they are a bit stronger, and might last longer in this application. After all, why are the similar construction Stabilus struts working just fine in my 6 yo BMW trunk and engine lids, but wear out in 24-28 months on my Ferrari engine lid?

 

Which direction did BMW install the struts?!

 

Yes, that is the correct way to mount them. The accumulator goes on the top, piston rod on bottom. I think what kills these things is the heat in the engine bay. But then again, the struts in my Expedition (which are mounted as I described) haven't given me any trouble, and the truck is now 10 years old.

 

Rod down.

 

I don't think it is heat, but incorrect rating for the application. The ones in my BMW are over 6 years old, and work fine, both up front in the engine compartment and in the trunk.

 

Yeah I think you're right.

 

Mine have been installed like this for 3 years, with no issues.

The garage is uninsulated -- 105F in the summer, 20F in the winter. The car is driven weekly (not weakly) and the lid raised after most hard drives.
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You are also correct Hugh, but heat does still play a part in their longitivity.
The heat dries out the front seal in the accumulator, which eventually leaks all the gas out and renders these struts useless. The 348/355 engine bay struts are around 16" away from the exhaust manifolds. Alot of heat near the front of the engine. 'Normal' front engined cars, have them normally bolted high on the side on the body work and a good distance away from the exhaust manifold. So they tend to last longer.
Perfect case in point.....at my work, we replace engine cover struts on underground mining machines nearly every month and the other struts placed over the machine last ALOT longer, cause they are not close to a major heat source, like the turbo/exhaust. The engine cover struts on this mining equipment are subjected to enormous amounts of heat, which kills them. The other struts on the machine never usually give any trouble.

 

I do the same thing!