Tailgate struts

[baxlin]

Is the cold weather likely to affect tailgate struts? The reason I ask is that the hatch on Mrs B’s Nissan has become very ‘lazy’ in the last few days, the struts only opening it halfway, then it has to be lifted manually. I’ve lubricated the hinges, which made no difference. I don’t want to replace the struts unnecessarily, if they are going to be OK when it’s a bit warmer!

(apologies for posting re Nissan on the MB forum, but the Nissan one is nothing like as well frequented as here.)

 

[Smiley]

Yes the cold will affect these sort of struts. Wait until next week, I bet they'll be fine.

 

[baxlin]

Yes the cold will affect these sort of struts. Wait until next week, I bet they'll be fine.

Thanks, that’s the plan, but if not, fortunately the parts aren’t expensive, and are easy to replace.

 

[zipdip]

Well just replaced next doors mondeo's struts and the guy payed £16 for the pair and they looked half decent,and it took me about 3 min's to fit for him,now the hatch needs a safety warning it goes up so quickly.

 

[Piff]

Struts on my L200 mountain top lid don't hold it open in this weather.

 

[roviw1]

many years ago I got some replacement struts for a friends Jeep Grand Cherokee , we did the bonnet , tailgate and rear glass, three pairs. We carefully measured them and looked at the actually fittings ( most appear to be universal ) and ordered them from an online company that specialised in oil/gas struts . Perfect fit and not bad prices at all, sadly cannot remember the company but it was just someone we found on google or ebay at the time.
A couple of years after I replaced the ones on my Jeep I had at the time. The company did many many different sizes for many different vehicles.

 

[SpikyMikey]

many years ago I got some replacement struts for a friends Jeep Grand Cherokee , we did the bonnet , tailgate and rear glass, three pairs. We carefully measured them and looked at the actually fittings ( most appear to be universal ) and ordered them from an online company that specialised in oil/gas struts . Perfect fit and not bad prices at all, sadly cannot remember the company but it was just someone we found on google or ebay at the time.
A couple of years after I replaced the ones on my Jeep I had at the time. The company did many many different sizes for many different vehicles.

I converted Mrs Spiky's car bonnet from a manual prop to gas struts as she's a bit of a shorta*se and struggled getting the bonnet high enough to engage the prop when
checking oul/washer fluid etc. By measuring the required strut length and guesstimating the force needed I found a suitable pair of struts on line for £10. They were meant for a Vauxhall Cosa C rear hatch but work perfectly..

 

[ToeKnee]

RS spares, online, do gas struts of various lengths.

 

[DSM10000]

Is the cold weather likely to affect tailgate struts? The reason I ask is that the hatch on Mrs B’s Nissan has become very ‘lazy’ in the last few days, the struts only opening it halfway, then it has to be lifted manually. I’ve lubricated the hinges, which made no difference. I don’t want to replace the struts unnecessarily, if they are going to be OK when it’s a bit warmer!

(apologies for posting re Nissan on the MB forum, but the Nissan one is nothing like as well frequented as here.)

The struts should be able to cope with the changes in temperature but as they age some of the gas may leak either past the internal piston or to atmosphere.

What you are observing with the reduced lifting capacity is described by Gay Lussac's Law which, essentially states that the pressure exerted by any gas of a fixed volume is proportional to the temperature.

 

[Landie1]

I bought gas sturts from these people SGS Engineering. Also used them for power tools and their jack and axle stands as well. Nothing to do with the compay just had good service from them

 

[ALFAitalia]

Just make sure the ones you buy have the same newton meter (NM) as the originals....it will be written on them. If not they either wont go up without help.......or the tailgate will smack you in the face!!