Gas Strut Danger

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Gas Strut Danger

Postby halfdome, Danny » Thu Dec 12, 2024 7:03 pm

Don’t get me wrong I love our galley gas struts.
Monday we got back from my Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement and I was asked what I wanted for dinner.
I asked Jane if we could have blueberry pancakes so she went to the 40 degree garage to get a Lodge cast iron frying pan.
She opened the galley lid, pulled out the stove and got the pan.
Upon closing it unbeknownst to her the lid was creeping down upon her trapping her back.
It was if it was trying to eat her.
Fortunately I was in the house and heard her blood curdling screaming and rescued her.
You’ve got to pump the lid up and down after sitting closed especially in clod weather.
The teardrop will be 10 years old next year and I might need to replace the gas struts.
The ones on my Chevy Trailblazer were acting up in 2022 and I replaced them.
I’m sure glad I was home when this happened.
:D Danny
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Re: Gas Strut Danger

Postby philpom » Thu Dec 12, 2024 7:36 pm

Glad everyone is fine, you are lucky to get 10 years out of those struts. 5 or 6 years seems to be the norm before they start getting flaky.
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Re: Gas Strut Danger

Postby Greg M » Thu Dec 12, 2024 7:54 pm

It’s supposed to be Hungry, Hungry, Hippos, not Teardrops. :D
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Re: Gas Strut Danger

Postby tony.latham » Thu Dec 12, 2024 10:08 pm

:shock:
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Re: Gas Strut Danger

Postby Tom&Shelly » Thu Dec 12, 2024 10:27 pm

A few years ago, when our teardrop was in a place that got cold (our fault, not it's) we had similar problems. MickinOz pointed out to me that PV = nRt applies to gas struts, meaning what holds up a hatch at 70 might not at 30. Sure enough it was repeatable whenever we found cold weather and went away when it warmed up, and/or we got some sunlight on the struts. Our solution was to buy some clamps that screw onto the struts.

Might have been these; it was something similar:

https://www.amazon.com/Struts-Clamp-Support-Retaining-Holder/dp/B0BVB5MGJD/ref=sxin_17_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.27b41115-b206-47c3-8621-713097e8442c%3Aamzn1.sym.27b41115-b206-47c3-8621-713097e8442c&cv_ct_cx=gas+strut+clamps&keywords=gas+strut+clamps&pd_rd_i=B0BVB5MGJD&pd_rd_r=3fc85d1d-ea24-413a-a134-f2f9e900175b&pd_rd_w=ypQwM&pd_rd_wg=NQlWn&pf_rd_p=27b41115-b206-47c3-8621-713097e8442c&pf_rd_r=8C4HESBNYTD16J1YMQ4P&qid=1734060319&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sr=1-4-6024b2a3-78e4-4fed-8fed-e1613be3bcce-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

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