Boot Gas struts

[NASSTY]

G'day All,

Not too many detailed thread about gas struts for boots (or for bonnets).

I've finished mounting my healy external hinges on the boot and I'm now looking at gas struts to hold the boot when opened. Has anyone done this?

My questions are?
1 One or two struts
2 Length and strength of strut
3 Mounting points.

I've called a gas strut supplier in melb who recommended 50cm extended strut (30cm compressed I think) and the lightest pressure was rated for 10kg or 100n. This still seams too strong to me.

I'm thinking of making a bracket that attaches to the rear of the wheel arch and just protrudes across the boot at the top corner (if that all makes sense) This I hope will avoid any stress problems that may arise if it was attached to the body surface.

Thanks in advance

[David Hodgson]

NASSTY
I myself have been hesitant to use gas struts, as even in the closed position they still exert force onto the boot/ bonnet which could potentially warp boot/bonnet surface over time.

However if you still choose to do so I would suggest that you attach a bracket to the boot hinge mounting screws so it is acting close to a point that cannot be easily warped, same for the bonnet, an attachment on the hinge itself would be ideal but that leaves it restricted for a forward mounting point for the strut.

Most auto parts shops have a range of struts in stock of varying lenth and strengh for various cars, that you could rumage through, also tractors use shorter and lighter ones on their windows and hatches etc.

[NASSTY]

Thanks David

I was thinking about that last night, the stresses acting on the body.
As you correctly stated, there is always pressure exerted by the struts on its mounting points even when the boot is closed.

For my setup, the weak link is that I'm using healy external hinges instead of the traditional internal hinges. The external hinge only mounts to the body via one bolt on each hinge. I will be re-enforcing the underside of the boot as a result but it is this area that concerns me, as over time, it may fatigue.

If I use a stay instead then the pressure of the external hinges on the body is very minimal. It's only the weight of the bootlid which is really not very heavy.

So that leads me to my next question!

Boot Stays!

My backup plan would be to mount a small stay down the side of the bootlid maybe only 20cm long.

So what have other people done?

Thanks!

[Rebel1]

Hiya Al, Don Pilling at Snake Bite 07 5529 0877 has the proper struts.

[NASSTY]

Thanks Les!
Picked up his catalogue at the Nat's, will have a look.

[David Hodgson]

NASSTY

If your carefull with the mounting angles, you could set up the strut so at it compressed position it is just going over centre and has a nuetral push.

My boot stay is currently to one side at the rear, gets in the way a bit, but one to the side shouldn't hurt as the boot is usually open for a short time. Some guys use the ratchet type like on Holden panel van rear windows.

As for the bonnet, if your using a stay rod, make sure it it locks into bonnet in a tear drop hole or somehting, not just like a peg in a hole as the wind can lift the bonnet, stay drops out, and slam goes the bonnet.