Boot / Trunk Gas Struts XKC 3893

[SimonO]

The TSSC have started to sell these for other Triumphs in their Club Shop - Garth, the Shop Manager, may be able to help.

[mb4tim]

I have a piece of wood to hold mine open. But, I'm thinking you'd like a more gracious solution.

-Tim

[yorkens]

And i doubt the gas struts could hold the boot lid open with a loaded boot rack
They also put a considerable strain on the flimsy hinge bushes...

[FI Spyder]

Until they aren't. It failed to release on our club Treasurers car resulting in a warped trunk lid. Needs new trunk lid and paint job on it and rear deck where it has chipped off the paint. Far more expensive than gas struts. Or their gas recharging. He's been thinking of changing to gas struts ever since. I put new ones on mine and am working on year 5, still like new. There's a Kiwi in Vancouver that recharges. You might try Canadian Tire to see if they have the right size/ends. Seems I remember a forum member got his from there for cheap but not sure.



- - - - TR7 Spider - - - - - - - - 1978 Spitfire - - - - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - - Yellow TCT

[FI Spyder]

Give Ron a call or email him, I think it was him. (Orange Rag). He's in Nanaimo.

- - - - TR7 Spider - - - - - - - - 1978 Spitfire - - - - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - - Yellow TCT

[TimD]

I gave up trying to match up aftermarket struts to the originals and bought new ones from VB on sale, this past spring. They will probably put them on sale in next springs catalog again. Thank God for Canadian Tire and Princess Auto's return policies or I would have a lot of useless struts laying about.

[Hasbeen]

I had mine recharged about 6 or so years ago, & they are starting to get weak again now.

Due to their small size, & the heavy boot/trunk lid, they require a higher pressure than most.

Hasbeen

[Spectatohead]

The gas struts are on sale in VB's Winter Special catalog for $19.95 each.

Jim Clark
'80 TR8
'97 Maxima 5spd

[Phathead]

Great! I'll head over to VB and order a couple. Thank you all so much for the advice.

Paul

[Odd]

As long as you remember to re-learn your closing reflexes from just 'shove-it-shut' to 'lift-n-shut'
- it will be THE solution.

The gas struts are an unwanted constant load on the hinges (when they are fully loaded-up
with gas) and just plain rubbish (when they've lost their load). In both cases they don't keep
the lid open with a boot rack fitted, or with the car on an incline (steep driveway anyone!?),
or in gusty conditions. In all of these conditions you WILL, sooner or later, get that infamous
'boot-lid-hit' in your neck... NOT fun!

[My brand new strut set lost their pressure over just a winter hibernation, and were as bad as
the ones they had replaced when I wanted the car back on the road in spring... The solution?
<b>Fit the early type stay!!!</b> [:D] ]
Cheers,
/Odd
PS
They're not '<b>hydraulic</b>', they're '<b>pneumatic</b>'...

[Beans]

Tried original replacement struts long ago but they lasted less than a year.
Tried good quality replacements after that but they didn't last much longer.
After that I always carried a thin bamboo stick in the boot, to be replaced by the early type when I restored the car.

[Milanoverde]

I replaced my gas strut with new ones from VB. Its been 3 years and they still work like new!

Tony

[FI Spyder]

Don't know if it makes any difference or not but whenever I wash my cars I wipe down the chrome shaft with a rag sprayed with silicone. 23 years and counting on the Tercel (heavy trunk lid), 20 years and counting on the Integra (heavy lid), 5 years and counting on the TR7 (light lid).



- - - - TR7 Spider - - - - - - - - 1978 Spitfire - - - - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - - Yellow TCT

[busheytrader]

Doesn't the early type stay need a bracket welded under the boot gutter on later cars?

I'm sure mine doesn't have one like Odd's

Adam

[Odd]

Yes, it does need a lower bracket - and it's an easy fix. (The top bracket weld-nuts are there already.)

You get hold of a totally rusted out old fhc - cut the bracket from the hulk - get rid of any spotwelded-
on body residue still attached to the bracket and clean it all up - and (preferably - if you're NOT going
to weld it on) have it hot zinc dipped. Then you drill three pop-rivet holes (as seen in the top picture
below, remember to protect the paint with tape!) so as to line the bracket up in the CORRECT position.
These rivets only serve one purpose <u>after</u> you are finished: to seal up the holes... You fit the bracket to
the body rain gutter by cementing it in place using your favourite 2-pack epoxy (don't use the rapid
cure version!!!) liberally applied to both the vertical surface <u>behind</u> the gutter and to the horisontal
surface <u>under</u> the gutter (this is where the rivets work as clamping devices, so DO NOT fit them
permanently until you know you are all correct and done!). Your handy one-hand clamps are fitted
so they excert force horisontally - to set the back side of the bracket. And then you pop the rivets
- to set the bottom side of the bracket. When it has all cured you take the clamps off, paint seal the
rivet heads, pat yourself on the shoulder and take the lid off of your favourite beverage.
Sit back and relax... I've done this to several Wedges by now and haven't had a single problem so far.

Of course, if you're planning on a full resto - do it like Beans did it: weld it in place. Dont forget to weld
the rear lip - or you will eventually get cracks in the gutter from it all moving slightly if you don't. You
want it to become a single rigid unity part of the body!