Can anyone tell me how gas struts work (the things that hold up hatchback doors) ?
I have no problem with the basic idea of a piston in a pressurised gas filled cylinder, but it intrigues me how they are so well sealed. They seem to work for years without loosing pressure, which must be difficult to achieve with the sliding seal.
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Do they only seal on compression and recharge when opening? Like a bicycle pump with your thumb over the end.
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3 yrs 259 days................ouch, homio vextra bangs head on boot latch that aforementioned struts failed to lift to usual extent - in fairness it was well below zero and the struts had become resultingly sluggish.....now back to normal now that spring is in the air.
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I don't think this can be the case. The struts exert a very large force even when fully extended - after all they have to support the weight of the hatchback door. So they must be pressurised all the time, and they usually have warnings on them about not trying to dismantle them.
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Alec is right, at least on my car. I've just had a look and it says "Contains high pressure gas. Do not puncture or heat". Maybe they are just good seals.
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