Gas Strut Advise Please

[superdavelotus]

Hi all,

 

 

I am not sure if my car has a problem or not but since I removed the gas struts the other week to do some work in the engine bay and refit them. Since then, my tailgate only wants to stay open if fully up. Anything else and it just closes with a crash. Not sure if one of the struts has gone or not? The other thing I've noticed is that when unlocking the boot, I have to lift the tailgate or hold it slightly whilst pressing the key fob otherwise it unlocks but then locks again.

Has anyone else experienced this?

 

I've taken the struts off again and both appear to give similar resistance. How can I tell which one might be broken?

 

My last question is, is there any slightly stronger struts out there that can actually lift the tailgate up a bit when I press the button on the boot?

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

 

David Walters

[Bibs]

I'd imagine the angle they're at when the boot is closed is too acute to be able to lift the boot. Aren't they almost parallel with it?

[Vulcan Grey]

hmmm, I guess it could be that when you removed them, they were allowed to extend to an area inside the cylinder that hadn't been used/wiped before.  That might have damaged the piston seal.  Or the gas charge may have pushed through the seal, so the force is somewhat balanced on both side of the piston, and now it doesn't push as hard.  Happens on mountain bike shocks, called a "stuck piston".

[ramjet]

The struts are pretty strong. If they are in the same plane as the tailgate hingeline when closed, it is likely there is a mechanism in the lid lock units which should pop the boot slightly.

If they are offset to the hingeline, like the esprit tailgate, the struts should be able to lift it. If they can't I would suggest they are knackered.

Commodores have the same issue under the engine bonnet due to the heat. Eventually, the bonnet just sags from fully open. Not so nice when you are under it. They're heavy.

[superdavelotus]

I've picked out the part numbers for the struts and they are C132B0058F. The last price I have which was a Sept price list was coming out at £16.28 Each + VAT which is pretty cheap. Since I had my first problem, I haven't experience it again, the tailgate seems to hold much better. I'll keep an eye on it and order a pair if it happens again. I thought that once the gas struts lost their gas or seal then it was game over but it seems not? Maybe it's as Travis described?

[superdavelotus]

Hi all,

 

 

I've just ordered a pair of these struts which should be coming this week. The price is correct which makes these very cheap indeed! I will fit them as soon as they arrive and report back with my findings. If it's a noticeable improvement then I recommend other owners to change theirs whilst the price of these are low.

 

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

 

David Walters

[blueg33]

Hi all,

 

 

I've just ordered a pair of these struts which should be coming this week. The price is correct which makes these very cheap indeed! I will fit them as soon as they arrive and report back with my findings. If it's a noticeable improvement then I recommend other owners to change theirs whilst the price of these are low.

 

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

 

David Walters

 

I would be interested to hear if they work and are easy to fit.  Mine wont hold the boot open

[superdavelotus]

Hi Nick,

 

It's only a 5 minute job to fit these. You just need a small flat blade screw driver to lift away the metal spring clips at each end and they pop off. You'll need to hold or support the tailgate whilst doing it. I'll take a photo when I do mine.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

 

David Walters

[superdavelotus]

Hi all,

 

 

My parts arrived today and I've just fitted both struts. It takes about 5-10 minutes to change both. That's from start to finish and the only tools you need is a small flat blade screwdriver and your shoulder to prop up the tailgate when you remove one of the struts!

The struts came complete with ball joints. The easier way to fit is to remove the new ball joints and fit the new strut to your old ball joints as these will still be fine.

 

The small flat blade screwdriver slides into the spring clip as shown below

 

 

Now lever the spring out but not too far as (about 5mm).

 

The strut now should become detached from the ball joint as shown below

 

 

Now to fit your new struts to the car. Use the same method as before to remove the strut from the existing ball joints.

 

Job done! I later found out that only one strut has failed. You can tell by trying to compress them in your hands. If you can then it's failed. One of mine I couldn't move so assumed it's still working. I replace both as I had both them and they were cheap from Lotus anyway.

 

I still had problems with my tailgate not releasing when pressing my boot button. It unlocks but when I go to lift it, it's locked again. I have fixed this now which is a great but very simple discovery. I've put this on a new thread just incase owners have this problem but don't have strut problems.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

 

David

[blueg33]

Thats great, thanks

[jammy-pop]

Where did you order yours from Dave? Deroure are quoting 43 quid each.

 

Cheers,

 

Steve.

[superdavelotus]

Hi Steve,

 

 

Got mine from Lotus £16.62 each plus VAT. We are talking the same car, I am referring to the Evora you know?

IF you want Esprit struts then ring PNM on 0151 630 6101 and ask for Pete. I think their struts are cheaper than the ones you've been quoted.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

David Walters

[jammy-pop]

Cheers Dave. Didn't spot you had two Loti

 

I'll give them a try.

[sellman]

Thanks Dave for the pictures and stuff. looks easy I've ordered 2 from deroure. with postage it comes to £45 inc vat.

[superdavelotus]

Hi Paul, Shame that you've ordered the struts as I have a good working one you could have had. My guess is that one packs in not both. If you change your mind I'll post it to you!

Regards

David Walters

[balled46]

I needed new gas struts for a Lotus Esprit S3 and bought them from SGS-Engineering. The pair cost with VAT and postage £37.54. They supplied the pin type which are interchangeable with the band type. They also seemed a lot stronger than the two sets I bought previously.