Aspire Hatch Support Struts Don't Work

[JohnGunn]

Since I bought my 1994 Aspire the hatch support struts have done nothing but hold the hatch in whatever position I physically lift it into.

A while back I came across a '94 Aspire in a junk yard with supports that worked perfectly. I bought them and today installed them. For reasons I can't understand, they don't work any better than the ones they replaced.

The only thing I did to the new struts was clean them using simple green. Of course, I didn't submerge them in water. I can't see how I could have affected how they operate since I was unable to collapse them. One strange thing I noticed was that the left strut was almost too long to install while the right one fit exactly as easily as the previous one.

When they didn't work I tried putting grease on the rods. That seemed to help a little, but didn't begin to approach the positive opening action that I saw them give at the junk yard.

[Nerd Racing]

you have a hatch spoiler or rear wiper? extra weight in your hatch will cause issues you described.

[sc72]

You may have to look at the hatch hinges, they might need some attention.

[FestYboy]

the simple green "cleaned" the seals, and removed everything that was keeping it sealed and working.

[JohnGunn]

you have a hatch spoiler or rear wiper? extra weight in your hatch will cause issues you described.

I could only wish. Nope. Everything plain vanilla.

[JohnGunn]

You may have to look at the hatch hinges, they might need some attention.

Good point. When I was installing the new struts I lifted the hatch a number of times and didn't notice any resistance. But with something that heavy it would be difficult to detect a slight amount of binding.

While trying to get the old struts to work, I did spray the hinges with WD-40 and noticed no difference at all. But I haven't tried that with the new ones in place. I'll do that today.

[JohnGunn]

the simple green "cleaned" the seals, and removed everything that was keeping it sealed and working.

I'm inclined to agree with you, FestYboy.

Some things are just not designed to withstand a thorough cleaning. I remember cleaning a used alternator that turned by hand with no hint of problem. The very next day the bearings had already begun to seize. Ever since then when I clean an alternator, on or off the car, I make sure no cleaning solvent gets inside. Those bearings probably start out well sealed but after some number of miles I suspect that sealing is the first thing to go.

There was another set of good struts at that same yard. I'll stop by today and see if they're still there. This time I'll just wipe with a damp cloth to test your theory.

[WmWatt]

I'd try WD-40. Lubricates while removing moisture. I know a guy who used it on a sticking radio antenna.

[FestYboy]

^ sticking radio antennas don't have gas seals to "lubricate". don't use WD on hydrolic or gas seals.

[WmWatt]

^ "hydraulic". It won't damage rubber seals. I lubricate my hatch with it, also screen door piston and trolly jack. If still worried use light machine oil or ordinary motor oil but they won't remove moisture.

[JohnGunn]

There was another set of good struts at that same yard. I'll stop by today and see if they're still there. This time I'll just wipe with a damp cloth to test your theory.

I went back and got another set of used support struts, did a minimal cleaning, and installed them. The results were just a disappointing as the first set. Since the cleaning did not cause the struts of behave differently when I got them home, it must be something else. That something else I now believe to have been temperature.

The junk yard I went to is located several miles inland from where I live near the ocean. It is often 10 or 15 degrees cooler at the beach than just a few miles inland. Also, when I was testing struts at the junk yard it was around noon, the hottest part of the day. When I installed them at home it was usually later in the day. I've noticed the performance on my car of the struts to vary according to the time of day and temperature on that day. I take that as clear indication the struts have lost enough pressure to become only marginal. That means they work, more or less, on warm days, and hardly work at all when it gets cold.

Here is what I've learned about support struts. (Please correct any mistakes.)

1. The nitrogen gas that powers them is under high pressure, hundreds of pounds.
2. They are carefully designed to keep that gas from leaking out.
3. The seals are kept lubricated by being used.
4. If kept lubricated by regular use they can last for thousands of cycles.
5. If allowed to go unexercised the seals can dry out and the gas allowed to escape.
6. An important part of the sealing mechanism is the smoothness of the rod. That's why it is so shiny. It should be kept clean and free of scratches.
7. No lubrication is needed. It will attract dust and dirt and detract from the sealing ability of the strut. In future I plan to only wipe the rod with a clean, dry, microfiber cloth kept in my car and reserved for that use only.
8. If you find yourself, as did I, trying to get a weak strut to work by lubricating it, you are fighting a loosing battle. Gas has leaked out and the pressure inside is marginal, influenced at that point only by ambient temperatures. Start shopping for new struts.

I found my new struts yesterday on Amazon, and am having both delivered to me in California, with free shipping and a $5 discount, for a total of $33.43. (If interested there is only one set left in stock.) That compares to the total of $39.00 I spent for the two sets of used struts I bought -- $13.00 for the first set (Half price day at the junk yard.), and $26.00 for the second set.

When they arrive, I'll report how they work here.

I've already got a new microfiber cloth picked out for them.

[91_festy_Gl]

The only logical thinking I can come up with is the fact that the lift struts are designed like regular car struts. Being that car struts can be damaged if the inner shaft is extended to far for a certain amount of time. I have heard and personally messed with hatch struts that went bad because they were extended to their maximun destroying the seal.

If you havent noticed when you buy a regular car strut it is locked into the down position by a lock. When you get your new hatch struts you will also find that they are going to be locked in the down position when you remove them from the box. What this does is stops premature seal failure because when the strut is compressed down it takes stress off the seal. When it becomes extended pressure is built against the seal. letting the strut extend to its full length will probably cause damage.

Basically what im saying is when you get your new ones Do not let them extend all the way. It could possibly damage them and then you will be back to square 1. The only time they should extend most of if not all the way is if they are bearing weight.

[JohnGunn]

The only logical thinking I can come up with is the fact that the lift struts are designed like regular car struts. Being that car struts can be damaged if the inner shaft is extended to far for a certain amount of time. I have heard and personally messed with hatch struts that went bad because they were extended to their maximun destroying the seal.

If you havent noticed when you buy a regular car strut it is locked into the down position by a lock. When you get your new hatch struts you will also find that they are going to be locked in the down position when you remove them from the box. What this does is stops premature seal failure because when the strut is compressed down it takes stress off the seal. When it becomes extended pressure is built against the seal. letting the strut extend to its full length will probably cause damage.

Basically what im saying is when you get your new ones Do not let them extend all the way. It could possibly damage them and then you will be back to square 1. The only time they should extend most of if not all the way is if they are bearing weight.

Thanks, 91_festy_Gl, for adding to my list of things to do to keep your struts working forever. I didn't know that they can be damaged by being overextended, though my natural inclination would be to avoid doing that. Now, I'll give it special attention.

As far as I can tell there is nothing on the hatch to stop its going up but the limitations of the hinges. The six I've been playing with would normally be fully extended when I took them off and when I installed them, and I never sensed any resistance to the hatch opening in that process. The only place where there might be a problem such as you describe is when one of the struts is longer than the other. In that case, the shorter strut might be pressured by the longer one to open beyond its normal length. This consideration is one good reason for buying both struts from the same company. Then they would almost certainly be the same length.

The mounting holes allow for some minor adjustment, so, before I tighten any of those four bolts, I'll loosely attach both struts and see if both are capable of being tightened while extended but not pushed beyond their normal limits.

Also, from your information it sounds like the struts are designed to spend most of their time in the closed position, i.e. with the hatch door closed. So, it might be best to avoid leaving the hatch open for extended periods of time, e.g. when locked in the garage where keeping the hatch closed is not needed to protect the interior of the car.

[zoom zoom]

I replaced my passenger side hatch strut when I first got my car, it came in a thick plastic case fully extended. I'm not saying that's how it should be, but that's how it was. I'm waiting on a spring I think would be stout enough to throw the hatch upward about a foot but not extend out too far so I can Afro engineer an automatic hatch to go with the hatch popper I installed, once you lift it a foot or so with the upward momentum the struts will do the rest of the work for me. ^.^

[JohnGunn]

My new struts arrived by UPS ground Wednesday of last week, 31-Aug. They were sent extended, which makes sense since the hatch needs to be open when attaching them between the body and hatch.

They seem light weight compared to the construction of the original ones, but were a direct fit and are working perfectly.

Now every time I open the hatch, I am pleased to stand and watch as the struts take over and do their stuff. Every day or so I take my microfiber cloth and wipe the rods. Even that makes me feel good. I wonder how long that will last.