What are gas charged lift supports?
Gas charged lift supports are energy storage devices that create energy by compressing gas inside a cylinder. When closed, the energy is stored. When opened the energy is released to raise a hatch, hood, liftgate or trunk, holding them safely in an open position.
Why do lift supports fail?
In some instances, the gas can leak out, which will render the lift support unusable. Whether it was due to the materials they were made from or being hit by objects that the vehicle owner attempted to put into the trunk, punctures or leaks are quite common with these trunk supports.
How do gas lift supports work?
Push on a gas spring and you force the piston rod and piston into the cylinder and this compresses the gas. Stop pressing and let go and the pressure of the gas pushes the piston back out again. When the piston rod is inside the cylinder, it’s taking up room that the gas previously occupied.
Do gas springs wear out?
However, it must be remembered that gas springs have a shelf life as the sealing material ages and wears out. External factors such as temperature changes and other physical environmental influences can affect seal aging and wear and thereby speed up the process of force loss.
How long do lift supports last?
These shocks have to support the full weight of the hood. Every time that you open your hood, these shocks will have to hold it up while you are doing work in the engine compartment. The hood lift supports on your car can last for about 50,000 miles or so before they need to be replaced.
Do gas struts fail?
Struts contain nitrogen gas under pressure and some oil to damp movement and to lubricate the seals. Struts tend to fail in two main ways. Most failures are due to a gradual loss of pressure to the gas which results in the strut being unable to support the load.
How do you unlock a gas spring?
To unlock, the support tube is swivelled back into the central position. The lock of a gas spring with the lock on the inside is comparable with the mechanics of a ball point pen. A light push on the piston rod in the extended position locks it; a quick movement in the extension direction releases the lock.