FHC bootlid gas struts

[Wedg1e]

In an idle momnent I went out and checked the 390's struts (I know it's not an FHC...).
All four are identical, Stabilus Electro-Lift 062715. They're 520mm long (overall) extended and 320mm long closed.
All are rated at 100N (shame they're all a bit soft, in fact one of the bonnet struts has no pressure whatsoever, luckily I have a broom-handle ).
They all have what look to be date codes from early 1987 which suggests they're probably all the originals.
The bonnet is on the wheelarches just as the struts top-out, so any longer would be too long and any shorter would stop the bonnet lifting fully.
The ball-ends unscrew and they all have electrical terminals both ends.

As an aside I bought some ex-Range Rover struts a few years back; they're the right length but 230N and when I tried just one on the bonnet, the inner wing mount creaked so ominously I whipped the strut off immediately. It was just about impossible to shut the boot with two fitted!

Edited by Wedg1e on Sunday 25th September 22:56

[440Interceptor]

Interesting. 525mm (centre of each ball) would be too long for my car. Anything more that 500 and I would be pushing the base of the bonnet into the nose. Mine must be further fwd than yours (New nose from TET so anything's possible).

Added complication for me is that when the bonnet is raised the "head" of the socket fouls the top of the wheel arch as it pivots, so I need something rounder with less material above the centre of the socket. All available locally for once...

[Wedg1e]

440Interceptor said:

Interesting. 525mm (centre of each ball) would be too long for my car. Anything more that 500 and I would be pushing the base of the bonnet into the nose. Mine must be further fwd than yours (New nose from TET so anything's possible).

Added complication for me is that when the bonnet is raised the "head" of the socket fouls the top of the wheel arch as it pivots, so I need something rounder with less material above the centre of the socket. All available locally for once...

520mm is the overall length, end to end of the ball fittings. Ball centre-to-centre probably is about 500mm, maybe a tad less, I could check later.

[v8s4me]

I spoke to Rob at SGS Engineering this morning. It was painful! The guy just couldn't accept that there was no unused travel on the struts when the tailgate was open and that the closed length was important, too long and the tailgate wouldn't shut. I gave up eventually and just asked what they has listed for the Talbot Sunbeam. These are 480mm centre to centre open and the closed length of the unit is 276mm so that's fine. These struts are rated at 240Nm. Still seems a bit high but the Talbot tailgate is the same design tailgate as the Tasmin, ie an unframed sheet of glass.

[v8s4me]

A bit of Googling turned up this info:

Load bearing: 10Nm = 1kg
20Nm = 2kg
50Nm = 5kg
100Nm = 10kg Etc.

So how heavy is a Tasmin tailgate?

[phillpot]

v8s4me said:

A bit of Googling turned up this info:

Load bearing:
100Nm = 10kg Etc.

phillpot said:

100N = approx 22.5lbs or 10.2kg.

...............

[Wedg1e]

v8s4me said:

I spoke to Rob at SGS Engineering this morning. It was painful! The guy just couldn't accept that there was no unused travel on the struts when the tailgate was open and that the closed length was important, too long and the tailgate wouldn't shut. I gave up eventually and just asked what they has listed for the Talbot Sunbeam. These are 480mm centre to centre open and the closed length of the unit is 276mm so that's fine. These struts are rated at 240Nm. Still seems a bit high but the Talbot tailgate is the same design tailgate as the Tasmin, ie an unframed sheet of glass.

The Talbot also had a steel bodyshell and IIRC the tailgate glass was framed, if not actually a steel tailgate.

I did wonder a while back if the Sunbeam could have been a donor... as well as the Scimitar and Imp, but if memory serves the Imp had a latching non-gas-assisted strut (although it was the late 70s last time I worked on one ).
Another possibility would be the Lotus Elite (the wedgy one). A mate of mine has one in a shed (he has several sheds, one is full of DeLoreans) that hasn't seen the light of day in a decade.

[v8s4me]

Wedg1e said:

The Talbot also had a steel bodyshell and IIRC the tailgate glass was framed, if not actually a steel tailgate.....

I Had a Talbot Sunbeam and I think you're getting confused with the Talbot Alpine which had a steel tailgate.

Wedg1e said:

....... and Imp, but if memory serves the Imp had a latching non-gas-assisted strut (although it was the late 70s last time I worked on one )....

Definitely a hinge and latch (had one of those as well).

Wedg1e said:

........Another possibility would be the Lotus Elite (the wedgy one)....

Interesting idea, worth checking out. Never had one of these!

[Wedg1e]

v8s4me said:

...Talbot Horizon...

Hmmm, you're probably right, sorry... just looking at Google images of Sunbeams and there does seem to be a, er, seam either side of the glass that makes it look a bit like a steel hatch that continues downwards, but it is as you say clearly just a glass panel.
Either way, 230N is a bit

[JamesMK]

I bought new struts from SGS a couple of years back from both bonnet & glass tailgate. Part number is above but I can't remember whether this was for bonnet or boot, maybe they are the same part? I think I referred to the code printed on the old parts to check the match, the FHC bonnet is shorter than other models which may be relevant. Only problem was trying to attach electrical connectors for the heated screen, I did get some on but no idea if they actually make it work as I never use it.

I can take pics of the struts (with code marked on) if that helps.

J

[v8s4me]

JamesMK said:

..I can take pics of the struts (with code marked on) if that helps...

Yes please.

[JamesMK]

v8s4me said:

Yes please.

Can you PM me so I don't forget!

[mrzigazaga]

The originals as i understand it were from a Ford Capri tailgate..Thats why they had the earthing points that TVR used to protect against RFI...After all the DHC never had heated rear screens...

I know these fit as i bought some to replace the ones on the 280i which were the original and they matched up perfectly...Even the writing was the same.

Cheers


Ziga

[Grady]

When I looked into this Stabilus Electro-Lifts were no longer available (here anyway and the company didn't respond) but the replacements are conductive and just need the spade fitting moved over.

Also (IIRC) one the rears is used for the center high mounted brake light ground wire.

[v8s4me]

I've just tried the boot-lid strut off the V8S. It's OK for length although shorter than the one's on the Tasmin. Interestingly though it's about the same length as the Tasmin bonnet struts. The V8S boot-lid strut is rated a 100N and the single strut wasn't strong enough to hold the tailgate open on its own. Entering the part number from the V8S strut into the SGS part finder produces this....

http://www.sgs-engineering.com/searches/?q=484415

Not sure how much this helps, bit there you go.

[JamesMK]

Here are the new ones I put on

[marcus1875]

Found my sales invoice from SGS. Sorry for the wait. Probably too late now..
Marcus

[v8s4me]

No, not too late. I've been too busy with the fuel tank and other bits to spend any time on this so far. Is the part number on your invoice GS8-18-300-250 ?

[marcus1875]

Hi,
The part number is GS8 18 200 250
plus a 10mm plastic ball socket.
I'll pm you the pic.
Marcus

[v8s4me]

That's interesting. Your ones are 15mm shorter than the ones SGS supplied to James. Not that that will make much difference. Did you go for 2 x 100 Nm like James, and if so, do you need to use much force to close the tailgate?