Gas Struts

General General Lotus Talk
1

I know that a few Exigers have fitted gas struts on their engine covers.

Does anybody have any more info on this, like what struts are used, how are they mounted etc etc

I have seen one picture of Peskies car, but this was taken from some distance away, has anybody got anymore?

Cheers

Anthony

2

Pesky is your man. Weren’t they from a Saab? Although if I recall correctly a dealer actually did it, so he may not know.

Ian

3

Ian

Correct - don’t know who makes them, sorry.

4

Two companies that are good for gas struts: RS components, have a range of sizes and types, one of which you can blead the gas out to your desired setting, also do various brackets etc. On the web, www.rs.com. Also a company called Eckold make many types, also on the web. Hope this helps. SIMON.

5

LOL! www.rs.com

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scratches chin

6

LOL www.rs.com

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Rocket Software… weird…

7

Getting back on thread.
A pair of struts ordered from RS, I’ll post up once they arrive and I fit them.

8

Which ones did you go for Mark?

I was going to order the 464mm variable pressure ones.

9

The part numbers are 182-4655.

These are slightly more expensive than the ones you mention but they are 490mm from ball end to ball end. They are also 50-400N load, the next size up I think will be slightly too strong even at it’s lowest setting from some quick calcs.

They are also multi position holding which is useful for me as I don’t always want the cover fully open.

They should arrive on Tuesday so I’ll post some details up on Tuesday night as I’m bound to have had a go at fitting them by then.

10

Excellent, look forward too seeing how you get on.

11

The parts arrived today and after a couple of false starts it’s done.
1st up the gas struts arrived without any nuts for the ball pins, luckily I had some 5mm ones in the garage so problem 1 solved.
2nd, I messed up the connection points and when compressed completly the cover wasn’t colsed so had to resite them.

Took about an hour to do and it works well.

[image]http://www.exige.me.uk/strut1small.JPG[/image]

[image]http://www.exige.me.uk/strut2small.JPG[/image]

[image]http://www.exige.me.uk/strut3small.JPG[/image]


(all pics clickable)
Here is a short Video of it working (3.5MB)

12

Looks good Mark.

Did you have to let any gas out of the springs or not

13

Yes, lots!!!

I couldn’t physically move them initially. I got them to the point where I could compress them with force bfore fitting to the car and tweeking them then, (you should have seen how fast it opened before I let a load more gas out )

14

Thanks Mark.

Time to go shopping.

15

excellent Mark…

where was the problem with the original fixing you mentioned and do you think there is any reinforcing of the holes you made at each end of the fitted strut needed? also do these struts also allow you to partially open the hatch ?

16

Rox,

If you look at the 3rd pic there is a white dot above the lower fixing point, this was the original hole, it meant the cover got to withing an inch of closing when the strut travel run out.

As for reinforcing I’m not sure. The lower point is pretty thick & tough so should be okay, and the point on the cover is similar as I have mounted it just below the 2nd air hole where it is more solid. The ball ends are pretty loose (i.e. little friction) so should keep the stess levels down. Keeping the gas pressure low will also help, I think I still need to reduce mine further.

The struts have a small lock ring (brass ring at bottom of strut body in pic3) which allows you to lock it off at a lower height, I haven’t played around with it yet.

17

cheers mark

so you only had to move one end when you discovered it wasn’t closing properly.

i see the brass adjustment…

ps I still think Chrome Orange is the best colour… after spice yellow…

18

My original plan was to move both ends, i.e. the lower one up and the upper one a lot further along the cover but then realised I would never be able to get the nut on the cover end (it’s bad enough where it is), so took the easier option and lowered the lower one, therefore lowering the open height.

19

MArk, looks like a really good upgrade, any chance of posting some dimensions of where you found the mounting holes to work, plus strut details so that I could copy it.
Many thanks, SIMON.

20

I can imagine you gave it a lot of thought, but I’m tempted on buying the shorter ones and trying to fit them further front, so that even with a smaller stroke it opens more.

Have to think about it some more.