Camloc gas struts work by forcing, under pressure, an inert gas (Nitrogen) into a cylinder. The internal pressure then greatly exceeds atmospheric pressure. This differential in pressure exists at any rod position and generates an outward force on the rod, making the gas spring extend.

2008 Dodge Avenger Shock/Strut – Front.

Strut Replacement Replacing struts used to be a dangerous job for a DIYer. But these days you can buy a complete strut assembly that eliminates the strut/spring/mount disassembly process. These assemblies allow you to replace both of your front struts yourself in less than two hours.

Struts cannot be refilled or rebuilt. However, some struts have a replaceable cartridge. These repairable struts can be identified by a large hexagonal shaped nut at the top of the strut body. Please remember that struts are usually gas charged and that replacement should only be performed by a qualified technician.

you can compress struts by hand…..they will exert some force, but can be compressed by hand. When you get them on the car they will firm up a lot because the orientation of the valving and being immersed in fluid.

The force required to hold the lid open (F1) can be calculated using the formula: Gas Spring Force (F1) = Mass of lid x Centre of Gravity / Radius of Force x Number of Springs. The calculations show that the closer towards the hinge the moving mounting point gets, the higher the opening force required.

All standard, shrouded, multi-positional and stainless-steel gas struts are available in a VARI‐LIFT version which can be adjusted to meet individual preferences as well as being adjusted in‐situ.

To calculate the size and the force of the Gas Strut you require for your application use the following guidelines. The extended length of the Gas Strut should be approximately 60% of the door or hatch length – e.g. a 1000mm high door should have a Gas Strut length of approximately 600mm.

How to Mount Gas Struts

1. Weigh the Boat Hatch. It is essential to know the overall weight of the hatch.
2. Determine the Upper Mounting Point. Open the hatch to the point where you want it supported.
3. Mark the Lower Mounting Point.
4. Measure for Gas Strut.
5. Calculate Required Strut Force.
6. Use the Right Brackets to Install.

In normal use they are very durable however they do have a life span. Loss of efficiency can typically start to occur after about five years of use, though some last considerably longer. Most failures relate to gradual loss of gas pressure which prevents them supporting their design load.

Gas struts are sealed, highly pressurised units filled with oil and nitrogen gas. They can be extremely dangerous if tampered with and due to this we don’t recommend you try to alter your gas struts in any way.

All Gas springs lose output force over time. Many factors affect the rate of force loss, such as: size of the support, orientation, amount of cycles, ambient temperature, vibration, and the geometry of the application and time (cycle time).

Struts contain nitrogen gas under pressure and some oil to damp movement and to lubricate the seals. Most failures are due to a gradual loss of pressure to the gas which results in the strut being unable to support the load.