How to Tell if Your Gas Struts Are Installed Upside-Down

At Dunn & Watson Pty Ltd we regularly see gas struts installed upside down. This common mistake isn’t only from the general public but also from many of Australia’s leading manufacturers of Canopies, Camper Trailers and Toolboxes.  When installing a gas strut it should be on a sixty degrees or less tilt with the cylinder the highest point not the shaft. This is because the Gas Strut cylinder houses a small amount of oil in charge of keeping the seal lubricated and oiling the shaft as it passes through the seal. The reason you need to aim for sixty degrees or less is so that gravity natural keeps the oil pooled at the base of the seal and in doing so keeping the seal from drying out. When your strut is installed at an angle greater than sixty degrees the pooling of oil may not occur around the seal. This will over time lead to your seal drying out and as the shaft passes through the dry seal it will also not be lubricated and will result in cracks and tears occurring. Once the seal has an opening you will experience gas leakages and finally strut failure.  So if you find that your gas strut needs replacement or before you buy gas struts give us a call 1300 210 549, come by the shop or send us an email at [email protected]. You can also buy gas struts via struts.