Pressurised struts for tailglass

[roy4matra]

For some time now I have been getting the rear glass pressurised struts re-gassed, because it is much cheaper, they are just as good, and the mountings are correct so you can continue to use the H.R.W. (heated rear window) which for those of us in colder climates are the norm with cars today and is really useful.  We have many satisfied customers here in the U.K.

One of the problems now is that the lower mounting eye, which has to be plastic to insulate it from the chassis, is no longer available, and alternative struts are being supplied with metal mountings, which will short your electric straight to earth and since the fuse doesn't blow, it will burn out your circuit board which is also no longer available!

If you have any of these struts that are now weak and have been replaced by some with metal mountings, then first DO NOT connect the electrical cables for the heater rear window, particularly the one on the right which is the power feed that will short out.  And if you still have the older struts with the plastic mounting, please do not throw these away.  If you do not wish to repair them, or the seal is too badly worn to allow the strut to be re-gassed, then at least remove the mountings (they are only screwed on to the strut) and let me have some, or I will pay a reasonable figure for a few, to repair others that have been broken.

I am attaching some photos, so you can see exactly what I'm talking about.  Please get in touch via my normal roy@matraclub.org.uk email.  Thank you.

Also make sure any replacement strut has a maximum pressure of 210 Newtons - this should be printed on the cylinder along with the date when they were made.  So you will see 210N or 0210 N pressure and maybe 48/82 or similar for the date (that means week 48 of 1982) or it may have the date more normally such as 21/05/2020.  Do not fit a strut with more pressure as that could damage something.

Roy

[JL]

Looks like a possible candidate for 3D printing.

John