General Tailgate strut explosion in the cold

[onemanmade]

Just wanted to put a warning out to folks who may be using their tailgates in the winter cold, I opened mine the other morning during a hard frost and it burst all the gas/liquid out and no longer holds the boot up. Be careful guys as it make hurt your head quite nastily! Thankfully the noise from it made me jump back before the tailgate slammed down on my head

So that brings me to the next part, does anyone have a tailgate strut I could buy please? Answers on a Pm

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Bloody hell, never heard of one exploding before!!!

 

[onemanmade]

Bloody hell, never heard of one exploding before!!!

Gave me quite the start!

 

[pandamaniac]

Well they are virtually the same gas ram that is in my Theoben .177 air rifle that is 12ftlbs pressure.
So I would expect a bang, but would also expect to pull a pellet out of my head!!!!
Dave

 

[onemanmade]

Just age I guess, a forumer is sending me one

 

[portland_bill]

Did it burst at the seal around the piston rod, or did the main body rupture?

Usually with age they just gently lose their pressure, leaking past the seal, but if the body corrodes, it can weaken and rupture.

Witnessed a guy cutting gently through one with a hacksaw once. Although so little pressure inside that we could compress it halfway by hand, as the saw broke through the bang broke the blade into three pieces.

They are very simple, just a container with gas under pressure. (Nitrogen I think). As you close the door, the piston rod is pushed in, not against any physical spring, it just takes up space inside, so compressing the gas.

 

[onemanmade]

Did it burst at the seal around the piston rod, or did the main body rupture?

Usually with age they just gently lose their pressure, leaking past the seal, but if the body corrodes, it can weaken and rupture.

Witnessed a guy cutting gently through one with a hacksaw once. Although so little pressure inside that we could compress it halfway by hand, as the saw broke through the bang broke the blade into three pieces.

They are very simple, just a container with gas under pressure. (Nitrogen I think). As you close the door, the piston rod is pushed in, not against any physical spring, it just takes up space inside, so compressing the gas.

It burst the seal as soon as it got the full extension of opening the boot