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Strong pneumatic actuators for tailgate in T5 Cali

A

alekbe

Messages
20
Location
Warsaw, Poland
Vehicle
T5 SE 180
I am looking for strong "pneumatic actuators" (not sure how it is called in english) for tailgate in my T5 2012 Cali.
I want them to be able to hold at least two bicycles on tailgate in -10 Celsius temperature.
The regular ones I have (I am pretty sure they are original) barely hold two bikes in 30 Celsius temperature and they fail on 15 Celsius for example.
On -10 as I remember they can not hold tailgate with empty bicycle rack.

Are there any stronger on the market and/or maybe there are some with some manual locking system?
Currently I have to use kind of stick to prevent tailgate to close which super annoying.
 
There are at least five different gas filled struts available as OEM parts for the T5 depending on the model. I think the strongest is a 1250N version, speak to your dealer having the part number off your current ones with you.
 
The 1250N which I have they will still not hold 2 bicycle on the tailgate in -10° C.
There are some aftermarket 1400 I think, but not sure it will be enough, most certainly not.
 
Try WDS Components, we have used the adjustable pressure gas struts for a variety of machine projects....


:)
 
If you fit those, good luck trying to get the boot shut on a hot day with nothing on the rack!

You need to be careful as if you fit too strong struts the ball that they fit onto at the bottom end becomes the weakest part of the whole set up & its not unheard of for them to snap off.
 
Maybe -10 it's a overkill :D. 0 Celsius is more reasonable when I think of it now. Also My bikes are pretty light (carbon parts) so maybe first I will just buy new original (1250) ones and check. Maybe my current ones are just too old / used...
 
Nah I have similar system and it's not fun when it's dark for example and you hold tailgate with one hand while searching for the stick with the other one. And stick get's dirty if you stay in area where ground is soft. Also it happened few times that someone accidentally "hooked" it with a foot (imagine children running around the car :D).

The best solution would be pneumatic actuators with some locking system but I couldn't find something like this.
 
 
Those locks I guess they do the job but again you have to find them and put on both struts while holding the tailgate. Better than single stick though because they wont fail, they are cheap, and they won't be dirty.
 
Have a look at terranger.de they have updated struts and updated mounts. May be a bit excessive, but worth a look.
 
Really need something like the old MGB bonnet stays, no hydraulics just a telescopic slide ( so heavy to lift) but once pushed up past a certain point a little locking lever pops out to stop it sliding back down, to lower the bonnet you then had to push it a few mm higher before lowering it.
You would need to use it in conjunction with the rams.

As a simple remedy, what about just taking the seats out for winter? 0032408_bonnet-boot-lid-stay-large-300mm.jpeg
 
You've said the prop works but you have to get it out of the boot and fit it, also the base gets dirty.
What about fitting an extendable prop , permanently, to the bottom of the tailgate, inside, with a hinged fitting. The prop could be held by a clip on the tailgate, vertically. The tailgate is opened, prop unclipped and extended to correct length and the end sits on the bumper.
Always there, easily found and doesn't get dirty.

Any uprated gas struts over 1250n would put a lot of stress on the lower strut mounting points and make it very difficult closing during warm weather.
 
Although we have discussed this subject many times in the past, I don't think that the lower mounting points are an issue in the case presented by the OP.
He needs to hold 2 bikes with tailgate open. This works in hot days in summer but not in winter.
Fitting upgraded struts like the 1400 will help keep the tailgate with bikes up when temperature is not so high anymore. The weight of the tailgate +2 bikes with standard gas struts or with upgraded gas struts will not change. The stress on the lower mounting points is identical.
He's talking about 2 bikes, not 4 ebikes . The weight he needs to hold is well within the design and the mounting points will be fine with 900, 1250 or 1400 gas struts.

These are worth considering, they would have 1270N and the stop function:
 
Although we have discussed this subject many times in the past, I don't think that the lower mounting points are an issue in the case presented by the OP.
He needs to hold 2 bikes with tailgate open. This works in hot days in summer but not in winter.
Fitting upgraded struts like the 1400 will help keep the tailgate with bikes up when temperature is not so high anymore. The weight of the tailgate +2 bikes with standard gas struts or with upgraded gas struts will not change. The stress on the lower mounting points is identical.
He's talking about 2 bikes, not 4 ebikes . The weight he needs to hold is well within the design and the mounting points will be fine with 900, 1250 or 1400 gas struts.

These are worth considering, they would have 1270N and the stop function:
I think that the stress is related to the hot weather closing resistance not static open resistance.

I have no bike rack and have problems keeping my foothold when closing with standard struts in summer. OK until 2/3rd closed then resistance increases .
 
Although we have discussed this subject many times in the past, I don't think that the lower mounting points are an issue in the case presented by the OP.
He needs to hold 2 bikes with tailgate open. This works in hot days in summer but not in winter.
Fitting upgraded struts like the 1400 will help keep the tailgate with bikes up when temperature is not so high anymore. The weight of the tailgate +2 bikes with standard gas struts or with upgraded gas struts will not change. The stress on the lower mounting points is identical.
He's talking about 2 bikes, not 4 ebikes . The weight he needs to hold is well within the design and the mounting points will be fine with 900, 1250 or 1400 gas struts.

These are worth considering, they would have 1270N and the stop function:
I don't think your reasoning is correct.
The tailgate weight is a constant, as is the maximum opening of the tailgate, but the Gas strut unless it is restricted in its opening range could be trying to open the tailgate beyond the engineered range which would either damage the tailgate hinge or the gas strut mounting point.
 
Although we have discussed this subject many times in the past, I don't think that the lower mounting points are an issue in the case presented by the OP.
He needs to hold 2 bikes with tailgate open. This works in hot days in summer but not in winter.
Fitting upgraded struts like the 1400 will help keep the tailgate with bikes up when temperature is not so high anymore. The weight of the tailgate +2 bikes with standard gas struts or with upgraded gas struts will not change. The stress on the lower mounting points is identical.
He's talking about 2 bikes, not 4 ebikes . The weight he needs to hold is well within the design and the mounting points will be fine with 900, 1250 or 1400 gas struts.

These are worth considering, they would have 1270N and the stop function:
I think there is no version for T5, is there? I couldn't find...
 
I don't think your reasoning is correct.
The tailgate weight is a constant, as is the maximum opening of the tailgate, but the Gas strut unless it is restricted in its opening range could be trying to open the tailgate beyond the engineered range which would either damage the tailgate hinge or the gas strut mounting point.
Static load vs dynamic load (imposed)
 
I don't think your reasoning is correct.
The tailgate weight is a constant, as is the maximum opening of the tailgate, but the Gas strut unless it is restricted in its opening range could be trying to open the tailgate beyond the engineered range which would either damage the tailgate hinge or the gas strut mounting point.
When the tailgate is opened with bike rack and 2 regular bikes on it in hot summer, with standard 1250 gas struts, the tailgate is just aboutholding, it certainly not pressed against it‘s maximum opening position.
It is design for even more weight (4 bikes, 60kg), so i don‘t see how there would be more weight on mounting points.
The 1400 gas struts, would not increase the force on the lower mounting points as they will not be so strong to yank the tailgate open. you‘ll be lucky if they hold 3 bikes without coming down and shutting the door.
 
Although we have discussed this subject many times in the past, I don't think that the lower mounting points are an issue in the case presented by the OP.
He needs to hold 2 bikes with tailgate open. This works in hot days in summer but not in winter.
Fitting upgraded struts like the 1400 will help keep the tailgate with bikes up when temperature is not so high anymore. The weight of the tailgate +2 bikes with standard gas struts or with upgraded gas struts will not change. The stress on the lower mounting points is identical.
He's talking about 2 bikes, not 4 ebikes . The weight he needs to hold is well within the design and the mounting points will be fine with 900, 1250 or 1400 gas struts.

These are worth considering, they would have 1270N and the stop function:
Couldn’t find a description of the stop function - is that something that locks open?
 
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