Has anyone successfully retro-fitted gas struts on to the upper (gl***) tailgate of a 1955 Ford wagon? If so, could you provide details? Thanks, Mato Here's an image of a Nomad with gas struts. (Yeah, I know...)
No, but related.........I converted my hood to gas struts. NO MORE SQUEAKY SPRINGS!!! McMaster Carr has a huge selection of Struts in many sizes, styles, different functions, etc, etc. They also have a large selection of fittings in different styles to ***emble whatever you want. Wouldn't be that hard of a job I wouldn't think, but I don't know what kind of space you have to work with where the struts would have to mount. Not sure where you'd start to figure pressure requirements, maybe you could find out from the Nomad guys what they used. Couldn't be too far off.
Going to convert my hood to strurs. Took off one of the rusty springs to exsecise the hood hinge with lube. When I tried to reinstall with home made contraption the "tool" bent ,the spring went flying ,almost put my eye out. Knocked the lense out of my gl***es. Tried the washers trick, if they are not put in both sides the spring will take on a banana shape. Failure #2. Tried expanding the spring with my floor jack and the spring broke. Wasn't just surface rust on these, they were really eaten up. They are in the junk pile now. I am looking at my full size Dodge truck as a model for my conversion. I am thinking that if you can weigh your "lid" at the point of attachment you would have some idea of the weight of gas strut needed. Cheap luggage scales maybe?
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