Rear hatch struts - regas as good as new

[ian65]

As we all know....( after being hit on the head by the glass hatch), the struts on the rear glass hatch become weak with age and struggle to hold the weight of the hatch, let alone lift it.
New struts are no longer available from Mazda (Stu checked this out) and the aftermarket struts on Ebay on the US don't have the correct electrical connenctions for the rear wiper etc.
SGS in Derby will re-gas your own struts for £10.50 each plus vat and delivery. A few of the forum members have used them and the results have been excellent.

Here's their website....

http://www.sgs-engineering.com/gas-stru ... ng-service

They are based in Derby (DE21 6JL) and contact person is Sebastian Day - tel 0845 880 1255

[syebba]

A very necessary post!

Surely everyones struts have failed after 30 odd years?
ta stu..

[codge]

I would guess so, even lightly used ones.

I got some from the States before I knew about the regassing. But as said the wiper contacts are wrong on the US replacements and I get bye with only ther nearside strut being new.....Holds the lid though.

[Lucky]

Mine work depending on what angle of slope the car's on. If I park at the end of the driveway where the slope's steep they get all feeble and emo and collapse. If I park right up against the garage where it's flat they can just about manage to hold the glass up

That re-gassing option looks like a good idea, might get the FD ones done too... I have to clip a molegrips around the hydraulic rod against the strut body to keep that bloody heavy great thing open

[MelloYello]

Do what i did ditch the wipermotor, less weight

[Casey]

Have just sent a request to SGS for a quote for rear pair of struts to be re-gassed.

[ian65]

last quote I had was for about £20 for the pair but when I sent the struts to them and they checked them they wouldn't hold the pressure. No all struts can be regassed but if they fail the initial examination, they'll send them back and won't charge you. I just put mine back on the car and lived with them.

[Hobbawobba]

I should try and get mine done really.. Or buy new ones. I'm sick of the stick!

[spirit r]

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=268&hilit=Struts+re ... &start=150

I am only changed the left one 5 years ago and it work fine summer and Winter no issue.
The OEM one are crap the one above comes with more power.

[KYPREO]

Regassing works in 90% of cases but I've heard many reports of them quickly degrading again. Its good to know youve found someone who can get good results fromm regassing.

I'm a big fan of using OEM wherever possible but ended up getting Strongarm brand ones. They are very powerful and make an audible phhst sound as soon as you go to lift the glass.

It can work with the wiper/demister switch. I cut the original RHS strut ( ) and took the little switch contacts and slipped them onto the new strut. I then used some large black heatshrink tube along the length of the strut to hide the wiring. Looks brilliant - like factory. Been going strong 10 years now. There was a write-up on how to do it somewhere on rx7club.