RE: [DML] Incorrect door struts.

["Marc A. Levy" <malevy@xxxx>]

This is the situation I was talking about in post: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/message/26676

Could you provide your source to the list? Perhaps save someone else from this problem?

If you purchased it from a reputable DMC vendor, it may be possible that their supplier changed the design and don't even know about this problem themselves. Warn other customers who may be planning to install new struts in the near future.

Have you asked the vendor to accept responsibility for the damage their part caused? A little bad publicity on the DML may convince them it is in their best interest to fix your car.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: twinenginedmc12 [mailto:twinenginedmc12@xxxx]
> Sent: Monday, July 15, 2002 10:01 AM
> To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [DML] Incorrect door struts.
> 
> 
> I recently purchased a set of door struts. Unfortunately, the 
> geometry of the replacement struts was not compatible with the 
> original struts, or the car itself. The cylinder body of the 
> replacement strut was about 5mm longer than the original Stabilus 
> Lift-o-mat struts. I failed to notice this small but very important 
> difference, and installed one of the struts, and to my horror found 
> that the strut mounting post on the roof support was bent during the 
> very first trial door closure. It turned out the cylinder body 
> bottomed out against the mounting post, and because of the geometry 
> involved, pushed against the post with a force of what I later 
> calculated was about 2500 pounds. I would advize anyone replacing 
> their struts to measure the new versus the old, to verify that you're 
> not receiving one of these subtly, but dangerously wrong struts, 
> unless you have complete faith in your supplier. I expect that any 
> unfortunate soul who inadvertently buys and installs a set of these 
> incorrect struts, and puts his trust in the supplier, is risking 
> destruction of the mounting boss down the road due to stress fatigue 
> failure.  
> Personally, I find the sale of an improperly specified strut that is 
> meant to hold a 100+ pound piece of metal in the air safely over my 
> or my passenger's head a reprehensible act.  
> 
> Rick Gendreau.
> 
> 11472 twin engine Delorean.
> 
>
>