The Measurements You Need to Buy the Right Gas Strut for Your Project

In order to obtain the correct gas strut for your project, you will need to take some careful measurements. If you are replacing a gas strut, these will be the same as the old strut. Otherwise, you will have to make sure you have the right measurements to fit. Here is what you will need to measure. 

Force 

The first thing you need to know is the amount of force that the gas strut will need to exert. Some struts are stronger than others, and there is no point in getting one that is too hard to open or too loose. If you are replacing a strut, there should be a label on the old strut that gives you the force in Newtons. You should buy a new strut with the same force.

Extended length

Next, make sure you know how long the strut needs to be when it is fully extended. Your window or other application will not open fully if the strut is not long enough so make sure you have one that opens to the extent you need.

Retracted length

Once you have the extended length of the strut, you will need to measure the length when it is retracted or compressed. This is just the length of the strut when it is fully closed and will ensure that you do not have a strut that is too big for your device.

Stroke length

Gas struts work like a piston — a rod goes in and out of a sealed tube containing pressurised gas. The length of the rod that enters the tube is called the stroke length. If this is too short, your application will not close properly. You need to measure the length of the rod that actually travels into the tube — the distance between the end of the rod when the device is opened, and the end when it is closed.

Diameter

Finally, you need to measure the diameter of the strut. This is important to make sure it will actually fit in your project. You need to take measurements of both the tube and of the rod that travels within it. An accurate measurement will ensure that you do not buy a gas strut that is too bulky.

Once you have all these measurements you should have no trouble buying the correct strut for your needs. If you have any further concerns, just ask your stockist who will be happy to help you buy the right strut for a successful project or repair.