P.J.GRADY Lift Piston feedback wanted

[PJ Grady Inc.]

We've shipped a decent amount of our new lift piston kits and was hoping to get feedback from owners to see if we got it right. I'd like to know what you think of the opening rate (time to open), charge rate (too strong, too weak, just right), appearance and any observations you'd care to offer.
While the door piston's are the main concern because ot the variables involved I'm also looking for feedback on the hood & sunshade pistons too.
Rob Grady

[refugeefromcalif]

I want to buy a set of lift pistons but, your web site wants me to create an account just to pay with PayPal.
The reason I use PayPal is to pay for an item with out having to do this.
I.E., my contact information and desired shipping location is already stored with them.
Sorry, no sale.

George

[skill]

Rob,
Is it okay if you could set aside a Special strut set for me? Payment for the 9th? I'll definitely provide you feedback. My passenger door sags a few inches when it comes up. Thx, b

[Patrick C]

I received my set of door struts today and am very impressed. I've tried a lot of struts over the years, and these are the best I've used. They open up the doors fully and have a nice damper towards the end to slow the door so it doesn't rock the whole car. It really makes the door operation seem to have a good fit and finish with the nice slow-down at the end.

[Jonathan]

I read in James' Buyers Guide book recently that the door struts are considered a wear and tear item and they should be replaced every three years.

Is this also the intention with your set, Rob? Is three years for a set of door struts par for the course, or should they/could they last longer?

I've had my car for seven plus years and seeing the suggestion to replace them every three years would be about right from the experience I have had with my own car.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

I read in James' Buyers Guide book recently that the door struts are considered a wear and tear item and they should be replaced every three years.

Is this also the intention with your set, Rob? Is three years for a set of door struts par for the course, or should they/could they last longer?

I've had my car for seven plus years and seeing the suggestion to replace them every three years would be about right from the experience I have had with my own car.
I'll get back to you on that tomorrow (Day off you know). ITMT Merry Christmas to DMCTalkers and our fellow man.

[Patrick C]

Here's a quick video of the new struts in action.


http://youtu.be/AK0otTRTAdg
http://youtu.be/AK0otTRTAdg

[Jonathan]

I'll get back to you on that tomorrow (Day off you know). ITMT Merry Christmas to DMCTalkers and our fellow man.

No sweat, Rob. Turkey and drum sticks get top priority over gas struts at Christmas time. Enjoy the holidays. :)

[Domi]

Thanks for sharing your video Patrick, looking really good :)

[Chris 16409]

Mine are supposed to arrive Monday. I'm excited to install them.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

It's hard to estimate the life of a door "gas spring" (proper term) because of the effect of the torsion bar setting on it's performance. A torsion bar often needs to be adjusted when replacing the gas spring to achieve the optimum result. Temperature also has a larger affect because of the heavy weight of the Delorean door compared to the hood and sunshade applications.

Based on my experience with previous versions of these parts I'm willing to go out on a limb and guess-timate the usable service life to be at least double the "typical three year" estimate. This should hold true especially if one is willing to adjust the torsion bar once or twice to compensate for temperature swings if you live in a temperate zone of the country like I do. Six years or more would be my guess but I could be wrong.

Sorry no lifetime warranties on gas springs! Only Ed B. would be bold enough to try that and it couldn't have worked out that well. Any oldtimers remember his"lifetime warrantied sunshade pistons"? Better question is how many of you got a second pair free?

These are high quality springs and I think my changes to the application will make them last longer, work better, and operate smoother than any previous piston on the market IMHO. I have one more trick still up my sleeve that I'd rather not disclose...maybe some other time!

Big thanks to Patrick Conlon for taking that video of his remote door opener with our new gas spring. Besides seeing it here I just saw it on Utube.
We be going virale babbbayyy!!!
Rob

[mburshtain]

We've shipped a decent amount of our new lift piston kits and was hoping to get feedback from owners to see if we got it right. I'd like to know what you think of the opening rate (time to open), charge rate (too strong, too weak, just right), appearance and any observations you'd care to offer.
While the door piston's are the main concern because ot the variables involved I'm also looking for feedback on the hood & sunshade pistons too.
Rob Grady

I just ordered a set and will be happy to provide a feedback as soon as I install it :-)

BTW: I do think your updated website looks nice and easy to use.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Rob,
Is it okay if you could set aside a Special strut set for me? Payment for the 9th? I'll definitely provide you feedback. My passenger door sags a few inches when it comes up. Thx, b

Yes I'll hold a set for you for the 9th of January right?
Rob

[Jonathan]

Thanks for the reply, Rob. Definitely no intention to hold you to some guarantee. Like you said, I bunch of factors unique to each car like the climate or temperature the car is in or used, how often it's used or driven, and how often there is someone in the passenger seat as well as the driver's, etc.

Even if you replaced the door struts every three years, at $100 for the set of six over those three years, that's not much different than the cost of oil or air filters. Speaking of which, with many of the wear and tear or regular maintenance items we can all decide how to alter the change out frequency. For example, I've changed my air filter every oil change even though it's not likely necessary and I've changed my fuel filter far less than suggested (not ideal, but there it is).

What's that line about expensive toys or hobbies? If you can't afford to put new tires on it when they need it or have to be concerned about what the price of gas is, you bought the wrong hobby.

With the relatively low cost of many of these parts, you could have as many of them as your heart desires if you just once convinced your wife/partner/significant other that you don't need to remodel the living room/paint/buy a new couch. Now there's a place to try and use some common cents. :)

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Thanks for the reply, Rob. Definitely no intention to hold you to some guarantee. Like you said, I bunch of factors unique to each car like the climate or temperature the car is in or used, how often it's used or driven, and how often there is someone in the passenger seat as well as the driver's, etc.

Even if you replaced the door struts every three years, at $100 for the set of six over those three years, that's not much different than the cost of oil or air filters. Speaking of which, with many of the wear and tear or regular maintenance items we can all decide how to alter the change out frequency. For example, I've changed my air filter every oil change even though it's not likely necessary and I've changed my fuel filter far less than suggested (not ideal, but there it is).

What's that line about expensive toys or hobbies? If you can't afford to put new tires on it when they need it or have to be concerned about what the price of gas is, you bought the wrong hobby.

With the relatively low cost of many of these parts, you could have as many of them as your heart desires if you just once convinced your wife/partner/significant other that you don't need to remodel the living room/paint/buy a new couch. Now there's a place to try and use some common cents. :)
I'm pretty sure they'll go a lot longer than three years but please remember folks this price is only for the first batch of one hundred and they're about half sold out now. I was originally going to run the special for the month of December for the 100th anniversary but I didn't get the production batch until 2 weeks ago so I'll extend the sale into January but once they're gone the price will go up. The normal price will be about $140- for the set which I think is still a bargain for the quality of these "gas springs". Please no sniveling (I don't mean you Jonathan) when it's over as you've been warned and I need to make a living wage here ;)

[hmcelraft]

The door "lift pistons" are fine. I need to adjust the torsion bars some - probably one notch. I've had a set of Hervey's soft-lift pistons on the car for about 6 years now with no problems other than they were wearing out, especially noticeable, as winter temps are here. I got some new soft lift pistons from Hervey a year ago or so and they did not seem the same so I didn't use them right away and now they are really flat. So, hard to beat Rob's special. The door pistons seem to have a great dampening action. Right now, if I want the door all the way open (another 6-8 inches) I have to push the door open by hand. Not a big deal and it will stay open. The adjustment is that close.
My goal is to get the adjustment as close as Patrick's.

I really like the bonnet pistons and louver pistons. The bonnet now opens full like OEM and I can quit worrying so much about hitting my head when I fuel-up. They also have appropriate piston power to keep the bonnet open in a breeze. Anyone who has tried to put in fuel with a wind blowing against the bonnet knows what I mean.

The louver pistons have plenty of opening strength. Just a hair on the strong side, which I like and prefer, but not that heavy to close. Basically a very smooth open and close so you don't twist, and possibly damage the louvers.

In all, I would give them a 4.5 on a 5.0 scale. The dampening in the door lift pistons seem to bleed off the opening power - which appears to require the additional torsion bar adjustment to get a smooth door open. I get nervous having the torsion bars tighter than they might otherwise need to be.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

The door "lift pistons" are fine. I need to adjust the torsion bars some - probably one notch. I've had a set of Hervey's soft-lift pistons on the car for about 6 years now with no problems other than they were wearing out, especially noticeable, as winter temps are here. I got some new soft lift pistons from Hervey a year ago or so and they did not seem the same so I didn't use them right away and now they are really flat. So, hard to beat Rob's special. The door pistons seem to have a great dampening action. Right now, if I want the door all the way open (another 6-8 inches) I have to push the door open by hand. Not a big deal and it will stay open. The adjustment is that close.
My goal is to get the adjustment as close as Patrick's.

I really like the bonnet pistons and louver pistons. The bonnet now opens full like OEM and I can quit worrying so much about hitting my head when I fuel-up. They also have appropriate piston power to keep the bonnet open in a breeze. Anyone who has tried to put in fuel with a wind blowing against the bonnet knows what I mean.

The louver pistons have plenty of opening strength. Just a hair on the strong side, which I like and prefer, but not that heavy to close. Basically a very smooth open and close so you don't twist, and possibly damage the louvers.

In all, I would give them a 4.5 on a 5.0 scale. The dampening in the door lift pistons seem to bleed off the opening power - which appears to require the additional torsion bar adjustment to get a smooth door open. I get nervous having the torsion bars tighter than they might otherwise need to be.
Thanks for the feedback Harold but you definately have your T bars set up on the loose side as I experimented with stronger pressures and it makes the door harder to close. These are substantialy stronger than both the NOS pistons and the version I used to sell so if that's holding you back on the A rating I'd humbly ask you to reconsider. I can even give you a stronger exchange pair if that's what it takes for your 5.0 rating but you should consider adjusting your bars one notch first IMHO! Look at Patrick's video a few more times and think about. Most people if anything will need to go down a ntch with these pistons if they were ever cranked up at all. Also consider the temperature if you're checking this outdoor's or you'll be re-adjusting them in the springtime. Adjust your TB's and gimme my A. I know now I'M sniveling!
Rob Grady

[skill]

Yes I'll hold a set for you for the 9th of January right?
Rob

Yes! Thanks Rob~awesome and much thanks! Happy New Year! -Bri

[Patrick C]

My goal is to get the adjustment as close as Patrick's.

Also be aware that it can be impossible to get both doors working 100% identically. For example, my passenger door is perfect in my 65 degree garage. But my driver door is a little bit weaker and opens a bit slower as a result, as going up one more notch on that torsion bar makes it a bit too strong. So I opted to leave it a tad on the weak side rather than a tad on the strong side. Every DeLorean will be different, I'm sure. And as Rob stated, different temperatures will affect how any gas spring works.



In all, I would give them a 4.5 on a 5.0 scale. The dampening in the door lift pistons seem to bleed off the opening power - which appears to require the additional torsion bar adjustment to get a smooth door open. I get nervous having the torsion bars tighter than they might otherwise need to be.

FWIW, I was using a ridiculously strong set of Hervey "soft lift" struts before these. When I installed those, I had to back the torsion bars down a notch from the factory setting. And the doors still rocked the car when opening. I have never found another set of struts that strong...I think they were way overpressurized. For these new PJ Grady struts, I only had to readjust the bars up a notch back to where they were when they left the factory (I still had a sharpie mark on each bar and bracket from when I did the first adjustment.) So I would guess most untouched torsion bars will work fine with Rob's new struts and won't need adjustment.

[skill]

I think it was a really smart buy and awesome deal for $100 for a complete lift pistons set. I had recently bought from the dealer their set about eight months ago and the passenger strut lagged from the get-go leaving about a 8 inch difference. PJ Grady's Lift Pistons corrected this problem, opens the door all the way up smoothly, no bounce and without adjusting the torsion bar! -sKiLL

http://youtu.be/Bw5AFzvmXmA

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on our newest and best "gas spring's" and I'm glad you liked them.

I just did a headcount and there's ONLY FIVE SETS OF PISTONS LEFT FROM OUR FIRST BATCH SO THIS SALE IS ALMOST OVER.

Won't stay $100- (or 100 years old now that we're 101) forever so you can't say I didn't warn you guys!
Rob


I think it was a really smart buy and awesome deal for $100 for a complete lift pistons set. I had recently bought from the dealer their set about eight months ago and the passenger strut lagged from the get-go leaving about a 8 inch difference. PJ Grady's Lift Pistons corrected this problem, opens the door all the way up smoothly, no bounce and without adjusting the torsion bar! -sKiLL

http://youtu.be/Bw5AFzvmXmA

[Rich_NYS]

Hey Rob,

I'm planning to use them only in acceptable temps, but if you're curious to see what they do in the frigid temps we get up here, I'll put 'em on & test them.

[Patrick C]

I discovered today that my new PJ Grady lift pistons work the same in a 15 degree environment as they do in a 65 degree environment. No sag at all! They must have some kind of temperature compensating feature.

[Rich_NYS]

I discovered today that my new PJ Grady lift pistons work the same in a 15 degree environment as they do in a 65 degree environment.
Pat, I forgot that you're in Michigan. I think you get the same brutal winter temps & snowfall as we get in upstate NY...hopefully not the same mount of salt dumped on the roads though!
Was your video of the new struts in 65 degree temp?

[Patrick C]

Pat, I forgot that you're in Michigan. I think you get the same brutal winter temps & snowfall as we get in upstate NY...hopefully not the same mount of salt dumped on the roads though!
Was your video of the new struts in 65 degree temp?

We sure do get brutal cold temps up here! My video was in a heated garage, roughly 65 degrees.

[TTait]

Ordered mine...

4 or less sets remaining.

Rob - without giving away your secrets - do the design improvements apply to all 6 struts, or just the door struts?

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Thanks for the order Tom. Yes the improvements affect all the struts as each one was tweaked to my specifications which evolved over testing of different rates, opening pressures, temperatures, etc. Everything is a compromise but these struts have optimised the variables to work in the broadest temperature range possible. Of coarse there's always room for improvements and any developments which allow better functioning in our cars will be incorporated as they become available.

I am experimenting with a "Winter" version for Northerners who face severe winters but wish to avoid cold sagging and/or torsion bar adjustments. Although this current piston works well in a broad range of temps the "winter" version would optimise the function of the doors in severe cold conditions. It would also incorporate a feature to allow a higher charge without the risk of rocking at the top which my current design did not require.
Rob


Ordered mine...

4 or less sets remaining.

Rob - without giving away your secrets - do the design improvements apply to all 6 struts, or just the door struts?

[TTait]

Great news on the mods - thank you. Winter is hitting hard here in Los Angeles. It barely hit 72 degrees today - and it actually rained intermittently on the drive home. I considered chaining up- but it was too cold to get out of the car.

Ahem.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Actually Tom with all due respect the type of "Winter" I'm referring to is a little more severe than 72 Degrees. Feel free to use the summer version for the duration of your stay in LA!



Great news on the mods - thank you. Winter is hitting hard here in Los Angeles. It barely hit 72 degrees today - and it actually rained intermittently on the drive home. I considered chaining up- but it was too cold to get out of the car.

Ahem.

[hmcelraft]

Well, Rob - I'm not sure what the deal is but, I have had the strut kit on the car for a few weeks now and the door struts seem to be working smoother. Great, actually - and I haven't adjusted the driver torsion bar yet. I may wait until spring arrives and see how it does before I do any adjusting. As I mentioned earlier, I love the new hood and louver struts - I give them a 5+. I think I'm ready to give the door struts a full blown 5 now. I guess they just needed some action and time to break in.

Harold

[PJ Grady Inc.]

I knew you'd come around. Just brings tears to my eyes dammit ;)



Well, Rob - I'm not sure what the deal is but, I have had the strut kit on the car for a few weeks now and the door struts seem to be working smoother. Great, actually - and I haven't adjusted the driver torsion bar yet. I may wait until spring arrives and see how it does before I do any adjusting. As I mentioned earlier, I love the new hood and louver struts - I give them a 5+. I think I'm ready to give the door struts a full blown 5 now. I guess they just needed some action and time to break in.

Harold

[refugeefromcalif]

The website allowed me to buy my set of lift pistons at the discount price. :smile:
Can't wait to try them out.

George

[PJ Grady Inc.]

We always make exceptions for refugees from California! Just kidding there's still a few sets left so no exceptions needed.
Rob


The website allowed me to buy my set of lift pistons at the discount price. :smile:
Can't wait to try them out.

George

[Domi]

I've tried to order a set, and unfortunately your website offer me only 3 ways of shipping.
Saver (UPS): $165.21
Worldwide Expedited (UPS): $156.59
Worldwide Express (UPS): $170.34
Is there a way to find a cheaper way to send them to France,
Many thanks ;)

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Yes. Email your contact info & address info through the site or by PM and I'll work you up a USPS quote which is often about 1/2 the UPS price (though we prefer UPS for US orders).
Rob


I've tried to order a set, and unfortunately your website offer me only 3 ways of shipping.
Saver (UPS): $165.21
Worldwide Expedited (UPS): $156.59
Worldwide Express (UPS): $170.34
Is there a way to find a cheaper way to send them to France,
Many thanks ;)

[Domi]

Thanks, PM sent ;)

[Bitsyncmaster]

Yes. Email your contact info & address info through the site or by PM and I'll work you up a USPS quote which is often about 1/2 the UPS price (though we prefer UPS for US orders).
Rob

As long as the package is under 3 pounds, USPS first class mail is way cheaper for shipping over the boarder. The customs form is simple also. If you ship USPS priority cost about triple and longer customs form.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Ok that's it for the first batch of our new gas springs but if you don't mind waiting a week or two for delivery we will honor the sale price through Saturday January 31st. After that the normal price will be $138.95. Any orders recieved after today will be filled when the next order arrives in a couple weeks.
Thank you for making the sale a success and I hope everyone is happy with them. So far so good.
Rob Grady

[PJ Grady Inc.]

BTW the 6 piston set weighs 5LB but a pair of door pistons weighs under 3LB.
As long as the package is under 3 pounds, USPS first class mail is way cheaper for shipping over the boarder. The customs form is simple also. If you ship USPS priority cost about triple and longer customs form.

[Domi]

Hi Rob, did you received my PM?
Thanks ;)

[5875]

Ok that's it for the first batch of our new gas springs but if you don't mind waiting a week or two for delivery we will honor the sale price through Saturday January 31st. After that the normal price will be $138.95. Any orders recieved after today will be filled when the next order arrives in a couple weeks.
Thank you for making the sale a success and I hope everyone is happy with them. So far so good.
Rob Grady

Placed my order today (for delivery to Florida). Will getting them to Florida before March 15th be an issue? That's when my folks leave for Canada. Can't wait to try them out!

[Delorean02378]

Ordered a set last night. Thanks Rob.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Yes but I was jambed up today. I'll have Linda get you a price tomorrow.


Hi Rob, did you received my PM?
Thanks ;)

[Domi]

All right, thanks I'll wait ;)

[PB Co]

Last day, can a guy still get the price? Take my money please.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Yes this is the laaaaast day so anyone that wants the $100- price has to pull the trigger by 12PM tonight or it will cost a bit more later but IMHO still will be the best gas springs available currently at any price.

I want to thank everyone who placed an order and hope to get as much feedback as possible as they all (hopefully) eventually get installed. Due to the gas charge's and seal design used the shelf life should be very good but I'm still hoping everyone installs their's ASAP.

Remember please all orders from last Friday on won't get shipped for a couple weeks so please be patient till the next batch arrives...thanks again.
Rob Grady



Last day, can a guy still get the price? Take my money please.

[refugeefromcalif]

I installed my door lift pistons a bit ago. They work a Lot better than the DMC ones that were installed almost 2 years ago. :bigclap:
Todays weather was in the middle 60's so, I want to see what they do when we get back in the 20's - 40's this coming week...
Tomorrow I'll install the louver and trunk sets.

It's Great not having to push my door to the top.
Thanks Rob!

George

[PB Co]

Missed it. I really just need the door struts. Rob, I'll catch up with you later maybe at a DMA event when the weather is warmer.

[refugeefromcalif]

I installed my new hood lift pistons a few minutes ago and was suprised to see the label on my old ones.

33083

Rob, Have you worked on my car in the past? What little I know about it's past, (before Tony at DMCFlorida bought it), is that it was in the New Jersey area for a few years.

I hate to admit it but, my almost 13 year old pistons work better then the new ones. :confused:
My hood latch Does need adjusted because opening the trunk is a two handed affair.

The difference between pistons is;
Old pistons, I have to pull the trunk up a inch or so and the pistons take over. But, I have to help it the last inch or so for fully open.
New pistons, I have to open the trunk between 30°-35°. before they finish the job and fully open the trunk.

I've been Very Happy with the my doors since I installed the new pistons on them. :)
Next up is the louver pistons.

George

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Hi George,

Thank you for providing your honest opinions as I appreciate all feedback both good and less so as well.
Actually your original pistons are about 9 years old as the first build # on the label is the year built not the last as that's SOP in Europe.

I would need your VIN to see if the car was serviced here so you could PM me that if you're really interested. It could be that they were strictly a mail order customer but it would be easy to to find out.

I checked a car in the shop and it just happened to have hood pistons on it from the same supplier that are a year newer (2008) and they behave very differently! They need help all the way up and after 1/2 way if you let go they hold that postion binding slightly. Once up they stay up but are rather weak. I never really cared for that supplier but it's strange how your old ones are so different from these. Maybe you got the turbo model! Yours are doing pretty well for 8 to 9 year old pistons but maybe the southern climate has helped a bit with that.

I swapped out to my new ones and as I paid attention to when the piston takes hold on their own I must agree that you are correct but once they engage they are strong and controlled. I didn't notice this initially and can look into a revision on the opening engagement if the design allows it.

Honestly you are the first person to notice this and I'm not sure it's really an issue but I will pursue the matter with my manufacturer to see what they have to say about it. if it can be revised with no drawbacks it could be changed on the next batch. IMHO it's not really a problem...however things can always stand improving.

Using your/that criteria for gas spring happiness I think you'll be OK with the sunshade pistons as they take over after about 10" or so of travel.
BTW why drag out the install as it only takes a few minutes to swap out a set of hood or sunshade pistons? Please advise ASAP.

I really appreciate the feedback as it's the fastest way for me to incorporate improvements in the parts I have made. Please keep it coming if you want the best future products possible. I'm on a mission from who? No actually I just like making things the best they can be. Thanks again.
Rob Grady


I installed my new hood lift pistons a few minutes ago and was suprised to see the label on my old ones.

33083

Rob, Have you worked on my car in the past? What little I know about it's past, (before Tony at DMCFlorida bought it), is that it was in the New Jersey area for a few years.

I hate to admit it but, my almost 13 year old pistons work better then the new ones. :confused:
My hood latch Does need adjusted because opening the trunk is a two handed affair.

The difference between pistons is;
Old pistons, I have to pull the trunk up a inch or so and the pistons take over. But, I have to help it the last inch or so for fully open.
New pistons, I have to open the trunk between 30°-35°. before they finish the job and fully open the trunk.

I've been Very Happy with the my doors since I installed the new pistons on them. :)
Next up is the louver pistons.

George

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Ok my bad. I noticed your VIN up there and really should have looked for it before. The answer is no I've never seen your car before so they were a mail order customer. I like to ask but don't always get VINS from them unlike that certain left coast vendor back in the day.
BTW if I can get a revised set with a quicker takeup in the near future we can do a swap if it really bothers you. Just don't tell anybody ;)
Rob


Hi George,

Thank you for providing your honest opinions as I appreciate all feedback both good and less so as well.
Actually your original pistons are about 9 years old as the first build # on the label is the year built not the last as that's SOP in Europe.

I would need your VIN to see if the car was serviced here so you could PM me that if you're really interested. It could be that they were strictly a mail order customer but it would be easy to to find out.

I checked a car in the shop and it just happened to have hood pistons on it from the same supplier that are a year newer (2008) and they behave very differently! They need help all the way up and after 1/2 way if you let go they hold that postion binding slightly. Once up they stay up but are rather weak. I never really cared for that supplier but it's strange how your old ones are so different from these. Maybe you got the turbo model! Yours are doing pretty well for 8 to 9 year old pistons but maybe the southern climate has helped a bit with that.

I swapped out to my new ones and as I paid attention to when the piston takes hold on their own I must agree that you are correct but once they engage they are strong and controlled. I didn't notice this initially and can look into a revision on the opening engagement if the design allows it.

Honestly you are the first person to notice this and I'm not sure it's really an issue but I will pursue the matter with my manufacturer to see what they have to say about it. if it can be revised with no drawbacks it could be changed on the next batch. IMHO it's not really a problem...however things can always stand improving.

Using your/that criteria for gas spring happiness I think you'll be OK with the sunshade pistons as they take over after about 10" or so of travel.
BTW why drag out the install as it only takes a few minutes to swap out a set of hood or sunshade pistons? Please advise ASAP.

I really appreciate the feedback as it's the fastest way for me to incorporate improvements in the parts I have made. Please keep it coming if you want the best future products possible. I'm on a mission from who? No actually I just like making things the best they can be. Thanks again.
Rob Grady

[Justin51982]

Rob are you still doing the $100 deal you were doing recently on the lifts?

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Sorry Justin but the sale is over. The normal price is $138.95 for the set. Maybe this December I'll drop it back down to $101- for the month to celebrate our next anniversary but that's not definite at this time.
Rob

Rob are you still doing the $100 deal you were doing recently on the lifts?

[5875]

Hi Rob, finally installed the set I ordered over the winter - they are great! Both doors popped fully open without issue. Great quality struts. My one nit-pick thing is that the hood struts didn't come with new cotter pins, and the previous ones didn't fit as well with these new ones. I had to bend the old cotter pins to make them fit. Other than that, all the struts work really well!

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Thanks for the feedback. Sorry about the clevis lock pins as we normally include them but I think we ran short at that point in time so a few sets went out without them. The old ones would have been reusable if you had them but Murphy's law dictates they're only not there when you need them!
Rob


Hi Rob, finally installed the set I ordered over the winter - they are great! Both doors popped fully open without issue. Great quality struts. My one nit-pick thing is that the hood struts didn't come with new cotter pins, and the previous ones didn't fit as well with these new ones. I had to bend the old cotter pins to make them fit. Other than that, all the struts work really well!

[Gfrank]

Got my car out last weekend and installed my door struts, was quite happy, doors opened vary smooth, was about 55 out. Vary nice. Must say I was quite dissapointed this morning when I went out for the first time in colder weather (36ish) and I had to help my door up the rest of the way.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Gary,
Thank you for buying and trying my new door "gas springs" for your Delorean. Your northern (Ontario )location puts you square in the path of winter's harsh temperature fluctuations.
I've spent much time and energy on the gas charge and other parameters to make sure the door gas springs work in as wide a range of temperatures as possible. The only way to improve them further in that regard would be temperature compensation built in which is not possible given the short lenght of the Delorean piston.
You have two choices for very cold weather. You can adjust the door torsion bar for the change of seasons (the traditional fix) or you can swap our current 'summer" units out for a new "winter" version that I'll be stocking in the fall. Yes that means you will have to buy an extra set for the winter but it eliminates the hassle and risk of seasonal torsion bar adjustments.
I have thoughly tested them this last winter and am confident they'll solve the winter drop issue in temperatures down to about zero given proper torsion bar summer settings. That means you just swap one "summer" set for the other "winter" set as the temperature plummets.
I'm sorry that mother nature and physics do not cooperate in these matters but it is the best solution I can offer. Current technology just doesn't allow for perfect operation in all temperature extremes you're likely to experience in more temperate regions of the country.
Patrick Conlon did some of the winter testing for me as the temperatures creeped up in my area this spring. He created video's of our two different pistons a few months back that I declared to be "top secret" and asked him to hold back on "utubing" them but I could be persuaded to have him release the footage if there is enough interest. Otherwise you guys will have to wait till the temperatures drops and the need reappears as the next cold season approaches.
I hope that option is something you might consider if you use your car through the winter months. I will have them on my site as the fall approaches and temperatures drop. While some may consider this a ploy to sell more pistons I am just trying to avoid a big hassle for owners by eliminating the need to adjust torsion bars for the seasons. If I could control mother nature I wouldn't be tinkering with "gas springs" would I?
Rob Grady



Got my car out last weekend and installed my door struts, was quite happy, doors opened vary smooth, was about 55 out. Vary nice. Must say I was quite dissapointed this morning when I went out for the first time in colder weather (36ish) and I had to help my door up the rest of the way.

[Gfrank]

I'm not in northern Ontario, I'm just about as southern as you can get, Id hardly call that anything close to winter temperatures in any fourm unless I was from southern california. No need to explain how they work to me, I understand fully, I wasn't complaining, you asked for our opinion and you got it...

[Domi]

Just installed them, and they're really great!
A few pictures here:
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?10365-VIN-16951-from-France&p=173590#post173590

[PJ Grady Inc.]

I'm glad you like them. BTW your initial pictures show the hood and sunshade pictures mounted upside down compared to the way the factory installed them. It appears you switched them to the factory positions but then switched the sunshade pistons back to the upside down position again! I believe the piston rods should always face dowward when the piston is extended. Some people argue against it but I think the factory knew best and always mount them with the pistons facing down. I've seen pistons fail prematurly when they are mounted incorrectly.
Rob


Just installed them, and they're really great!
A few pictures here:
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?10365-VIN-16951-from-France&p=173590#post173590

[DMC5180]

Their are lots of technical documents from various manufactures that concur with Rob's statement. Rod Down

A quick search found this document that goes into all the technical aspects of a gas spring. It's a good read and easy to understand.

34671

[Domi]

Thank you for sharing this document :thumbup:

[dmruschell]

I ordered mine through DPI and received and installed them a few months ago. I have Strong Arm struts on my D and installed Grady's on my fiancee's D. I like Grady's struts better. They seem to have more force while lifting while also being more controlled throughout the lifting range, especially towards the end of the stroke when the dampening kicks in. I may try swapping them between cars to see how the slight differences in torsion bar adjustment affects each set. When my Strong Arm struts wear out, I'll be ordering another set of Grady's (if they're still around)!

[Justin51982]

I bought some from Rob several months back. The price was outstanding and the lift on everything is incredible.

Like so many others have said. I'ts a strong recommend on Grady's

[PJ Grady Inc.]

I bought some from Rob several months back. The price was outstanding and the lift on everything is incredible.

Like so many others have said. I'ts a strong recommend on Grady's

Thank you for your business and input Justin. I'd like to remind everybody that as the seasons fade and we face another long cold winter in the northern climes there is one ritual as a DIEHARD DELOREAN DRIVER you needn't have to perform this winter. No more torsion bar adjustments or sagging doors because I'm introducing a WINTER version of my current gas spring. Already tested and tweaked last winter these will be available in a few months. Garage queens need not apply. These are for the HARDCORE OWNERS WHO DRIVE IN
SUBFREEZING temperatures and want the door to OPEN FLAWLESSLY WITHOUT ADJUSTING THE TORSION BARS up and down as the temps fall and rise again. Come on you "lunatic fringe...we know you're out there"...myself included! They will be best suited for temps ranging from around 0 to 50 degrees but will have even more advanced dampening to allow for higher temps without causing damage to the ballstud mtg areas. They will be harder to open and close if used above that temp zone however. There will be an additional discount if you buy a set of our normal ("summer") pistons and the "Winter" pistons at the same time. They will be labeled "Northern Winter Use Only" to remind you to swap them out as temps rise in the spring.
Rob

[Chris 16409]

Rob will your winter struts work with "DE-torqued" torsion bars?

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Rob will your winter struts work with "DE-torqued" torsion bars?

I hate these type of questions as you're asking if I'm suggesting that you can use the "gas spring" for a purpose I did not intend. If however you are asking that in the case of a torsion bar hex being damaged so it can't be adjusted higher to the correct tension will it help the door open higher the answer is yes.

The only person who has returned a door gas spring of our latest design had bars that were apparently set too soft, or not adjustable, and he did not want to try to adjust the bar. I sent him a prototype winter version and have yet to hear back and that was a month or two ago. While it could get you out of a jamb like that it is not the intention of a "Winter" door piston. That's why I call it "Northern winter" because places down south like Florida and Texas and SOCAL etc should not need this piston in their milder winter temperature ranges either.

I would also like to add I currently have a set of "Winter" pistons on my car to see what issues summer use might cause. Other than added pressure to close I can let the door go and it won't bounce at the top with the extra damping feature that it incorporates. However where a problem could arise is if a piston were to hangup internally and this dampening feature could be temporarily bypassed. In that instance I could foresee some damage to the ballstud mount and I therefore DO NOT recommend using the "Winter" piston year round as there could be a potential for a problem. I can only allow for the limits of a properly functioning part...not a malfunctioning part being used under unintended conditions.
Used properly these gas springs will save a lot of time and wear and tear on the expensive and tricky to adjust (at times) torsion bars.
Does that answer your question Chris?
Rob

[Chris 16409]

Yes, that helps Rob. I guess I will just have to do a torsion bar adjustment. My passenger door is pretty lazy. It will only open about a quarter to a third of travel as it sits now. And that's in 90+ degree heat.

[DMC-81]

Last weekend, I installed new P.J. Grady door pistons in conjunction with getting my torsion bars adjusted. Just wanted to provide initial feedback on the product, as I chose them based on this thread. They provide strong, full lift. I really like the soft finish that prevents the door from bouncing at the top of travel.

Great product! :thumbup:

46531

[steve]

Uh Oh 1st failure I hope. Driver door installed 6 months ago, used maybe 12 open and shuts.
Strut is dead. Will contact Grady next week.

Steve

[Grover]

Uh Oh 1st failure I hope. Driver door installed 6 months ago, used maybe 12 open and shuts.
Strut is dead. Will contact Grady next week.

Steve


I need to reach out too. I got a set at our Spring Social and about 3-4 months in they don't hold the door open without assistance to the top (was working fine, started not to open all the way in July and August, so not temperature related like it would be with the season now).

[PJ Grady Inc.]

I need to reach out too. I got a set at our Spring Social and about 3-4 months in they don't hold the door open without assistance to the top (was working fine, started not to open all the way in July and August, so not temperature related like it would be with the season now).

If it's both of them that would be odd as we've sold hundreds with very few issues. Two on one car would be a first. Are you quite sure your torsion bars were not set up on the soft side from the beginning? Perhaps you should PM me so we can figure out the best way of checking the cause?
Rob

[Rich_NYS]

I unboxed my set this morning and plan to install them today.

Just want to confirm (and not rely on stare & compare,) which set goes where?

Starting at the top:

No label/part#
108209G
100592G


46977



(I'm guessing: Louvre, trunk, door.)

[Rich_NYS]

I'm guessing: Louvre, trunk, door.

Correction: by comparison it appears the longest are for the trunk.

[Chris 16409]

Yes, the longest ones are for the trunk. They use the little clips like the door struts use.

[Rich_NYS]

Yes, the longest ones are for the trunk. They use the little clips like the door struts use.

Thanks Chris... :thumbup:

[Rich_NYS]

I installed the door and trunk pistons today.

My passenger door seemed to fly up (and didn't slow down at the top,) drivers side went about 50%-75% open. I swapped sides and they both open about 75%. It almost seems like the torsion bars are out of adjustment as well as one piston being stronger than the other. This week I'm going to see how each door "hangs" without the pistons attached, then do another comparison test.

The trunk pistons take the hood after I lift it just past halfway. Near the end, it slows down but opens fully with a nice cushioned stop....I really like that part!

[DMC-81]

I installed the door and trunk pistons today.

My passenger door seemed to fly up (and didn't slow down at the top,) drivers side went about 50%-75% open. I swapped sides and they both open about 75%. It almost seems like the torsion bars are out of adjustment as well as one piston being stronger than the other. This week I'm going to see how each door "hangs" without the pistons attached, then do another comparison test.

The trunk pistons take the hood after I lift it just past halfway. Near the end, it slows down but opens fully with a nice cushioned stop....I really like that part!

Yeah, at first installation my door pistons didn't work like they are described, so I immediately took them off and waited until I could get my torsion bars checked and adjusted, as I knew one of them was off. Then I reinstalled the pistons and they worked flawlessly.

[Rich_NYS]

I took the door pistons off to see how the doors hang without assist; they don't stay open at all, both doors rest on the striker pins. The passenger door has a bit more tension on it but not enough to lift it off the pin.

I swapped the lift pistons with the old ones and will reinstall the new ones after a torsion bar adjustment.

[rtcraver]

We've shipped a decent amount of our new lift piston kits and was hoping to get feedback from owners to see if we got it right. I'd like to know what you think of the opening rate (time to open), charge rate (too strong, too weak, just right), appearance and any observations you'd care to offer.
While the door piston's are the main concern because ot the variables involved I'm also looking for feedback on the hood & sunshade pistons too.
Rob Grady

Got them from you over a month ago and they act like the car was Brand new... Good Stuff... :-)


Tod Craver

[rtcraver]

I want to buy a set of lift pistons but, your web site wants me to create an account just to pay with PayPal.
The reason I use PayPal is to pay for an item with out having to do this.
I.E., my contact information and desired shipping location is already stored with them.
Sorry, no sale.

George

George,

Call Rob, he will work with you. You don't need to do orders on the internet only... Good vibes from Rob and Jessica....

Tod Craver

[PJ Grady Inc.]

George,

Call Rob, he will work with you. You don't need to do orders on the internet only... Good vibes from Rob and Jessica....

Tod Craver

Thank you Tod. I hadn't checked this thread recently as it had seemed dormant and just spotted this now. Doh! I'm trying to stay in the shop more too. Jessica and myself appreciate your comments and the feedback. Keep the thread alive!!!

Hey George I'm sorry but our site doesn't always work as intended and we may be switching providers soon to hopefully have fewer gitches. We have sent you parts before and you can always call (800)350-7429 to report a glitch or to order it direct.
It's a shame because I think you would have really liked our gas springs better than whatever you're using now.

[Bill6298]

Hi Rob,

I have a set of your door pistons that probably go back to the late 1990s. No complaints at all and they lasted a very long time. Are the replacements similar or improved somehow? It never occurred to me (until reading this thread) that they were not all the same.

At this point I need to replace all three sets although I have a backup set for the engine compartment from Pittman DeLorean, which I imagine are very old as well, if they are even good anymore. Last time I worked on the car it was a pain propping everything up.

Thanks

Bill

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Hi Rob,

I have a set of your door struts that probably go back to the late 1990s. No complaints at all and they lasted a very long time. Are the replacements similar or improved somehow? It never occurred to me (until reading this thread) that they were not all the same.

At this point I need to replace all three sets although I have a backup set for the engine compartment from Pittman DeLorean, which I imagine are very old as well, if they are even good anymore. Last time I worked on the car it was a pain propping everything up.

Thanks

Bill

They will be shot from sitting all those years Bill. Most "Gas Springs" as the mftr calls them leak out at the rate of 5% a year but ours have a double lip seal so should do better than the average. I visited my manufacturer for a tour three years ago and they supplied me with numerous prototypes built to my specified charge and dampening ranges and incorporated a then new dampening feature which slows the speed at the top of the travel. I determined the best setup for each of the three gas spring types needed for the Delorean using these different prototype settings. It's all contained in the first part of this long thread if you want more info and we've sold many hundred's of these units with many happy customers. I even have door pistons designed to let you just swap from a summer to a winter piston to avoid seasonal T. B. adjustments in colder climates for those who use the cars year round.

[refugeefromcalif]

.
Hey George I'm sorry but our site doesn't always work as intended and we may be switching providers soon to hopefully have fewer gitches. We have sent you parts before and you can always call (800)350-7429 to report a glitch or to order it direct.
It's a shame because I think you would have really liked our gas springs better than whatever you're using now.

Hey Rob. I did end up buying my set of lift pistons from you, (I had to call instead of using the website), when you had the introductory special. I Love them.

George

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Hey Rob. I did end up buying my set of lift pistons from you, (I had to call instead of using the website), when you had the introductory special. I Love them.

George

Wow....Tod reached back a long way for that quote huh! Now I remember seeing that and reaching out to you. Or was it visa versa it's all a blur. Way to go Tod...leave no stone unturned my man!
Rob