New door struts - black and stainless - Anyone interested?

[Tomcio]

Hello everyone,
I have come across a company that manufactures high performance and high quality gas struts. I am talking with them about the possibility of manufacturing a small batch of new door struts for us. The details are:
The strut will be the same length both collapsed and extended as the original Stabilus struts. They will have full dampening at the end of stroke to prevent door bounce. They will have the same force as original struts - no sagging doors. They have temperature compensation built in which means that cold weather should not affect the force as much as it does in the case of regular gas struts. This doesn't mean that it will maintain the same opening force in extremely cold weather but the effect should be minimized. They come with full 2 year replacement warranty against defects in manufacturing and materials.
We can have the struts in two flavors:
1. Powder coated black cylinder with black nitrate coated piston.
2. Brushed 304 stainless cylinder with chrome coated piston.

If we can get enough people interested the prices will be:
For black/black gas struts: $30 each or $50 for a set of two with free shipping
For 304/chrome gas struts: $80 each or $150 for a set of two with free shipping

Please let me know if this idea is worth pursuing. In my opinion the price is very good and the full 2 year replacement warranty is a very good insurance.

Anyone interested?

[Domi]

I will be interested by the Brushed 304 stainless cylinder with chrome coated piston.
I think it could match the stainless body perfectly.
Do you have a picture of what they already done?

[Tomcio]

I will be interested by the Brushed 304 stainless cylinder with chrome coated piston.
I think it could match the stainless body perfectly.
Do you have a picture of what they already done?

No pictures yet. I will be receiving a set of their struts for testing soon but it will be the regular black set. For the stainless one I would have to pay for the setup which is a bit expensive if you order just one set. They're willing to manufacture one black set a lot cheaper. I've seen the struts they make and they look very nice. The stainless ones look just like body of our cars but finer. When placing an order I can specify how fine the finish will be. I can tell them to use 60 grit sandpaper equivalent to match the DeLorean.
I will post pictures as soon as I receive the first set. If my tests confirm their quality and fit we can go ahead with the order. I just need as many orders as possible to get a lower price. The prices quoted above are for 30 sets.

[Domi]

Ok thanks, let's hope to be able to reach the 30

[Flicky]

The stainless ones sound good to me. How long will it take to get them made?

[SIMid]

I'll be interested in a black pair.

But shipping to Australia, will extra shipping charges be needed?

[ccurzio]

Count me in for a black set.

[refugeefromcalif]

I they work better then the I last ones I got from DMCF, I might be interested in a stainless pair.

George

[Tomcio]

I will answer the above questions in this post.


The stainless ones sound good to me. How long will it take to get them made?
Black on black require about 4 weeks lead time.
Stainless on chrome require about 8 weeks lead time.

The first set ordered for testing should arrive in about two weeks. I will need a good few days to test them thoroughly to make sure everything is as it should.
Realistically I would say that we're looking at about two months for black and three months for stainless.


I'll be interested in a black pair.

But shipping to Australia, will extra shipping charges be needed?
NO! Shipping is free regardless of where you live. I feel that this is fair for everyone. I don't discriminate anyone... it doesn't matter where you live and how far away it is from me. :)



I they work better then the I last ones I got from DMCF, I might be interested in a stainless pair.

George
George, I can't say anything about any struts available now and so I will not be able to compare them to anything else but Stabilus. These I know and I know how they perform. With properly set torsion bars the doors should glide all the way to the top on their own then slow down just before fully open. There might be one slight bounce at the top as the strut reaches the end of its travel. The door can't pull your arm off when you try to close it and it can't bounce at the top shaking the whole car and ripping the door off it's hinges. It needs to work right and I will not place my order unless I know they are perfect. Some of you might know that I'm a perfectionist and anything less than perfect is not acceptable. I will really make sure the struts are really good. I'd rather post saying that I'm sorry but it didn't work out than offer something of poor quality. With my 6 DeLoreans testing the struts will be easy. I have 12 DeLorean doors in different conditions with different torsion bars... I'd say I have the means to test them out. Since this is a manufacturer I'm talking with they will be able to adjust and change the parameters until we get them as close to perfect as possible. Fair enough?

[dustybarn]

I would be in for a black pair.

[Hokie]

I would be in for a black pair.

+1

[Tillsy]

+1

I'd be in for two pairs of the stainless...

[Bitsyncmaster]

I would be in for a black set. I have Special-T ones now that are still working but they are getting weak in the winter months. I would never buy another set for the doors that are not dampened at the end.

[jwrayth]

I'd be down for a black pair. My passenger side one is sagging, so might as well replace both at the same time :)

[Tomcio]

I'm happy to say that I have received over 20 pre-orders between here and the DML. This is enough for me to go ahead with the project.
As before I do NOT require any deposits. I will let everyone know when the struts become available and once all the pre-orders are fulfilled I will make the rest available on my website.

I should receive the first test set in about two weeks. Expect an update at that time with pictures and details of my review. If everything is ok I will be placing an order with the manufacturer at that time.

Thank you for the great response everyone!

[DrJeff]

I'll go for a black set. It would be nice too if they could keep the sticker small or make it removable with damaging the finish.

[hmcelraft]

I will commit to a pair of the black struts.

H McElraft

[Mark D]

In for a set of black.

The last pair I installed only lasted about 2 years before the doors started sagging.

[Spittybug]

+1 Black.

[tc connors]

put me down for one set of the stainless

[Chris 16409]

I'll take a pair of the black struts.

[Tomcio]

OK. I have to admit that I didn't expect the response to be so great. I'm glad! I was afraid I'm going to have a hard time getting 20 orders but it seems we can easily reach 30! Yeah!
For now we just have to wait. I will post again as soon as I receive the first test set which should be within two weeks. I will post lots of pictures and comments... stand by...


I'll go for a black set. It would be nice too if they could keep the sticker small or make it removable with damaging the finish.
I asked them not to put any stickers on the struts. I will have to include something that will tell you where the struts come from and a serial number for warranty purpose. I'll make sure the lettering is small and only on one side of the strut so you'll be able to install it so it's not visible.



In for a set of black.

The last pair I installed only lasted about 2 years before the doors started sagging.
Mark, I will not be able to tell you how long these struts will last unless you'd like to wait two to three years while I do the testing. Seriously though, the struts come with two year warranty so we should be covered. Even if they loose their strength over time I don't really mind replacing them every three years or so... at this price I can live with it. No gas strut will last forever.

[stevie67cars]

I'd take a black set please....

Stephen
#10213

[cis6409]

Hi
Yes ill take a black pair to please
Thanks
Shane

[mluder]

Is it too late to get in on the action?
If not, I'm in for a black set.

Cheers
Steven

[MML]

Black for me too! :smile:

[Tomcio]

Is it too late to get in on the action?

It's not too late. Actually it's going to be a while before I'm ready to start shipping them out.
I have ordered a test set recently and was told it will take about two weeks to have those made and delivered to me. After a few days of testing (if everything works out good) I will place an order. The lead time at the manufacturer is 4 weeks.
There's plenty of time to save up for a set of new door struts ;)

[aipri]

I would interested in a set of stainless!

[NightFlyer]

Put me down for a set of the black if everything tests out good on the prototypes!

[Tomcio]

I have received a few questions from people interested in getting the new gas struts. I have forwarded those questions to the manufacturer and here’s what they say:

Q: What is the shelf life of those gas struts?
A: We do not recommend storing the gas struts for any extended periods of time. Maximum recommended storage time is 6 months. During this time the piston should be moved through it’s entire travel at least once per month to keep the internal parts lubricated. There should be no loss in pressure during this time.

Q: How should the struts be stored?
A: Gas struts can be stored in a cool and dry place. Extreme temperatures should be avoided. Position of the strut has no effect on it’s longevity as long as it is cycled every once in a while.

Q: What is the expected life of a door gas strut?
A: Every gas strut is guaranteed for 30,000 cycles and two years. This is a normal expected life span and at that time the strut is considered to have reached it’s end-of-life and should be replaced. YMMV, but this is the normal life cycle.

Q: Does it matter if the strut is mounted horizontally when the door is closed?
A: Horizontal rest position has no effect on the longevity of the gas strut. Every time the strut is used all internal components get lubricated. It is thus recommended the struts are used even when stored.

Q: Can the service life be extended?
A: A special double seal can be ordered but total stroke will be shortened.
I can try and design a new strut with double seals to make them last longer. Keep in mind that the door will not go up all the way. I don’t know by how much though. I’ll find out some more details when I receive the first test set.

There was another question from someone interested in the stainless struts about having them clear coated to prevent fingerprints. The answer to that question is:
We can apply clear powder coating to stainless gas struts for a small fee. The total cost depends on the number of struts ordered and will be calculated at the time of order.

I hope this answers your questions. If there’s anything else you’d like to ask please feel free to do so. I recommend posting all questions to the list/forum so everyone sees my replies.

Thank you

[DeloreanJoshQ]

Put me down for a set of the black if everything tests out good on the prototypes!

+1

[Lukas]

I would like a black set please - at least one. Possibly two, I have to check with another owner nearby who's not on the forums

[acaciolo]

stainless set for me please.

[mburshtain]

I would be in for a black set. thank you.

[Kane]

I would take a couple of big, black studs...

Wait, I mean struts...

[Tomcio]

I would take a couple of big, black studs...

Wait, I mean struts...

OK guys. I'm still waiting for the test sets to arrive but I have made a pre-order list and I've got all the names of those interested. I will be posting any updates in this thread and on the DML. I will also make a new section on my website that will be dedicated to the gas struts.
I have ordered two black and one stainless sets to make sure everything is good. I will post pictures as soon as the package arrives.
If everything works out and the company delivers on their promise in terms of quality I will be offering a complete set of six gas struts for the hood, door and louvers.

Kane... I don't think I can help you big, black studs. That's beyond my capabilities :biggrin:
For struts, I got your name on my pre-order list.

Thanks

[Domi]

Sounds good, I guess you've reached more than 30 people needed :thumbup:

[Tomcio]

Sounds good, I guess you've reached more than 30 people needed :thumbup:

Yep, no problem with the number of orders. I just hope the company is going to deliver the quality. They promise that their product is the highest quality in the world but every manufacturer says the same thing... they all make absolutely the best products and it's always the "others" that make all that crap we see.
That is why I decided to order the first few sets to run some tests. I'm going to put them through the paces to make sure they are really good.
Ordering just three sets is very expensive as you have to pay for the tooling but will give me a chance to verify the quality. The tooling for the final production is even more expensive but it is divided by the number of struts produced...
I will let you all know as soon as I receive the first sets which should be pretty soon.

[Tomcio]

Hello everyone,

I have news for you. Good news, great news and not-so-good news. I'm going to reveal them in that order.

Good news:
The first test struts have arrived and I'm through some initial testing.

Great news:
The struts look great and they perform wonderfully! They are strong and lift the door effortlessly. The door moves 3/4 of the way up and then slows down to reach full open position gently. There's very little bounce at the top and I mean very little. I am very happy with their performance. The door works like I can imagine they were designed to work from the factory.

The not so good news:
The price I have given in my first post was really great but unfortunately a little too great. I'm sorry about that. I guess I'm better at engineering solutions than negotiations.
Black strut is going to be $35
Stainless strut is going to be $85

Here are some pictures I just took

Black strut:
There are some differences from the final production version.
1. The ends will be black to match the rest of the strut. The silver ends are just on the test struts.
2. The little indentations visible in the second picture will be replaced by a even pressed line all the way around the tube. This indentation is a stop for the piston and in my opinion looks much better as a continues line.
268722687326874268752687626877


Stainless steel strut:
This is how those struts are normally made. To avoid the long wait and a very high price of a single stainless strut I asked for an example piece. The strut in the pictures below is not the same dimensions as our door struts, just an example of what it will look like. I'm still talking with the manufacturer about the brushed finish to make sure we get it as close to the look of the external panels as possible.
26878268792688026881

I will be placing an order soon. If you would like me to remove your name from my list of pre-orders because of the price change please do let me know. I don't want to order too many struts. I'm not making enough on them to keep them in stock.
The lead time at the factory is about one month from the time I place the order. For stainless struts the lead time will be about 6 to 8 weeks but I'm still working on the brushed finish.

The struts will have small markings (serial number and my name ;) ) that will only be visible when the strut is not mounted on the car. When mounted the markings will be on the bottom and not visible.

[NightFlyer]

Sounds good to me - I'm still in for a black set.

[n29we]

I'll take a set of black struts Thanks for doing all this great work!!

[Roadster]

I would be interested in a black pair, just about needing to replace mine anyway.

[hmcelraft]

I'm still in for a pair but, does $35 each mean $70 for the pair? It might make a difference to some.

H McElraft

[Tomcio]

I'm still in for a pair but, does $35 each mean $70 for the pair? It might make a difference to some.

H McElraft

Unfortunately the answer is YES. But the free worldwide shipping is still included in this price.
As I've said in my previous post I guess I'm not that good at negotiations. I was talking with the company about the order and at first in their preliminary pricing quote they gave me a better price for sets instead of 1-by-1 orders. Now that they sent me the test struts they have included an official quote (which is good for 14 days only) with prices for each strut and no deals on sets. I have called them right away and was told that the first quote was just a rough estimate. This is the actual current price guaranteed for two weeks. They said that this is the lowest price they can offer. The difference was cased by the high force (1200N or 270 lbs) that requires stronger seals and different materials which they didn't take into account in their preliminary pricing.
If the price increase makes someone change their mind it's perfectly fine. I'm just making a list of people willing to buy a set but with no obligation at all. I just ask that they do let me know so I do not order too many struts.

Thanks

[Domi]

Thank you for the review and pictures.
I'm still OK for a pair of stainless.

[acaciolo]

stainless for me too

[Starglider]

I'd like to confirm order of a pair of stainless door struts.

[dmc6960]

I would like to add myself as interested in a set of black struts.

[Mark D]

Still in for a set of black struts. Thanks for putting in the work to have these made. I'm really interested to see how they perform compared to the other options that are currently available.

[tc connors]

stainless

[dustybarn]

Definitely still in for a black pair.

[refugeefromcalif]

I'm still in for a stainless pair. :cool1:

George

[Tomcio]

I have just uploaded a video to YouTube for everyone to see the performance of the new door struts.
Please don't pay attention to the quality of the video itself of the state my car is in... it's a work in progress and I'm going from the ground up.
Here's a picture of my engine bay to offset the poor shape of the interior:
26898

In the video you can see that the car in not in the best shape but the door works great and the strut couldn't be any better.
Please note the length of the strut when I close the door. There is plenty of room till the strut bottoms out. I mention this because I'm aware of some struts that were too long and caused damage to the mounting studs.
Notice how the door slows down before reaching the top and then stops gently.
At the end of the video you can see a large silver label with my name on it. This label is only on the test struts and will NOT be on the production version.

Enjoy and leave your comments below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bMSyO32JUI

It is extremely difficult to shoot a good video when the car is 3 feet off the ground, you're standing on a chair and hold your phone/camera in one hand while trying to open and close the door with your other hand ;) FUN!

[NightFlyer]

Thanks for the video :thumbup:

[Mark D]

The video of the struts looks great... opens quickly but slows to a stop with damping and no bounce

[Bitsyncmaster]

What was the air temp when you did that video? I still plan to get a set of your new struts. I have John's slow lift struts which work like those but I think they are getting a little weak with age.

[Tomcio]

What was the air temp when you did that video? [...]

The temperature at my shop at the time this video was shot was 15C or 59F. The strut was mounted on the car over 24 hours earlier.
Thanks.

[Domi]

Thank you for taking the time to make a video :thumbup2:

[jjdaily]

I would be in for a black pair.

[mluder]

I have just uploaded a video to YouTube for everyone to see the performance of the new door struts.
In the video you can see that the car in not in the best shape but the door works great and the strut couldn't be any better.
Notice how the door slows down before reaching the top and then stops gently.


Just out of curiosity, because your car is under rehab, how much is still in/on the door? In other words are the interior panels on? What about the glass and latch/lock mechanisms? All of these add weight to the door and will make a difference in the final performance of the strut. I'm not saying they won't still work but just want to get all the info out there.

Cheers
Steven

[Tomcio]

Just out of curiosity, because your car is under rehab, how much is still in/on the door? In other words are the interior panels on? What about the glass and latch/lock mechanisms?

It wouldn't make any sense to test a gas strut on a door that is not complete. It would make even less sense to make a video showing the performance of strut with anything else than normal operating condition.

I'm working on the frame and I have not touched the doors. The only interior components that are missing are the seats, floor carpets and rear shelf carpeting. All that carpeting and foam stinks so bad that I had to remove it from the car. It's a very unusual smell of... hmm... I don't know really. Disintegrating foam maybe. It's not an "organic" smell and not old car dusty smell. It's technical, synthetic and just nasty.

The door is 100% complete with all internals, glass, locks and everything else. I did not remove any parts from the door. The mirrors are still there, the pull handles and even the pull straps. You can hear the latches close in my video. They work just fine but the striker pins need to be adjusted slightly.

[mluder]

It wouldn't make any sense to test a gas strut on a door that is not complete. It would make even less sense to make a video showing the performance of strut with anything else than normal operating condition.


I meant no offense... Some people may not realize how much weight these parts - even something as simple as just the upper door card - can add to the delicate balance that results in either a door that opens fully or sags.

Cheers
Steven

[Tomcio]

I meant no offense... Some people may not realize how much weight these parts - even something as simple as just the upper door card - can add to the delicate balance that results in either a door that opens fully or sags.

Non taken! Don't worry. I'm sorry if I made it look otherwise.
I was just stating the obvious that it wouldn't make any sense ;) Really!

In one of my previous posts I've said that I have more than one car that I can test the struts on. Everything from poorly adjusted door to pretty much completely disassembled door. My main test was done on my car, the 6149 where I know the door works good and is stock with everything on it. But, the dampening is so effective that even the door with all interior components missing doesn't bounce at the top. It slows down and just stops at the top.

BTW, the order went in on Tuesday and I'm currently waiting for an official bill from the factory. Once I receive that I will make the payment.
The lead time at the factory is 3-4 weeks. I'm sorry to say this but I don't think anyone will actually receive the new struts before the DCS.

[Tomcio]

Hello everyone,
I've visited my laser engraver yesterday and just for fun slipped the stainless gas spring under the "gun" to see what it would look like.
Here's the result:
27045
27046

In my opinion it looks very nice and so if anyone is still obsessed with the logo I will be able to have it engraved on the struts. For black struts the laser engraving has a different color. It will be gray with a slight brownish tint.
Logo or no-logo will be an option just like in the case of the mirrors.

Thanks

[Domi]

Wow, it looks awesome with the DMC logo :)

[acaciolo]

the logo looks awesome!

[Tillsy]

Oops I just drooled on myself... ;)

[Starglider]

Neat idea with the engraving, you are like Ed Uding, logo crazy :)

[Fluxat88MPH]

Put me down for a set of the stainless with the logo.

[Tomcio]

I've got some news for everyone waiting for the new door struts. Actually, the manufacturer refers to them as "gas springs" and they correct me every time I call them something else ;) Details...

I have received an ETA and according to them the shipment should arrive first week of June. I will then need a couple of days for packaging and after that they'll be ready to go out. I already got a whole bunch of cardboard tubes and some bubble wrap. I want to get them on their way ASAP.

There's only one problem guys... The manufacturer is letting me have less units that I have ordered. They are saying that the manufacturing costs have changed and they want to renegotiate the deal now... again.
I will not have enough units for all that were interested. I'm talking with them about this price change but it seems that the final price will be higher. All those that have emailed me will receive them at the current price of $35 each ($70 a set of two) but all orders from now on will have a different price.
Once I'm ready to start taking payments I will email those who emailed me first. The remaining orders will have to wait for the second batch.

The stainless gas springs will be available a bit later. We are still working on getting the correct brushed finish. At this time I'm waiting for my first set to see the finish in person on an actual product. The deal is the same here as with the black ones. All who emailed me will receive their sets at the current price. All future orders will have a new price.

Will post an update when new information becomes available.

[Bitsyncmaster]

I did not email you but said I wanted a set of black on this thread. Does that count?

[refugeefromcalif]

I did not email you but said I wanted a set of black on this thread. Does that count?

+1!
I posted on this thread about wanting a Stainless pair. (I understand about the waiting time).

Should I have Emailed you for it too count?

George

[MML]

I did not email you but said I wanted a set of black on this thread. Does that count?

Curious about this too...

[Tomcio]

I'm sorry guys, I guess I didn't make myself clear as I made this as a cross post from the DML. Posting here counts as emailing me. I got all the names from all posts in this thread.
I will be sending PMs once I'm ready to start taking orders.

Thanks

[acaciolo]

great!

[Tillsy]

If it helps free one pair up for someone, I'll only be needing one pair not two pair due to the advise about storage not being good for them.

[Tomcio]

Hello everyone,
There isn't much more info available but I just want to keep you updated and let you know that the project is still on.
The factory has run into some serious delays and all I can do is wait. I'm in constant contact with their representative and the current ETA is at the end of this month.
I will post again when anything changes.

Sorry for the delay guys. This is the exact reason why I never ask for any payments or deposits before the product is actually available for immediate shipping. Delays always happen... just a fact of life.

[Tomcio]

Hello everyone,

I have some news... Unfortunately I have bad news... I'm really sorry to say this as this is a great disappointment but the door strut deal did not work out. This company has taken me for a ride. After all this trouble, a price increase, then another price increase, then a long delay they sent me some crap made overseas. At this time I should be taking orders in and sending great struts all over the world. Instead I'm trying to get my money back.

At this time I'm talking with other European manufacturers because I don't like to give up just like that. I will do my best to find a reliable manufacturer that will be able to supply quality gas struts for our cars. As before I do not take any money up front because I can only be sure of things that I do. People are sometimes unreliable and that is just a fact of life.

I will keep working on this quietly and I will post when have new struts in my hand. At this time I don't know how long that will take...

I'm really sorry it didn't work out.

[NightFlyer]

Hello everyone,

I have some news... Unfortunately I have bad news... I'm really sorry to say this as this is a great disappointment but the door strut deal did not work out. This company has taken me for a ride. After all this trouble, a price increase, then another price increase, then a long delay they sent me some crap made overseas. At this time I should be taking orders in and sending great struts all over the world. Instead I'm trying to get my money back.

At this time I'm talking with other European manufacturers because I don't like to give up just like that. I will do my best to find a reliable manufacturer that will be able to supply quality gas struts for our cars. As before I do not take any money up front because I can only be sure of things that I do. People are sometimes unreliable and that is just a fact of life.

I will keep working on this quietly and I will post when have new struts in my hand. At this time I don't know how long that will take...

I'm really sorry it didn't work out.

Sorry to hear Tom, but don't worry about any of us - it happens.

I just hope that you get your money back from the assholes!

[acaciolo]

no worries. thanks for making sure quality is good. How much are they sticking you for?

[SIMid]

Not to worry, thanks for trying! :)

[Tomcio]

no worries. thanks for making sure quality is good. How much are they sticking you for?

Thanks all all your support guys. Like I said, I'm not giving up! I see that there is a need for the struts and I'm working hard on getting another "real" manufacturer to make it happen for real.
This company owes me just over 2000 Euro which equals to just under $2800. The first order was for 100 units.
I made it pretty clear that I will not let them get away with it and they're telling me that they just need to prepare their paperwork and they will send the refund next week. The problem is that they are only willing to refund 50% of the initial price. We'll see what happens.
As for the struts... For some reason they don't want them back. I guess I might offer them as a budget solution to droopy doors. Maybe that way I'll get the other half of my money back. What do you guys think about this?
I have a couple of quotes from other European manufacturers and I'm still awaiting a few more. One German manufacturer (no, it's not Stabilus) is quoting me $45 each with an order of 500 units. Another German manufacturer has given me a quote of €33.50 ($45.60) each with minimum order of 100 units BUT the strut would be 425mm long while ours are 365mm. I don't get it... I ask them for 365 and they send me a quote for 425. That's 60mm (2 and 1/3 inch) longer! Interesting approach to "tolerance"...

[dmc6960]

Hrmph.

So, you received your order, but they were made in china. What else specifically makes them low quality? Are they completely different from your initial example sets? Do they still function as required? Curious.

[Tomcio]

Hrmph.

So, you received your order, but they were made in china. What else specifically makes them low quality? Are they completely different from your initial example sets? Do they still function as required? Curious.

Jim, I did receive my order, but I don't think they were made in China. I received a quality control sheet in one of the boxes which I believe was supposed to be removed before the box was sent to me. There are no Chinese characters on it and the names are not Chinese either. India maybe... I don't know.
The production struts do not function as required. They are similar in appearance to the example sets but do look a bit cheaper. The real problem is the damping function. It would be difficult to find two that work the same. In some cases there is no damping and the strut hits it's limit with such force that it's scary. Others are too slow with a few that are extremely slow. I found one where the initial travel would take just 1.5 seconds and then it would slow down so much that it took another 40 seconds to reach the end of the travel. If I was to offer them I would choose the ones that are good and I would discard the ones that have no damping or are too fast or too slow.
Their force is mostly good at around 1200N but I did find one with just 1090N. The allowed tolerance is + or - 30N.

The initial example units were perfect. They all worked exactly as they should with perfect force, perfect speed and perfect damping. Unfortunately I don't know who made them. It wasn't this manufacturer.

[BABIS]

Jim, I did receive my order, but I don't think they were made in China. I received a quality control sheet in one of the boxes which I believe was supposed to be removed before the box was sent to me. There are no Chinese characters on it and the names are not Chinese either. India maybe... I don't know.
The production struts do not function as required. They are similar in appearance to the example sets but do look a bit cheaper. The real problem is the damping function. It would be difficult to find two that work the same. In some cases there is no damping and the strut hits it's limit with such force that it's scary. Others are too slow with a few that are extremely slow. I found one where the initial travel would take just 1.5 seconds and then it would slow down so much that it took another 40 seconds to reach the end of the travel. If I was to offer them I would choose the ones that are good and I would discard the ones that have no damping or are too fast or too slow.
Their force is mostly good at around 1200N but I did find one with just 1090N. The allowed tolerance is + or - 30N.

The initial example units were perfect. They all worked exactly as they should with perfect force, perfect speed and perfect damping. Unfortunately I don't know who made them. It wasn't this manufacturer.

not professional at all! I really hate when manufacturers do this kind of things..

[Chris 16409]

Sounds like they outsourced the project/order to some other firm. Maybe they realized they would loose too much money if they produced the struts themselves.

[Tomcio]

Sounds like they outsourced the project/order to some other firm. Maybe they realized they would loose too much money if they produced the struts themselves.

Well, maybe. Who knows. This is a real manufacturer and they do make struts. The price increase they were trying to force on me twice seems to confirm your idea. They made the first test units themselves but then realized that the price they quoted me was too low. So, they just had them made in some other country. Believe me, the writing on the test sheet is in some strange language I don't even know.

Anyway... the quest is on to find a real manufacturer that will be able to produce high quality gas struts at a reasonable price. So far the quotes I get are around €40 - €50 per unit. That's pretty expensive as it equals to $55 - $68. That's my price, before taxes and shipping. So, the search is on.

There is one interesting offer... A local manufacturer that offers some interesting technical improvements. One of them is a special type of piston that doesn't use hydraulic damping. Instead the piston dampens the movement by some other means, don't know how, yet. The advantage is that the strut can be mounted in any orientation (piston rod up or down or sideways). There are no seals to dry out which sounds really nice. They are working on a quote for me and I should have the details this coming week.

Stay tuned...

Here's a quote from a great movie (can you guess what movie that is?):
Never give up, never surrender!

[NightFlyer]

Here's a quote from a great movie (can you guess what movie that is?):
Never give up, never surrender!

Too easy :smile:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBk6EI4c7p0

[Tomcio]

Too easy :smile:

Spot on! ;)

[Starglider]

I have some news... Unfortunately I have bad news... I'm really sorry to say this as this is a great disappointment but the door strut deal did not work out. This company has taken me for a ride. After all this trouble, a price increase, then another price increase, then a long delay they sent me some crap made overseas. At this time I should be taking orders in and sending great struts all over the world. Instead I'm trying to get my money back.

Sorry to hear that, hope you manage to find another supplier. Is the LED marker lights project still going, I remember you ran into supplier problems there as well?

[Tomcio]

Sorry to hear that, hope you manage to find another supplier. Is the LED marker lights project still going, I remember you ran into supplier problems there as well?

As a matter of fact I did find more than one supplier. Three confirmed and one still working on the drawings.
I have already received a first test set. This set is all black and we got all the dimensions confirmed. We also got the required force confirmed to be correct. The second stage is to get the correct speed and damping so the door doesn't shoot up and bounce at the top and doesn't take weeks to open fully. Things are a bit slow as this is the middle of the summer and it's the middle of vacation season. If all goes well I should have at least three versions of the door struts - all black, OEM colors, brushed/polished stainless. This time I'm talking with some serious people and well known brands. All four manufacturers supply major car manufacturers in Europe.

The LED project is still on but it's currently on hold. The problem I had with that was not the supplier but the product itself. I got a bad batch of LEDs but the supplier refunded the full purchase price. I got some high quality name brand LEDs from another supplier and I just have to find the time to get back to it. The door lights and side marker lights are coming... I'm still here... :)

[Tomcio]

Hi everyone!

My quest for finding a reliable manufacturer is continuing... I have narrowed down the field to four companies from three countries. One of those manufacturers is Stabilus, the OEM for the DeLorean factory. It wasn't easy to get Stabilus on board because... now, get this... bad experience with a DeLorean parts supplier a few years ago. For obvious reasons they will not give me any details but word is that Stabilus lost a lot of money on that deal and decided not to produce any parts for the DeLorean in the future. So, when I gave them the original part number for the door strut I received a very quick answer "This part number will not be produced EVER". I got them to assign a new part number and convinced them that this is a different project and different people involved. The struts can be produced but only if I do not sell them to some certain people. This will be a gentleman agreement with no signatures but I will most definitely stick with it.
At this time I have received technical drawings for the new struts along with the new part number and all technical details like force, speed, damping, etc. I have also received a quote and the prices are fairly high in my opinion. For a large quantity order the price will be €66 each. That's $88 US or $176 for a set of 2 plus shipping. What do you guys think?

The other three manufacturers offer better, lower prices. I have received samples from one of them. They look nice...
29857

With those manufacturers I will be able to keep the prices I've posted before. $35 each for those who are on my pre-order list and $45 each for all new orders with free shipping. In other words, Stabilus is twice the price.
The remaining two manufacturers are working on test samples and I should be receiving them soon. I will post as soon as I have some info...

Warranty information is pretty much the same for all four manufacturers - 2 years or 30.000 cycles whichever comes first. The strut needs to be mounted with piston rod down and operated at least a few times a month when not in use.

The question for now is: Is anyone interested in getting Stabilus struts at about $185 - $190 per set (shipping included)?

[Bitsyncmaster]

At twice the price would they last twice as long? If so then that may be acceptable but how would we ever know without years of testing. My "soft lift" struts are getting a little weak after 3 or 4 years. Interesting they want them to be used a few times a month. I guess it keeps the seals oiled.

[Domi]

I was interested by the chrome version, but now i think they will only be available in black, and at that price, I don't think I would be able to buy them, sorry.
I'd rather keep the money for the Led side marker next time.

[Tomcio]

At twice the price would they last twice as long? If so then that may be acceptable but how would we ever know without years of testing. My "soft lift" struts are getting a little weak after 3 or 4 years. Interesting they want them to be used a few times a month. I guess it keeps the seals oiled.
You're right, it's impossible to know and so that's why I quoted the warranty terms which are pretty much the same for all manufacturers - 2 years or 30.000 cycles.
Honestly, I do believe that they will last longer but I doubt it will be twice as long.

Yes, the conditions for storage say that the strut needs to be operated to keep the seals lubricated. You are right.


I was interested by the chrome version, but now i think they will only be available in black, and at that price, I don't think I would be able to buy them, sorry.
I'd rather keep the money for the Led side marker next time.

I'm not sure what you mean by chrome version. The most common type is all black but I'm also working on a OEM colored version where the piston rod is chrome.
Looking at my pre-order list I got your name down for a set of stainless struts and those will be available a bit later on. They will be available!

[Domi]

Yes, you're right, my mistake, Stainless not chrome.
All right, keep us in touch.
Thanks!

[NightFlyer]

Hi everyone!

My quest for finding a reliable manufacturer is continuing... I have narrowed down the field to four companies from three countries. One of those manufacturers is Stabilus, the OEM for the DeLorean factory. It wasn't easy to get Stabilus on board because... now, get this... bad experience with a DeLorean parts supplier a few years ago. For obvious reasons they will not give me any details but word is that Stabilus lost a lot of money on that deal and decided not to produce any parts for the DeLorean in the future. So, when I gave them the original part number for the door strut I received a very quick answer "This part number will not be produced EVER". I got them to assign a new part number and convinced them that this is a different project and different people involved. The struts can be produced but only if I do not sell them to some certain people. This will be a gentleman agreement with no signatures but I will most definitely stick with it.
At this time I have received technical drawings for the new struts along with the new part number and all technical details like force, speed, damping, etc. I have also received a quote and the prices are fairly high in my opinion. For a large quantity order the price will be €66 each. That's $88 US or $176 for a set of 2 plus shipping. What do you guys think?

The other three manufacturers offer better, lower prices. I have received samples from one of them. They look nice...
29857

With those manufacturers I will be able to keep the prices I've posted before. $35 each for those who are on my pre-order list and $45 each for all new orders with free shipping. In other words, Stabilus is twice the price.
The remaining two manufacturers are working on test samples and I should be receiving them soon. I will post as soon as I have some info...

Warranty information is pretty much the same for all four manufacturers - 2 years or 30.000 cycles whichever comes first. The strut needs to be mounted with piston rod down and operated at least a few times a month when not in use.

The question for now is: Is anyone interested in getting Stabilus struts at about $185 - $190 per set (shipping included)?

Sounds like there's some salacious info in the back story here. Curious - is the parts vendor/supplier mentioned as having ripped off Stabilus still in active operation today, I wonder, or did they go the way of the do-do bird?

I would be interested in a black set from Stabilus, but couldn't buy them right away, but probably later in the year or early next year (second surgery for my cat has left me pretty drained of discretionary funds recently, unfortunately).

On another note, I'm trying to figure out where the info comes from (other than the Concours manual) that the stock/OEM struts did indeed have a black housing with a chrome piston/shaft and end ball? I believe the door struts on my car to be stock/OEM, but they're all black. They're Stabilus and have been on the car since before I bought it - over 12+ years anyway. Maybe later on today, I can get the part number off my struts and post it here.

[Tomcio]

Sounds like there's some salacious info in the back story here. Curious - is the parts vendor/supplier mentioned as having ripped off Stabilus still in active operation today, I wonder, or did they go the way of the do-do bird?
I have to keep my word and so I can't disclose the name or any other info. I don't want to start an argument either...
Without actually disclosing any additional information I can say that since I was told not to sell the struts to those people I believe it's pretty obvious that they are still active today.


I would be interested in a black set from Stabilus, but couldn't buy them right away, but probably later in the year or early next year (second surgery for my cat has left me pretty drained of discretionary funds recently, unfortunately).
Don't worry about it. If we decide to go with this manufacturer this will not be a one time deal. The plan is to have the struts in stock or on very short order.


On another note, I'm trying to figure out where the info comes from (other than the Concours manual) that the stock/OEM struts did indeed have a black housing with a chrome piston/shaft and end ball? I believe the door struts on my car to be stock/OEM, but they're all black. They're Stabilus and have been on the car since before I bought it - over 12+ years anyway. Maybe later on today, I can get the part number off my struts and post it here.
This info comes from one of my cars that has just 8k miles on it and everything is as it came from the factory. Also, I spoke to Rob Grady and he confirmed the original factory color scheme.

Here's some more info about the different color combinations:

There were two versions of Stabilus strut. Here's what they look like:
29896
Both are Stabilus Lift-O-Mat
The one on top is the one that was installed at the factory. The colors are:
Black mount - black cylinder - silver chrome piston rod - gold mount
The one on the bottom is all black and has a part number 867691 and was produced later (this one is from 1998 ). The colors are:
Black mount - black cylinder - black piston rod - black mount

Stabilus says that the first version was produced in Germany. The all black unit that I have was made in Mexico.

Here's a close-up picture of the markings:
29897

This is a close-up view of the factory original piston rod and mount:
29898

This is a close-up view of the later version piston rod and mount:
29899

According to Stabilus they stopped chrome coating piston rods in early 1990s as the black nitrate coating is cheaper to produce and more durable. Currently they do not offer chrome plated rods.
For concurs quality one manufacturer has agreed to producing chrome plated rods.
I will be offering three types - all black, OEM three colors and stainless steel. All black and stainless will be available directly through me while OEM colored ones will be available through a stateside vendor. I will post details when the struts are actually available.

[Chris 16409]

Tom, if you decide to go with Stabilus, will they be made in Mexico or Germany. The Mexican made ones weren't as good, so if we're paying $80 a strut, it would be nice if they were made in Germany.

[NightFlyer]

That's GREAT info Tom - thanks for sharing :thumbup:

It's possible that my struts are three colored, but just oily and oxidized, causing them to appear all black. I'm definitely going to have to check them out (didn't get to look at them today, unfortunately).

Regardless, I haven't seen anything do a better job or last as long as struts with the Stabilus brand name on them, regardless of whether they were produced in Germany or Mexico. I do have (confirmed) the stock/OEM louver Stabilus struts, and they're good as new still (though I did have to replace the stock/OEM hood struts with Grady's struts from the early 2000s - which are also still working as new to this day).

[Chris 16409]

Grady use to cover the Sabilus logo with his "PJ Grady" stickers.

[Tomcio]

Tom, if you decide to go with Stabilus, will they be made in Mexico or Germany. The Mexican made ones weren't as good, so if we're paying $80 a strut, it would be nice if they were made in Germany.
Since I'm in Poland I just have to go across the border to be in Germany.
The struts would be made in Germany.


That's GREAT info Tom - thanks for sharing :thumbup:

It's possible that my struts are three colored, but just oily and oxidized, causing them to appear all black. I'm definitely going to have to check them out (didn't get to look at them today, unfortunately).

Regardless, I haven't seen anything do a better job or last as long as struts with the Stabilus brand name on them, regardless of whether they were produced in Germany or Mexico. I do have (confirmed) the stock/OEM louver Stabilus struts, and they're good as new still (though I did have to replace the stock/OEM hood struts with Grady's struts from the early 2000s - which are also still working as new to this day).
Stabilus is probably the best manufacturer when it comes to gas struts but I'm not sure if it's twice as good as the others... warranty terms are pretty much the same.
Hood and louver struts last a lot longer because of the much lower internal pressure and load. Door struts are actually at the manufacturing limits when it comes to pressure and force for their size. All manufacturers suggested a larger diameter cylinder and piston for this force...


Grady use to cover the Sabilus logo with his "PJ Grady" stickers.
There will be no sticker now. The logo will be laser etched and will not cover the manufacturer logo.
Unfortunately Stabilus and other manufacturers cannot offer their struts without their safety warning information. I don't like it and I would much prefer the struts without it but current regulations do not allow manufacturers to ship struts without safety info clearly visible.

[Tomcio]

Good news everyone!
I just got off the phone with Stabilus people and my negotiations were very successful! I got them to lower the price significantly and we're moving ahead! Test sets are currently on order and as soon as testing is done I will go ahead and order the full production run.
I can't give you an exact final price yet but we're looking at somewhere in a range of $60 each or $120 for a set of two. That price includes worldwide shipping. Please note that this is NOT the final price! The actual price might be a little different and I mean a LITTLE! A few dollars more or less and I sure hope it will be less ;)

So, it looks like I'll be offering three or four different options to choose from:
1. Original Stabilus struts made in Germany (all black) - $120 for a set of two
2. High quality struts made in Poland (all black) - $90 for a set
3. High quality struts made in Germany in OEM colors - $90 for a set
4. Stainless steel struts made in Germany (polished or brushed) - about $170 per set

I'm very excited about all this... I will update this thread as new info becomes available.

[jwrayth]

Excellent news! Great work Tomico :)

[Domi]

Indeed it is great news :)
Thank You!

[PB Co]

Besides offering high quality DeLorean specific products you are also mending OEM relationships? Amazing.

In for a set in the original colors.

[Chris 16409]

I just noticed our Friend over at SpecialTAuto has added something new to his front page. He is now apparently selling German made Stabilus gas struts. How is that possible? Something doesn't smell right.

30148

[NightFlyer]

I just noticed our Friend over at SpecialTAuto has added something new to his front page. He is now apparently selling German made Stabilus gas struts. How is that possible? Something doesn't smell right.

30148

Interesting find. Looking forward to Tom's response :)

[chris williams]

The last set I got from John (about 6 months ago) are Stabilus made in Germany. Thought it ironic at the time sent from Europe to the States and back to Europe again!
Chris

[Mark D]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Hervey's are probably a crossover part to some other application. What Tom is looking at doing is having the parts manufactured to the original specs instead of settlilng for something close enough. If Stabilus has to custom make these for Tom it then it means the correct parts currently do not exist. . . So I don't see how it's possible Hervey's are correct.

[NightFlyer]

John has always offered Stabilus struts via his website, however, they were always previously listed with the caveat/disclaimer "only when available," suggesting that they were not something that he regularly stocked or could even regularly obtain.

The part that I find most interesting is in his timing of deciding to main page headline them shortly after Tom makes his announcement about making a deal with Stabilus to run some DeLorean specific door struts.

Not sure what Hervey is actually selling in regards to his Stabilus struts, and if you call to ask him, I'm pretty sure that you'll just get the regular old story about how he has sold 50,000 pairs of them over his lifetime, 2,000 pairs last week alone, and never had a single complaint about them from anyone, without receiving an actual answer to the question you asked.

Again, it will be interesting to hear Tom's assessment of the situation....

[Chris 16409]

It's interesting in the wording he uses. He says newly updated "Stabilus Soft Lift" door struts. His "soft loft" struts were not Stabilus, so it's weird he is using that name in combination with Sabilus now.

[Tomcio]

I am aware of his offer as he has posted about this on the DML a few days ago. I've asked him a few questions but they remain unanswered...
When I read his post on the DML I have contacted Stabilus to find out why they told me they will not be making them and then agreed only because my order came from Poland and not the US and only if I don't sell them to a specific vendor in the US. I asked them how is it that they are making and shipping those struts to the US while telling me another story. Their answer was that they are NOT making anything that fits our length and force requirements. The next day I received an email confirming that Stabilus in NOT making anything that would fit our cars. There was also a note stating that this information is confirmed and final.
The fact is that if they were making something that would fit the DeLorean exactly I wouldn't have to go through the entire design and testing process. They would simply grab the specs from their computer and be done with it. In our case the designs were destroyed and deleted from their system as the original part number was marked "do not produce". In order to have them made I needed to start from scratch...
Here's a design drawing that had to be made (I have deleted some info like my part number):
30169


My opinion... Chinese manufacturers will print any logo if your order is large enough.

My feelings... I don't like what John did. He noticed that I'm running behind because of the bad manufacturer I've come accross and noticed that there's a lot of interest in the struts. So, apparently he ordered another batch of the struts he already had but this time with Stabilus logo on them. In my opinion this was very unprofessional and just plain not nice. But... apparently there's no such thing as nice when it comes to a business deal. In my case making DeLorean parts is like a hobby, something that I really enjoy and not a way to make a living. I usually make something for my own car and if there's interest I make more of it and offer it for sale. Then there's that thing about being nice to others... a while back I was making stainless steel pistons for my brake calipers. I called John and asked him about it. He said that he is making them and so I backed out as not to compete with him because he asked me no to. Apparently I don't understand the basic rules of "good" business...

I am still going ahead with the production and I will offer my door struts as soon as I can. I will not rush things trying to beat anyone and I will not go with the cheapest manufacturer. I will offer a high quality product that I can be proud of. Oh, and please remember that my prices ALWAYS include the shipping costs.

One more thing I'd like to add:
When I was getting quotes from different manufacturers I have received VERY similar numbers across the board. There were exceptions - China was a lot cheaper. Stabilus was the most expensive one. John is offering the door struts at $56.90 (pair) which is $28.45 each. The break points for manufacturer quotes are for orders of 100, 250, 500 and 1000 units. Stabilus price at 1000 units is HIGHER than that! Shipping from the factory is additional. So, this price is simply not possible unless John has ordered 10,000 units and they were made in Mexico. Shipping from Germany would be expensive and you have to take duty and taxes into account!

[Tomcio]

Besides offering high quality DeLorean specific products you are also mending OEM relationships? Amazing.

In for a set in the original colors.

I do my best :)

I've added your name to my pre-order list. I will let you know when they become available.

[NightFlyer]

Very interesting - thanks for the info Tom :thumbup:

I'm still in with you, but won't be ready to order until later this year or early next year.

[Chris 16409]

Tom, I didn't mention in my other posts, but I am in for a pair of your authentic German made Stabilus door struts.

[Mark D]

Tom, I appreciate the detailed explanation as I'm sure many others do. Thanks for keeping us well informed of the situation.

[chris williams]

All very interesting, perhaps I have fake ones then! I will have to go and get some part numbers from them, If I can remove the stickers! However I too will be interested in replacing the door ones with OEM when they are required, at the moment though Harveys are fine.
Chris

[Bitsyncmaster]

You may not want the struts specified the same as original if they now have "soft lift" operation. I would think a little more force would make them last longer since the soft lift prevents bounce.

It's also interesting John now has soft lift for all the struts. I don't see the need of soft lift on the others but again specifying more force would make them last longer.

[MML]

I am in for a pair of your authentic German made Stabilus door struts.

Same here, mine could do with a replacement.

[Tomcio]

Tom, I didn't mention in my other posts, but I am in for a pair of your authentic German made Stabilus door struts.
Chris, you did mention it a while ago. Your name is on my pre-order list at number 18 and I will contact you as soon as the struts are ready.


All very interesting, perhaps I have fake ones then! I will have to go and get some part numbers from them, If I can remove the stickers!
Chris, it would be great if you could get the part numbers off of them. I can call Stabilus and confirm it since they have ALL the part numbers they ever produced. With the part number there should be a production date. When you look at the cylinder you should see all those warnings and under that should be a part number consisting of 6 digits, a force of 1200N and production date. In case of my old struts from one of my cars it looks like this:
867691 1200N 204/98
Part #, force, production date 1998


You may not want the struts specified the same as original if they now have "soft lift" operation. I would think a little more force would make them last longer since the soft lift prevents bounce.

It's also interesting John now has soft lift for all the struts. I don't see the need of soft lift on the others but again specifying more force would make them last longer.

Having stronger door struts might create more problems and will not really make them last longer. This is coming from the experts at Stabilus and other manufacturers I'm in touch with. Here's what I know:

More force will put more load on the strut mounts. The lower mount which is attached to the fiberglass body is very weak and actually it is too weak for the original force. The bracket bends, deforms and eventually comes off as the fiberglass around cracks. I will post pictures later on today... You should inspect your lower bracket to make sure it's not bending. Open the door and look at the lower door strut mount. It should be pointing straight towards the front of the car. If you see that it's starting to point outward the bracket is bent. I will be offering stainless steel reinforced brackets with the struts to fix this issue and prevent a disaster.

More force would not really extend the useful life of the struts by much. Higher pressure will cause higher leak rates and the struts will only last a little longer.

More force will mean more effort to close the door and more stress on the door structure and rear hinges.

The strut size used for the DeLorean doors (10mm piston rod, 22mm cylinder) has an absolute maximum force of 1200N with recommended maximum at 1100N. No sensible manufacturer will go above the 1200N max limit.

Original force of 1200N with properly adjusted torsion bar should provide between 10 and 15 LBS (about 5 - 7 kg) of force holding the door fully open. If you go higher this force will increase, if you go lower the door might sag in cold weather.

The 1200N is measured with the strut fully extended. As you push it in (collapse it) the force increases at a predetermined progression rate. At fully collapsed the force is higher. This progression is dependent on damping and the more damping you need the higher the max force will be. So, a nice soft lift is usually accomplished by adding more damping (it's where the struts slows down at the end of travel) and more friction on extension. The problem with that is more damping causes more progression and in the end the max force with the doors closed might be too much for the fiberglass body and the lower mount. If you raise the initial force you have to add more damping to prevent strong bounce and in turn this will increase the collapsed force. If you make a 1400N strut the resulting progression might cause the collapsed force to increase to well over 2000N and that will result in a loud crack and a snap. Adding more friction to slow down the extension causes more wear on the seals and the piston rod shortening the useful life of the strut. The higher the force the more friction is needed to slow it down.

As you can see making gas struts is not as simple as it might seem. I learned all this just recently as I started working on them. It's seems like a simple tube with gas inside but in reality it is a very complex piece of engineering. Making a good strut is a matter of finding the best mix of force, speed, damping, progression and not to forget critical dimensions.

[Tomcio]

Same here, mine could do with a replacement.

Martin,
Your name is on my list as well. You're at number 22.

Thanks.

[dustybarn]

Chris, it would be great if you could get the part numbers off of them. I can call Stabilus and confirm it since they have ALL the part numbers they ever produced. With the part number there should be a production date. When you look at the cylinder you should see all those warnings and under that should be a part number consisting of 6 digits, a force of 1200N and production date. In case of my old struts from one of my cars it looks like this:
867691 1200N 204/98
Part #, force, production date 1998



Hmm. the struts on my car are marked Stabilus too, but they might be quite old. I'll have to decode markings.

Please put me down for a set of Stabilus struts too.

[Tomcio]

Hmm. the struts on my car are marked Stabilus too, but they might be quite old. I'll have to decode markings.

Please put me down for a set of Stabilus struts too.

One of my cars came with struts from John. I'm going to take a closer look at them tonight.

OK, I've added your name to my pre-order list. Thanks.

[NightFlyer]

It's possible that my struts are three colored, but just oily and oxidized, causing them to appear all black. I'm definitely going to have to check them out (didn't get to look at them today, unfortunately).

Regardless, I haven't seen anything do a better job or last as long as struts with the Stabilus brand name on them, regardless of whether they were produced in Germany or Mexico. I do have (confirmed) the stock/OEM louver Stabilus struts, and they're good as new still (though I did have to replace the stock/OEM hood struts with Grady's struts from the early 2000s - which are also still working as new to this day).

The door struts currently on my car are the all black Mexican Stabilus.

Both work well and kept the doors open while cruising Woodward Blvd (speeds up to 35mph) this past weekend:

*Note that you can see the 4smd's of Tom's awesome LED door lights if you look closely enough at the photo :biggrin:

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=30183&d=1408553655

[refugeefromcalif]

Tom, I'm still interested in a Stainless pair. (Grained if possible). :biggrin:
The New ones that DMCF installed middle of last year, (When I had the Wings-A-Loft installed), are barely fully opening the doors in Hot weather. :dead:

George

[SIMid]

Hi Tom, not sure if I am still on your list?


Original Stabilus struts made in Germany (all black) - $120 for a set of two

[Tomcio]

The door struts currently on my car are the all black Mexican Stabilus.
Both work well and kept the doors open while cruising Woodward Blvd (speeds up to 35mph) this past weekend:
Those are the part number 867691. They are really good and even the ones I have are still strong enough to open the door fully. They don't have the strength to keep the door firmly up but they still work. It's amazing considering that the ones I have are 16 years old! Stabilus is the way to go...


*Note that you can see the 4smd's of Tom's awesome LED door lights if you look closely enough at the photo :biggrin:
Nice ;)
It's great to see something that I've made here on my desk, living in a DeLorean half a world away and bringing joy to the owner. Really cool!


Tom, I'm still interested in a Stainless pair. (Grained if possible). :biggrin:
The New ones that DMCF installed middle of last year, (When I had the Wings-A-Loft installed), are barely fully opening the doors in Hot weather. :dead:
George, you're at number 5 and I will contact you directly as soon as the struts are ready. It's going to be a while before the stainless ones are available though, so I will email everyone when the first batch comes in. I will let you decide if you'd like to get regular ones or if you'd like to wait for the stainless ones.

I'm surprised that the struts have trouble fully opening the doors in hot water after just one year of use. Must have been a really high quality product...



Hi Tom, not sure if I am still on your list?
Yes, you're at number 3 for a set of all black struts.

I don't delete any names from the list. I just keep adding new names ;)

I'm sorry that it's taking this long to get those struts to you. I'm doing my best but I'd rather see a delay than offer something I'm not 100% satisfied with. I promise you that once you receive the struts you'll see that it was worth the wait.

[Tomcio]

One of my cars came with struts from John. I'm going to take a closer look at them tonight.

As promised I have some pictures and interesting facts for you...

One of my cars in my collection came with Harvey door struts. The struts have no markings on them except for a sticker that looks like this:
30213
There is no warning label, no part number, no manufacturer, no manufacturing date.

This strut looks OK until you compare it to the original Stabilus strut. Here's that comparison (click for full size):
30214
OEM Stabilus strut from 1981 comes in at 350 grams.
Later all black Stabilus from 1998 comes in at 350 grams.
Harvey strut weighs less than 300 grams.
As you can see in the picture the tube on the Stabilus is shorter but the total length is exactly the same. This means that the usable stroke is also shorter. Measurements show that Stabilus has 10 mm more stroke! The Harvey strut has exactly 133 mm while the distance between mounting points on the DeLorean is 135 mm. You might say that it's just 2 mm difference which isn't much... well, a millimeter is not a kilometer and it should be fine. Well... NO!

Here's a result on the lower mount, which apparently someone tried fixing:
30210

Here's a result on the upper mount which again someone has "fixed":
30211
It's going to take a lot of work to fix it right...

Here's a view of the lower mounting stud on another car. This one used different struts.
As you can see the OEM bracket is not strong enough to support the strut. If we decided to use even stronger struts the results would be disastrous. If you're lower mount looks like this you should seriously consider getting a reinforcing bracket.
30212
I will offer larger and thicker reinforced brackets along with the new door struts. They are currently in the works and should be available by the time the new door struts come in.

Just got a word from one of my manufacturers that the final test set is ready. It all goes well the production should start soon.

[hollywood2311]

Hmm. the struts on my car are marked Stabilus too, but they might be quite old. I'll have to decode markings.

Please put me down for a set of Stabilus struts too.

I changed the door struts not that long ago. Maybe 2008? I believe I got them from DPNW. The louver struts I never did replace.

[Tomcio]

Ladies and gentleman, update time...

I've received my first set of Stabilus door struts made to my specification. They came directly from Germany and I have to say that those guys really know how to make those gas springs... Ja! ;)
Here's a few pictures:
30635

30636
Sorry, but I had to obscure the part number for obvious reasons. This red rectangle is just a photoshop addition.
30637
The sticker visible below shows my order number and serial number of the strut. That's correct, each strut has it's own serial number.
30638

30639

30640

30641

There's one thing that needs to be tweaked a little before they go into actual production. The damping at the end of travel is too short for my liking. I like the doors to slow down and stop gently. At this time this slow down is very short and it will be extended slightly. This is not a huge change, just a very small adjustment. Once we calculate the actual values needed the struts will go into production.

That's all for now...

[Domi]

Thanks for the update :thankyou:

[Shep]

Two questions:
1) Is my pre-order for one pair of stainless struts on your list? Can't find any emails I sent you about it, but I could've sworn I sent one :reading:

2) Are you making hood and louver struts as well? If so, I have more pre-orders for you :)

Either way, add a pre-order of black OEM-looking door struts to your list. Although I do not know quite yet, I suspect my second D's struts are shot, and I'd like to keep it concours.

[Tomcio]

1) Is my pre-order for one pair of stainless struts on your list? Can't find any emails I sent you about it, but I could've sworn I sent one :reading:
I don't believe that you have as I can't find one either. Not to worry though, I've added your name to my list. There's still time to get on ;)


2) Are you making hood and louver struts as well? If so, I have more pre-orders for you :)
Yes, I will have full sets available.
The hood and louver struts are easy to make. It's the door struts that are the most difficult to get right.


Either way, add a pre-order of black OEM-looking door struts to your list. Although I do not know quite yet, I suspect my second D's struts are shot, and I'd like to keep it concours.
Do you want two sets then? A stainless set and a OEM set? No problem, you got it!

[Shep]

The hood and louver struts are easy to make. It's the door struts that are the most difficult to get right.:yesss:

Put me down for 1 pair stainless hood struts, 1 pair black OEM hood struts, and 1 pair black OEM louver struts. I'd go with a pair of stainless for 559's louvers, but the extra weight of the BTTF vents requires a more heavy-duty strut to support it.

[Tomcio]

:yesss:

Put me down for 1 pair stainless hood struts, 1 pair black OEM hood struts, and 1 pair black OEM louver struts. I'd go with a pair of stainless for 559's louvers, but the extra weight of the BTTF vents requires a more heavy-duty strut to support it.

I can special order a set for you if you can tell me how strong the struts needs to be. If you can figure that out we can make it happen.

[Shep]

I can special order a set for you if you can tell me how strong the struts needs to be. If you can figure that out we can make it happen.Welllllll on second thought :biggrin:

I'll get with DPI Josh to see if he can do some load testing or something. He gave me a number before, but I'll be damned if I can remember what it was or even what unit it was in. This'll be perfect! So one stainless pair for all three locations, and one OEM black pair for all three locations. Deal!

[Tomcio]

Hello everyone,

Another of the manufacturers that I'm talking to has sent me a nice quality set of door struts. This is just a couple of sample units but they are pretty nice I must say. I've uploaded a short clip showing how they work. I apologize for the quality of this clip but my Nexus 4 that is capable of full HD video decided to die on me. While LG is trying to fix it I had to resort to some old phone I had in my drawer.
The video is available here:
http://youtu.be/7dw0cbKj8Vs

The struts are made in Sweden.

Anyone interested?
I can take some pictures tomorrow if anyone wants to see them up close.

The are very nice, the movement of the door is not too fast with a nice slowdown at the top and no bounce. The struts are all black.
Currently we're looking at about $40 - $45 each with free worldwide shipping. Keep in mind that this is not some cheap strut made in China or Mexico, this is a quality product made in Europe.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Those Sweden struts look good. I'm willing to try them instead of the other struts. I'm looking for the longest life with the "soft lift" so the name brand does not matter to me.

[Shep]

+1 on looking for the longest life.

-1 on all pre-ordered sets of black OEM struts, but one full car's worth of Stainless is still a go!

[BigChapMatt]

Yep interested....

[Chris 16409]

Tom, do you have an update for us?

[robvanderveer]

Tom, let me just say: Awesome work.

I've got a lazy strut on the passenger door, i might be in for a new set soon! Keep me updated please.

[Tomcio]

Hello everyone,

It's been a while... Sorry about not posting any updates but I'm having some health issues and that keeps me busy recently. Going from one doctor to another trying to figure out what is going on... Anyway...

The latest news is that the struts have been ordered and all we can do now is wait. Stabilus has some long lead times at their factory so I will be offering some other options first. I will post updates when new info becomes available.

[Riley88]

Hey I am interested! In the chrome and SS ones!

[Tomcio]

Hello everyone,

Things are progressing sloooooowly. Unfortunately there's not much we can do but wait. Lead times at the factory are horrible.

The current standing is:
Black Stabilus struts - I am currently waiting for the delivery of the final version. I want to make sure that the struts are EXACTLY what we need and so I have decided to order another test set. All seems to be correct now and as soon as this set arrives I will confirm the operation and will go ahead with the full production run.
Believe me that this is not as easy as it might seem. Dimensions are one thing. Then there is the force and that seems like it's all we need to know. As it turns out we need to figure out a few more parameters like extension speed, damping amount, damping length, force progression and so on. And the problem is that Stabilus charges an arm-and-a-leg for those test units. Yeah, they are not free...
I will also receive a full set of hood and louver struts. Now, these I will HIGHLY recommend you get. Those will be made a little different than regular gas struts and will offer much nicer operation. More on that when the test set arrives.

Stainless struts - Last test set has arrived and I have confirmed it's operation to be just perfect. I am ready to place a full order now. The question to anyone interested is: Will you be interested in hood and louver stainless struts as well?

Prices for 304 stainless struts are:
door: $89 each
hood: $85 each
louver: $75 each

Should we go ahead with the stainless struts at current prices? Those prices do not include shipping. I will figure out the best way to ship them once I know the exact weight of the package.
There is a minimum order and I need everyone to confirm their order for the stainless struts. I also need to know if you want just the door or a full set of 6.
You can post in reply to this message. I'm not too crazy about the private messages on this forum.

No need to confirm if you only want a black Stabilus set. I'm still waiting for those.

Thanks

[Starglider]

Sure, I will go for a full set of stainless struts.

[Tomcio]

Well... I'm sorry to say this but the 'overwhelming' response (just one person interested) causes me to call the Stainless struts project dead. The minimum order is 100 pcs of each type which makes 50 sets.

I will keep working on getting the black struts made and will update with any new information.

Thank you.

[Tomcio]

Hello all!

I'm refreshing this old thread to see if there is still interest for new gas springs aka. struts.

I've had some mixed results with the well known Stabilus struts over the years and it's time to switch to something better. Stabilus has moved their production facility to Mexico and after some extended talks with them I've decided that it is a dead end. They are concerned more about quantity than quality these days. Oh well...

I'm currently talking with a manufacturer in Sweden that supplies many European car and truck manufacturers. We can get high quality gas springs at reasonable prices.
The gas struts would be all black.
All springs are custom DeLorean products.
Door - DeLorean specified 1200 Newton force with damping to slow down before full extension
Hood and louver - New and improved design, amazing results - with gentle and gradual stop at the end of travel.

The prices would be:
Door: $60 for a set of two with free shipping
Hood: $60 for a set of two with free shipping
Louver: $60 for a set of two with free shipping

Full set of six (2 door, 2 hood, 2 louver): $160 with free shipping

If there is enough interest I will order a sample set to make sure we got all the dimensions right.

Let me know is you're interested!

Guys, I am back now and not going anywhere ;)

[Drive Stainless]

Hello all!

I'm refreshing this old thread to see if there is still interest for new gas springs aka. struts.

I've had some mixed results with the well known Stabilus struts over the years and it's time to switch to something better. Stabilus has moved their production facility to Mexico and after some extended talks with them I've decided that it is a dead end. They are concerned more about quantity than quality these days. Oh well...

I'm currently talking with a manufacturer in Sweden that supplies many European car and truck manufacturers. We can get high quality gas springs at reasonable prices.
The gas struts would be all black.
All springs are custom DeLorean products.
Door - DeLorean specified 1200 Newton force with damping to slow down before full extension
Hood and louver - New and improved design, amazing results - with gentle and gradual stop at the end of travel.

The prices would be:
Door: $60 for a set of two with free shipping
Hood: $60 for a set of two with free shipping
Louver: $60 for a set of two with free shipping

Full set of six (2 door, 2 hood, 2 louver): $160 with free shipping

If there is enough interest I will order a sample set to make sure we got all the dimensions right.

Let me know is you're interested!

Guys, I am back now and not going anywhere ;)

Interested!

[dn010]

Not to throw a wrench in all this, but DeLoreanGO sells the full set for $160, and has stainless available as well. Grady sells sets at $140. What would be the differences between yet another supply of struts from the ones already on the market?

[MikeWard]

Not to throw a wrench in all this, but DeLoreanGO sells the full set for $160, and has stainless available as well. Grady sells sets at $140.
The links for ease. FYI the DeLoreanGo struts include free worldwide shipping, the PJ Grady struts are plus shipping.

-DeLoreanGo Black Strut Set $159.99: https://www.deloreango.com/us/gas-struts-set.html - these are all black
-DeLoreanGo Stainless Strut Set $289.99: https://www.deloreango.com/us/stainless-struts-set.html
-PJ Grady Strut Set $138.95: https://pjgrady.com/product/lift-piston-set/ - these are black/silver as per the oem struts


What would be the differences between yet another supply of struts from the ones already on the market?Extra options are always good for us owners, if there a difference/improvement over the options which are already available on the market then go for it.

[dn010]

Really this is what my questions was. What makes the OP's struts different or better than the others that are already out there?




Extra options are always good for us owners, if there a difference/improvement over the options which are already available on the market then go for it.

[Tomcio]

Not to throw a wrench in all this, but DeLoreanGO sells the full set for $160, and has stainless available as well. Grady sells sets at $140. What would be the differences between yet another supply of struts from the ones already on the market?

Asking a legitimate question cannot be taken as throwing a wrench into it. I'm glad you asked...
The main difference is... well... another supply. Choice is always good, right? Monopoly is not ;)
Another point is different manufacturer. I've seen their products and they are of very high quality.
Yet another is the amazing damping which is their patented design, so no other manufacturer offers the same solution. Unfortunately this damping cannot be used for doors as those are too strong. Only louvers and hood.

Besides, I'm only asking if there is interest. If people want more choices from different manufacturers then I will make it happen. If the current supply is enough then no problem. I'm just trying to help the community.


FYI the DeLoreanGo struts include free worldwide shipping, the PJ Grady struts are plus shipping.

-DeLoreanGo Black Strut Set $159.99
-DeLoreanGo Stainless Strut Set $289.99
-PJ Grady Strut Set $138.95

Extra options are always good for us owners, if there a difference/improvement over the options which are already available on the market then go for it.

My prices always include free worldwide shipping and are always nice round numbers (no .99 here).
Mike is exactly right - extra options, more choices. More is better me thinks ;)

[dn010]

Thank you, that is all I wondered was if this was something new and improved, etc. compared to what is out there, especially at the rate technology is advancing. I hope I did not come across as offensive, I too enjoy it when there are options with parts, not just one supply.

[Timebender]

Is this still an option that’s available?

[Tomcio]

Is this still an option that’s available?

Unfortunately no, the interest has died down now that the regular vendors have them in stock.