you know those gas struts that hold up things?
 

mine on my truck cap fizzled out. the glass panels comes down pretty fast with a rather fun sound. phissszhh!

yesterday, trying to unload my mtn bike, my car hits me right between the eyes with the glass corner. argh.!!

i didnt even go home, i hit the hardware store, which so happens to sell ARE camper shell things.

i take off the old one, walk in..and show it to him. he takes me to the biggest display ever, and starts looking for the correct ones. i see the prices..$54 each!! i stop him and ask, "before you invest any more time, is that the correct price?"

yea.

okay..i stop him and leave. i go to amazon, ebay..i think i got them for $14 each. shipping was $7 or so. i am effen scared to look at the ones for my 911 front lids..geezh!

what fails on them? mine are not leaking anything? they just leak internally?

is there a NON porsche option for my front lid? right now i use a busted carbon arrow shaft.

little o rings in there go, I think

should be an aftermarket solution for the hood, I know they have them for 914's

when I bought my 911 all shocks were shot for trunk and deck lid....I went to local auto parts store and got four for $18 each
that was in 2010 and they still work perfect

There's a little carbon fiber strut that Pelican sells for about $40 for the frunk. One end attaches to a bracket that bolts into where the right front fender bolts onto the front clip. The other end nestles into a magnet that you stick on the underside of the hood. Sounds similar to the arrow shaft you're using.

Check our host. I paid about $50 for struts for my BMW from BMW - before I discovered Pelican. When my 911 needed hood struts I got the OEM part from Pelican - same manufacturer and very similar part, for less than $20.

If you can get a interchangeable parts list catalog it would help. Probably the same shock fits your car as a 98 pontiac gran prix.

If you figure out why those damn things are so expensive, please let me know.

The ones in my old Land Cruiser lasted forever, both the hold up the hood as well as the trunk. Now, why can Porsche make / source one of those lil' thing that last more then 8 months? Most of the time, it isn't used often. I just use a stick if I need to check oil. they are a PITA to change out.

I have a U shaped tube I clip on the 'rod' of the trunk strut. It is in compression (because the strut has failed) and then it's safe to work on the engine.

I have a little metal prop-rod for the front. Neither will fail. Neither cost more than $2.

I use this, and it's great. I replaced the shocks on my front trunk several times, and they'd last maybe a year or 2. I finally gave up and bought the CF stick, and it's been great ever since.

I'm using an old mini lacrosse stick that my son had as an 8 year old.
Same concept as NotaBRG's.

Had the same issue on my Z. Trunk shocks were shot, so went to Autozone. They didn't have any in stock, but could order me the 2 I needed...for around $60 a pop. Checked Amazon, and got a set of 2 for around $25. Free shipping since I'm a Prime member.

When I had the warehouse, distributed wholesale many of the common size gas lift springs - avg. $7 ea. Today I can't believe the price gouging. (I always get a laugh how much a stupid steel washer retails for). There are some crappy gas springs too. Last year I picked up a pair of Stabilus for a 911 hood. One failed within 6 months.

I cut a short length of PVC pipe to fit the shaft ( I cut a slot down the length of the PVC) to use as a "stay" on my camper shell.

Are there suppose to be spacers on the pin on the body side of the shock and if so who sells them.
My rear dick lid had one but it went to never never land behind the engine. I have a 76 911 thanks

I bought some carbon fibre rods from a Kite shop. They had heaps of diameters etc.

So now I'm making the ends out of aluminium and fudging around with stainless steel hardware.
You could also use old tent poles. (The hollow ones with elastic cord)

Meanwhile I'm leaving my tired old struts in place until I have this sorted.

These things are both a N₂ spring and a damper.

The high pressure nitrogen leaks out (usu past the seal when opened) and the spring is gone/diminished.

IOW, you're not going to see the N₂ leak out. --it's a gas.