Linear Actuators

[Brett Proctor]

You can design in gas struts to help to lift the top when the hydraulic system/linear actuators are released.

Yes I could do that but it would be kind of defeating the purpose of replacing the stock set up with the same thing, just on a smaller scale.

Edit:
plus it makes the system bulkier and more complicated and adds to the cost

For a release setup the actuator mounts could be made like this(slotted). Just pull the pin and they would lift right off of the mounts. The mount tabs would bottom out on the actuator mount so the force wouldn't be all on the pin. So the force pulling the pin would be less.

 

[Brett Proctor]

On my Nissan Titan the tail gate has some kind of a assist to it so you can lift and lower the tail gate with just two fingers.
Not sure how it works or where its at but maybe this technology can be used and a smaller actuator could be used then

 

[Peter]

Same on my Mercedes A-class, I had the original struts and need to heave the plastic rear door to open it, I changed to a slightly more powerful struts and now it almost opens itself.

My thinking (again) is if the gas struts were mounted tight against the side of the pockets and the rams/actuators laid over them (with a QR) it shouldn't take up much more that an inch in width.

 

[professor229]

Funny fact.... When I decided to go with linear actuators, I asked a good friend, the AG teacher in our school to design the relays for the switch. Gave him an hour and on a piece of scratch paper, he drew it all out (I still have it) and said he was certain it would work for the up and down circuits. I bench installed it and it worked just like he said. There was one problem that eventually developed. All the switches and relays were bought from Radio Shack.... yep, that long ago. When Radio Shack started closing stores quite rapidly, there was only one store still open in Minnesota..... The Red Wing, MN store. When we heard that after the weekend they would close, we drove down from the metro area and I bought two more of each relay and switch. Although I could have substituted a different company switch and relay, I kind of wanted the original...... and the original units are still in the car, working properly, and show no signs of wearing out. I did have to write to the AG teacher when I was having grief and asked if the relays could be getting "weak".... His reply was that to the best of his knowledge, relays and switches don't get weak.... they just fail completely.... I miss Radio Shack.