How to Support Worn Hydraulic Struts

Reader tip for Wiser Living

Country Lore

When tired, worn out hydraulic struts lose their ability to hold open hoods, trunk lids or windows of camper shells, a slight wind may blow them down on unsuspecting heads. This happened to me several times before I decided upon an easy solution. Taking an extra pair of locking pliers from my toolbox, I store them in the bed of my pickup. When the rear window is opened, I simply snap the pliers on the telescoped portion of the strut shaft. The pliers prevent the strut from retracting, are easy to remove and are always available for other maintenance tasks.

Arthur R.Lee
Santa Cruz, California

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