Boot Lid Gas Struts

[swisstoni]

How solid are these things off the car? I have bought a new one but not fitted it yet.
It appears absolutely rock solid with no compression in it.

Is this normal? I would at least expect to be able to compress it slightly when leaning hard on it. I don't want to close the boot and find the strut sticking out of it

[glow worm]

My Tuscan convertible has two struts. I changed them for stainless struts and put 400 Newton Metre ones, the originals were 650 NM . The appeared OK until I parked on hill at Chatsworh, then the boot lid would not hold upright. So I had to get 650 NM stainless ones.
In hindsight , my advice is keep to the same spec as the originals, a Tuscan boot lid is heavy, and I think your targa will only have a strut on one side.

[swisstoni]

My new one is rated at 540N so that sounds about correct then.

[Mark.]

I seem to remember very solid when I replaced mine.

[R11ysf]

swisstoni said:

How solid are these things off the car? I have bought a new one but not fitted it yet.
It appears absolutely rock solid with no compression in it.

Is this normal? I would at least expect to be able to compress it slightly when leaning hard on it. I don't want to close the boot and find the strut sticking out of it

It's absolutely fine. I ordered a brand new one and couldn't move it for want of trying. Fitted it to the Tuscan and all was well and moved smoothly. It was either the distance of the bootlid added some extra force or I'm weak as pi$$!! You decide!

[swisstoni]

I suppose there is some pretty powerful leverage going on if you think about it. Thanks for all responses.