Date:         Thu, 17 Feb 2000 10:06:30 -0500
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Subject:      Re: Hatch Struts
Comments: To: "Michael A. Radtke" <m.radtke@ELM.AZ05.BULL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <01BF7856.A1BB7200.m.radtke@elm.az05.bull.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> Ron's struts after a bit over 2 years just barely hold the hatch.
> I bought VW replacements which started weak and lasted 3 years.
> Ron's will probably match that.  I think that I got my money's worth.


All the same, I am a bit surprised that they are starting to get that weak
after only two years.  My struts have been criticized once or twice for
being stiffer than stock (because of their extra capacity), but never for
failing.  In fact I have customers whose struts are still going strong after
several years, even with a bike rack on the back of their hatch. (Some
reduction in stiffness over time is normal, perhaps even desireable, but
not, I think, to the point of "barely holding the hatch" after 2 years.)
I'd appreciate a quick p-mail from anyone else who has ever had one of my
struts fail, indicating roughly how old they were at the time.  If indeed it
appears that your failed much sooner than the norm, I would suspect a
defective strut and would send you a replacement.

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  http://www.busdepot.com
  (215) 234-VWVW