Gas shocks on bed storage area failure

You should be able to find replacements at any large auto parts store. Trying to figure why they failed will probably involve several letters to the manufacturer in China which will not be worth your time.
I have had them fail in the extended position and I have had them fail where they would not hold the hood up. It happens and I would guess that yours were at the end of their normal life.

Why isn't the answer good enough? Of all things gas shocks which probably cost about $30 will fail eventually, Just like everything else. If you had a shock fail on your car after 4 years would you demand it be fixed instead of replaced? Some things break and there is no fixing them. They get replaced. I just googled and found a bunch for $30. Not a big deal. Maybe if you looked around long enough you could find someone to fix it for $100.

Just replace them. Not worth the worry and know they will fail again sometime.

Well, they have probably only been cycled 50 times. That doesn't make sense. I want to know why they failed. Was it something I did or is it a defect. I don't throw away money just for the heck of it.

Good luck on your search for an answer. My guess would be they were just cheap ones. If you buy a decent pair they may fare better.

AikenRacer wrote:
Well, they have probably only been cycled 50 times. That doesn't make sense. I want to know why they failed. Was it something I did or is it a defect. I don't throw away money just for the heck of it.

Well, yeah it's your fault.
You raised the bed, if you hadn't done that, everything would be fine.

Now, get over it and buy some new ones.
Should be a number on them that tells the spring rate.

Good luck on finding out why etc...

You might luck out picking up a new pair off the shelve. See link that gives actual poundage and length for proper fit and function.

http://www.approducts.net/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=47_52_53&zenid=e6c4a32564d73cc814b94eccd759eab1

If they were installed incorrectly from the start (which wouldn't surprise me) in the down position they could have been jammed up against the stop/end plug. If that resulted in a small bit of broken off plastic or the like...that could lodge in the piston valve stopping the piston from functioning. Or could be that combined with manufacturer defect.

Personally I'd probably cut into them to find out (careful of the gas pressure of course).

I like to know why things fail as well, sometimes getting the answer take more work than I'd put in though.. had a regulator 2nd stage stop working properly after only 3 years of service... didn't feel like cutting it open though.