Signature Gas Springs in rod lockers

[bk626]

I have a 2019 Z21. The gas spring in my port side rod locker popped off and then the piston would no longer close. Meaning like it seized and I could no longer get the piston to slide in. I contacted Pro's Choice where I bought the boat and they sent me a new one. Well when I received the one they sent it would not close either. So I sent it back and they sent another. Guess what same thing the new one will not close. Tried a third time and same result. I am talking all my weight on top of it and it will not budge. Very frustrating. So I contacted Signature to see why this would be happening. I gave them the model number and they said the last number is the pounds of pressure which is 120 and that you would not be able to close that by hand even with all your weight on top of it. But it did work at one time so that doesn't make much sense. Checked my other rod locker and it has the same model number. So I am stumped. 120 pounds of pressure does seem very high to me. I thought they are usually about 40 or 50. Can someone check their rod locker and check the serial number preferably on a newer same model boat? Anyone else have this happen? Not sure what to do next. Thanks

[C0MRAD]

Did you try mounting it in the boat? I replaced one on the rear hatch of a 90 Firebird once. When I received the replacement I could not compress it with all my weight. I mounted it in the car anyway and it worked perfect. You gain a considerable amount of leverage once it is mounted and that makes them easy to close.

[Flippin 416]

120 seems sky high for a rod locker door!! That's a tremendous amount of pressure to try and close without anything attached to it let alone to try and compress it and get it installed.

[bk626]

Thanks or the reply. No I did not try to mount it. When the spring that came with the boat popped off I did put that one back on and it would not close. I guess I can give it a try but I feel it will break the hinges off before it would close. lol

[moetorola]

Yep you have got to mount it. With the geometry of how it mounts is probably more pressure than your thinking.

I thought the auto store gave me the wrong one once.
I could not close it with all I had by hand, till I mounted it to the vehicle trunk lid.

Kudos to Pros Choice for helping you, even though you never actually mounted it

[bk626]

Thanks moetorola. Yes Pro's Choice is great! We really could not understand why this was happening. They said 2 of the ones I sent back they were able to get working and installed them on their boats there. So I used a tire jack to get mine to close a few times and then installed. Its on my boat now and working fine.

[moetorola]

Thanks moetorola. Yes Pro's Choice is great! We really could not understand why this was happening. They said 2 of the ones I sent back they were able to get working and installed them on their boats there. So I used a tire jack to get mine to close a few times and then installed. Its on my boat now and working fine.

[Mizzou211]

I had this problem on my Champ before I mounted them. You gain a TON of mechanical advantage with them mounted.