Oil struts vas opposed to gas struts

[Cairngorm]

I have a Frankia with a drop down bed in the cab area. The oil strut has lost oil and is either needing to be fixed or replaced. My repairer is attempting to get a price from SMC for parts.
I am trying to see if I can source replacement oil struts in the UK as I believe gas struts are not suitable as a replacement.
Just wondering if anyone else has encountered similar problems and what solutions they managed to achieve.

 

[Lenny HB]

Drop down beds normally use gas struts, have a chat to SGS, they are very helpful.

Gas Struts

www.sgs-engineering.com

 

[Cairngorm]

Drop down beds normally use gas struts, have a chat to SGS, they are very helpful.

Gas Struts

www.sgs-engineering.com

I did speak to them and when I told them it was an oil strut, they said that a gas strut was not suitable. I’m assuming that since there is oil coming from the strut that it is a oil strut and not gas. But I may be wrong.

 

[Lenny HB]

A gas strut still has oil in it, most struts have a manufacturers part number on them you should be able to find info on it from that.

 

[Cairngorm]

A gas strut still has oil in it, most struts have a manufacturers part number on them you shoulbe able to find info on it from that.

Ah!!! Knowledge is power. I did give them all the numbers that I could see on the strut, but it didn’t mean anything to them. Will have to take it off to measure it properly.

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[jockaneezer]

As Lenny says, gas struts have oil in them to lubricate the piston and seals. I can't imagine what an "oil strut" would be, other than some sort of "dampener" like a shock absorber, but couldn't see it operating as a "spring" to assist raising or lowering something ?
If you do replace them, see if you can fit them with the body section lower than the chromed rod part as that could help retain the oil over time ?
I've bought struts from SGS for various jobs. They do a range of "adjustable" struts which have a small Allen grub screw in them, which you undo to let out some of the gas, which reduces the "strength" of the strut so you can "tune" them to the application. Just be careful though, as you can let out too much gas and you can't replace it once it's gone !