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NOTIFICATION 16-11-04 canopy strut upgrade???

AZLeeJay

Well Known Member
I just installed the new and "improved" struts (the ones with the metal ends) and am unhappy with the power of the struts. The previous struts would cushion the opening so if I didn't hang on to the canopy it would open to its max softly but the new ones are weaker and allows the canopy to open with an uncomfortable rate stopping at the limits with a thunk.

Has anyone else had this result? Did I get a bad set of struts?

Thanks in advance.
 
I replaced the original struts after about 2 years of use - actually found the new ones to be a little stiffer than the ones I removed. Rarely if ever let go of the canopy before it fully opens to avoid any unnecessary stress put on them.
 
I installed an eyebolt in the manufacturing hole in the center of the crash arch and put a large key ring n it. Then I made a 1/8" lanyard cable with a caribiener at each end. When the wind is blowing I put the lanyard in place between the canopy latch handle and the key ring, and it stops the canopy about 1/2" short of full travel to take the stress off the air spring struts.

I also use a piece of aluminum tubing on the left air spring leg to keep the canopy from slamming down in a wind.
 
Upgrade asap

After getting a knot on my head from the canopy dropping on my nugget I ordered the stronger struts and man is it nice. Not worried about canaopy open in wind. It stays up. Takes an easy tug to close and beat of all
Doesn't drop down risking my paint job.
 
Plan on Replacing the Struts Every Few Years

When you do, you can buy them from Vans or from most auto parts stores. I replace mine about every three years. The stroke length and load rating are usually printed on the side of the cylinder. Putting "stronger" struts in isn't necessarily the answer, as that can lead to other problems. As noted in some of the previous posts, you should never trust the survival of you canopy to struts alone in any kind of wind. Hang on, get in/out, and close it ASAP.
Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP
 
Sorry

After getting a knot on my head from the canopy dropping on my nugget I ordered the stronger struts and man is it nice. Not worried about canaopy open in wind. It stays up. Takes an easy tug to close and beat of all
Doesn't drop down risking my paint job.

Paul
Didn't read thru all the posts before jumping on the pile. If Vans (or anyone else) has properly selected the use of a higher rated strut, I'm all for it. On the other hand, I find that some people think that if "X" is good, then "2X" is twice as good. Doesn't work than way in the engineering world. BTW, my replacement test is the same as yours - wait until it hits me in the head.
Terry
 
Improved (?) struts

I too have installed the new metal ended struts. Not because the old ones were performing badly, but because I worried about the plastic ends breaking. I agree with Lee that the new ones don't perform as well as the old ones. Mine have more pressure to assist in opening the canopy and holding it open and that's good. But, the damping action that limits the opening speed is far less and only kicks in when the canopy is near fully open. I always hold onto the canopy to control it until fully open but if it ever slipped out of my hand or was forced open by a wind gust I fear damage could be done when it hits the stops. Maybe we do have some defective parts out there. Has anyone else noticed this lack of damping action (or opening speed control) with these new parts?
 
At the four year point my original plastic rod end struts were losing strength so I replaced them with new plastic end struts (metal rod ends were not being offered yet). IRonically, the stronger opening force is what caused my canopy to pop full open during a run up. Fortunately the ends held and there was no damage. Now I have the metal rod ends and the cable lanyard I made ( useful for fully opening in a tailwind on the ground) as well as the Vans latch for runups.

The only damage I ever got was when I parked into the wind and a gust slammed it shut on my tow bar as I was pulling it out of the baggage area. Now I have a 3/4" aluminum sleeve I put over the strut arm that catches the cylinder if it starts to shut.
 
I too have installed the new metal ended struts. Not because the old ones were performing badly, but because I worried about the plastic ends breaking. I agree with Lee that the new ones don't perform as well as the old ones. Mine have more pressure to assist in opening the canopy and holding it open and that's good. But, the damping action that limits the opening speed is far less and only kicks in when the canopy is near fully open. I always hold onto the canopy to control it until fully open but if it ever slipped out of my hand or was forced open by a wind gust I fear damage could be done when it hits the stops. Maybe we do have some defective parts out there. Has anyone else noticed this lack of damping action (or opening speed control) with these new parts?

Thats my main concern, essentially no damping and if I was to let it open on its own it would slam open, closing is not as bad but still dangerous. I have emailed vans in hope of a replacement. I am at least going to put the old ones back on. It is unsafe with the new struts.
 
I just had a chance to look at an RV12 with the new struts installed and boy are they are scary in how hard they want to slam the canopy to the open position stop. My recommendation is for an RV 12 owner with this problem to call Vans. I would think they will get to the bottom of this. Larry

Hello Scott?? :)
 
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I'm not quite sure what the allure is of letting the canopy open under the power of the gas struts and slam into the stops vs guiding the canopy up to its stop with your hand. Am I missing something? Seems to me that if the canopy has a tendency to slam into the open stops it would make sense to not let it do that.

Similarly to closing the canopy, if you let go of the canopy while it's closing it'll fall closed hard. Doesn't mean it's broken, just means that extra care needs to be taken to lower it gently.

I know it's hard for some people to reach the canopy rails with the shoulder harnesses tight, but it's really easy to loosen them. My two cents.
 
I'm not quite sure what the allure is of letting the canopy open under the power of the gas struts and slam into the stops vs guiding the canopy up to its stop with your hand. Am I missing something? Seems to me that if the canopy has a tendency to slam into the open stops it would make sense to not let it do that.

Similarly to closing the canopy, if you let go of the canopy while it's closing it'll fall closed hard. Doesn't mean it's broken, just means that extra care needs to be taken to lower it gently.

I know it's hard for some people to reach the canopy rails with the shoulder harnesses tight, but it's really easy to loosen them. My two cents.

I agree 100% with Justin.

I checked our prototype yesterday The first RV-12 to be equipped with the new style struts) and didn't see anything unusual about how hard the canopy opens.

I actually wonder if people aren't comparing what they see to older slightly worn struts
 
I agree 100% with Justin.

I checked our prototype yesterday The first RV-12 to be equipped with the new style struts) and didn't see anything unusual about how hard the canopy opens.

I actually wonder if people aren't comparing what they see to older slightly worn struts

I think you misunderstand my problem, it's not the difficulty in opening but the lack of dampening when opening and closing. Much different that the originals. Perhaps I just got a bad set? I've emailed support regarding this issue and am hoping to hear back soon.
 
I agree with Lee, there seems to be some misunderstanding of our problem. I'll try again to explain what I think is going on.

I believe these struts are meant to function in 2 ways:
One, they provide assistance in opening and closing the canopy by offsetting the considerable weight of the canopy by way of high gas pressure (spring) inside the strut that forces it into the extended or fully open position.
Two, they have a damping action that slows or controls the rate of extension. This is necessary because of the very high spring force which if left uncontrolled, would allow the canopy to slam against the stops. The damping action, or lack of it, is where the problem lies.

My old struts provided much more of the damping action in the opening direction. It could be heard and felt from about the half open position to full open and effectively controlled the opening rate. (Not enough to just let go of it though). The new ones don't kick in until the canopy is almost fully open and then it's too little, too late to be of much help.

I don't think they are intended to provide any damping action in the closing direction. I have not sensed it on either set of struts. But the gas pressure assists closing by countering some of the weight.

This is not something I can't live with because I always hold on until it gently reaches the stops. BUT, if it was to slip accidentally out of my hand or a gust of wind caught it, or someone else opens it and lets go, the rate of speed by the time it reaches the stops could cause considerable damage. There is definitely a difference in how the 2nd set performs compared to the old ones. Maybe I got a bad set?
 
Just another data point, but when I replaced the lift struts on my RV-10 with heavier duty struts, I had a similar problem where the doors would slam open too fast for my liking. I attributed this to the struts being designed for heavier loads that the weight of my doors.

I found that after a short time they seemed to weaken to the point that I no longer had to control the opening speed with my hand. In fact, they have now become almost neutrally balanced, and won't raise the doors all the way up without a little help.

I expect that at some point they may have to be replaced again but they are still working satisfactorily. I installed them in July of 15.

~Marc
 
Struts do have a built in cushion if installed with the small diameter rod down when the canopy is open.

If installed with the big diameter body down when the canopy is open, there will be no cushion just before full extension.
 
The struts that I referred to in my previous post installed as per instructions on an RV12 are the new ones mounted with the large body up and they act like a HUGE SPRING without any dampening affect what so ever. The canopy will slam open VERY hard if not contained. IMHO someone is going to break something. Maybe this is a defective new batch that was made without any dampening ability? In 40 years as a mechanic I have never seen a strut behave this radical. I think the band wagon may fill up regarding this issue. :)
 
Hi Scott, I think AZLeeJay has via Email. I have admit that I thought it was maybe an overreaction until I went over to see for myself. Holy Moly, you have see it to believe it. And please understand that I'm just trying to be helpful here by adding my 2 cents.
 
I finally had some time to take a look at this.
I confirmed that the gas struts that are currently on the demonstrator are the same part # as what are supplied in the finish kit, and that they match the number that the manufacturer had originally specified as being the equiv. of the original part except with metal ends.

The struts on the demonstrator do not dampen like a soft close cabinet door, but they do not slam the canopy open either.
Out of numerous pilots flying the airplane, no one made any comments when the struts were changed.
 
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