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Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 26 Apr 2019, 07:20
by itchyfeet
itchyfeet wrote:

get some pics up


You can add pics here and copy BB code link then paste in you post on here
https://www.techpowerup.org/upload" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


^^^ this, it's really quite easy.
I'm not registered with whatsapp and adding pics here makes it easy for everybody to see and add comment, group effort is better than just one persons advice.

I'm in Soton, if you like you can pop over to look at mine or bring your van for me to look at, I'm no expert but I have done this job.

SGS advertise them for a Holdsworth, if you buy online and they don't fit you have rights under law and they have to refund you or exchange.

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 20 May 2019, 18:05
by nesty
Hi
Do you have to remove the brackets or can you just remove the bolts and insert the struts?

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 20 May 2019, 18:35
by itchyfeet
You can fit struts without removing brackets, on mine lower bracket is rivited and upper one bolted, I changed the bolts in the upper bracket for stainless and took it off and painted it.

From memory the lower bolts were too long to remove from the recess or fitted the wrong way to remove( must have been fitted before bracket riveted on) so I cut them off with a 4 inch grinder and cutting disc, new stainless bolts fitted were shorter and can be fitted in situ.

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 20 May 2019, 18:39
by itchyfeet
I think you were asking about lubrication, I noticed at the weekend there are two channels front and back that some pins slide in on my villa 3 so worth making sure they are clean, seems I'm wrong there is some grease in there so worth a clean and some fresh grease.

Image

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 20 May 2019, 19:48
by nesty
itchyfeet wrote:I think you were asking about lubrication, I noticed at the weekend there are two channels front and back that some pins slide in on my villa 3 so worth making sure they are clean, seems I'm wrong there is some grease in there so worth a clean and some fresh grease.

Image

Yeah, these channels most probably need some grease in mine, I'll check these out, thanks.

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 21 May 2019, 18:50
by itchyfeet
As you can see my roof will hold itself in that position, old struts usually won't.

The roof is designed to be left partially down for ventilation in hot weather but old struts don't do this well.

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 27 May 2019, 13:28
by nesty
itchyfeet wrote:As you can see my roof will hold itself in that position, old struts usually won't.

The roof is designed to be left partially down for ventilation in hot weather but old struts don't do this well.

Did a decent clean & re-lube of the gutter system and pistons today.

The roof pops up and down much better now, think the system just required a bit of TLC, my roof stays in the halfway position ok, so hopefully plenty more life in the pistons!

Thanks for the replies!

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 27 May 2019, 13:48
by nesty
kaminokid wrote:This is an old post and sadly we are now facing the same issue.
Does anyone have an update of SGS, the quality of their gas struts etc.
We have searched high and low on the internet for replacement without success apart from SGS.
The information we have is from a sticker on strut is:
INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMLINE
GAS SPRINGS LTD
GS9011 02 91
Any help gratefully received
Cheers
Emma

Hi Emma
On my roof piston I have GS9011 2/86, like you mine are Industrial Gas Springs Limited
This is the company, though they have moved from the address stamped on my pistons, in their history on the website says they started at the address stamped on my pistons.
I have emailed them to ask do they still produce a GS9011 spec piston.
https://www.industrialgassprings.com/uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 27 May 2019, 20:49
by kaminokid
Hi all and thanks for all the info and advice.
For personal reasons we have found a local roof guy who has experience with villa 3's and he is going to get the job done for us.
Cheers
Emma n Dave

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 05 May 2021, 10:56
by Numptyhill
Dear All,

Any updates on strut suppliers concerns and recommendations?  Also do we know what the strength's should be?

I have the joys of very rusty strut mounts to address too...

Cheers  Simon

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 07 May 2021, 19:38
by Piratepete
Hi Simon
If it's a Holdsworth Villa 3 Full Lift Roof (Not side or rear hinged) they're 330 N. I bought 4 from SGS beginning of last year. They've been fine except one was low pressure(from new) and I eventually replaced that under warranty.
Word of warning:
Make sure you order the length you need, eye centre to eye centre. Mine measured 926mm but they supplied their standard length 920mm assuring me that there would be enough slack in the roof for the -6 mm. There wasn't! Luckily there was enough thread at each end to pack out the eyelets with washers and Loctite.
Also check that they include the correct eyelets. I had to specify 8mm holes. Their standard was 10mm.
Finally you need to specify the length of the eyelets - hole centre to shoulder. If that's too short (mine were) the shoulder fouls the mounting bracket and you have to do quite a bit of grinding/filing to make them fit. Look at SGS's website for all the different sizes.
I've no idea if anyone else had these problems! Wish I'd known all this before I ordered, but the Sales Engineer assured me that their standard unit would fit - all verbal of course!
Keeping it short - you need your new struts to be identical in every way to the old ones - including the shape and dimensions of the end eyelet fixings! :)
Pete

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 10 May 2021, 16:23
by Numptyhill
Thank you Pete

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 27 Jun 2021, 19:05
by itchyfeet
Facebook recommendation https://www.proudtopop.co.uk/ 

Re: Holdsworth villa 3 pop top gas struts

Posted: 23 May 2022, 17:13
by Ezzyboi
Hi, could anyone tell me what was the correct code for the SHS struts for the holdsworth hard sided pop top please. The ones they sent are too short but they have been helpful and want to sort this out cheers