gas struts

[elcaro]

Hi I've got a big old running treadmill, charities etc can't take it, council would collect but would charge £20. I reckon I can get it into my car to take it to recycle if I dismantle it enough. Made a good start on that. The bit you run on folds between horizontal for use and vertical when not in use. This is assisted by two gas struts. To get the running bit separated from the other bit I need to undo one end of each of the gas struts. No intention of taking the gas struts themselves apart! - a sticker on them tells you not to! But with the running bit in the vertical, or what be vertical if I hadn't laid the whole issue on its side, the struts should be at their minimum compression. So can I - carefully - unbolt the ends? There might be a little bit more expansion left in the struts so I would expect them to maybe stretch a bit if I undo the nut at one end and clout the bolt with a hammer. but they won't just fly apart will they? These are a smaller version of the things you see on car tailgates. Thanks for any advice. - Terry.

 

[jj4091]

You should be able to do that without a problem, if as you say they are similar to car type, then there won't be an explosive force when you undo one end.

 

[Burnerman]

If the struts are at their maximum extension, then you can unbolt them safely.
The new struts will just have enough movement in them to allow you to reconnect - tightening the nut up will bring them into line.
John

 

[mattylad]

Dont do that, put it on your local Freegle website and someone will likely come and take it away for you.

Just describe it and its condition accurately.

 

[elcaro]

Ah thanks guys, I'll give that a try.