Cutlass wagon rear window struts

[Oldscarnut]

You're right about that , Mark.
I've gone thru countless sets over the years and I'm due for new replacements. They just don't last long. The Strong Arm brand are probably the best, even though I burned thru a set of them as well. From what I can figure, the only way they would last is if the window was kept open and the struts wouldn't be compressed. It's too bad they couldn't be rebuild... cheaply.

Sounds like a cottage industry to me. So many cars had hatches and even hoods that used the struts. Wherever Japan was getting theirs, they seem to last a whole lot longer...just an observation and not necessarily a fact. Maybe the Japanese cars had less weight to lift.

 

[Longroof79]

Sounds like a cottage industry to me. So many cars had hatches and even hoods that used the struts. Wherever Japan was getting theirs, they seem to last a whole lot longer...just an observation and not necessarily a fact. Maybe the Japanese cars had less weight to lift.

Chuck,
The last set I bought were Sachs brand. I figured being a German brand they would perhaps last awhile longer. Foolish of me to assume. The thing is, they can't be pressurized too much or they'll compromise the hatch pivots, which are only held on by mere spot welds as Oldsmobile Joe also pointed out.
I had one side TIG welded, the other side was replaced with a new window frame. I did notice on the new piece, the pivot had a larger base and accommodated more spot welds. GM obviously figured that this was a problem.
Apparently the S10 Blazer uses the same struts.

 

[Oldscarnut]

Chuck,
The last set I bought were Sachs brand. I figured being a German brand they would perhaps last awhile longer. Foolish of me to assume. The thing is, they can't be pressurized too much or they'll compromise the hatch pivots, which are only held on by mere spot welds as Oldsmobile Joe also pointed out.
I had one side TIG welded, the other side was replaced with a new window frame. I did notice on the new piece, the pivot had a larger base and accommodated more spot welds. GM obviously figured that this was a problem.
Apparently the S10 Blazer uses the same struts.

In my life, I can think of hundreds if parts and pieces GM designed and let the new model owners engineer....I owned a 74 GMC Jimmy with a fiberglass top, Turbo Regal in 1978, a Toronado Diesel, and a Fiero....They all needed my help ha ha. Never buy a first year GM car....was my Dad's advice. All of his Oldsmobiles were free of warranty things...except the 64 Cutlass Holiday Coupe that could not ever seal the windows at highway speed....He bought a 65 Ninety-Eight instead.