Good idea!

[Dan Thiem]

I had trouble with my doors on the topper closing on me because of the weak gas struts. I tried the vise grip thing but eventually it ended up missing. Didn't want to keep buying them. And I know better than to use a sawed off hockey stick or broom handle because sooner or later it'll fall out and then the lid's gonna smack ya on the melon. Been there before.

So here's my million dollar idea. I took a piece of 5/16" fuel hose and cut off a piece the same length of the silver or chrome part of the shock when it was fully opened. Then I slit the hose length wise down one side. Now all I gotta do is push the slot of the rubber hose over the chrome part of the strut when it's extended and open. That way the black part can't slide down because the rubber hose blocks it.

[iffy]

helluv an idea Dan, but what you gonna do when it warms up and the rubber gets as soft as you know what? I'd just go to a parts store and get some new shocks. It'll save you a lot of headaches.

[Dan Thiem]

New idea. Plastic conduit. Or plastic pipe. I know tight wad.

[fishing tech]

Sometimes you can get away with putting a hose clamp on the black part where it in dents. Tighten it up and it may hold.

[mechanictim]

If you go to a parts store that has one of those Help displays with the cheap generic replacements for sunvisor clips, door handles, and such, you can find a small slider that will lock open your hood or liftgate struts just like the ones you find on a screen door. Cost is about 2 bucks and they stay on the strut even when closed.

[eyewinder]

I attach a short bungee (with hooks) to the ladder rack on top of my shell, then hook it on the shell's door handle when it's raised. . .works well for me!

[stmichael]

I would use a small set of Vice Grips. It does not have to be tight to hold.