Cabrio Tonneau & Top Hinge Strut Sale !

[jgilber0]

Hi Jeff -

Do e30 power and manual tops use the same soft top gas struts / gas pressurized springs?

I have a ‘92 cabrio and I’m getting ready to replace my power top. RealOEM shows gas pressurized springs and sleeves as part of the top assembly, parts #3 and #4 on the diagram here:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=54_0146

The part numbers are 54311943751 and 54311943752.

Since you’re not selling the item, I searched the net and found a site with the part listed, but it says that the gas struts are for manual tops only.

What is correct, please? Thanks!

Also, please let me know if you are working on importing more soft top gas struts. I’d rather buy from you if you can provide them.

Thank you!

[jeffnhiscars]

Hi Jeff -

Do e30 power and manual tops use the same soft top gas struts / gas pressurized springs?

I have a ‘92 cabrio and I’m getting ready to replace my power top. RealOEM shows gas pressurized springs and sleeves as part of the top assembly, parts #3 and #4 on the diagram here:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=54_0146

The part numbers are 54311943751 and 54311943752.

Since you’re not selling the item, I searched the net and found a site with the part listed, but it says that the gas struts are for manual tops only.

What is correct, please? Thanks!

Also, please let me know if you are working on importing more soft top gas struts. I’d rather buy from you if you can provide them.

Thank you!

It's the same parts for all e30 tops, manual or electric and I have no plans at this point of making any more of them.

I'd be interested to know if you (or anyone else) actually receives the sleeves as they were NLA after I cleaned out BMW

[jgilber0]

Thank you Jeff! I’ll let you know what I learn. Seems like 3D printing could work for the sleeves if I can’t source them.

[Schnitzer318is]

Jeff, this explains a lot. Both why my top is so hard to put up/down, but also why I have 2 gas struts (and a lot of broken plastic pieces) just sitting unused in my top hinge area.

Wish I had known this was a thing earlier... hopefully someone is able to 3d print these. :(

I also need to install the manual tonneau strut bracket. My top was converted to manual but they did not install the bracket to install the strut on. I have to hold the tonneau and raise/lower the top at the same time, with no assistance from struts on either one. lol Fortunately I am 6'8" and have long arms so it's not too big an issue.

[jeffnhiscars]

Jeff, this explains a lot. Both why my top is so hard to put up/down, but also why I have 2 gas struts (and a lot of broken plastic pieces) just sitting unused in my top hinge area.

Wish I had known this was a thing earlier... hopefully someone is able to 3d print these. :(

I also need to install the manual tonneau strut bracket. My top was converted to manual but they did not install the bracket to install the strut on. I have to hold the tonneau and raise/lower the top at the same time, with no assistance from struts on either one. lol Fortunately I am 6'8" and have long arms so it's not too big an issue.

I honestly didn't know thentops had struts either until I was stripping down a spare frame and had a wtf moment. I've never done an auto to manual top conversion so don't have the answer.

[Schnitzer318is]

I honestly didn't know thentops had struts either until I was stripping down a spare frame and had a wtf moment. I've never done an auto to manual top conversion so don't have the answer.

Since you have sources for manufacture of struts. I was wondering if a strut of correct spec could be manufactured with an eyelet one end and the ball receiver on the other. This (in my head) would negate the need for the plastic mounting sleeve.


Sound possible?

[jeffnhiscars]

Since you have sources for manufacture of struts. I was wondering if a strut of correct spec could be manufactured with an eyelet one end and the ball receiver on the other. This (in my head) would negate the need for the plastic mounting sleeve.


Sound possible?

You can make a strut to virtually any spec in any configuration. The top struts I had made came without the ball sockets attached so I sat there screwing them on with a dab of Locktite.

I do think the sleeve is part of the top design though since it allows the top end of the strut to "float" without tension or compression. Anchoring it would obviously defeat whatever the intent of that is

[Schnitzer318is]

^Makes sense. Hadn't thought of the sleeve needing to float in/out over the top of the strut. I'm sure they made it out of plastic to limit the noise produced by the sliding. Nice work BMW.

[jeffnhiscars]

I try to make sense once in a while. Nice of you to notice lol

[Prost]

I must somewhere..lol.let me look.

You're not likely to be missing them. If you need to hold the deck lid up with your shoulder then you need those and if raising the top feels like you are lifting a cinder block you need the hinge struts too. Honestly I'm yet to see a cabrio that didn't have blow hinge struts...unless they've already bought replacements from me :)

Do you mind to show the pic of all 4 struts? I am a bit confuse about where are those exactly go into.

Thanks

[PDXPeter]

Do you mind to show the pic of all 4 struts? I am a bit confuse about where are those exactly go into.

Thanks

You dont have the right mounts to fit the top hinge struts. They only came on non-auto tops. These would bolt to the side of the top hinge itself. You will be able to see the mount on the upper part of the hinge but there is no place to mount them to the car itself.

[jeffnhiscars]

You dont have the right mounts to fit the top hinge struts. They only came on non-auto tops. These would bolt to the side of the top hinge itself. You will be able to see the mount on the upper part of the hinge but there is no place to mount them to the car itself.

This is correct however both electrical and manual tops use the same shocks. They are buried in the hinge down near where the top bolts to the body and can be seen with the rear part of the top raised to upright.

Regrettably, I do not have top struts available at this time.

[PDXPeter]

This is correct however both electrical and manual tops use the same shocks. They are buried in the hinge down near where the top bolts to the body and can be seen with the rear part of the top raised to upright.

Regrettably, I do not have top struts available at this time.

Yeah I was just thinking of the top cover struts. I scavenged the lower mounts from a junk car and am going to see about having them welded in :)

Would you mind putting me a list so I can buy all 4 when you get them in stock?

[jeffnhiscars]

If/when I reorder top struts I'll let everyone know. In the meantime I do have deck,lid struts on hand for $40/pair shipped.

[Prost]

This is correct however both electrical and manual tops use the same shocks. They are buried in the hinge down near where the top bolts to the body and can be seen with the rear part of the top raised to upright.

Regrettably, I do not have top struts available at this time.

Thanks for the clarification ;)