How To Measure Your Gas Props for Proper Fitment

If you've ever gone to your truck cap or fiber glass bed cover and had the rear door fall on your head, then that can only mean one thing. It's time for new gas props!! The only problem to solve now is which size gas prop to purchase to ensure proper fitment. Working out of your truck bed with the wrong props is very difficult so it is important that you get the proper measurement to keep that rear door from falling. When looking for new props there are 4 important numbers that you are going to need to get the proper fitment, and those numbers are:

1. The part number
2. The poundage or amount of weight the shock can support
3. The extended length
4. And the compressed length

Although the easiest way to get the proper fitment is with the part number, there are a ton of brands of gas props out there and some of them have a bunch of numbers on them, making finding the right part number a little difficult sometimes. So if you are having trouble finding the part number that is fine because poundage and length are essential to ensure the right fit. When looking for the poundage you are going to want to look for a number followed by a # or lbs. If you are looking for an example a lot of times it will look like this:

When measuring the length of your gas props most of the time you can just get the extended length but sometimes it can help to also know the compressed length. To get your extended length start by first removing your gas prop by taking a screwdriver and gently prying back the clip at the end and pull the shock off the ball mount. After the prop has been removed measure from the center of the ball mount on one end to the center of the ball mount on the other end, now you have your extended prop length. Going the extra mile to ensure proper fitment is never a bad idea, and this means getting the compressed length of your gas props. To get the compressed length simply jump into the bed of your truck and close the cap door to compress the prop. After you've done this you can measure from ball mount to ball mount again. Having these four numbers will ensure that you are purchasing the right sized gas props for your truck cap or bed cover. Always remember that when you are replacing a gas prop you should always replace the other as well. This is because if one shock isn't doing it's job correctly it will wear the other out faster. Hopefully this guide has helped you to get the proper gas prop fitment, If you are having trouble figuring out the which size is the right size for you then feel free to give us a call at anytime and we will get the right gas prop for your vehicle.