2015 RT Limited seat strut Sachs SG35901 issue

[dwade]

Not long after I got my bike I bought an Ultimate seat from a member here. Everything was going good until late last March when my seat wouldn't stay up. i searched here and found that a stronger replacement was available. I bought the "Sachs SG359011 Lift Support" on Amazon. After installing it my seat would open on it's own. It was great.

Everything was going fine until today. When I went to the gas station to fill up I heard a thud under the seat. I found that the strut had popped off the ball joint on the seat. The metal clip was still on the strut. I snapped the strut back on and went for a ride. Well, it popped off 5 times on the ride. After the second time I checked all the nuts associated with the strut, and they were tight. I checked the seat and it has no play in it. When it pops off I would feel the seat dip left and right, and then hear and feel the thud under the seat. After the 5th time I left it off until I got home.

Anyone had this problem? Any suggestions?

Don

[Peter Aawen]

Those strut connector thingies are usually pretty hard to get off unless they are seriously stressed in an abnormal direction.... is that what's happening when the seat 'dips left & right'??

Still, if it's worked fine for a few months & only now is starting to disconnect, is there anything else under there that's changed recently?? Have you checked to see if you've broken or lost one or more of the rubber bumpers that the seat sits on? Or maybe the bolts holding the hinges at the back have come loose/dropped out??

[dwade]

I checked the seat. The rear bolts are there. The bumpers seem to be there. I haven't changed anything either.

I did notice that the strut seems to sit a little offset at the ball joint connection when the seat rests open. At least I think it's offset. (I took a couple of pics.) I never paid attention to how the old strut set when the seat was open.

Don

[johnnyrocket]

I had the same problem and found out the strut rod was upside down, changed it and have had no problems since. I don't know if you have the same problem but it would be worth checking.

[samewok]

It is on upside down. the one I have has been on since 2015 no problem.

[dwade]

Upside down?

Ok, I flipped it around. I'll try it out tomorrow or Monday. Hopefully that will fix it.

Thanks.

Don

[dwade]

IMHO the rod end should be flipped over to the other side of the attachment bracket ....... I removed mine years ago so I can't compare them ...... Mike

If you're referring to the bracket attached to the seat, and moving the strut from the left side to the right side of the bracket, I did try changing that yesterday. The way it is now the strut's lower attachment is on the right side. The upper is on the left side. This makes it look like, to me, the strut is offset at an angle.

When I flipped the upper one, the seat will not close due to the seat's shape. The seat underside has a "u" shape. When it's on the left side (of the bracket attachment) the strut fits under the seat when closed. Move it to the right side and the seat material is too low (deep) and won't close.

I was going to try to switch the lower attachment from right to left, but there isn't enough room due to the plastic base (or whatever you call it) that sits around the attachment area. ( Did any of that make sense? My bike terminology is pretty bad.)

Didn't get a chance to ride today to see if the upside down strut suggestion worked. Will try tomorrow.

Don

[UtahPete]

IMHO the rod end should be flipped over to the other side of the attachment bracket ....... I removed mine years ago so I can't compare them ...... Mike

[trikermutha]

Shouldnt the ball ends be on the same side from top to bottom? Others have mentioned this too.

Did you remove the ball ends?

[dwade]

Shouldnt the ball ends be on the same side from top to bottom? Others have mentioned this too.

Did you remove the ball ends?

I did try changing that yesterday. The strut's lower attachment is on the right side. The upper is on the left side. This makes it look like, to me, the strut is offset at an angle.

When I flipped the upper one (moved the ball joint to the right side), the seat will not close due to the seat's shape. The seat underside has a "u" shape. When it's on the left side (of the bracket attachment) the strut fits under the seat when closed. Move it to the right side and the seat material is too low (deep) and won't close.

I was going to try to switch the lower attachment from right to left, but there isn't enough room due to the plastic base (or whatever you call it) that sits around the attachment area. ( Did any of that make sense? My bike terminology is pretty bad.)

Here are a couple pics of the underside of the seat and the strut (which I switched from upside down to right side up today) This is an Ultimate seat.

Don

[trikermutha]

Put the shock back like your first pictures then check the shock retaining clips or a bind. Mine is just like yours in the first set of pictures. Been using that same strut for a while now with no problems

[dwade]

Put the shock back like your first pictures then check the shock retaining clips or a bind. Mine is just like yours in the first set of pictures. Been using that same strut for a while now with no problems

I did check the clips. They seem to be fine on both ends.

I took a short 20 mile ride yesterday. I had the strut in the 'thicker part up' position. It stayed on the entire time. I'll try it like that for a couple rides.

If it starts popping off again I'll switch it back to the original position and repost.

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

Don

[HayRog]

Just checked my aftermarket strut. The thin end is to the top and has been OK for a couple of years.
Glad I looked though, cause the socket round the ball at the top end seems to be cracking .. Further inspection when the garage is below 120 degrees !