How to Install Lift Supports on Gun Safe SentrySafe

In the stillness of night, a noise at the door jolts you awake. Heart racing, you approach the gun safe, only to discover that the lid won’t pop open quickly like it usually does. Calmness quickly turns to panic as you struggle to pry it open with your fingernails. Luckily, after many attempts, you retrieve your small pistol, ready to face whatever awaits.

Most Sentrysafe owners rarely inspect their lift supports on gun safe, also known as gun safe gas springs. Some do not even notice its existence, so for gun safe performance issues, they only realize operational problems after it’s too late.
Remember, you count your family safety on your gun safe daily, so you must check it periodically. One commonly ignored but handy component of your gun safe is the lift supports, which is the key to quick access to your weapon and ensure your family’s safety. From now on, I hope you can pay more attention to this matter, you should note that a cylinder is used the longer it will last, sitting dormant for any period allows the shaft to bind to the seal and eventually tear. Then, if you may have found that your SentrySafe does not quick access anymore, that would be the cause.

Fortunately, we have an easy solution for this issue, that is to do some replacement. Most sentrysafe gas struts can easily be replaced in the safety of your own home. However, before doing that, you should know when you will be needed to do that. To do that, We will guide you to know the symptoms of failing or damaged lift supports and introduce How Safe Lift Supports Work first to you.

Symptoms of Failing or Damaged Lift Supports

Gas struts in gun safes differ from those in storage boxes or vehicle trunks. Gas struts are commonly used for lifting and holding lids, whether light or heavy. In gun safes, these struts are equipped with a spring mechanism, enabling quick access, and making it easier for us to retrieve firearms in an emergency.

Therefore, when gas struts start to fail, the symptoms become noticeable. To identify faulty or damaged struts early on, look out for these two key signs:

1. The lid won’t pop up at all.

This is the worst-case scenario, especially in an emergency when you might be too flustered to pry it open.

2. The lid can pop up, but it does not fully open.

If you haven’t used the safe in a while, it may be due to the components in the cylinder sticking together from disuse. Try opening it a few more times. If the status persists after five attempts, it could indicate low air pressure or damaged internal components. For your safety, it’s best to replace the gas struts promptly.

How Safe Lift Supports Work?

As previously mentioned, the gas struts in gun safes are similar to those installed in vehicle trunks and cabinets. To ensure sufficient lifting power, we inject several hundred psi of inert gas into the cylinder and add lubricants to enhance damping. This creates a sturdy structure that offers better support.

However, lift supports on gun safes have unique requirements: they do not need strong support but a faster opening speed to help protect family members in emergencies. To achieve this, we incorporate a spring on the metal rod at the bottom of the lift support. This design allows the gas strut to accelerate and extend immediately when the lid is opened, ensuring quick access when it’s needed most.

Why do Gas Struts on Gun Safes Have a Shorter Lifespan?

Typically, the lifespan of a gas strut is 1 to 3 years, but for gun safes, it’s often less than a year. Why is that? There are two main reasons: 1. Infrequent use, and 2. The spring can disrupt the normal extension speed.

1. Low Frequency of Use  

The more often a gas spring is used, the longer its lifespan tends to be. In the case of gun safes, infrequent use can lead to the internal seal sticking together, negatively impacting performance and shortening the rod’s life.

2. The Spring Affects Extension Speed  

Typically, gas struts extend slowly, making them ideal for gradual opening. However, by adding a spring to accelerate the opening of the gun safe lid, we change the gas strut’s working principle, which can ultimately reduce its lifespan.

How to Install New Struts on a SentrySafe Gun Safe?

Whether the old strut is partially or completely dead, the Apexstone 7.68” 80N gas strut can be selected as a replacement for the OEM part. It has been verified as an inexpensive and quick way to resurrect the SentrySafe QAP1BE or QAP1BLX Quick Access Digital Pistol Safe. Though small, it ensures quick fingerprint access.

Before starting the replacement process, it’s important to know that the new strut is not an exact swap, but the ends are interchangeable. Once you understand this, you can install it pretty easily. All you need is a Phillips head screwdriver and about 5 minutes.

Simple step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Remove the old strut from the safe.
Step 2: Unscrew both ends from the old strut.
Step 3: Unscrew the ends from the new strut.
Step 4: Attach the old ends to the new strut.
Step 5: Install the new strut with the old ends onto the safe. First, reconnect the screw-in bottom bracket, then reattach the top bracket.

Installation Tips you will need:

If you attach the top first it is nearly impossible to thread the screw at the bottom because you cannot compress the strut to line up the screw hole, but you can maneuver the top bracket to line up easily.

Common doubts you may have:

1. Why do we need to replace the ends?

The end sockets on this replacement strut are too large, which prevents the safe from closing properly. I tried it, and it simply doesn’t work. The good news is that the end pieces can be easily unscrewed and swapped out before installing the new strut.

2. What are the main advantages of safe strut replacement?

(1) The new strut is stronger than the OEM version, but it closes fine and opens like a charm.

(2) The replacement is quick and simple—you can do it yourself with no hassle.

(3) OEM replacements are expensive, but these are much more affordable and work great.

Once you’ve completed the installation, give it a try! I’m sure you’ll love seeing your gun safe door pop open again. Congratulations on the successful upgrade! If you haven’t tried it yet, don’t wait—start your replacement today! I’m sure once you experience how easy and effective it is, you’ll be telling everyone to upgrade their SentrySafe gun safe with these amazing struts! Go ahead—give it a try and see the difference for yourself!