Sep. 10, 2026
When an SUV is converted into an armored vehicle, the rear tailgate often becomes much heavier because of ballistic glass, armor materials and structural reinforcement.
At the same time, the tailgate's center of gravity may also change.
The original power tailgate system, however, was designed around the factory vehicle configuration, including:
Tailgate Weight → Center of Gravity → Strut Force → Motor Torque → Mounting Geometry → Control System
Once these conditions change, the OEM electric tailgate struts may no longer match the new load.
One common solution is to keep the original electric tailgate system and add an auxiliary gas spring.
This may provide extra supporting force, but it does not necessarily solve the complete engineering problem.
（https://www.youtube.com/embed/EzQNA80JOzk?si=5S2Hm4NWpNr_wWVj）
An auxiliary gas spring normally requires additional brackets, joints or fixing points.
That means the modified tailgate now has more mechanical connections than the original system.
During repeated opening and closing, an inadequately designed auxiliary structure may experience:
Looseness
Movement
Deformation
Alignment changes
This does not mean every gas spring installation will fail.
The engineering issue is that every additional component creates another mechanical interface that must be validated for long-term durability.
For a heavy armored tailgate, mounting reliability becomes especially important.
Gas springs rely on internal gas pressure to generate supporting force.
During long-term use, their performance can be affected by operating cycles, sealing condition, temperature and application conditions.
If gas pressure gradually decreases, the supporting force may also decline.
For an armored tailgate, this may shift more load back to the original electric strut and motor.
Possible symptoms can include:
Slower opening
Difficulty lifting from the initial position
Failure to stay fully open
Increased motor load
So the real engineering question should not only be:
Can the tailgate open after installation?
It should also be:
Can the system maintain stable performance after repeated use?
The installation space around an SUV tailgate is limited.
The original vehicle already contains:
Hinges
Electric struts
Wiring harnesses
Trim panels
Seals
Body structures
After armoring, ballistic glass and reinforcement may occupy even more space.
Adding another gas spring introduces an additional moving component.
Its complete movement path must be checked during the full opening and closing cycle.
Otherwise, possible problems may include:
Interference with nearby components
Reduced opening angle
Contact with trim or body parts
Poor installation appearance
For specialized vehicles, sufficient force alone is not enough.
The solution must also fit the original vehicle structure.
Adding an auxiliary gas spring does not automatically increase the capability of the electric motor inside the OEM tailgate strut.
The motor still needs to control the heavier tailgate throughout the entire opening and closing cycle.
The load also changes at different tailgate angles.
The initial opening stage can be particularly demanding because of the relationship between:
Tailgate weight
Hinge position
Center of gravity
Strut mounting geometry
Therefore, even with additional gas-spring support, the original drive motor may still be operating outside its intended range.
This is why a heavy-duty power tailgate solution should consider both:
Mechanical Support + Electric Drive Capability
A common assumption is:
The tailgate is heavier, so just use a stronger spring.
But excessive or incorrectly matched spring force can also create problems.
If the force is too high or the force curve does not match the vehicle geometry, it may affect:
Closing performance
Opening speed
Motor load
Mounting-point stress
Overall control behavior
For armored vehicles, the objective should therefore not be:
Maximum spring force
but:
Correct spring force matched to the actual tailgate load and geometry
For armored SUV projects, Guangzhou Tomaster Auto Parts develops customized heavy-duty electric tailgate solutions based on the original vehicle structure and the modified tailgate load.
Instead of treating an auxiliary gas spring as the only solution, the complete system can be evaluated according to:
Tailgate weight
Center of gravity
F1/F2 force values
Motor torque
Strut stroke
Mounting geometry
Mechanical structure
Control performance
In some heavy-duty electric strut projects, Guangzhou Tomaster Auto Parts uses higher-force spring configurations and high-torque motors according to the specific application.
However, motor torque or spring force should never be treated as a universal specification.
Different vehicles require different engineering parameters.
Before developing a custom electric tailgate strut, the engineering team first needs accurate vehicle information.
For an initial evaluation, customers can provide:
Vehicle make, model and year
Tailgate modification details
Added tailgate weight
Existing electric strut information
OE number, if available
Strut stroke
F1/F2 data, if available
Tailgate and mounting-point photos
Required opening angle
Expected operating functions
This helps determine whether the project only requires a customized electric strut or a more complete heavy-duty power liftgate solution.
A typical customized heavy-duty tailgate project can follow this process:
Vehicle Data Collection
↓
Engineering Analysis
↓
Spring & Motor Matching
↓
Prototype Development
↓
F1/F2 & Functional Testing
↓
Actual Vehicle Validation
Depending on the project, testing can include:
F1/F2 force inspection
Working-stroke measurement
Hall signal inspection
Opening and closing tests
Structural testing
Noise inspection
Durability testing
The final goal is not simply to make the tailgate open once.
The goal is to achieve stable and repeatable operation under the modified vehicle load.
For armored vehicles, long-term reliability depends on the interaction between multiple parameters:
Load + Force + Torque + Geometry + Structure + Control + Durability
An auxiliary gas spring may provide additional support, but it should not automatically be considered a complete heavy-duty power tailgate solution.
If the vehicle modification has significantly changed the original tailgate weight and mechanical conditions, the entire system may need to be re-engineered.
When an SUV is armored, the original power tailgate can be forced to operate under conditions far beyond its original design.
Adding an auxiliary gas spring may improve supporting force, but it does not automatically solve:
Mounting durability
Long-term support consistency
Installation interference
Motor load
Control performance
A more reliable approach is to redesign the relevant power liftgate parameters around the actual modified vehicle.
At Guangzhou Tomaster Auto Parts, heavy-duty tailgate development focuses on the relationship between:
Tailgate Weight → Center of Gravity → Spring Force → Motor Torque → Mounting Geometry → Control Performance → Vehicle Validation
Guangzhou Tomaster Auto Parts provides customized electric tailgate strut and heavy-duty power liftgate solutions for:
Armored SUVs | Specialized Vehicles | Rear Spare Tire Carrier Upgrades | Off-Road Modified Vehicles
For B2B armoring companies, special vehicle builders, automotive modification companies and distributors, please provide:
Vehicle Model + Year + Added Tailgate Weight + Modification Photos + Existing Strut Information
for an initial engineering evaluation.
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