Gas Struts for Folding Foamie

[Postal_Dave]

I'm playing around with an idea of making an A framed folding foamie. I read a post recently where someone mentioned using a gas strut to unfold their foamie. Since I don't have any experience with gas struts, I was wondering if anybody here has used them before for their camper. If you have, then I'd like to know a few things like the size of the struts you used, how much it could lift, price, and best place to get them. Also, any warnings or tricks of the trade you could share.
Thanks,
Dave

[RJ Howell]

I followed another's advice and contacted https://shop.suspa.com/c16-21404-gas-spring-p5228.aspx The tech asked quite a few questions and draw up a mounting diagram and parts list. My cost will be $32 each (I need 4 to lift my roof). Currently out-of-stock, so I have tie to work a bit more on lift system.

With my foam roof, it's so lite I do it manually. I have to lift and lower from inside and think with these struts I could do it from outside, which would be so nice!
My roof:

[tony.latham]

I read a post recently where someone mentioned using a gas strut to unfold their foamie.

You've probably thought about this but keep in mind that a 50-pound gas strut exerts 50 pounds or pressure while it's closed. So depending on which struts you end up with you'll have to engineer attachment points and a structure that can handle the closed pressure.



I always enjoy reading about somebody's outside-the-box plans. Different is good.

Tony

[Postal_Dave]

Thanks for the information guys.

A little thinking out loud here...
I like the idea of a folding A frame foamie camper because it would be light weight and easy to tow. Because I'd be camping by myself most of the time, I'd need help opening the roof evenly and holding the roof open while I put up the walls. The roof would be very light weight but over 6 feet wide and about 7 feet long. So the struts would not need a lot of pressure but it may need to be extra long. Or if I put the struts closer to the hinge, it could be shorter but it would need more pressure. I'd have to find a sweet spot for that. I also need to figure in the possibility of having to open the roof during windy conditions and give it extra strength against cross winds when it isn't supported by the walls.

I don't know about you guys, but for me, the challenge of coming up with the design for a project, and trying to think of how I can make something work, is more fun than building the project. I learn a lot and I get to expand my imagination.