Hatch Weight

[Dee Bee]

It has just occured to me that I have no idea how much resistance weight is represented by lifting a typical hatch! Can you tell me how much weight you are lifting when you open your TD hatch? If you can't measure it with a scale, can you make a comparison to lighting a common object?

Let me know how much hatch your pumping!

DEE

[fornesto]

It sounds crude, but can't you tape a post to a bathroom scale and lift the hatch with it. The weight shouldn't change too much during the range of motion. You could lift the bathroom scale up, pushing the hatch.

[Sarge]

Dee Bee,

I have a Hunter HU-4, which is a five foot wide trailer. Being 5 feet wide, there is more door to lift. Mine is also lined. Not knowing the actual weight, I would say it is equivalent to lifting a well balanced bag of potatos.

When lifting the hatch, the weight of the hatch is only one consideration. The other thing to consider is the swing of the door. The process is sort of like what a weight-lifter does doing the 'clean and jerk.' You start lifting bent over, then to your shoulders, then press it up. The height of the hatch also a concern. If it is very tall, you're pushing the weight way over your head.

Since the hatch is hinged, you're never lifting the entire weight of the hatch, but it can be awkward. Weight wise, I can lift the hatch with one hand, but realistically I have to use two hands because of the way it swings out and up.

Hope this helped.

-Sarge

[SteveH]

I put gas springs (gas filled shocks) on my hatch and it's like lifing the trunk of a modern car. Just get it started, stand back and watch it go up!

[len19070]

I adapted an RV electric Step mechanism & Motor to be an electric gally lift on my 4' wide Slumber coach. Lift weight was important to me. So I weighed the hatch 2 different ways. The total weight of my hatch, detached from the trailer was 39lbs. BUT when installed on the trailer the Lifting weight was only 18lbs. Well under the 35lb lift capasity of my motor.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/len19070/ ... /my_photos

Happy Trails

Len

[beverlyt]

Dee,
Our hatch is on a 4' wide trailer. It has 1/8" birch covering the "spars?" underneath.
I'm not very strong but I can lift it by myself and get it hooked into place, holding it up mid-air with one arm while I get the "hook latch" in place.
If it were much heavier or wider though..I might have a little trouble. I think I would need some sort of "gadget" help then.

Bev

[Boodro]

Hi DeeBee , I weighed my hatch tonite & its 34 pounds. It has 3 main ribs top to bottom 2 1/2 inches x 1 inch per rib-- the top support that the hinge is screwed to is a 1x 3 pine , the bottom of the hatch is a 2x4x4 . It has 15 cross spars , is skinned with 1/8 inch masonite, I have only to put the final skin on which is 1/8 inch frp. i am planning on using gas struts for lifting. Check out my album for pics. Oh & have fun !