Gas Struts

[RJ Howell]

Most of you folks do a hinged lift and I see several calculators (including here) for those. In my situation, I have a non-hinge full lift. Having a bit of a time finding a calculator or install guide for it.

I'm back to thinking of adding the struts for an even easier setup. I think if I ad the struts I could deploy the roof without even getting in..

Probably just need to contact a couple manufactures and ask.. Any better choices out there?

[Pmullen503]

It depends on the geometry. Straight lift is easy, angled or acting on your x braces will be different. Got a sketch?

[RJ Howell]

The braces are 'H' formed and front/back and hinged in the middle. I wouldn't 'think' they'd be any issue on the lift..
I can pop the top pretty easy now without struts. I just think I could lift the top without climbing with struts, and that would be very nice indeed!

.

Figure the struts would be on the sides. Does this help at all?

[Pmullen503]

4 struts on the corners would just be the weight divided by 4 (or a bit lower than that to assist but not strong enough to lift) but do you have room to do that?

Forgive me but I've been looking at so many lifting roof designs I can't keep them straight. Are your H braces attached top and bottom and fold in the middle? You could spring load those hinges. Too much might make lowering the roof difficult.

[tony.latham]

I'm back to thinking of adding the struts for an even easier setup.

RJ: I assume you've looked at how Four-Wheel campers etc have the erganomics of the struts on their truck bed pop-up campers?



Does that help at all?

Tony

[green1]

There are lots of calculators, but I find they over complicate things.
For my galley I put a bathroom scale on the counter, put a stick on it holding the hatch up at the point I wanted the strut to attach, divided by 2 (one strut on each side) and voila. Went to the store to see what they had and picked the next increment above what I measured above. Worked perfectly.

As long as you know where you want to attach it, and the direction of the force, any scale will do the trick to see how much you need.

[RJ Howell]

@pmullen: Yes mounted top and bottom, hinged in the middle. My mind is still racing around a simple spring system, yet to work through it.. A smile spring (pulling, not pushing) would actually give the assist at the heaviest point (initial lift). With the middle being hinged, my mind goes to a gear system run by a DC motor.

[RJ Howell]

@Tony: I've pulled a lot of info from those guys. Some I've used, some, well not so much.. I have a dealer near by. There's also a few Aussie builders I've pulled from. Now those folks are way ahead of this game! They're building some really cool stuff! Thank you for suggestion.

[RJ Howell]

There are lots of calculators, but I find they over complicate things.
For my galley I put a bathroom scale on the counter, put a stick on it holding the hatch up at the point I wanted the strut to attach, divided by 2 (one strut on each side) and voila. Went to the store to see what they had and picked the next increment above what I measured above. Worked perfectly.

As long as you know where you want to attach it, and the direction of the force, any scale will do the trick to see how much you need.

Thank you! Kinda where I'm headed on this!