Gas Struts For Galley

[Canuck]

After a lot of water damage this past winter.and a lot of repair work
I'm about ready to build my cabinets
My question
I would like to install gas struts
Could i get ideas , pictures , on installation
Thx
Canuck

[zukamini]

I picked up a set, (borrowed) from my daughters chevy sprint. I used a fish scale to find the weight of my hatch ( half open) and compared it to the sprint without struts(daughter was getting a little miffed about now) so I bought some used for twenty bucks at the local auto wreckers. I measured the distance from the pivot point on the sprint and duplicated it on the galley hatch. the sprint hatch weighed about 2 pounds heavier than my teardrop and once installed will pop fully open if you lift to half open position. <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa143/zukamini/td4rear.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> I made some attachment brackets from 1"x2"x1/8" steel and tack welded metric nuts in the center, holes were drilled at each end for screws and this helps distribute load over a wider area.

[Canuck]

Thank You for the info
How did you mount them

[zukamini]

I will go out & take some photos and post them up in a little bit JIM

[Mark Freedom]

doesn't sizing them for the weight of the hatch itself leave you open to a concussion should the wind blow it down on your bean?
Wouldn't you want to add some extra resistance to account for wind?

[zukamini]

The struts do hold the hatch very well, they have been in use for 4 years in all kinds of weather including strong winds. they will lift rear hatch alone once the stroke of the strut is about 1/3 of it"s travel. you have to pull down with a firm tug when closing. JIM <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa143/zukamini/hatchdetail6.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa143/zukamini/hatchdetail2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa143/zukamini/hatchdetail5.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>