Trailer lid lifting struts

[dakdoc]

I just put a roof top tent on my trailer's lid and now it's so blasted heavy I can't life it. It's got gas charged struts, but I think the angle is wrong. Any detailed pictures of gas charged strut placement would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jon

 

[TacoDell]

There are many options... dependent of strut pressure and length of course

possibly a picture and more detail of your struts might be helpful ?

 

[Jeff Wanamog]

Here: http://www.mcmaster.com/#about-gas-struts/=hibxha

This will explain everything and they have any length, attachment and pound of pressure strut you may need.

Jeff

 

[medic83]

There is a huge difference in price from the 250 lb strut to the 300 lb strut. I need around 26-30" extended length. ( I can mount how ever) I need a 300 lb strut. I was gonna run 2 struts tho. Will 2- 250 lb struts do the job? Does having 2 double the lifting force? Will 1 300 or 350 lb strut work?

 

[hollaback55]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#gas-springs/=him2k7

use this link to help you figure out your angles and the force you need. for quick comparison i have 2 75lb springs to lift my lid which weighs 94 lbs. it does the job quite easily and i only need to lift the lid about 3" before the springs take over and bring it to full open. to close i just need to grab and pull slightly and it comes down easily without much force.

when i put my globetrotter tent up on the roof i'll have to switch most likely to either 125 or 150 lbs springs but wont know yet until it is on and i try to open the lid.

 

[medic83]

I got 2- 300 lb struts. The tent is like 140lbs, lid is about 125 lbs. I figured the 300 lb struts would be good.

 

[DonBeasley]

I have an M416 with a metal lid from Sierra 4x4. My struts are located as follows:

The attachment to the lid is dead center on each side
The attachment to the tub is 8" from the front edge, opposite from the hinge side.

This picture may help.

Th lid is at least 100 lbs and the RTT is an ARB so it is 100+lbs as well.

I am using two 175 lbs struts .

Hope this helps

 

[medic83]

THeir site says the lid is about 120 lbs.... tent is prob another 120. so 240 lbs~..... Does the lid stay open? does it fly open when unlatched? Easy to close?

 

[DonBeasley]

THeir site says the lid is about 120 lbs.... tent is prob another 120. so 240 lbs~..... Does the lid stay open? does it fly open when unlatched? Easy to close?

Lid stays open with no problem. Hard to get open due to gasket making a REALLY tight seal. I have to push hard to get it broken loose but once it does it goes up pretty easy. Have to pull down about the first half and then the rest of the way is on it's own with no problem.

Before I put the tent on, the lid went up with quite a bit of force. My son joked that you better not be too close to the handle. If it hit you on the way up you may lose a few teeth!!!! Once the tent was on it was more balanced.

 

[JKJenn]

So, I am putting a lid on my newly acquired m416 but it already has a tailgate. I am going to mount my RTT on the lid. Can you think of a reason why I cannot put the hinges on the front of the trailer (facing the JK) and have it tilt up from the rear? Am I missing ideas for mounting the struts so that it can tilt from the side?

 

[DonBeasley]

Just my rambling thoughts but if it hinged on the front it would not put a side load on the trailer. Some folks that have tailgates have commented about the loss of structural integrity with the tailgate and if true, an additional side load when you open the lid would not help.

The only issue I see and it is more of an inconvenience is that if the RTT opens to the side, when the tent is up it may be hard to raise the lid due to the angle it will tilt the tent. Mine is set to open from the side and the ladder is on the hinge side so when I open the lid the RTT just bends in the middle at its hinge.