Roof lift gas struts

[The R1G Master]

After a lot of investigating and assembling the parts I have finished installing the lift supports. I made a photo of each step and captions to explain what I did. I put this in a PDF file so it would be less than 500kb to up load... not sure how else to do it. I have seen folks put slide shows of trips and wonder if I am missing the file size or correct process. I would love to know how.

Great post and thank you. It seems trying to get the help from FWC service department is all but impossible. Stan has been a huge help and gotten me some info but yours gives me the most to go by. THANK YOU!!!! I have a 2007 Eagle that I am attempting a refit and upgrade on a lot of things.

 

[craig333]

With camper delivery dates out to 16 months I imagine construction has supplanted service for a bit.

 

[The R1G Master]

Wow what a thread...... Did not have time to read it all. SOoooo here's what I got. I have purchased the lift system from FWC. It is going on a 2007 Eagle. I need some clarification on the install process. Is there anyone here that has done this successfully DIY???

Yes craig333 service or refits are out as I was hoping to get my Eagle refitted. They told me 700 new on BO, not this side of 3 years. Service department is slow with every thing. They sent me a bad water tank and now can not get them to talk to me about replacement. Very frustrating.......

 

[The R1G Master]

Buckland, Thank you, thank you thank you! I have been measuring and figuring the past few days with plans to add the struts from the kit from 4WC. I also tried asking 4WC questions in several different forms trying to explain to them that I didn't think the install was going to work as their instructions describe without moving the front catches. Same as you all I could get is terse answers telling me the kit was right and no actual customer service. This post and your instructions that follow are going to be very helpful so I just wanted to pass along my thanks, I'm grateful you took the time for the photos and instructions. I guess 4WC will take your money and that's the end of their service.


No truer a statement could be said !!! I have peeled most of their stickers off my Eagle cause I will not advertise for a company with the lack of support they give. Very FRUSTRATING.

 

[buckland]

Here is a link to my PDF install... post #93... read up through #100. The aluminum plates are what make this bullet proof. Eagles have a higher roof clearance so need 40" struts... make a jig as described and it is straightforward.. PM any questions

https://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/9219-roof-lift-gas-struts/page-10

 

[The R1G Master]

Here is a link to my PDF install... post #93... read up through #100. The aluminum plates are what make this bullet proof. Eagles have a higher roof clearance so need 40" struts... make a jig as described and it is straightforward.. PM any questions

https://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/9219-roof-lift-gas-struts/page-10

Buckland ....Yes thank you for that link. It is a huge help. I'm trying to determine what struts FWC has sent me. I have learned what they should have sent but failed to ask me the details on the camper THEY built and sold me. Are there any pics of the rear strut mounts so I might get an idea if I am in the right location with them?? Stan at FWC has also been a good help.

 

[buckland]

Stan is a wonderful guy who seems to be everywhere. He has helped me a great deal in the past but now they are under a lot of pressure. The struts are 40" (36" will not work on an Eagle). Positioning with a jig ( just a 1" x 42" piece od 1/4" wood. bore a hole about 1" up from the end. measure 40" and on center bore another hole... bingo) once you measure from the center of camper to position you'll be all set. If you want me to measure the distance apart on my plate i will.

 

[cgsmith]

Hey everyone,

I'm trying to add some gas lift struts to a 2008 FWC Eagle. The information I got from FWC is that the 36" struts will work for the model year I have, but they're not parting with struts last I inquired due to supply chain and fulfillment needs. I'm going to use 30# struts. It seems others on here have leveled up to the 40" struts. I bought some after market struts not based entirely on FWC specs and (30# 36") and the compressed length was too long; I had to remove them and won't be using them.

Any thoughts on which to buy? Does any one have manufacturer spec's for the struts? Looks like a few people pasted model spec's from SUSPA at 40" struts. Can anyone confirm that's what I should be purchasing?
Thanks!

 

[buckland]

I went from 30 to 40 lb struts as I have stuff on roof.... Gemini is great (Canada) cheaper than the Suspa ....
https://www.geminigassprings.com

 

[cgsmith]

Buckland,

My camper is a 2008, should I order 40 inch struts? Seems if there's extra, unused shaft it's not a big deal. The erroneous 36" struts I purchased bottomed out when trying to lower my roof.

 

[buckland]

You have to absolutely know if your 2008 Eagle is the same height as the 2011… I’m ‘almost’ sure it is 40”… but call FWC,,, then order from the Canadian co…. Great lifters and cheaper than Suspa. .

 

[rs3o]

I've got a 2011 Eagle as well and am looking into getting gas struts. Is there any reason not to put the struts on the sides? I don't plan to put an awning on the camper and I wouldn't have to relocate the front roof buckles or remove the drip edge over the door.

 

[Dirt Rider]

I put mine on the sides, no problem, started with 40 pound units and it was to much, then went with 30 and just one per side diagonal. will install the others when I put the solar on.

 

[Vic Harder]

I've got a 2011 Eagle as well and am looking into getting gas struts. Is there any reason not to put the struts on the sides? I don't plan to put an awning on the camper and I wouldn't have to relocate the front roof buckles or remove the drip edge over the door.

You should not have to move anything to put the struts on the front/back.

 

[rs3o]

You should not have to move anything to put the struts on the front/back.

I you look at the OP's installation PDF, he moved his front roof buckles and and trimmed the drip edge on the back. We have the same year/model so I would have to do the same.

 

[J D]

For what it's worth, I'm adding two 180W panels to the roof and will be upgrading the lift assist - MAYBE.

My new FWC Granby has Suspa C16-15952 gas struts in front which are 40#. Those can easily be exchanged with model C16-10198 at 60#. Both are 35.43" extended, 19.29 compressed

On the rear are struts from mygassprings.com. They're model ST363P-31. I just called the company (located in California) to inquire about the part since their web site wasn't specific. The very nice woman I spoke to said that shock has these specs: 36.3" center to center extended length, 19.8" compressed, and rated at 31#. She said that strut does not come in different psi ratings but that they do have other models with 36" extended length. We discussed their return policy and I may order the 36" struts and see if they will fit/replace the 36.3". A pain in the you know what. I don't want to have to modify the mounts on the camper. Might have to go with the speaker stand but I really don't want to haul more stuff.

Makes me wonder why FWC used two different but somewhat similar gas struts on the same camper.

 

[Jon R]

Probably a supply issue. My 2021 Grandby came with 30 lb Suspa all around. I installed 40 lb Suspas all around after installing two 200 watt panels (total 53 lbs added).

I bought my Suspa struts via Amazon for less than half the price of the Suspa web site, but that means the warranty is shorter. Suspa gives a longer warranty if you buy from them. I decided I’d rather save the money for any necessary replacements.

 

[MountainSufi]

The quality of gas springs has gone waaaaay down.

Order from Gemini Gas Springs out of Canada. Henk, the owner, is very amiable & knows exactly what FWC needs.

Delivery takes a while, as he's way back up on orders.

 

[J D]

Probably a supply issue. My 2021 Grandby came with 30 lb Suspa all around. I installed 40 lb Suspas all around after installing two 200 watt panels (total 53 lbs added).

I bought my Suspa struts via Amazon for less than half the price of the Suspa web site, but that means the warranty is shorter. Suspa gives a longer warranty if you buy from them. I decided I’d rather save the money for any necessary replacements.

Jon, do you find the 40 psi struts adequate? The panels I'm installing (1 done, 1 to go) will be about the same weight as yours - slightly heavier. I was thinking going to 60 psi would be a good choice but it's kind of a guessing game.

 

[Jon R]

I went through the same question of which struts to buy when I decided the original 30 lbs ones were not adequate after I installed my solar panels. I thought Suspa had 50 lb ones at the time, but I may have just assumed that without checking. Anyway, I knew 40 lbs was going to be plenty for the rear because 30 lbs was almost fine after I installed the panels. So I ordered one pair of 40 lb Suspas via amazon so I could try them out on the front, figuring I could buy 50 lb struts for the second pair of I decided 40 was inadequate for the front (again, maybe my only choice was actually 40 vs 60). I decided 40 was adequate in the front and then ordered a second pair of 40s for the rear.

The more weight you add to the roof, the tougher the initial several inches of lift will be, particularly for the front because you are lifting 5 feet from the front edge, regardless of the struts you install. This is because they give you no assistance when they are near horizontal. You are stuck with that. With the 40s installed, when I go to lower the roof I have to pull a bit on the push board to get the front to come down the first 8 to 10 inches, and then it wants to come down on its own. The rear I have to pull about halfway down before it wants to lower on its own. I think that’s a pretty good balance.

A final importation note: it was only later that I discovered there is a warning in red print in the owner’s manual for my 2021 Grandby that says do not install struts with greater than 40 lb rating. I’m sure this is because of the limited strength of the attachment of the strut fittings to the roof. I would not recommend installing 60 lb struts due to this warning.