After installing Suspa gas springs externally on my Fleet front and rear, I discovered that I could not get the front top to come down all the way. Too much force with two 40lb springs at the front. It keeps popping up also.The rear is ok with two gas springs. In fact works perfectly. So I contacted Suspa, which has great customer support and was given the part number for similar springs but in a 30 lb force version. C16-22241. Great I thought, that was easy. So going to the suspa website and plugging in the part numbers, I am shocked to see that the 30 lb versions are not $20 like the 40lb versions but are $90 each. OMG! Is this a mistake? No Suspa confirms they are $90 each because they are not a normally stocked version and are made up on demand. Also takes 3 weeks to get them. So if anyone comes up with a reasonably priced 30lb version of the springs please let us know. Otherwise I am going to be driving around with one spring on the front of my Fleet or two springs and a pair of 4 x4s on the roof. Or perhaps always carrying my canoe around. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
frank here.i also have the 40-# all around.the front does want to lift on its own.i find by unlatching all the hold down clamps but leaving the fronts just hooked i can control the front.just apply some downward force and the latches pop off, than let the top raise.when i lower it i just pull down on the wood push bar and have the wife hook the front latches.than lowed the rear.than go outside and latch down all the clamps.simple.if there isn't anyone to help use a bungee to hold the front down.try hooking one end to the push bar and the other to the sliding window frame,than you can go out side and fasten down the clamps.works for me.i think that by having only one lifter raise the roof it may push the top to one side a little.not sure here since i use both.they sure work nice.i'am glad i installed them.since i do carry a canoe sometimes it sure makes the up and down a lot simpler.and the fact that they are not in the way on the inside i can live with the top wanting to open by itself.i think that if the fronts were mounted like the rears,ie,almost horizontal when closed it may help.i think the angle difference makes the force different.you might move the bottom front brackets higher up on the front frame just below the trim piece.good luck.frank
frank here.i also have the 40-# all around.the front does want to lift on its own.i find by unlatching all the hold down clamps but leaving the fronts just hooked i can control the front.just apply some downward force and the latches pop off, than let the top raise.when i lower it i just pull down on the wood push bar and have the wife hook the front latches.than lowed the rear.than go outside and latch down all the clamps.simple.if there isn't anyone to help use a bungee to hold the front down.try hooking one end to the push bar and the other to the sliding window frame,than you can go out side and fasten down the clamps.works for me.i think that by having only one lifter raise the roof it may push the top to one side a little.not sure here since i use both.they sure work nice.i'am glad i installed them.since i do carry a canoe sometimes it sure makes the up and down a lot simpler.and the fact that they are not in the way on the inside i can live with the top wanting to open by itself.i think that if the fronts were mounted like the rears,ie,almost horizontal when closed it may help.i think the angle difference makes the force different.you might move the bottom front brackets higher up on the front frame just below the trim piece.good luck.frank
Seriously, we are planning to add a rack and copying Frank's modification for carrying a canoe. When we do, we'll likely do this mod as well. So I've been following this thread and am interested in any and all info people are offering. Along those lines, has anyone confirmed the pre-threaded holes on the roof. I looked on our 2003 and was not able to locate anything like that.
