roof lifting helper shocks thingys

[Lighthawk]

Nice bug splatter : )

But thanks for the instructive photos --- just what I needed.
We struggled; literally both of us inside lifting, to pop the top with a kayak on the roof,
on a recent four day trip to Mendocino.

I'll be installing some lifters soon. Are these the suspa brand or provided by ATC?

 

[Barko1]

Nice bug splatter : )

But thanks for the instructive photos --- just what I needed.
We struggled; literally both of us inside lifting, to pop the top with a kayak on the roof,
on a recent four day trip to Mendocino.

I'll be installing some lifters soon. Are these the suspa brand or provided by ATC?


I got the brackets from ATC, they suggested I got the lifters direct from suspa to avoid excess shipping charges.

 

[Missing Link]

I'll be installing some lifters soon. Are these the suspa brand or provided by ATC?
[/quote]

Lighthawk,
I am sorry to say that I don't know the brand. We stopped at ATC on our way to Canada and Alaska . . . I had lots on my mind and did not ask about the brand. If you contact them, I'm sure they will share that info with you.
Richard

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

I'll be installing some lifters soon. Are these the suspa brand or provided by ATC?

Lighthawk,
I am sorry to say that I don't know the brand. We stopped at ATC on our way to Canada and Alaska . . . I had lots on my mind and did not ask about the brand. If you contact them, I'm sure they will share that info with you.
Richard
[/quote]


Lighthawk the brand that seems to be used and the ones i used are from suspa.com. They run about $20/25.The #40 ones are the right length not sure about lesser strength weight. The #40 seem to do the trick.You can also get the mounting brackets from them. There are 3 styles to choose from I think. I used the ones with the 90* bend ,I think Marty uses the offset ones.Check with them.I can't say enough about the lifters.It makes so much of a difference in lifting the roof.

 

[Lighthawk]

Whups, lost my reply! Clicked "Add Reply" above the text box, not "Post" below the text box Here goes again:

Thanks Casa. I've found and ordered from suspaparts.com the 40# lifters for $25 ea.
I contacted Jeff at ATC to purchase brackets, and since we both live in the same town, he met me on Saturday with three sets of off-set brackets and one pair of flat brackets (front bottom location). Thanks Jeff! He says the horizontal distance between center of pivot to center is 22 3/4" for the suspa lifters, when the top is down, of course.

The off-set brackets fit perfectly in the aluminum rain gutter door trim. I'll wait for the suspa delivery later this week before I commit to drilling holes for the #10 screws. I plan to align as much as possible with existing screw holes to minimize penetrations. It should work at at least three or four screw hole locations, which I think is worth doing.

I'll snap some pics and post later in the week.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Whups, lost my reply! Clicked "Add Reply" above the text box, not "Post" below the text box Here goes again:

Thanks Casa. I've found and ordered from suspaparts.com the 40# lifters for $25 ea.
I contacted Jeff at ATC to purchase brackets, and since we both live in the same town, he met me on Saturday with three sets of off-set brackets and one pair of flat brackets (front bottom location). Thanks Jeff! He says the horizontal distance between center of pivot to center is 22 3/4" for the suspa lifters, when the top is down, of course.

The off-set brackets fit perfectly in the aluminum rain gutter door trim. I'll wait for the suspa delivery later this week before I commit to drilling holes for the #10 screws. I plan to align as much as possible with existing screw holes to minimize penetrations. It should work at at least three or four screw hole locations, which I think is worth doing.

I'll snap some pics and post later in the week.



You can use one of the original screw holes for each bracket.That only leaves you to drill one extra hole.I found that if you center the bottom brackets on the camper touching each other than lift the top and using the lifters at their near full extension you can aline the top brackets.It's really a pice of cake. I positioned my top brackets so that when the top is down there is little or no lifter shaft showing.Are you placing them on the outside like some of us have done.They work great there and don't get in the way.

Frank

 

[Lighthawk]

Thanks Frank,

I will be installing them on the outside too.
Thanks for the tip!

Andy

te name='Casa Escarlata Robles Too' date='11 October 2010 - 03:39 PM' timestamp='1286840364' post='41801']
You can use one of the original screw holes for each bracket.That only leaves you to drill one extra hole.I found that if you center the bottom brackets on the camper touching each other than lift the top and using the lifters at their near full extension you can aline the top brackets.It's really a pice of cake. I positioned my top brackets so that when the top is down there is little or no lifter shaft showing.Are you placing them on the outside like some of us have done.They work great there and don't get in the way.

Frank
[/quote]

 

[larry.m]

Will 40# work for a Granby? You all don't mention what style camper your putting the struts on. I'm thinking of jacking the roof up with the jack on a scale. Hopefully that will indicate the pressure of the struts I need for a Granby.
Any advise, Thanks

 

[Lighthawk]

Will 40# work for a Granby? You all don't mention what style camper your putting the struts on. I'm thinking of jacking the roof up with the jack on a scale. Hopefully that will indicate the pressure of the struts I need for a Granby.
Any advise, Thanks

Larry, the FWC camper I put the 40# suspa lifters on is a 08 Hawk.
We just returned from a trip with a 32" BFG spare on the roof and it was very helpful to have lifters. If the roof is empty the front doesn't want to come down without someone helping.

It's a fine line of too much lift vs not enough.

Good luck!

 

[UglyScout]

I think I missed my chance. The 40# struts are now $40 each at suspa.com....


********************

BUT wait! Some guy has them on ebay for $14 each - limited quanity. Buy it now.

Ebay link to struts

 

[leadsled9]

I have them mounted on the inside, just one set....FWC factory install.

I use 80 lb. struts but I have a lot on the roof.....boat rack, yak racks, 120 watt solar and two Fantastic fans. The 80's work great for my setup.

 

[Overland Hadley]

I think I missed my chance. The 40# struts are now $40 each at suspa.com....


********************

BUT wait! Some guy has them on ebay for $14 each - limited quanity. Buy it now.

Ebay link to struts



Wow, thank you so much for the heads up!

I just ordered a set of six.

It is showing that seven more are available.

 

[UglyScout]

Wow, thank you so much for the heads up!

I just ordered a set of six.

It is showing that seven more are available.


Mine where at my door in less than 24 hours from when I ordered them!! They look brand new - but not in any type of new package.

Now to order some brackets.

My link

These are the offset brackets that I think I need for my rain gutters/drip edge. They come out cheaper than the ebay ones even with kind of pricey shipping.

 

[BobCat100]

Me too - - Thanks for the heads up
Got the last multiple of 4 struts
Don't like reading "they look like new". Fingers crossed that they are indeed new.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Here is another lot of the same springs from the same seller. Link
So another 10 are available.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Now to order some brackets.

My link

These are the offset brackets that I think I need for my rain gutters/drip edge. They come out cheaper than the ebay ones even with kind of pricey shipping.


Those are the ones I have bookmarked as the best ones to get.

I was just getting ready to place a bracket order.

 

[cortsdad2]

Wow, thank you so much for the heads up!

I just ordered a set of six.

It is showing that seven more are available.

 

[UglyScout]

Me too - - Thanks for the heads up
Got the last multiple of 4 struts
Don't like reading "they look like new". Fingers crossed that they are indeed new.

I'm almost 100% sure they are new - they still have that machining/mill scale film on the metal. But I think they have been in a box for a while.

 

[cortsdad2]

I thank you too! I ordered 4... now I need to figure out what brackets will work best. I have an '87 Provan Tiger GT 4x4 with a pop top and I added four 15w solar panels and since I did... I can barely lift the roof by myself. These should work out well. Anyone out there used these on a Tiger? Any advise for mounting points? I'm thinking inside mount but that could change...

 

[LLS]

Thank you, I've been wanting two more and I just finished ordering them.