Roof Strut Weight spec

[patrkbukly]

Hello everyone,
Hoping the experts out there can help me here;

I have a Granby bought brand new 3 years ago and I did not order solar.
This year I had solar installed and I really notice the weight difference when lifting now.

Does anyone know if possible when FWC builds a camper they use one weight with no solar and maybe a heavier weight with solar?

So in other words, should/can I upgrade my struts to a heavier pressure which will help with the lifting weight?

Thanks in advance.

 

[nmhurley]

It shouldn't be an issue. Take a look at the attachment on this post:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/9038-fwc-gas-strut-info/

Lots of good info here.

 

[PaulT]

I ordered my 2014 Hawk with factory solar and 20 lb struts were installed. After adding a 160 watt second panel to the rear roof area, adding almost 30 lbs, I noticed the additional effort popping the rear. I replaced the 20 lb rear struts with 30 lb struts and that made the lift more reasonable. I could have gone to 40 lb and eased the effort even more.

Be aware that the first few inches of lift will receive almost no assist because the struts are almost horizontal. After the initial lift, the struts will help significantly. You might consider acquiring one of the crank up speaker stands discussed in other threads here. The stand will provide assistance from the first crank and can quickly lift the roof to the point that the struts are more effective.

Paul

 

[patrkbukly]

It shouldn't be an issue. Take a look at the attachment on this post:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/9038-fwc-gas-strut-info/

Lots of good info here.

Great read, Thank you NM

 

[patrkbukly]

I ordered my 2014 Hawk with factory solar and 20 lb struts were installed. After adding a 160 watt second panel to the rear roof area, adding almost 30 lbs, I noticed the additional effort popping the rear. I replaced the 20 lb rear struts with 30 lb struts and that made the lift more reasonable. I could have gone to 40 lb and eased the effort even more.

Be aware that the first few inches of lift will receive almost no assist because the struts are almost horizontal. After the initial lift, the struts will help significantly. You might consider acquiring one of the crank up speaker stands discussed in other threads here. The stand will provide assistance from the first crank and can quickly lift the roof to the point that the struts are more effective.

Paul

Thak you Paul.

I just called FWC to ask if they know what struts I have and hopefully they are 20 or 30lb and I can get some 40's for improvement.

Thank you for the speaker stand suggestion but it's not that bad at all, I can lift it fine. I am just wondering if better struts would ease it a bit.

 

[pvstoy]

Look at the struts at the top housing. You will see letters and numbers and there you will find what poundage you have. It maybe faded but look at all four. You could have all four the same or different front to back.

 

[ckent323]

I added two Grape Solar 100 w solar panels to the roof of our 2007 Keystone. The solar panels with mounts are close to 30 pounds each. I only have struts in the front and they are inside.

The roof was just taking too much effort to lift so I bought and started using an On-Stage speaker lift. It works but was a bit cumbersome vs just pushing and popping the top.

https://www.amazon.com/Stage-SS8800B-Power-Crank-Up-Speaker/dp/B000CD3QYW

I finally ordered 60 lb struts before our trip to Alaska this past summer.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007MUY7PK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That did the trick and I don't need to use the speaker lift any more. (but I always carry it - just in case) ;-)

 

[patrkbukly]

I added two Grape Solar 100 w solar panels to the roof of our 2007 Keystone. The solar panels with mounts are close to 30 pounds each. I only have struts in the front and they are inside.



I finally ordered 60 lb struts before our trip to Alaska this past summer.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007MUY7PK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That did the trick and I don't need to use the speaker lift any more. (but I always carry it - just in case) ;-)

Ahh very good.

Look at the struts at the top housing. You will see letters and numbers and there you will find what poundage you have. It maybe faded but look at all four. You could have all four the same or different front to back.

Ahh very good, found em. Looks like they are 30 pounders. OK need to get at least 40 pounders. I wonder if it is safe to go to 60 as mentioned by ckent above?

Thank you Patrick.

 

[patrkbukly]

I added two Grape Solar 100 w solar panels to the roof of our 2007 Keystone. The solar panels with mounts are close to 30 pounds each. I only have struts in the front and they are inside.

The roof was just taking too much effort to lift so I bought and started using an On-Stage speaker lift. It works but was a bit cumbersome vs just pushing and popping the top.

https://www.amazon.com/Stage-SS8800B-Power-Crank-Up-Speaker/dp/B000CD3QYW

I finally ordered 60 lb struts before our trip to Alaska this past summer.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007MUY7PK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That did the trick and I don't need to use the speaker lift any more. (but I always carry it - just in case) ;-)

Thanks ckent. The struts you sent the link for are actually for a 2007 Keystone not a Four Wheel Camper correct?

 

[ckent323]

patrkbukly,

The Keystone is a FWC model that was discontinued around 2011. It is one foot longer than a Grandby.

I have two roof vents, one is powered, full length Yakima racks and the two solar panels on the roof and that is all.

I have found the Suspa struts I installed to be perfect. Not too little, not too much. Just right. ;-)

At present I only have the two struts up front at the bed (above the window facing the truck cab).

I would like to add some to the rear lift at some point as the rear (above the door) still requires a fair amount of effort to lift.

Also, the struts I removed were 40 pound struts Suspa part number C16-16952.


Note: I recommend not using the part number for struts I posted unless you know your struts are the same length as the struts my camper uses. That length information is easy to find if you can read the part number off of one of the struts in your camper. Once you have the part number just look that number up on the web.

 

[patrkbukly]

Thanks again ckent,
I spoke with FWC and they confirmed as you said that I could easily go to 40 pounders, Suspa brand that are 36" open with 19" closed dimension. They sell them for $50 each but he was honest enough when I asked that I could find them online cheaper and i did;

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012HGQM7O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

On another note; I see you are in Solvang. That is a beautiful place. Went to the motorcycle museum a few years ago and stayed a few nights. REally beautiful.

 

[ckent323]

patrkbukly,

My path to here after high school was from Glendora to Newport Beach to Costa Mesa to Santa Barbara to Goleta to Solvang.

Solvang was a lower cost bedroom community for Santa Barbara/Goleta and I bought a house here when there was only one local winery, numerous Danish shops and bakeries in town including a couple of smorgasbords and steak houses. There were only a few "nice" places to dine back then.

Most everything closed up by 6 PM in those days and even finding a place to eat after 8 PM was tough. The local pizza joint (Round Table - now long gone) would stop taking phone orders after they got busy on Friday and Saturday nights (bad move for long term survival - that angered a lot of locals).

Little did I know this would become a high end destination city with great wineries, great places to eat and good entertainment as well. There are more than a dozen very good restaurants, something like 70 wineries, 3 micro breweries and 3 micro distilleries in the Santa Ynez valley now. Total population among the 5 cities and towns of Buellton, Solvang, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos and Ballard is still only around 20,000 people. And yes, the property values have gone up stratospherically since 1979.

I have lived here for 39-1/2 years and have not found a good reason to move yet. ;-)

I hope your strut upgrade will work well for you.

Craig

 

[Vic Harder]

Quick question... there was mention sometime back of a maker/supplier of struts in BC, Canada. Can someone refresh my memory on the details of that vendor?

 

[ckent323]

Vic,

Try Gemini Gas Springs in BC

Address: 1-6276 Pleasant Valley Rd, Vernon, BC V1B 3R3, Canada

Phone: +1 778-475-5611
https://www.geminigassprings.com/about

 

[Vic Harder]

Thanks Craig!

 

[patrkbukly]

40LB struts arrived.
Installed in 5 minutes.
Much much better.

Thank you to everyones expert guidance on this one.