418 replies to this topic

[pods8]

I still think the inside mounting is the best. There must be some reason that FWC went with inside mounting for the factory installed setups. Maybe you should call Stan or Chicalli at FWC and talk to them....ask them what they recommend. They have a lot of years of expertise...why not leverage it?

The guys are great and all but gas springs have only been added to the campers in the last year or so. I wouldn't just blindly assume they have heavily researched and tested this issue at this stage. Maybe they did prototype out multiple types or maybe they just spent a little time to find a something that worked okay.

Long story short I wouldn't just dismiss the exterior springs that some other customer has on their rig, esp. without hearing how well they work or not, just because FWC isn't doing it factory currently, both manufacturers have in the past incorporated improvements that were first done by customers.

Personally I hope the exterior springs show promise because the idea of having to deal with removing interior springs when popping the top (they'd be in the way of getting into bed in my setup) is not appealing at all. As it stands right now I can handle the camper fine without springs but the wife can't so I'd like to improve that situation.

To add your confusion, mounting the gas shocks on the inside the way FWC mounts them will aid in raising the rear of the roof if the front is raised first. Doesn’t help as much if you raise the front section first. I don’t think mounting them on the outside front will do anything to help with the rear section as they are too far forward to add to the leverage. FWC installed the 60 pound struts on my Eagle recently and they really work slick!

Put a set on each end.

[CJinCA]

To add your confusion, mounting the gas shocks on the inside the way FWC mounts them will aid in raising the rear of the roof if the front is raised first. Doesn’t help as much if you raise the front section first. I don’t think mounting them on the outside front will do anything to help with the rear section as they are too far forward to add to the leverage. FWC installed the 60 pound struts on my Eagle recently and they really work slick!

Ooops. Meant to say "Doesn’t help as much if you raise the rear section first"

Put a set on each end.

I'm speculating, but I think struts on the front and the rear would pose problems when trying to lower the top. Just when you get one end lowered and start on the other, the first side would start to lift up again. It's almost an issue with just one set of struts - almost.

[leadsled9]

As it stands right now I can handle the camper fine without springs but the wife can't so I'd like to improve that situation.

Well, where ever you decide to put the struts.....they do help out considerably. Well worth the addition.

[jimmythec]

The first post on this thread by Leadsled9 has a picture. I read the brand of shock and went to that site.
Suspa.com.
I looked at the shocks. His is rated for 40lbs. With two in the front that equals 80 lbs of lift. The next size up is rated at 60 lbs. that was too much for me.
I bought four shocks and eight brackets. Two shocks in the front, two in back. the shocks are $20.00 each. the ones rated for 60 lbs are $25.00 each.
the brackets were $2.00 each and I wasn't sure which ones would work best.
The company emailed me this morning to tell me they shipped out.
nice.
Scott

Scott, Where were you able to find the shocks for $20? I would like to pick some up.

[pods8]

I'm speculating, but I think struts on the front and the rear would pose problems when trying to lower the top. Just when you get one end lowered and start on the other, the first side would start to lift up again. It's almost an issue with just one set of struts - almost.

I'd imagine if you put the right spring rates on this wouldn't likely be an issue.

[DirtyDog]

Moving this to the ATC forum as its camper related.

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Classic "moment of force" problem... can be analyzed in Excel. Whenever the spirit moves me, I can, but hopefully somebody else will get to it sooner.

My ROM estimate is that the struts should be placed either on the inside or outside *sides* of the camper, angled from lower rear to upper front. The exact location and spring rates will need to be calculated, depending on the weight and length of the roof (which will vary from model to model).

I can see the possibility of raising and lowering the roof with air pressure, e.g., from a fantastic fan, if you get it tuned in right...

[pods8]

My ROM estimate is that the struts should be placed either on the inside or outside *sides* of the camper, angled from lower rear to upper front.

Mark that crossed my mind but I'd be concerned they may throw off the front/rear alignment of the roof to main camper when you drop the top which would either have it not close properly or stress out the front/rear support board connections. Having them in the front and rear should avoid that issue. My $.02.

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Mark that crossed my mind but I'd be concerned they may throw off the front/rear alignment of the roof to main camper when you drop the top which would either have it not close properly or stress out the front/rear support board connections. Having them in the front and rear should avoid that issue. My $.02.

True confession: Before I started hanging a carabiner on my seatbelt when the top was popped up, I used to frequently get up in the morning, get in the truck and take off driving down the road without clamping the top down.

I think the triple-hinged front and rear mechanisms keep everything captured in proper vertical alignment, but that is easy analysis also.

Bear in mind that the front and rear mechanisms hold up the full weight of the roof and the spring force we are considering sums to less than that amount...

[pods8]

True confession: Before I started hanging a carabiner on my seatbelt when the top was popped up, I used to frequently get up in the morning, get in the truck and take off driving down the road without clamping the top down.

I think the triple-hinged front and rear mechanisms keep everything captured in proper vertical alignment, but that is easy analysis also.

Bear in mind that the front and rear mechanisms hold up the full weight of the roof and the spring force we are considering sums to less than that amount...

The front/rear mechanisms are for the vertical plane and supplemented by the sideliner material. When everything is locked in place it all holds well, when you start dropping one end it sill may all hold well or there is some potential for the roof to pitch towards that end as it drops, however it would likely self correct due to the panels as well now that I think harder on it. Not sure if it'd stress anything out during that. I guess it gets more merit than I originally considered however I have an awning in the way so I'd still be inclined for the front and rear sets.