External or Internal mounted gas struts (roof lifter thingies)?

[Bread]

Getting ready to order a Fleet Shell model and not sure which gas strut setup to get. You can now have the external struts mounted at the factory. They don't have the struts in yet but can put on the ball joint mounting hardware.

I will be doing extended (many month) road trips with two kayaks on the roof totalling about 150lbs. Don't want to remove them every time we camp.

Which setup would be best, 4 externally mounted struts (not sure how many pounds the shocks they will provide are rated at) or two internally mounted 80lb struts?

Also, if we are traveling without the kayaks, I know that the internal 80lb struts are easy to remove. Not so sure about the external struts or if they would even need to be removed ie: to stiff to lower the roof without weight up top.

 

[jha6av8r]

My roof load is about the same as your when carrying our kayak. I have 80# internal struts and augment with the crank when the roof is loaded.

When loaded the rear can be lifted without the crank but getting the front up is difficult. Just not enough left in the strut at the top of the push. For that reason I would think the extermal struts front and back might be better. However, I just don't like the idea of having external struts.

 

[pvstoy]

JHa6av8r Have you tried and should you lift the front first, then the back. You can get the front first and while going up the weight shifts to the rear. The rear second you can have both feet under and use your legs to go straight up. I'm curious if that will help you get the roof all the way up with that load.

As far as inside or out I'm interestred also.

 

[jha6av8r]

JHa6av8r Have you tried and should you lift the front first, then the back. You can get the front first and while going up the weight shifts to the rear. The rear second you can have both feet under and use your legs to go straight up. I'm curious if that will help you get the roof all the way up with that load.

As far as inside or out I'm interestred also.

It probably would be easier if the front was lifted first. Haven't tried though. One of the issues is you are using both hands to lift then at some point grab the push bar to finish the lift. If you miss the bar all your momentum is lost and it's pure muscle at that point. In the rear you're standing right next to the lift panel and it can't be missed when you're ready to push on it.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I'm just going to be a wimp and use the crank when the top is loaded.

 

[jha6av8r]

I'm just going to be a wimp and use the crank when the top is loaded.

X2 learned from trying to figure out what works best for me!

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Bread,
The advantage of the external struts is not negotiating around them to get in and out of bed. The Fleet is 6" wider than my Eagle and you sleep cross-wise. I sleep front-to-back so the passenger inside strut blocks bed access. I remove the strut (after lifting the roof) and have no problem with the inside struts and I have NO weight on the roof.

I agree with Ja6Av8r (not liking the external struts). I have heard no complaints from those who have the outside struts...still I wonder how they hold up in the weather over time.

150 pounds seems like a lot of weight and you still may have to use a "speaker Lift" to totally get the roof up in front.
For the rear I use a simple "T" bar as I can't get enough leverage to get top up with just my arms.

In any case you will love the Fleet and ordering the shell model gives you lots of options to build it out,

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Got the rear lift block installed, and the crank works as advertised. I haven't installed the front block, as the cross piece seems so far forward that the crank base might slip on the floor. I'm considering a free floating cross piece about the same length as the factory item. That way the crank could be vertical.

Any feedback?

 

[RicoV]

Awhile back I was chided by fellow WTWers for bass-ackwarding the 'proper' FWC roof-raising and -lowering protocols, but I'm a stubborn old geezer and prefer my method given the 60-lb strut set I installed in the Grandby's interior front (I.e., tail end of the loft). Raising the front first, and then the rear, is simply easier on my aging carcass. Life lesson: Go with what works for you.

Sage: I hard-installed a second crosspiece for my ceiling strut mounts. I imagine such an approach would work OK for your crank as well, even in a soft-install free-float application.

 

[rotti]

No thingies or crankies for me......yet.

Am I the only one who uses his head?
Squat, place head under crossbar and dead lift. Just don't wear a ball cap with the button on top though.

Disclaimer: My roof is a clean slate.

 

[takesiteasy]

We have the 40 lb. struts on the outside, front and back. They work well. I often just give the roof a boost and the struts do the rest. To bring the roof down, I stand in the truck drivers door, reach over and pull the roof down. Stand in the camper door and repeat for the back. If the wife is along, she manages the interior during this process but I have done it alone without problems.

I have noticed the strut piston rods are rusting but they still work fine. I plan to replace the struts with stainless steel when the time comes.

 

[Bwht4x4]

I do the same thing as Rotti with my Hawk. Unless you have gear on top I'm not sure why the struts are needed. They're pretty easy to push up. I may add them for my wife though.

Trick is to push the bed in and put one knee on the bench and lean forward with one hand on the cross member and one on the bed...then stand up.

 

[highz]

I don't have struts yet, but I will eventually add them. The reason being they can help lower the roof safely when it has snowed overnight.

 

[Captm]

I ordered the struts (#40) and will install externally when they arrive. The roof aft end is easy to lift, a controlled lowering (nice and easy) not so much. The fwd end is truly a pain in the backside to lift. I'm really looking forward to the struts !
Cheers

 

[jcfly]

Capt.m : Funny, but I find the front easier to lift. I glued a short section of 2x4 to the cross member, then stand on the seat with my shoulder under the 2x4 and stand up while pushing on the push rod. Works for me. In any case, I'm still going to try some struts when winter ends..
Good luck with yours.

 

[Bajaahh]

I personally think they look kinda cheap on the outside and they will weather and rust over time.
I installed mine on the inside. No problems after 5 years. I like em, clean and easy to lift...and by the way, they take about 1-2 seconds to detach. Just take a small screwdriver(or butter knife), unseat the top retaining clip, and pop off the bottom. I just leave em laying on the side of the bed when I camp.
To each his own, just my two cense.

 

[craig333]

No rust yet. I'm a young enough guy I can still do mine without help, but I"m old enough to know better.

 

[Riverrunner]

I'm in the Rotti Camp but the front is more difficult. Not that tough but certainly not as easy. I'm thinking I'll add the struts to the outside front eventually just to make it easy. I don't want them on the inside because I think they will be in the way. I've got a couple of these struts that aid and hold up my engine box on my boat. They see regular hot/cold/wet/saltwater conditions and after 8 years they are fine. I'm not worried about exposure to the outside at all.

 

[wetcoast]

I was in the no assist need camp until I lifted with a 20 pound paddle board and aluminum rack on top. Almost couldn't do it! Bare roof is easy but as I add gear: Yakima box with some gear, two paddle boards and set of steel roof racks it will be over a 100 extra pounds. Having ignored 4wc suggestion to remove snow before lowering the roof once, I would recommend anyone with loaded racks get gas struts!

I'm leaning inside the only question is one set enough?

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

Just a heads up to hand crank users:

The hand crank (speaker stand) that is available out there works well, but should only be used as an assist.

I believe the hand crank is only rated by the manf. to lift 80 lb. max. ?

The 150 lbs might overload it. We have had at least one customer call in and said the hand crank gear gave out because there were trying to lift too much weight with it.

.