Bay Door Spring / Strut / Shock install help needed - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: Bay Door Spring / Strut / Shock install help needed (/showthread.php?tid=2920)

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Bay Door Spring / Strut / Shock install help needed - pairodice - 06-18-2016

I finally got some springs for the water bay door and cannot get them installed.  They are about 1/2" too long but I figure that is for slack so that they hold the door all the way open.  The numbers match the old struts but I cannot compress them (150lbs) to get them on.  
Anyone know of a strut compressor I can get to install these things?

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RE: Bay Door Spring / Strut / Shock install help needed - rheavn - 06-18-2016

http://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?tid=48

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RE: Bay Door Spring / Strut / Shock install help needed - HoosierDaddy - 06-18-2016

It's been a while since I did my bay doors but as I remember if you pop both struts off on the bottom end as you hold the door open you can easily pop them off the top and install new strut on each side at the top. Then lower the door just enough to line the struts up with the ball at the bottom and push them on. I have never used any kind of tool to install bay door struts.....

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RE: Bay Door Spring / Strut / Shock install help needed - pairodice - 06-18-2016

Thanks for the link Steve - that shows me what I have to make!
Hoosier, my struts are horizontal for the water bay - I wish they were vertical, would be a lot easier to get to and replace...

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I wonder if some of those clamps from harbor freight used to clamp wood together would work for this with some modified ends...

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RE: Bay Door Spring / Strut / Shock install help needed - encantotom - 06-18-2016

you should make or have made one of the strut compression tools like steve references. (steve, thank you again)

i gave one away at the rally.....

tom

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RE: Bay Door Spring / Strut / Shock install help needed - HoosierDaddy - 06-19-2016

Sorry, Adrian...I thought of that after I went to bed last night and remembered your coach is 5 years newer than mine.

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RE: Bay Door Spring / Strut / Shock install help needed - pairodice - 06-19-2016

Do all of the struts have to only be compressed by an inch or so?

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RE: Bay Door Spring / Strut / Shock install help needed - folivier - 06-20-2016

The first bay door strut I changed with my sons help only took about 1/2 hour. After I made one of the tools I could change a strut out in a couple minutes. Well worth making one. I actually put one together using scrap pieces of metal I had laying around. Wasn't pretty and screwed together rather than neatly welded but worked great.

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RE: Bay Door Spring / Strut / Shock install help needed - Chester Stone - 06-20-2016

I made a compression tool for the gas springs on the rear engine door using a 1" adjustable pipe clamp. I had to grind off the sides on the sliding piece to fit into the available space and to drill a large hole in the flat surface to prevent slipping. Works great. Later l will post a photo.

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RE: Bay Door Spring / Strut / Shock install help needed - Chester Stone - 06-20-2016

Here are photos of the tool you can make to replace your gas springs or struts for the engine door.
       

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