Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

So, I installed some gas struts on the hatch lid..don't have any pics because the struts are too weak to lift the hatch, but I did notice one thing.

with the hatch closed, the struts are putting an upward force on the hurrican hinge.

is this a problem.
will this put some un-do stress on the aluminum?

Jim!

Which method of mounting the gas struts did you use? If mounted properly, the struts should help to hold the hatch closed, actually putting pressure forward along the the plane of the roof/hatch line.

CHEERS!

Grant

Jim, the way I mounted mine, as you start to close the hatch, the struts get shorter, then they pop over center and start to extend again. As Grant said, this actually helps pull the hatch closed.

Nub and Grant,

Do you have any pictures or drawings on how that should work? I'm building my hatch now and am contemplating where to put blocking for the gas struts.

Thanks,

Jeanette

Jim, Mine also pull the hatch down when closed.
Jeanette, I posted how I figured my mount's here. It worked great.
http://tnttt.com/viewto ... uts#121099

This is why I love you guys...all i have to do is ask, and poof..the solution presents itself.
I had my struts mounted with the inside part towards the back and it wouldn't hold the lid up, I swapped it around like Sonetpro did it and VIOLA..it works like ya'lls..pulls down about half way through the arc, and when past half way opening, it pushed the hatch up like i wanted it too..Bravo gentlepeople.

Sonetpro wrote:Jim, Mine also pull the hatch down when closed.
Jeanette, I posted how I figured my mount's here. It worked great.
http://tnttt.com/viewto ... uts#121099

Steve, I'm having a blonde moment.....I don't get why you have to know B, if you mark A and C on outside, then A-C should be 12.5 closed, right??

CHUCK

Chuck, you have to make sure you don't bottom out the strut while closing the hatch..thats the reason for B. I had to adjust my upper placement because an inch one way or the other meant bottoming the strut.

Jim I had the same problem with my first teardrop, it seemed like the presure when closing not when closed seemed to push the hinge up and also I believe I was experiencing spring back. That's when I decided to make all my hatches out of steel, the was lighter and no spring back.
Eddie

Eddie, since I moved the gas strut like SonetPro did, the hatch now pulls down into the groove of the hinge as if I had put latches on the bottom, as for spring back, don't have any of that, and if I did, i'd hit it with a hammer..