Hurrican Hinge and gas struts

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Hurrican Hinge and gas struts

Postby Jiminsav » Mon Sep 04, 2006 6:57 pm

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 in Savannah
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Postby grant whipp » Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:54 pm

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!

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Postby nubwon » Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:59 am

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.
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Postby jmtk » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:43 am

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,

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Postby Sonetpro » Tue Sep 05, 2006 12:21 pm

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
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Postby Jiminsav » Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:38 pm

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.
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Postby GHOSTSSX » Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:10 pm

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
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Postby Jiminsav » Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:29 am

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.
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Postby emiller » Wed Sep 06, 2006 8:01 am

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.
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Postby Jiminsav » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:37 pm

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.. :hammer:
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