Pneumatic Door Supports??

[timandsusan]

Has anyone installed the piston drive pneumatic door supports on the off side cargo or front storage doors? I have seen these on other 5ers. I think it would not be to hard to do but I would need to know how far the piston has to extend as well as the force that is required to hold the door open. And I would want to be able to close it!:)

[DarMar]

The new Alpine models we looked at had them for sure on that cargo door and they were real nice. I didn't take the time but should have looked a little closer and measured them up for size and where they were mounted. I didn't look at the front cargo door to know what was on it.

[racerjoe]

when you buy them,would there not be specific instructions for installation ? like how far to mount onto door and how much weight they will lift,etc? just asking, because it would be a nice idea on the doors.

[ole dude]

I think my question would be, is the door material strong enough to handle the force of the shock both in closing the door as well as holding it open. This is not to rain on the parade.

[SlickWillie]

quote:Originally posted by ole dude

I think my question would be, is the door material strong enough to handle the force of the shock both in closing the door as well as holding it open. This is not to rain on the parade.


I know on the Mountaineer the basement door is too flimsy for the door struts. I was curious if the Montana was made of heavier material.

[radioattic]

I agree with Will insofar as the Mountaineer doors go: pretty flimsy. I can picture a basement door bending if you tried to shut it with hydraulic struts, whether you had one or two installed. You'd have to be real careful where you pushed.

You could take out your whole family if they were all standing too close when you open the door! POW!

[vickir]

The late Norm Kwist came up with a simple and very inexpensive solution to the problem of keeping the locker door up ... he didn't ;). What he did was move the hinge to the bottom so that the door opened downward and was therefore completely out of the way.

[DarMar]

I don't recall the cargo door of the Alpine being any different than that of our 3400, except for the class a type dual latches and the two pneumatic door supports, oh and of course they were also high gloss!!! We were so taken by that new floor plan that we spent most our two visits going over the inside. OK, now who going to be the first to attend a dealer or show and measure them up???

Hmmmmm! Now I've got to thinking that we should be able to add those slam type latches too, of course yet another visit to our dealer this time might end up costing way too much money (Trading in) so I better let this thought go and move on to something else to occupy my time.

[ole dude]

Going back to your original question, I have not tried this addition on my Montana, however, I did the install on a previous 5th wheel. The doors are very similar and it took a bunch of reinforcing on the door, where the opener mounted to provide enough support. I only did one door, at the time did not want to mess with the other side door. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Wild Horse]

you don't have to use such heavy duty lifts. I've used gas springs for alot of my customers horizontal doors. Several companies carry them, rockler is where I've always gotten mine...they go by weight lifted.
Here's an example.....
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10807
That's for a max ht door of 24", but there's plenty of others.

[timandsusan]

I saw the gas spring lifts on a HitchHiker that a friend had at a Rally I attended this weekend. On the Hitchhiker web site, there are really good photos of the lifts on the cargo door. I am going to continue to explore this idea!

[Texas5er]

I met a Montana owner a couple of years ago in Port Aransas, Tx. who had 2 gas shocks working on his 07 3400. He had not had them on for very long but he liked them. Told me to use 30lb shocks. He had to reinforce the door and the door frame which seemed pretty simple. He stated that the hardest part was finding the correct position for the shock in the door frame. He mounted what looked like a 6 in long piece of 1/2in hollow square steel. He drilled two holes on the top and bottom so he could screw the piece of steel to the door frame and then mounted the shock to the outer portion of steel. We were there a week and he used it constantly. Seemed to be pretty secure. I wouldlike to do this project myself. Please post what you find out.

[Dustytuu]

Those pneumatic doors can get in the way of your entrance door. Don had to re-adjust the one near the entry door. Edge of basement door, was hitting in center of entry door. Changed it and now it hits on the edge of entry door.
Just a matter of adjusting them. Our camper came with them. They are worth it.

[timandsusan]

I was out where I store my Monty and the entry door will not interfere with the basement door on my unit. So that is not a issue for me. I have not made it over to any RV shops to look for parts.

[oldgeezor]

I just came from a 2012 RV show and noticed that most Rv's these day's have the struts. I think one of the modification I am going to complete is to add these to my Montana 3400RL (2007). I cam across some selection directions that may help in selecting what type of strut to purchase. Here is two pages:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/123wingrider/6807510854/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/123wingrider/6807512982/in/photostream/

[grayghost03]

Our new HC has struts on both doors, tomorrow I will look at the struts and get the numbers off them and take a picture of the mount location for ya. It will probably be Tuesday evening before I will be able to post them. But I will get them up.

[tracyclifton]

Our Mountaineer has them on the basement doors and the outside kitchen. It does have the thicker doors however. They work great unless it is extremely cold, then they sometimes don't want to hold the heavier doors up.

[deadeye]

About a year and a half ago, there was an article in Good Sam magazine on doing this. It was listed under the new product things. This was about the time that they took over Camper World. They said the shocks were available at CW. I stopped at CW in Omaha, Neb. on the way to our rally last year and they didn't have them. I think they are a little slow on everything though. The instruction are suppose to come with them plus a reinforcement plate for the door. It was suppose to come as a kit. That is the way I understood it. It even gave the company that made the kit.....JB

[8.1al]

This article may help
http://www.cedarcreekrvownersclub.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=1708

[oldgeezor]

Great article..definitely will make this modification easier.

Thank-you for the post 81AL.

[grayghost03]

Here is the info: International Gas Spring, 815-533-0253, Part Number 8AU203468BB0178 Force: 40 lbs.
Pictures will be forth coming.

[awaywego]

I bought 2 of the cylinders when I was in Goshen in June (50 lbs) but they are still in the garage. No problem with them there so far.

[HOOK]

I like the idea but wonder if it would be possible to cause the door to lift higher and closer to side of coach to save space under awning. As if you wanted to have your tv in basement and leave door open for extended period and it not be in the way. I will definitely put them on gen. door under nose. I have already put them on cabinet doors above stove. Larry

[1retired06]

Several manufacturers are now using magnetic latches. One mounted on the door and one on the fiver, and pretty slick. Saw at the Tampa RV show this year. Dont think anybody is selling them retail yet.