Door strut alternative

Hi Austravel

Yacht /boat chandlery shops such as Whitworths sell a coiled spring that holds hatches etc open and you push/kink spring to lower. Very simple and works well , or you could just buy any spring with a fixing point each end and make your own. Spring is never under any tension. Holds hatch/door etc open just by it's length and rigidity (so it is under compression I guess you could call it whilst door is open)

You would want a tightly coiled spring around say a foot long and possibly up to an inch or so thick. If door is heavy, then 2, one each side.

Hope this makes sense

johnnotoo...............

Hi Austravel, I've made two canopies and both times have used old gas struts off a car bonnet. One each side is adequate, even though they won't hold a heavy bonnet. Go to your local mechanic and he's bound to have a few old ones just for this very purpose or to a wreckers and pay about 30 bucks each complete with the little bolt on brackets each end. Dead easy to fit and are the ducks' guts. Rus.

hey austravel, any chance of you putting some photo's on the site or emailing them. are you involved in the yahoo traytop camping group? link text

If you have small doors the boot struts from Falcon's work well, they also have and eye either end and can be mounted between two bolts rather than a ball fitting.
They close to about 6 inches and extend to approx twice that. 5/16 or 8mm bolt works fine for mounting.