Bay Door Strut Replacement

[tdelorme]

One of my bay doors has started to sag just a bit and I have replacement struts. Is there any way to tell which strut is bad, or should I just go ahead and replace both of them. Also, any tricks or advice on the replacement procedure? Looks simple enough but I'd like to end up with all ten fingers attached to my hands, so I'm being cautious and asking for advice. Thanks

I tried to get Jan to get in the bay with a flashlight while I closed the door, so I'll be doing this job with a patch over one eye. She doesn't have much in the way of a sense of humor.

[garyde]

Hi Ted. With the door open, support the door, (there is a support lock on the side of the door) then disconnect the gas struts. To test, apply pressure to each. If the strut slides in too easy, its no good.

[jack14r]

Ted,I cut a 2 by 4 the right length to support the bay door.If you can get to both ends it is easy,but some of mine were hard to get to in the coach,you can take the strut loose from the door and then turn the strut counter clockwise and the other end will unscrew.I had 3 doors that sagged and all 3 needed both struts.

[dreamchasers]

Ted,I cut a 2 by 4 the right length to support the bay door.If you can get to both ends it is easy,but some of mine were hard to get to in the coach,you can take the strut loose from the door and then turn the strut counter clockwise and the other end will unscrew.I had 3 doors that sagged and all 3 needed both struts.

Another great idea!

I changed all of mine, except two doors. I was on the task of disassembling the cabinets that surround the strut's inside ball, but I did not try to un screw the old strut and reinstall the new one, using the clip that is attached deep inside. A great labor saver for this newbie.

A GREAT IDEA!

Thanks,
Hector

[dalej]

I have been told that these gas shocks/struts loose 5% of their pressure every year. When you start to notice they are getting weak you can replace them. When you take a weak one off, it will be hard to push the piston in. You might think that it is still good, it is, but not at the pressure you need to hold a bay door open.

150 to 200 pound shocks are good for a door with no added weight but if you store items on the door i.e. chairs, hoses, then go toward using 250 pound.

If you start with a 200 # shock after 10 years it will be at 150 # the bottom end of the support needed to hold a bare door up.

[mike kerley]

Ted,

FYI, on our 93 stock (prevost) struts work great for the doors without chairs or extra weight. The front compartment on ours (both sides) needs heavier struts to support the doors than the others. The posts that they attach to are also of a different size. I believe the stock ones are 190 lb and we need 250's for the large doors with chairs in the slots.

Mike

[Jon Wehrenberg]

The strut you use should be considered before purchasing or installing them.

Our doors are different depending on the length of the coach. A 45 has heavier doors than a 40. The door construction also needs to be considered. As Dale points out chair storage requires a greater force strut than a door with no storage. I removed the chairs from the back of my bay doors and I have to exert considerable force to pull those doors down, and when opening them I have to be careful not to let them go because they will shoot up.