Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 17:33:05 -0500
Reply-To: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject: Re: Poptop Raise Assists (Fryeday content)
In-Reply-To: <48439261c5499a206d8c205b14775f2d@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
The Packasport luggage carrier weigh 90 pounds by itself (per the
companies specs.) I've put 4 aluminum tracks on the poptop to mount
it to the poptop. Inside the Packasport I have 2 wool blankets (heavy
beasts), folding chairs, folding table, collapsable portable shower,
cordless impact wrench, and a few other misc objects. Well over 100
pounds total (including the carrier) . In the past I also included a
small gas grill up there too. The Packasport holds a lot (30 cubic feet)
Derek Drew sticks half shafts, axes, chain saws and other stuff in
his, but I'm not as gung-ho as he is..... :)
On Feb 7, 2007, at 4:10 PM, Keith Ovregaard wrote:
> Kim
>
> I have to admit that your solution is a less invasive one and also
> looks like a factory install. Very nice!
>
> You may have mentioned before how much weight you have added to the
> top, but I missed that. Have you used a scale to measure the loaded
> and
> unloaded weight? How did you weight it? Using a digital fish scale
> hooked to the forward mounted roof rack cross bar, I measured
> 45LBS. I
> thought it would be much more considering the weight of the 2 yakima
> racks with kayak supports on both, plus the six wide body mounts, but
> then there's some assist from the support bracket springs. My Kayak
> weighs 46LBS and my bike with rack mounts maybe 30LBS, so I am
> going to
> be lifting at least 120LBS. Of course some of that weight will be on
> the back hinges.
>
> Keith
>
> On Feb 7, 2007, at 11:07 AM, Kim Brennan wrote:
>
>> As I mentioned before, I considered having the struts elsewhere. Note
>> that due to the angle of the raised poptop, you are limited in where
>> you can attach a gas spring. Further, you are additionally limited by
>> where you can mount it when it is down. You can't have the bottom
>> directly under the top mounting point, for example. While that
>> arrangement would give you the best lift capability, when it is down,
>> there is no place for the gas spring to go. Even when compressed it
>> occupies a certain amount of length. I didn't want to drill any
>> irreversible holes in the top of my camper until I experimented some.
>>
>> The way I mounted them was a quick a dirty test to see if it would
>> work. I figured if it didn't work, the only irreversible "damage"
>> would be an inconsequential hole in the poptop hinge. As it turns
>> out,
>> this way worked quite well, so I never pursued any other
>> possibilities.
>>
>>
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