Date:         Mon, 24 Jun 2019 10:58:41 -0700
Reply-To:     Steve Williams <sbw@SBW.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Williams <sbw@SBW.ORG>
Subject:      Re: 250lb struts on rear hatch.
Comments: To: Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca>
In-Reply-To:  <A855C245-6D41-4E7E-A2D4-8F4B2B4B425B@shaw.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed

Thanks for the links to adjustable struts.  As you say, those are not so
much adjustable as "reducible."  That is, the force can only be adjusted
down.

But, no, that's not what I was suggesting.  Rather, one might add
another "ball stud" at a different location to change the geometry in
some way.

It's GoWesty who offers instructions on how to do this for the pop-top:

https://urlzr.mp/vnb (GoWesty Pop Top Assist Kit)

They suggest an additional pair of mounting brackets on each side, so
you can move the strut forward for more leverage to lift a heavier load.

That might be possible with the hatch, with careful selection of the
strut length, so it can work in both positions.  (Maybe that's not
possible, since the hatch opens to a much wider angle than the pop top.)

Or maybe just install an additional strut on each side, if there's room
below the retracted stock strut when the door is closed.  There might
not be room for a long enough strut to do that.

On 6/24/2019 8:09 AM, Alistair Bell wrote:
> Sorry steve, misread your post. You’re nit looking to add another strut, but to get an adjustable.
>
> The only adjustable I’ve seen are those that de gas to arrive at the correct lifting force, or those that have adjustable stroke length.
>
> Be nice to find ones that can be gassed up.
>
>> On Jun 24, 2019, at 7:42 AM, Steve Williams <sbw@sbw.org> wrote:
>>> On 6/23/2019 10:28 AM, Dan N wrote:
>>> it would be nice if someone design hatch struts that can be adjusted on the
>>> fly...
>>
>> I think I read something about how to install adjustable struts to the
>> pop top by adding a second ball fitting.  I'll have to look for that and
>> think about how it might be applied to the hatch.