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Awning window strut
Need some help figuring out location of awning window gas strut placement.
The awning windows on my older Marathon XLII are operated by a small pneumatic cylinder that actuates a bell crank assembly to open and close the window. Like me, those cylinders are getting old, weak, and slow. There have been a variety of window opening mechanisms from manual to electric that I have seen over the years. Some used a gas strut to assist in the window operation. Soooooo, I want to add such an animal to assist the above described cylinder. Got the strut from Marathon BUT now the question is how to locate it to achieve maximum benefit. Have looked around and hounded all my usual resources for a diagram or photo showing how it has been located. No luck.
Am interested in seeing a pic/diagram from someone with said gas strut showing the approximate placement. I could probably figure it out from trial and error but being lazy in addition to old, weak, and slow, the light bulb in my head indicates somebody has already addressed the placement issue (since it has been used on some coaches) and I should copy that placement. I’m not very smart but I can steal a lot of ideas!!
Any help would be appreciated. Mike
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4 Replies
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Did you end up solving your slow window opening/closing issue? I was wondering if there was a way to convert from the air to something mechanical. Did you run into anything?
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I’m halfway there. Got the back done. Front still on the back burner. All part of my overall project to upgrade from (re-engineer from) pneumatics where possible. With windows speed not an issue for me so much as the air drive is another place to have an air leak. Once I get it converted to electric, then I kill off the air feed at the source.
Been getting struts from Firgilli Automations. They have a good selection of sizes. Of course, the bigger, the more lift power – and those awning windows are heavy – but space limits what can be used. For the back windows went with a size just a little bigger than the air piston. A bit of a challenge to fit it in where the air piston was but doable. Hooked it to dpdt switch and tagged to the nearest dc power. Because of that fit challenge, plan to use smaller – but less powerful – actuator on the fronts along with assist from a gas strut as I have seen on other set ups. Have all the pieces now just need to find the time. Got the gas struts from Marathon and looked at other coaches to get the location of where to install them. I am not very smart but can steal a lot of ideas!
Hope this helps. Let me know if you need additional info. Probably told you more than you wanted to know! Mike
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Thanks, Mike. I’ll never complain of getting too much info.
I’ve not replaced any of mine yet, just know the don’t work as well and want to cut out the air line as well.
Do you replace the piston from the outside or inside the bus?
My bed lift is also air driven. Previous owner installed a much heavier mattress so the air lift doesn’t help a lot. I plan to eliminate that air line and install an electric piston similar to on my boat cockpit hatch.
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Well, it ends up being a little of inside and a little outside. Not straightforward by any means. Gotta get it far enough into the existing slot so window closes all the way and can be latched.
Another nice part about switching to electric is that the windows stay open rather than gradually closing as air leaks out. I was in engineering school (long time ago) when pneumatics became all the rage. Ranked right up there with the second coming but haven’t stood the test of time and electric actuators have advanced big time. With the oldies but goodies buses like we have lot of stuff needs to be switched out. I have the same bed lift problem. For now have added stronger assist gas struts and took the mac valve out of that system so I can keep air pressure up until it opens and then after shutting off air when it opens, use a prop to keep it open. Hillbilly engineering! Let me know how electric actuator works out. I don’t have a boat. Bus provides all the challenges I need at my advanced age.
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