[Tradewinds Coach & Marine]

Carefully, very carefully. There is a significant amount of energy stored in the struts and if you don’t account for that as you do the swap you could lose an eye or be seriously injured.

I have the same project facing me in the spring (or mid summer if it takes the snow that long to melt). I plan on propping the bay doors wide open at both ends with 2x4s to carry the weight (mine have chairs on the back and I will remove the chairs. Once propped wide open, you should be able to carefully remove the old struts and install the new ones. At least that is my plan.

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Tradewinds Coach
Kyle Bennett (Service)
Brian Miller (Sales)

[Walter]

I did all mine before I sold the coach so here is what I had to do.

Cut a 2X4 the correct length that will hold the door all the way up,

put the strut on the inside ball joint, the one back inside the bay first,

then if you still need to compress the strut, get one of those nylon ratchet straps and wrap around the entire strut so you can ratchet the strut to a length that will go on the ball joint on the door hinge.

Make sue the ratchet portion of the strap is to the outside away from the bay wall so you can work the ratchet.

Good luck.

[Art]

Also, I’ve tried the other hole for the strut “knob” and if you do that the door will jerk closed quite a bit more. Even though it provides for better leverage for the struts… the jerk closed was pretty big. Eventually I went back to the original hole. Just what happened to me…

[Craig]

Thank all of you for your responses. As I looked at the replacement struts I noticed that they are fully extended and wondered if they could be compressed some amount in order to install. Alas, it is not to be.

Another PC member I speak with often also recommended raising the bay door beyond the highest point and supporting with 2×4’s. Man, those doors are h e a v y. I will get this done before the week is over.

Thanks again to all of for responding. My next job is to replace my backup camera and monitor. I drive with the unit on all of the time. I will also be adding side cameras over the next few months.

Ron

Greer, SC