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View Full Version : Replacing new Hydraulic lifts in my bays?


leskorcala@hotmail.com
10-23-2011, 02:31 AM
Hello,
I have about 6 hydraulic lifts in my bays that only open on itself half way! wanted to find out where I could get new ones, do I just buy them in any out store knowing their lenght stc, or there is specific type I need to order directly from Newell?

Thanks for any advices,

Les

Newell 2001 #828

lbrachfe
10-23-2011, 02:52 AM
I bought a few from camping world that were almost identical to the smaller ones on the bays. The engine compartment ones are larger and have not found them in my search.

leskorcala@hotmail.com
10-23-2011, 07:51 AM
Thanks , I will check with them!

You are right for sure about the engine's ones , its massive set up down there and hell of work try to lif it all up with out much lifters assitance!

Les

RussWhite
10-23-2011, 11:23 AM
Les,

I have used these guys for several years. Good support and great prices. Usually the old gas spring has the sizing information you need printed on spring. If not, you can measure for the size and take your best guess at the spring pressure you want. I use a bathroom scale and push down on the spring to determine the spring rate. If testing a tired one, I just add to that number what I feel would be appropriate. Now you can't, at least I couldn't, compress the struts for the engine hatch cover without mechanical advantage. I used a hydraulic jack to compress that one.

Hope this link helps:
http://www.spdhardware.com/

Russ

rheavn
10-23-2011, 11:43 AM
Les,
When I bought my coach almost all of the gas shocks, or hydraulic lifts, were bad. I ordered mine from SPD Hardware at http://www.spdhardware.com/ These are the same brand that came on my coach. I have used this company for about ten years & they have always been helpful & shipped quickly. Each gas shock on my coach has a tag that identifies the shock & its pressure or force. The gas shocks that you need are the "GSNI Black Nitride Shaft Gas Spring". Using a shock with too much pressure or force can cause your mounting points to fail. These are items that will commonly need replacement with use. If your shocks do not have readable tags, private message or email me your tele # & I'll call you and give you the proper pressure for each bay as they do vary.
When you replace them you will need to compress them about an inch. I was able to compress the ones where I could access both mounting points with a pipe clamp. I have since copied a tool that Newell made to change them. I attached a photo of the tool. Using the tool you attach the rear gas shock mounting point, put the tool over the door hinge crossmember, place the unmounted end of the gas shock in the tool's rounded slot, compress with handle & slip onto shock mount. Pretty simple with the tool. This tool works for the bay doors, but won't work on the engine cover shocks. Russ White's idea of using a hydraulic jack seems like the way to go when I have to replace them. TIP: When working on side with the mercury tilt switch for the bay light unscrew it & move it out of the way as it can get broken.

Hope this helps..................

encantotom
10-23-2011, 08:32 PM
as you guys know, these can get very expensive to buy a bunch of them. i would guess at the places you are mentioning they are 20-30 dollars apiece. i bought a couple from newell at first and they were in that range.

find out exactly what size you have and what pressure and you can find them on ebay. shaft lenght, stroke, ball diameter, force. (sometimes given in newtons, you will just have to convert to pounds.

i had some that were too strong and they ripped the mounts off the doors. i have since redone all of my bay door mounts with aircraft aluminum and new ball brackets and new struts.

the main ones on my bay doors i found a case of them and i paid about $1.25 apiece shipped for them. others i needed of a different size or force i also bought on ebay and didnt pay over $8 apiece for them.

they are just standard gas spring struts and nothing special about them. if you are good at searching you can save yourself a lot of money.

my two cents worth.

tom

leskorcala@hotmail.com
10-24-2011, 02:58 AM
Thank you all for the great tips on where to obtain them and also super tip on making great jig to put them back , I noticed the the hardest bays to get to replace the liters are in my Battery bay , very small acecc room to get to the far end of the lift , as well as the bay with the water and all the valves! but I shuld be able to swap them with help of my wife.

My lifters all have stickers on them , some blue and some with green stickers , so I should be able to get the specs of them.

I was tapping up the bettery's ports with distlled water and the lifter were only quater way up , what a pain! I used pvc pipe in right lenght and it was good emergancy fix , but I like all to be working perfect, so will replace all of them soon!

Best.
Les

rheavn
10-24-2011, 10:27 AM
Les,
On the bays where reaching the rear pivot point would be difficult at best, just unscrew the old shock from the end fitting and screw the new shock onto the old end fitting. Makes it a one man job and saves a lot of time. I've never had an end fitting wear out.

Good luck.......................

leskorcala@hotmail.com
10-27-2011, 04:31 PM
Steve , that is great tip , thanks ! I noticed that mine lifts (the largest ones ) are rated at 130lbs acording to the sticker.

encantotom
11-14-2011, 01:19 AM
ok, now it is my turn again. i have a number of gas springs that are sagging as well.

it appears the good ones are 150 pounds.

someone said 130lb and that it varies by bay.

any hints here guys?

steve, you sure you dont want to make a batch of spring tools for us?

thanks

tom

rheavn
11-15-2011, 01:06 PM
Tom,
Like yours most of my bay doors are 150 lbs gas shocks. I have a narrow bay where the inverter is located that uses 120 lbs gas shocks. If you can wait until I get home to replace them Suzy & I are sending you & Darlene a "housewarming" present.

encantotom
11-16-2011, 06:14 AM
do you guys have the part number for the 4 gas struts for the engine rear door?

thanks

tom

leskorcala@hotmail.com
11-16-2011, 07:43 AM
All of mine are rated at 130lbs , I have small bay pull trough and lifts are at 90lbs there! still looking to get good deal on bunch of them!

RussWhite
11-16-2011, 11:42 AM
Tom,

Here is a link for a post I did for the group on that procedure.

I think my originals were 175 and I went with a 200 for the first replacement. It was enough extra force that I did not have to replace any more so far.

http://www.newellclassic.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1855

Russ

encantotom
11-30-2011, 04:07 PM
source for gas springs.

i just bought all new gas springs for the bay doors and engine swing up door. they arrived yesterday and i will try to put them in tonite (thanks to steve bare)

i have used this place before and their product is just dandy. i have a number of them on my 1990. they are columbia brand struts.

you will find steve pleasant to deal with and very very reasonably priced.

http://www.stampededist.com/index.html

ask for steve shelton.

tell him tom mccloud sent you his way.

later

tom