M416: how to mount gas struts for lid? (1 Viewer)

[wakesetter]

I had a lid built for my m416 a couple of years ago. It's HEAVY with my tent mounted on it. Like really hard to lift kind of heavy, and I'm a big ogre. Currently I prop it open with a 2x4 stick once I lift it, but I bought a couple of 100# gas struts to add to the list so that it's (hopefully) drastically easier to open.

So the point of this post is to ask help for how to mount the struts. How do I know exactly where to place the struts so that they will work correctly, mainly that they will close properly? I stood and stared at it for a while yesterday, but I felt like a monkey trying to solve a Rubics Cube. I'm trying to avoid a bunch of trial and error, drilling multiple holes until I get it right.

Thanks in advance for any help and feel free to ask questions. Hoping to get this put together tomorrow, prior to our trip to the Carrizo Plains National Monument this weekend. Yes, kinda breaking the Covid protocol, but we will be hundreds of yards from anyone else, exploring the Wildflowers an hopefully gazing at Milky Way at night with our telescope

 

[ntsqd]

Where I would start is to figure out how far you need it to open and how much force it will take to hold it there. Can find this with a bathroom scale centered fore/aft and a 2x4 cut to the length that holds it in your desired open position. Make note of where the 2x4 & scale are side to side.

Now, vector math. Ever done any of it?

 

[fjdiesel]

I would make the shocks go over center just a little. So when the lid is down it's not trying to push the lid up. Measure the shock in the shortest position and make the pins just a little further apart than that. They will only go up until they are fully extended. That way you get the full extension out of them. Hope that helps.

 

[wakesetter]

Thanks for your thoughts. I needed to get it done for a camping trip and just kind of took an educated guess, ended up working PERFECTLY!!! So nice having the gas assist while opening and closing, and it stays open on its own.

Next project, a counter top that stores inside of the trailer and slides into receivers on the outer edge, above the fender to put the camp stove, cutting board etc on. Going to use 1x1 steel frame, covered with 1/2"plywood and then skinned with stainless steel sheet. Should be pretty dope. The propane tank is mounted right below where the counter top will be. Need to T the line off so that it can go to the camp stove and a lantern, which will be mounted on a pole at front end of trailer, above the stove area. .

 

[ntsqd]

I think I used that wide spot to turn around one time.

 

[wakesetter]

This was about 3/4 mile north of the Rideout Hideout of you know where that is.