Please Help Me Locate Source for These Gas Struts

[wsswesty]

During my last camping trip, the worm gear rod (that raises and lowers the fiberglass top) on my CVT Mt St Helens tent broke. I can still raise half the top with the supplied motor but, I have to find an option fast if I want to salvage the camping season. Trying to match the worm gear (made in China) and finding one the exact length is practically impossible.

I was was thinking about disengaging the gear assembly and using some kind of a gas strut assembly to raise and lower the tent roof. I found, what appears to be, the perfect solution on the Autohome site. Does anyone know where I could find the struts that are shown in the picture below? Does anyone have experience doing something similar? I have spent hours looking on the net with NO results.

I didn't contact Autohome since the tent is a CVT. I thought that would be pretty bold of me! LOL

Any ideas or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[achuto]

If you think that all you need is to replace the struts, here is a reference to a company that I've used with success:

http://www.liftsupportsdepot.com/

 

[wsswesty]

Thanks achuto. I will take a look at their page.

 

[pray4surf]

If you think that all you need is to replace the struts, here is a reference to a company that I've used with success:

http://www.liftsupportsdepot.com/

Great company! Brandon helped me with some one-off strut requirements...

 

[rayra]

If it's not at McMaster-Carr, it doesn't exist.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#gas-springs/=xkmmal


They and www.usplastics.com are my go-to sources for a lot of do it yourself projects.

 

[wsswesty]

Thanks Rayra. I checked out their sites but, no luck.

 

[rayra]

Nothing close enough to work? That's surprising. I'd think all you need is the overall range of motion / travel, and enough weight capacity to get it done. Or even double the mounting and run a pair in each mount if you have to make do with something of lesser lifting capacity.

what about the existing struts themselves, don't they have a manufacturer name or part number on them? Go direct to the maker. Or contact the shell maker and ask them for the source.

I was able to rejuvenate a failing strut on my Suburban hatch by getting some oil on the piston seal, but that's only a stopgap.

 

[pray4surf]

OP doesn't have existing struts. He's replacing a worm/screw drive lifting mechanism.. But you are correct, needs the closed/collapsed and extended lengths and 'strength'.... I'm not clear if the screw mechanism he is replacing is on a single corner unit or not...

 

[wsswesty]

Thanks for the replies everyone ... Sorry, I wasn't clear with what I was wanting to do. The worm screw broke and since my chances of finding a replacement that would work are slim, I was hoping to find some struts like that pictured above in the Autohome tent. No luck so far!

 

[rayra]

Any way the worm screw broke in a way that can be welded back together? if the break is clear of the collars it drives thru, the weld doesn't even have to be clean or have the threads filed clear again.

Then again, if you are abandoning the screw drive shaft anyway, then you ought to be able to put new gas pistons anywhere you'd like. No reason it has to fit where the screw drive did. Just keep the screw drive scissor / armature as an alignment and guidance mechanism and add mounting points for gas pistons wherever you want or can. Re-engineer it.

Prop the top fully open / extended, measure the vertical distance between likely mounting locations, then take about 55% of that distance and move the measuring point top or bottom that far and measure that diagonal distance and that's the close approximate extended length piston you need. Then work the rest from there.