Telescoping RTT Rack Design Question

[Mushin_Noshin]

Thanks for explaining. Pretty much exactly what I did. Went too beefy at first with the struts, went up great, had to keep.the wife in it to come down or use ratchet straps. Once I dialed in the right struts she was perfect up and down. Can't remember the struts I used tho

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[bobholthaus]

So is your lower strut mount below the bottom of your lower tube? I don't understand how you guys are getting the struts mounted inside of the square tubing? And the top of the strut: does it secure to anything, or is the bottom of your upper tube capped off and it just rests on top of the strut end? That's where I'm confused. Thanks guys.

 

[bobholthaus]

Also, in the two videos, both of your pop pins look the same. Is that a prefabbed kit you both bought somewhere, or did you fab those? I need to know how to do those too, to tell my welder. I do not have the skill set to do this myself.


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[Jdavera]

This is what I'm "planning" to do on my future trailer

Basically the strut is attached with bolts passing through the post, probably need some type of internal spacer to keep the strut in the middle (red dots) and then we have two blue holes in the second sliding post and one in the bottom hole in order to align a drop pin or locking pin in both positions.

Hope this help

 

[Jdavera]

Ok I just realized I have a problem in the design, bolt holding upper portion of the struts will need to be above locking position

 

[Space Wrangler]

Im in the same boat with my set up . Trying a couple of things this weekend .

 

[bobholthaus]

Okay this all makes sense now. Thank you guys! I really appreciate you taking the time to make those diagrams. That explains it perfectly to me and I will show these to my welder.

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[bobholthaus]

What's the approx diameter of your struts? And if I want 16" of travel, how do I go about picking struts? Just call strutdepot and tell them my desired weight and that I want 16" of travel and eyelets on both ends of my struts? Thanks guys.

Btw, I noticed Jdavera that you have your struts "upside down" as to how strutdepot says they should be mounted (fat side up). Was that just got the diagram, or is it okay to mount them like that? My current upper bars are not very large and they are already line-x'd, so if I can reuse them, I'd like to. Not sure the thick part will fit inside, but the piston rod surely would, and therefor they would be upside down as well. Thanks.


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[Jdavera]

I'm not sure if it's ok the strut direction but I see others trailers used them like my sketch

http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/23624-Box-Rocket-Homemade-trailer-build/page20

 

[Jdavera]

Another one

http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/131051-My-M101A2-Expo-Base-Camp-Trailer

 

[bobholthaus]

Man I'm glad you posted that pic. I would have never thought to have mounted them on the outside of the sleeves; not as slick, but very functional and would save me some money. Thank you!

Here's a link to the one site on "shaft up" versus "shaft down".

https://www.liftsupportsdepot.com/b...support-be-mounted-shaft-up-or-shaft-down#top

 

[bobholthaus]

Okay: you guys have fully educated me, thank you. Except on the pin. Is that a prefab pin setup I can buy somewhere and have it welded on? They all look the same in various pics. I'm guessing they are spring loaded? Thanks again.

 

[Jdavera]

Just Google or Amazon "weld pop pin"

 

[bobholthaus]

Thank you. And now I'm looking at electrical linear actuators! Your threads are fantastic, thank you.

 

[Lucky j]

Perso, I have purchase pneumatic actuators x4. But have not started the project yet.

I have on OBA in the jeep, but I'm pretty sure I will be able to lift the rack +rtt even with a bike pump if I need to. And no electricity to take down. Should start in that in a few week, but I have to start with the trailer first, so it should be a summer project.