Cabinet door "hold open" struts on Concourse

Section for discussion of Chinook interior and appliance issues, repair or installation.
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Blue~Go
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Re: Cabinet door "hold open" struts on Concourse

Post by Blue~Go »

I haven't tried it, but I'd be reluctant to. Reason is that the doors are typically just foam laminated with fiberglass (or sometimes aluminum), then with a thin perimeter frame. I'd be worried about the torque of one of those struts on the (relatively) flimsy door. Maybe it would work perfectly fine and I'm worrying for no reason.

I wonder if you could mount something on the water heater door to hold it up? Not that the water heater door is of "foundational" quality, but the door is fairly light?

Here is another idea: Mount a "Snad" to the body and then use that to attach your hold down. By webbing loop with snap on it, or....?

http://www.sailrite.com/YKK-SNAD-Clear- ... -Base-Stud
snad.jpg
They also come in white vs. clear, and also in "just white" where the snap part is molded into the white plastic vs. being silver metal.

A last idea is a hook onto the body with VHB (which is what attaches a Snad also), and then a bungie loop on the inside of the door that can loop over the hook when the door is open. Or maybe loop over the cable TV outlet frame?
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Astrodokk
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Re: Cabinet door "hold open" struts on Concourse

Post by Astrodokk »

I am going to replace all mine in my 2000 as well. I have 5 smaller doors with the SPD-20's on them. But I also have 2 larger doors with SPD-30's on them AND an additional no name metallic one that I don't recognize. Perhaps they are after market ones that the PO installed on his own?
The second larger door is above the stove top, since the convection/microwave is at the bottom where the propane oven used to be in previous models.
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Astrodokk
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Re: Cabinet door "hold open" struts on Concourse

Post by Astrodokk »

Anyone else have those “extra”ones?
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Astrodokk
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Re: Cabinet door "hold open" struts on Concourse

Post by Astrodokk »

I'm on Ebay right now and those metallic looking ones are actually "spring" loaded ones that are even shorter than the gas ones. No wonder the larger doors didn't open quite all the way! I'm taking those off and leaving them off. Hopefully the new gas ones in 20 and 30 lbs will do the trick!
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Astrodokk
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Re: Cabinet door "hold open" struts on Concourse

Post by Astrodokk »

They sell many different sizes too. I believe ours are 7.5" extended mid ball to mid ball, and that goes for both the 20 and 30 lbs ones.
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Blue~Go
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Re: Cabinet door "hold open" struts on Concourse

Post by Blue~Go »

I was going to say that your door didn't look like it was opening far enough. Wrong struts explains it. I replaced a couple of those spring ones for a friend (non-Chinook) and I thought they were kinda chintzy.
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Astrodokk
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Re: Cabinet door "hold open" struts on Concourse

Post by Astrodokk »

Apparently a lot of boaters use that spring type according to one of the ebay sellers.
The ones we need are rather pricey and none a free shipping. I'll have ta ask for combined shipping if I get them all from the same source.
For now, head lift option haha.
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chin_k
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Re: Cabinet door "hold open" struts on Concourse

Post by chin_k »

I started to revisit the gas struts. I removed them as they were not doing anything, so I have been using the "head life" option. I am going to try one that I know will need adjustments (not direct replacement), but much cheaper. Order a couple, but am not anticipate much from it, just want to give it a try.

BTW, the -20 and -30 is not in pound. The force unit is in newton. So they are 20 N for the sides, and 30 N for the front cabinet. Newton is much weaker pound force. Just don't want anyone to order a 30 pound struct, and snap off the door when it opens.

{Edit} Well, I am all confused about the unit that the number is associated with. Let me call the manufacturer and see if they can explains this. So complicated.
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chin_k
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Re: Cabinet door "hold open" struts on Concourse

Post by chin_k »

I looked at the spec sheet, and you guys were right, that it is 20 lb. Sorry about that.

I ordered the Apexstone 80N/18lb and it seems to be working well. It is not a perfect match compare to the original, with 2 lb less force, and I think 1/2 inch shorter. However, I do not think that length is a big issue, since the doors are almost horizontal when the strut is extended. The main reason for me to consider using the 18 lb ones is for the price. You can get them off eBay or Amazon for less than $10 for a pair. I paid $8.38 (free shipping) in one of these transactions, so it is as low as $4.19 each. Installation took 10 seconds, just snap the sockets at the ends onto the original ball.

I think I can get the original ones (4900-20) for about $5 each, but I need to order 50 of them. That will last me 200 years. :lol:
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chin_k
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Re: Cabinet door "hold open" struts on Concourse

Post by chin_k »

The new struts are 1/2 shorter, but with the same stoke length. I am thinking about put a standoff bolt on them to make the barrel long to match the original, but it is working alright the way it is.
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The original and the shorter one I unstalled
The original and the shorter one I unstalled
Here is what it looks like installed
Here is what it looks like installed
2000 Concourse dinette, on 1999 6.8L Ford E350 Triton V-10 Chassis
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