Pop top Gas Struts - what eject force and length ?

[pgtips]

Hi,

Its an old thread topic but not something i thought had the right info needed so I'm still trying to find the exact info I need to buy and fit some gas struts to assist with pop top roof lift.

Off the shelf I have seen 'heavy duty' and 'normal strut' kits but what I am trying to nail down is what the specs for the struts actually are.

I read NASkeets posts he said use a volvo 340 strut but he did not have solid numbers for length, he measured 525 and used kitchen scales to decide if resistance was enough, its actually 550 on the spec sheet (not knocking the posts by the way as theres a lot of useful info, just what I found). I did some searches and found that the specs for his strut are

[Slip356]

Let your wife make the cocktails while YOU lift the roof, as you are setting up camp. That’s what I do.
Slip

[germansupplyscott]

For me this is one of those 'upgrades' where you have to ask yourself:

“Is this actually a material upgrade or simply a different way to accomplish what I can already do (keep the top in the raised position)” and “Do I have bigger fish to fry?”
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SL

[Globespotter]

I figure popping the top is a good workout routine that tends to keep us in shape.
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1977 Westfalia - October 2015 - Current
1971 Super Beetle - May 2012 - Current
1979 Westfalia - 1986-1991
1971 Super Beetle - 1977-1980

1971 SB Survivor Story: https://globespotter.com/
Road Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=511800&highlight=
My 77 Westy Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647114&highlight=

http://vw-mplate.com/mcode.php?lang=EN&id=30990
https://vw-type2-id.xyz/mplate/72067382

[Shonandb]

I've been looking at the regular and heavy duty struts that Bus Depot carries too as I usually have my Windsurfing gear on the roof racks and don't want to remove my gear each time to raise the pop top. No idea about the force to compare though. I have he solar panel up there too so I'll probably order the heavy duty ones.
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*******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image

[Boesen]

A few years back I added the Gowesty kit on my 79 Westy as we were hauling our kayaks. Worked great when the kayaks load was on our rack. When the were not loaded the pop top would open itself just by releasing the latch. The downfall without the load on it was closing the poptop. Lots of force to bring it down. They were the following struts which were 100 lb ones and 28 inches.

I decided to go with something lighter but still able to help assist the kayaks being on top. Lots of options on 28” ones with varying weights from online vendors. I went with 70 lb last year finally. https://www.liftsupportsdepot.com/lift-supports-depot-se280p70-gas-charged-lift-support/ Work great going up with/without a load on top and not hard to pull down without a load like the originals GW ones.

All I will add for you to think about is decide on what your purpose of adding them is. If it’s just an assist to help to lift only reason with no load then go lighter then 70 lb. If you have a load going on your poptop then yes go higher then 70. But be prepared to remove them when you don’t have a load. You’ll be pulling down harder just to close the top. Before you buy a kit (which may be easier for you and others) look at just buying the hardware for attaching to the your Bus from a lift support vendor. A friend got pictures of mine and was able to find the same brackets for the top and bottom online. Then he bought the struts separate too. Saved him about $50 Here are pictures from my GW ones. The link above I gave sells the same brackets.

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1979 Westfalia Deluxe http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=474334&highlight=iowa

[raygreenwood]

as you have noted....a lot of gas struts have pressure/weight listings in some catalogs.

Buy one of these at wally world....

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Berkley-nbsp-Digital-Fi...SellerId=0

Surprisingly accurate.

Use it to pull the top up and find out what pressure level you need. Do you just need an assist?....or do you want it to force the top up when you unlatch it?

If its just an assist....shoot for about 75% of total pounds of lift required.

I have to use this on my equipment case all the time to keep it under 50 lbs for airline weights.

Ray

[MorkC68]

@pgtips

Somewhere over on thelatebay (might be busmonkey's westy thread) it details the ones to use on a westy roof.

I think SGS Engineering in Derby sell sets for devon and westy roofs
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Major; 1977 Westfalia Campmobile
- Subaru EJ20
- Koni Classic adjustable dampers & Empi Heavy Duty Anti Roll Bar
- 180W Solar System
www.markcheluphotography.com
My photography work : https://lencilcreations.picfair.com/

[NASkeet]

[pgtips]

thank you for all the replies everyone.

@MorkC68 thanks, yes I found the SGS (UK) he got 600N was the example but the guy removed the H bar (not for this thread).
I contacted him but he wasn't sure it had worked out as he planned.

[NASkeet]

[NASkeet]