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Topic: Cabinet cylinders (Read 857 times) previous topic - next topic

Cabinet cylinders

Good morning all! I am a new owner (2002 3610 U320) and I was trying to find out the best way to purchase the small cylinders that hold open/closed the cabinets. Some of them have lost their "power" and will not hold the cabinets open and let the cabinets rattle while driving. I probably need a dozen or so.
thanks, Old Hippie- a very excited new owner.
Rick & Deborah Webster
2002 3610 U320 #5964
2014 Jeep Wrangler Sahara JKU- 'Copperhead'
Richland Chambers Lake, East Texas

Re: Cabinet cylinders

Reply #1 –
Welcome to the forum!

Those cylinders are also called struts or springlifts.  Here's a thread that lists a couple of sources

Cabinet gas pistons

We buy ours from FOT when we're in Nac for service (to save shipping).  We've bought some from Encore and unfortunately the ones we got seem to be much stiffer than needed and caused problems with the cabinet  mounting points. 

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Cabinet cylinders

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Michelle –
Welcome to the forum!

Those cylinders are also called struts or springlifts.  Here's a thread that lists a couple of sources

Cabinet gas pistons

We buy ours from FOT when we're in Nac for service (to save shipping).  We've bought some from Encore and unfortunately the ones we got seem to be much stiffer than needed and caused problems with the cabinet  mounting points. 

Michelle
I got my replacements from encore. You are right about the stiffness. What I did was replace one instead of both cylinders.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Cabinet cylinders

Reply #3 –
We recently bought several while at FOT. Fast, easy, and the right part for the application.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX

Re: Cabinet cylinders

Reply #4 –
Old Hippie - Maybe a bit off topic, welcome aboard.

Seeing you are a new Foretravel owner, I thought you might like to know that you can let Foretravel know that you are a new owner and they will enroll you in the Motorcaders Club for free for one year, at least they use to.  That gets you a 10% discount at Foretravel Parts Department.  Foretravel Conversions : A Division of Foretravel Motorcoach .  They put a really flashy quarterly magazine.
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: Cabinet cylinders

Reply #5 –
Just picked up 4 Suspa 15# at FOT in Feb. at $12.84 ea. less 10% Motorcade.
Dick, '03 U320 40' Tag, 2 slides, Coach #6075
Full Timers
2009 Honda CR-V

Re: Cabinet cylinders

Reply #6 –
Heads' up - don't know how long it's good for, but Steve just noticed FOT has a Buddy Rally special on the Suspa cabinet struts, $9.85 apiece.  We ordered some.

Foretravel Texas - Parts
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Cabinet cylinders

Reply #7 –
If you call Encore RV you may find out their price is lower.  It was cheaper @ Encore last May when I purchased a few from them.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Cabinet cylinders

Reply #8 –
when you get a good buy, get a bunch of them,
they have a 100% failure rate.

Re: Cabinet cylinders

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Wayne Macauley –
when you get a good buy, get a bunch of them,
they have a 100% failure rate.
That's funny, Wayne.  I bought replacements for all the cabinets last year.  Ended up using only 1/2 of the total purchased.  Turns out that replacing only one side is good enough.  So I have another 15 year supply.  I'm good to go... :P
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Cabinet cylinders

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Peter & Beth –
If you call Encore RV you may find out their price is lower.  It was cheaper @ Encore last May when I purchased a few from them.

We had issues with the stiffness of the ones from Encore and would not recommend them.  The ones we bought caused the mounting to pull out/damage the cabinet interior.  Sure, you could put just one on, but then you're applying uneven stress to the hinges; I'm not comfortable doing that with our coach.  With the sale, FOT is very competitive on the struts.

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320
 

Re: Cabinet cylinders

Reply #11 –
Hi Folks:

When we picked up our coach at MOT I got a half dozen there, about the same price as FOT.

Having made custom furniture for several years I agree with Michelle.

Norm