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Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Is there a substitute for the gas shocks on upper cabinet doors besides shocks or a good place to purchase shocks, I need probably need 40.           
Art
1997 Prevost 40'
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Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #1 –
Foretravel of Texas usually has the best prices.
Tom Lang K6PG (originally  KC6UEC)
and Diane Lang
2003 38 U295 build 6209
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Ecodiesel
still have tow-ready 2006 Acura MDX 
Temple City, California
Motorcade 16681 California Chapter President
SKP 16663 member of SKP Park of the Sierra, Coarsegold California
FMCA F071251
Retired electrical and electronic engineer

Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #2 –
Yup, FT usually has the best price but they can get you on shipping sometimes.  If you know someone in NAC who can pick them up and send then USPS or UPS ground the shipping might be less.  MOT usually has these too,  Good to compare prices.  Motorcade discount applied at both places last time we were in NAC.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #3 –
Quote from: prevostart –
Is there a substitute for the gas shocks on upper cabinet doors besides shocks or a good place to purchase shocks, I need probably need 40.           

I need them for my recently purchased 1999 U270 also.  found them online for about $13 apiece.  Thought that was high so went to local NAPA store and they quoted me $22 each.  I am going to find the site on line and check for a bulk order discount.  Sorry I dont remember the name but just google the brand name on the struts and it will come up. 
Dale & Bernice and Gracie
1999 U270 3602WTFE Coach #5422
Cummins ISC 8.3 350hp
Allison MD-3066R 6 Speed
Ex Artic Fox 25Y
Ex Artic Fox 22G
2017 Passat on a Kar Kaddy SS

Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #4 –
Foretravel around $9.50
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #5 –
Quote from: prevostart –
Is there a substitute for the gas shocks on upper cabinet doors

Forum search is your friend  ;)

They're Suspa struts/springlifts.  FOT almost always has the best price.

Beware of imitation brands.  A few years ago we encountered some that were about the same price, but clearly out of spec for lift strength.  They pulled one of the mounting points right out of a cabinet (and tweaked hinge alignment on another which only had a strut on one side).  They were also noticeably less smooth to operate (and they're long gone).
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: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #6 –
Quote from: prevostart –
Is there a substitute for the gas shocks on upper cabinet doors besides shocks or a good place to purchase shocks, I need probably need 40.
I have bought 2 sets for my coach since 2008 and I can tell the second ones are already getting weak.  Hard to understand why they fail when I have not had to replace any of the gas spring lifts on the lower compartment doors.  I saw a very similar lift on a Winnebago that had a steel spring in the tube.  I have bought from Moore Industrial Hardware in the past, they may give a discount if you order several.  Door Checks On Moore Industrial Hardware  They have mechanical spring struts, but not sure if the open and closed length is the same as the gas spring lifts. 
Jerry Whiteaker former owner 96 U270  36' #4831 Austin,TX-Owner Mods LCD TV w/front cabinet rebuild - LCD TV bedroom - Dual Central AC, either can cool coach w 30 amp - Skylights at roof AC openings - Drop ceiling for ducting of AC - Shower skylight white gelcoat/wood/epoxy frame - Air Springs/Shocks replaced - 2014 CRV - 8K Home Solar - Chevy Volt

Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #7 –
Be aware that sometimes (often) new Suspa struts come with a small paper psi tag stuck over the factory printed psi part number.  The real psi is on the paper tag and if and when it falls off, the underlying psi rating will be incorrect.  We never found a seller with prices less than Foretravel, even when buying 100 pieces on the Internet.
Last year we bought two Suspa bed lifts from Moore Industrial Hardware copying the info on the original struts.  I questioned why with the new ones in place, we could not lift the bed and learned the printed psi part number on the original was MUCH lower than what was in the original strut.  Moore was easy to deal with and took back struts and we later purchased new correct struts from Foretravel with the paper tag  which we covered  with packing tape to keep the tag in place.

Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #8 –
I just bought two of the struts yesterday at FOT.

At about $10.00 apiece with failure a certainty
maybe we should all be looking at something like spring loaded hinges that can be retrofitted.


Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #9 –
Try these. I've had good luck with them. Call Steve directly for better pricing. Shipping for 30 was only 10 bucks
Steve Shelton
253-370-5901
Columbia Struts: a distributor of standard and special gas springs
Mike and Rocel
'02 U320 4010
Build 5949 MC 17565
'11 Jeep Grand Cherokee Towd
Sun City West, AZ

Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #10 –
My dad on his 1980 Prevost had, looks like a pull spring about the length of shock, spring was thin and you just pushed it with one finger and it folded in half and door closed to open just open door and spring unfolded and held door open, Nothing to wear out and last forever, Dad and bus are both gone so I can't ask or see. Anyone seen such a thing.
Art
1997 Prevost 40'
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Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #11 –
I was wondering on the struts myself as the new coach I bought 1997 U320 cabinets don't stay open and flap when rocking side to side on a rough road. I am contemplating latches but would like to keep original if new struts would keep doors closed. Will the struts keep doors closed too?
Ronnie and Jennifer
1997 U320 4000
San Antonio Texas
Dreaming of the day we can fulltime

Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #12 –
As for the small struts on the overhead doors it sounds like your trying to reinvent the wheel,we replaced ours after 20 years
with the ones from foretravel for the $10 a piece.The gas struts do hold the door tight so it does not rattle.We are not full timers
so what I do is leave the doors open so the strut has less pressure ,maybe that will help them last longer time will tell.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #13 –
Quote from: Ron and Jennifer –
I was wondering on the struts myself as the new coach I bought 1997 U320 cabinets don't stay open and flap when rocking side to side on a rough road. I am contemplating latches but would like to keep original if new struts would keep doors closed. Will the struts keep doors closed too?
Yes they will keep the doors closed
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #14 –
Here's a good tip on installing gas struts (All)  .  Install shaft down in store position so seal gets lubed and they last longer.I did not know that!
Art
1997 Prevost 40'
 The selected media item is not currently available.

Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #15 –
Quote from: prevostart –
My dad on his 1980 Prevost had, looks like a pull spring about the length of shock, spring was thin and you just pushed it with one finger and it folded in half and door closed to open just open door and spring unfolded and held door open, Nothing to wear out and last forever, Dad and bus are both gone so I can't ask or see. Anyone seen such a thing.
Yes, I have seen that for hatches on boats.  West Marine has a couple of sizes in stainless.  T H MARINE Lid Support Spring | West Marine  Doubt if it would hold the door closed, but I could be wrong.  Also IMHO would project into the cabinet and bump whatever is in the cabinet.  And at another company. Moonlite Marine Hatch Holders - Small - Hatch Hardware & Parts - Hatches &...

Jerry Whiteaker former owner 96 U270  36' #4831 Austin,TX-Owner Mods LCD TV w/front cabinet rebuild - LCD TV bedroom - Dual Central AC, either can cool coach w 30 amp - Skylights at roof AC openings - Drop ceiling for ducting of AC - Shower skylight white gelcoat/wood/epoxy frame - Air Springs/Shocks replaced - 2014 CRV - 8K Home Solar - Chevy Volt

Re: Upper Cabinet gas shocks

Reply #17 –
Prevostart
What is your build number? My 96 U320 (B 4943) has tamboured cabinet doors, sounds like yours has upper hinged cabinet doors.
I thought upper hinged cabinet doors started in the 97 model!
Wyatt
96 U320 40 WTFE, build 4943
84 Toyota Supra towd
2015 Jeep Wrangler towd
Victoria, BC, Canada