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88k5jimmy · 05-10-2017, 10:18 PM

I got the wood cut, a couple gas struts and a bunch of mounting hardware and decided to give it a shot. This what I've got so far. The gas struts are rated at 50lb force each. I took an old cotton scale and held the tilt portion of the bed up at the desired angle and took a reading. It said 80lbs so I figured 100lbs total should lift it up. When the floor is closed the gas struts are horizontal.

When I try to open, its very hard and no assistance is provided by the struts. Once the floor gets going vertically, the struts take over and help raise the floor to the extended length. I'm wondering if I need to mount the struts at an angle when it is closed in order for the struts to assist in lifting from the very beginning? Maybe I need a higher rated force strut?

05-10-2017, 10:18 PM	#19
88k5jimmy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Tulsa OK Posts: 96	Re: 1964 c10 long narrow/step bed I got the wood cut, a couple gas struts and a bunch of mounting hardware and decided to give it a shot. This what I've got so far. The gas struts are rated at 50lb force each. I took an old cotton scale and held the tilt portion of the bed up at the desired angle and took a reading. It said 80lbs so I figured 100lbs total should lift it up. When the floor is closed the gas struts are horizontal. When I try to open, its very hard and no assistance is provided by the struts. Once the floor gets going vertically, the struts take over and help raise the floor to the extended length. I'm wondering if I need to mount the struts at an angle when it is closed in order for the struts to assist in lifting from the very beginning? Maybe I need a higher rated force strut?