Entry Door Hinge Swing Arm Assembly, replaced with a strut.

[Terry L T]

Hi All, I"ve looked and looked for the thread where the Entry Door Hinge Swing Arm Assembly has been replaced with a strut. If I replace mine it will be the third one in five years that won't hold the door open in a slight wind. Can someone that knows where the thread is please direct me?

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Terry-

Here is a link to a Google search. I suspect the first few will be part of the thread you seek.

[windsorbill]

Originally Posted by Terry L T

Hi All, I"ve looked and looked for the thread where the Entry Door Hinge Swing Arm Assembly has been replaced with a strut. If I replace mine it will be the third one in five years that won't hold the door open in a slight wind. Can someone that knows where the thread is please direct me?

PM me and I'd be happy to send you pictures and dimensions. I did that switch a few years ago. It's not a particularly hard swap.

[Twomed]

https://bsehlin.wordpress.com/entry-door-strut/

Here is the link I saved...good write up.

[Timaz]

Originally Posted by Twomed

https://bsehlin.wordpress.com/entry-door-strut/

Here is the link I saved...good write up.

SWEET! I'm saving this for a not too distant fix.

[windsorbill]

Those pictures are super helpful. You can see the end result. The problem I had with this setup however, is my coach has a gutter for the rain right above the door. I can't mount the strut the way it's shown in that particular fashion.

I think someone mounted the strut directly on the gutter, but it seems to me that would flex way too much.

[Timaz]

Originally Posted by windsorbill

Those pictures are super helpful. You can see the end result. The problem I had with this setup however, is my coach has a gutter for the rain right above the door. I can't mount the strut the way it's shown in that particular fashion.

I think someone mounted the strut directly on the gutter, but it seems to me that would flex way too much.

Crap! so does mine.

[Terry L T]

Parts ordered, the black hardware is a great idea. Thanks so much.

[windsorbill]

Originally Posted by Timaz

Crap! so does mine.

Theres a way around the gutter problem. PM me with your email and I'll send some pictures, measurements or whatever.

[YC1]

When you get the strut, put the end in a vice and try to turn the shafts. I discovered on my 2nd or 3rd strut replacement that they were simply unscrewing. The last time I just added a bit of glue to the threads. No more problems.

We full time so ours gets a real workout.

[barrys]

The link mentioned in a couple of posts: https://bsehlin.wordpress.com/entry-door-strut/ is my old blog. I had forgotten about it until I noticed this discussion. I just added a note that my strut continues to work fine although it is just now beginning to weaken a bit as they eventually do. We are not full time but use our coach 4 to 6 months each year so the strut has had plenty of use in all kinds of weather and wind. No problems with corrosion, etc.

[Terry L T]

I did the door strut install today, following the instructions of Barry Sehlin. I used the 4" mesurement from the front top of the door and installed the first brackett on the coach, then opened the door and marked where the open strut brackett would be. Then closed the door and put the bracket on the end of the strut and collapsed the strut and marked the door frame. To my surprise the strut would not have been able to close. Moving the door brackett where it would close with door, would not allow the door to open completely. So i did some research trying to find say a 21 inch strut with no result. So the bottom line is the door doesn't bang around, and the 15 pound strut is fine too.
I wonder if I had installed the top bracket at 3 inches instead of 4, would that have made a difference and allowed the door to open fully, on my '03 Beaver?

[MSHappyCampers]

This is what I did. https://www.irv2.com/forums/f258/gas...ed-241214.html