New 'rams' for the front drop down bed needed

[Minxy]

Not the animal type of ram silly!

Unfortunately in our Carthago C-Compactline
the cab drop down bed strut/ram on one side seems to have pretty much given up the ghost so getting it up and down is hard work.

We can manage until we get home in mid-Feb but will need to replace both sides to make them match and will keep the old working one as a spare.

Sourcing the correct one hopefully won't be difficult however it's a question of how do we remove the old ones? Each one has a threaded rod end and nuts which can be untightened but the other end seems to have a pin which has a sort of rivet head on one side and a flat face on the other side so I'm assuming somehow we need to tap the pin out as there's no way to remove the rams otherwise.

Also how do we keep the rams in compression both when removing them and also when fitting the new ones?

 

[KASPAR]

Get them regassed by SGS Engineering

Gas Struts

www.sgs-engineering.com

 

[stevewagner]

I have exactly the same problem. I couldn’t find any part numbers on them. Spoke to a guy at SGS and he said if no numbers send him measurements of all the components, or send to him for refurbishing or they can supply an adjustable type.
I haven’t taken them off yet but when I get home I will. Before removing I will tie the ram up while it’s compressed with strong wire.

 

[DavidG58]

If they are like our Hymer they can only be removed when the bed is fully lifted

If badly failed they might come off while lowered but even a failed strut takes some closing

We ended up with a very thin young man on our bed (minus mattress) while me and Terry lifted it up , wouldn’t let him down till both done he was that thin he even swapped sides without lowering the bed

 

[Googlebot]

They need a special tool to keep them compressed.

As others have said, you can change them with the bed fully up and they are extended, it’s doable but access was tight.

I used a prop to keep the bed up, remember to take off the mattress and bedding etc.

SGS engineering had some on the shelf for mine.

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[TizzyOnTour]

Our Carthago habitation door strut bent (big time user error ). SGS helped us identify and measure what we needed, then made us a replacement. Excellent service!

 

[Gaston aires]

SGS supplied ours and I fitted them. Used a Jack to keep the bed in the up position with a home made tee piece made from 4x2 timber. Not for the feint hearted.
Phil

 

[Barchetta47]

SGG supplied ours, the size and compression is usually on the side of the ram. I replaced like for like but wished I had gone for a higher compression in the end.

As others have said it’s a two man job. On our Burstner it was possible to access the ram from the side once the bed was ‘fully’ raised by the person underneath. 20 mins first side less than 10 mins the second. Much easier than I had been lead to believe.

 

[Barclaybasher]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DTu805ZasXWg&ved=2ahUKEwi0_Jyy4JKLAxUUXEEAHRshAhgQwqsBegQIDRAG&usg=AOvVaw1eJG1ZuaHBfbEnHZ88F1tj

 

[Ditcha]

Changed two sets now one on our Malibu i500 which will be the same layout as yours and on a s plus carthargo its about 20mins a side we went for 2400nm rams from 1600nm.
1.Lower bed roll side curtains up remove locking nut and adjust other nut up to the bottom of ram.
2. Remove split pin from opposite side of ram along with the nylon washer but leave pin in location.
3. Raise bed then you can't access the front of the ram with the pin in and remove pin as ram is not under tension.
4. Lower bed and then remove the ram change over to new one assemble locking nuts loosely raise bed then push front pin back in.
5. Lower bed and replace nylon washer and split pin.
6. Repeat for opposite side.

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[Ditcha]

Changed two sets now one on our Malibu i500 which will be the same layout as yours and on a s plus carthargo its about 20mins a side we went for 2400nm rams from 1600nm.
1.Lower bed roll side curtains up remove locking nut and adjust other nut up to the bottom of ram.
2. Remove split pin from opposite side of ram along with the nylon washer but leave pin in location.
3. Raise bed then you can't access the front of the ram with the pin in and remove pin as ram is not under tension.
4. Lower bed and then remove the ram change over to new one assemble locking nuts loosely raise bed then push front pin back in.
5. Lower bed and replace nylon washer and split pin.
6. Repeat for opposite side.

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Sorry rams are measured in N not NM