Opening assist for the one armed (wo)man

[Padgett]

For a while I have been thinking about an opening assist for those lacking a complete complement of limbs.

This ranged from a full screw assist something like a garage door opener, then an A-frame and pulley arrangement but all were complicated, am looking for something simple.

Then I remembered my father's Citroen DS-19 (ever see four on the tree ?). It has a hydraulic suspension. To change a tire you raised it all the way up, slid a jackstand in place, and lowered all the way down & surprise: the tire to be changed was now off the ground.

Taking this one step further I realized that the infirm were likely to have a power hitch jack. Since the problem is mostly in the first 18" of movement & something of gedouddathtway after and the front is much more difficult than the back I thought of the Citroen method.

Of course to test this I needed an electric hitch jack. For many years when faced with something new I make a practise of finding something inexpensive and use that to determine what I really, really want. About 50% of the time the inexpensive one turns out to be "enough".

So checked out HF. Their 69899 list $199, sale $129 less 20% = $103.20 seemed like a good start. Did add a $20 one year service contract.

OK everything was fine until I tried to install the new jack, three bolts and original manual jack was out, went in top hole fOK but lower hole in tongue was not. Turned out top hole was 2.3", jack was 2.2", and bottom hole was 2".

Being lazy and HF being close I bought a hole saw kit (have a lot of 20% off coupons and is not far) because it had both a 2" and a 2.25" insert. Buy chucking the 2" inside the 2 1/4" it stuck out about an 1/8" and made a perfect centering guide. Did take a while and a corded 3/8" drill to cut but when done a swipe with a file and application of Rustolium black completed the job.

So now have an electric hitch jack and did find out what you get for inexpensive: glacial speed but since a POP, does not matter. In a full down-full up -full down cycle the motor did not seem to strain or get warm.

Plan is to cut a piece of 2x4 to 24" ( length is dependant on lift tests and other jacks will vary). Add if you cusomary use pads) under hitch jack with about a 3" L on the end to hook the front module. Note: exactly how long to cut the 2x4 depends on a number of things like tire size and whether you have a lift kit but measuring is easy.

1) Raise the jack to upper safe limit (about 14" - specs say 23" (31.5-8.5") but started to feel a bit wobbly at 14" so will need to test further. Obviously more is better.).

2) With all catches released slide the 2x4 under the center of the front module ( for me this is behind the propane tank bar).

3) Then lower the jack as far as it will go. This should raise the front module a bit over a foot and tilt the TM forward making it easy to pull the front module up with one hand.

4) Retrieve the 2x4 which has now fallen over.

After can raise the nose and use the 2x4 as a pry bar to get the rear module started. Having a few pieces of 2x4 are always handy.

Have passsed 90 and thunderstorms are brewing so am done for today. More later but seems like a simple answer.

[Wingedryder]

Padgett,
Having trouble with lifting my front shell as well - thanks for the sharing!

[Redtail Cruiser]

Originally Posted by Padgett

For a while I have been thinking about an opening assist for those lacking a complete complement of limbs.

This ranged from a full screw assist something like a garage door opener, then an A-frame and pulley arrangement but all were complicated, am looking for something simple.

Then I remembered my father's Citroen DS-19 (ever see four on the tree ?). It has a hydraulic suspension. To change a tire you raised it all the way up, slid a jackstand in place, and lowered all the way down & surprise: the tire to be changed was now off the ground.

Taking this one step further I realized that the infirm were likely to have a power hitch jack. Since the problem is mostly in the first 18" of movement & something of gedouddathtway after and the front is much more difficult than the back I thought of the Citroen method.

Of course to test this I needed an electric hitch jack. For many years when faced with something new I make a practise of finding something inexpensive and use that to determine what I really, really want. About 50% of the time the inexpensive one turns out to be "enough".

So checked out HF. Their 69899 list $199, sale $129 less 20% = $103.20 seemed like a good start. Did add a $20 one year service.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12V-Electric...f92b8&vxp=mtr#

My neighbor bought this one, but it only lasted one season. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

[Padgett]

Does look like the same one but for me HF is local and I get there about once a month. If it only lasts a season, I'll just get a free replacement.

BTW saw a note about the head is not well sealed for rain so I have a plastic bag tied over it for now.

[Padgett]

OK after spending nearly $30 on PVC, galvanized pipe, pulleys, and rope here is the MK1

Since we are now in the monsoon season I will need to test it on a clear morning when I can remove the tarps.

Note: the assymetry is deliberate and has a reason.

[Padgett]

Well ran a few tests and while promisin needs some work. First it needs two pieces of 2x4 not one to open evenly.

That said with the nose low and the front module up about 8" it was easy to open the rest of the way.

Had to shut down testing as rumbling was starting in the west.

ps lock the front module in place before raising the nose to make the rear easy opening else it may try to close itself.

[LoveToCamp]

Such a simple solution! And cheap.

Thanks for your efforts. It may keep a few people in their TMs an extra year, or two.