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Old 03-28-2023, 06:26 AM   #41
rickst29
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Default Maybe a motorcylce lift, insteasd of your coffee table lift.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mickmanor View Post
with due respect to all prior ideas, I will offer another option:

ECLV 30'' Electric Wireless Remote Control Dining Table Coffee Table Lift,Black,110V-240V,Working Platform Computer Desk Electronic Scissor Lift

It's a lift designed for light duty work that should handle the TM shells.
Available from amazon for $279. It has "actuator" power.
120/240V needs plug-ins or an inverter, and I'm not sure about only "55w" lifting 200 pounds. A bigger issue might be the lack of wheels, because the TM shells are being rotated (to the front, and to the rear) while being lifted. We need any "pure vertical" lift to also roll - in my case, towards the front (where the tow vehicle had been). The maximum height of your ECLV doesn't go all the way up, either.

Inspired by your idea, I looked at a couple of "330 lb capacity" hydraulic lifter tables, but they're really too heavy (150 lbs) to wrestle in and out of a truck bed. A lighter and less costly on-the-ground option would be a double scissors motorcycle lift, such as this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CKY3J3Y. Only $160, and just 60 lbs dead weight. But the wheels are too small to actually roll while loaded, except on a concrete slab. The working height is also a bit limited, ranging from 13-1/2 inches (min height) to 36 inches (max height).

The TM shell lift points are 20-24 inches from the ground. In my 2619, the front corners are in free air (that's compatible with placing a motorcycle lift underneath), only 20-21" off the ground. That's because the front of the shell remains down on the frame when I release of the lift bar hooks on the sides. (They don't rise at all, because the torsion bars are too weak.) If I were to use this motorcycle lift, I add about 6 of the plastic square "jack stand helper" before starting the lift, ending at 43" total height. Others would be in a similar situation, with light more or fewer of the 1" jack pad helpers.

That would be enough height AND enough lifting power, at less cost than even the first set of my gas struts - but it's yet another thing to buy and wrestle in/out from the SUV or truck. I'm usually parked on dirt, so the tiny wheels will be unwilling to "roll" as the shell slides forwards. (They'll just dig into the dirt, in the original location, causing "tilt" and non-vertical stress on the lift). If a TM owner needed help for the rear shell, I'm also not sure how to get "underneath" that shell - the back bottom edge of mine, including both corners, rests on the storage bumper.

OTOH, there wold be no need for a complicated installation, and the results are certainty. My gas struts cost more, and they will assist only the shell on which they are installed. If you have issues with both shells, the motorcycle lift could possibly be re-used at the rear shell, after you have already opened the front.
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TM='06 2619 w/5K axle, 15" Maxxis "E" tires. Plumbing protector. 630 watts solar. 450AH LiFePO4 batteries, 3500 watt inverter. CR-1110 E-F/S fridge (compressor).
TV = 2007 4runner sport, with a 36 volt "power boost".
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Old 03-28-2023, 08:26 AM   #42
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Lots of ideas have been thrown out so let me toss mine out as well....

Bill, wouldn't a simple boat trailer crank wench provide more than enough torque to pull your shell up and forward?

I'd think most parts would be off the shelf....in fact I've seen the posts for those which are removable (attaching with a hitch pin in the middle).




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Old 03-28-2023, 08:50 AM   #43
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rich2468 View Post
Bill, wouldn't a simple boat trailer crank wench provide more than enough torque to pull your shell up and forward?
Rich -

It certainly would have adequate power. The remaining issue is that the force has to change direction midway through. It has to start in the straight up direction, but then has to start rolling toward a forward direction as the shell rises.It doesn't have to pull until the shell is all the way out - though that would be OK - but the roll has to at least start.

That is the advantage of a gin pole - it starts lifting upward, but then swings toward a flat pull. Gin poles are used for raising radio towers or ship's masts, for example, that are lying flat on the ground, and need to end up in an upright position. That is exactly what is needed here. I'll try to redo yesterday's terrible sketch.

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Old 03-28-2023, 03:08 PM   #44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mickmanor View Post
I will offer another option:

ECLV 30'' Electric Wireless Remote Control Dining Table Coffee Table Lift,Black,110V-240V,Working Platform Computer Desk Electronic Scissor Lift

It's a lift designed for light duty work that should handle the TM shells.
Available from amazon for $279. It has "actuator" power.

The challenge would be adapting it for the front shell....
Along the same brainstorming lines, another useful device might a high lift jack, as used by the off-road crowd. They have a lift range (min to max height) of about 42 inches, which should be plenty. Small, relatively light, easy to carry and easy to handle, about $70 on Amazon. It could be mounted in a way that it has a vertical lift at the beginning, but then leans over and follows the shell, continuing to lift, as the shell goes "around the corner" and starts to move forward. The downside is that it has a manual inch-at-a-time click-ratchet handle like the tire jack in your '52 Buick, and requires 40 or 50 pumps of the handle for maximum travel.

I've seen an electric version, with an electrically-rotated threaded lead screw - same idea as the tongue jack, but longer. I think it would be ideal for the application, but I can't find it at the moment. Anyone?

Bill
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Old 03-28-2023, 09:14 PM   #45
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Years back a gentleman who was on the forum came up with his own device to help open the TM. I think he either left on his own accord or was asked to leave. Regardless, the link is to his site on easy opening. It says he's on the FB TM page. Just adding my nickel to the chat.

https://www.trickmytrailmanor.com/exterior/
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Old 03-29-2023, 08:10 AM   #46
rickst29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kidkraz View Post
Years back a gentleman who was on the forum came up with his own device to help open the TM. I think he either left on his own accord or was asked to leave. Regardless, the link is to his site on easy opening. It says he's on the FB TM page. Just adding my nickel to the chat.

https://www.trickmytrailmanor.com/exterior/
Nice catch, that's a very smart and powerful solution to the problem. The resulting forces are similar to Bill's earlier scheme, and highly effective - you have the lifting power only when you need to have it, avoiding unwanted lifting power when closing up for travel and trying to push down the last inch or to, in order to hook the lift bars and shell ends. (Both my gas struts and better torsion bars fight against you when you're trying to close.)

But he did A LOT of work , building that "winch mount plate" with the tilting arm assembly, and it is something additional to carry around within the truck.
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TV = 2007 4runner sport, with a 36 volt "power boost".
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Old 03-29-2023, 08:27 AM   #47
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Default Same idea

My Son and I came up with the same idea. Of using the ball socket on the trailer and use a fulcrum arm. Would just have to install an eyelet bolt on the front. Attach a cable to the arm to the eyelet hook bolt. And just pull it back until you get past the heavy part.
The problem I see with using the gas shocks is closing. To the point when you have to step on the bracket to latch it. I have enough hard time getting it to close and latch. The gas shocks would be fighting the force to close it.
The guy from Trickmytrailmanor has the best idea. He built a crane that attaches to his truck bed. Used a battery in the bed with a quick disconnect for the winch.
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Old 03-29-2023, 07:04 PM   #48
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Default Countertop support bars are 3/8 thick.

The 'countertop support bars' just arrived, and the thickness is 3/8. Going through the 1/4" L-bar for mounting, with washers and nuts, I need at least 1" bolts, so I bough a box at 1-1/4" length.

I'm also still waiting on one of my L-bars, and it's snowing again. (I probably won't get to putting it all together for at least a couple weeks.)
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TM='06 2619 w/5K axle, 15" Maxxis "E" tires. Plumbing protector. 630 watts solar. 450AH LiFePO4 batteries, 3500 watt inverter. CR-1110 E-F/S fridge (compressor).
TV = 2007 4runner sport, with a 36 volt "power boost".
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Old 03-30-2023, 09:56 AM   #49
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Default The issues with the lilft bar mounts.

On the strut, I have looked for a "flat" 10mm ball mount plate, with the 10m ball rising vertical from the plate body on a short post. I found a few, but they all seem to be made of very thin metal, 14-AWG and even less. With very high forces trying to push the ball sideways, the ball mount post likely twists the thin "flat" plate, becoming non-vertical at the pass-through joint.

I instead bought a single through-the-lift bar "post" for each strut mounting. These need to go through the lift bar (the "thickness", slightly less than 3/4 inch) to be bolted in the inside.

But the inside and outside thin metal "width" pieces of the lift bars are likely to be bent and even cut by the shanks of the screws which pierce them. If I had been able to buy 10mm ball mount posts with 1-1/4" shank length, I could have added small 1/8" thick metal plates to the inside and outside surfaces of the bar "width". The plates would be pierced by more "through" screws, spreading the strut's lifting force to a larger number of screw holes.

But the nut and washers, added to the lift bar thickness, will consume nearly all of the 1.0" shank length which is available. I'll wait and see, whether I might be able to squeeze one or two thinner plates when the shanks arrive, and I begin to drill holes. The outside plate, if thick enough, might be able to replace the washer under the bolt head, but I'll still need a lock washer under the nut.
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TM='06 2619 w/5K axle, 15" Maxxis "E" tires. Plumbing protector. 630 watts solar. 450AH LiFePO4 batteries, 3500 watt inverter. CR-1110 E-F/S fridge (compressor).
TV = 2007 4runner sport, with a 36 volt "power boost".
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Old 03-31-2023, 03:03 PM   #50
rickst29
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Default Fender washers, insteadt 'plates' for the strut mount posts.

I bought a few "thick and strong" 2-inch SS fender washers to strengthen the post mounting on the lift arms.

(At 1/8 thickness, they might be a bit too thick for the one-inch post mounts and nut- but I can grind them a bit thinner in that case.) With 2 inches of total diameter, I intend to add 3-4 more bolts (more narrow) between the hex fitting of the mounting post and the perimeter of the fender washers.

These added through-bolts will provide more contact area with the thin lift arm sheet metal, helping to resist cutting and movement by the post mounting arm in the center. As long as the fender washers don't move, the mounting posts will be kept in proper position.

https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Fen...dp/B08G1SYGDD/
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TV = 2007 4runner sport, with a 36 volt "power boost".
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