- #1
zeb
- 33
- 0
Hello...
I am doing a little retrofitting with my Tonneau cover and my truck, but I need some help. I have cut my cover length-wise down the center, and need to rework the gas springs that hold the doors open. Here is the situation:
Each door weighs 56 pounds, and is 32" wide. They are hinged at the edges so that the 32 inches extends out into the center of my truck bed. The gas springs (compressed nitrogen gas filled shocks .. i.e. open assist door props) are mounted 5" inside the hinge and 2.75" below the hinge. When the door is open, the angle of the door is ~70° (measured about the hinge), and the angle of the spring is ~78° (measured about the spring hinge point). There are two springs per door. The question is how much force does each gas spring need to exert in order to keep the door open? I understand that Force = Torque / Lever Arm, and that the lever arm is always measure perpendicular to the line of force and through the axis of rotation. So in a case like this, the lever arm becomes really small and the required force become really large. Here is a diagram to help see what I am doing (12k):
I have calculated 83.318 lbs of force, per gas spring, but I don't trust the script I wrote to calculate it, and I can't try the springs before I special order them.
Any thoughts?
I am doing a little retrofitting with my Tonneau cover and my truck, but I need some help. I have cut my cover length-wise down the center, and need to rework the gas springs that hold the doors open. Here is the situation:
Each door weighs 56 pounds, and is 32" wide. They are hinged at the edges so that the 32 inches extends out into the center of my truck bed. The gas springs (compressed nitrogen gas filled shocks .. i.e. open assist door props) are mounted 5" inside the hinge and 2.75" below the hinge. When the door is open, the angle of the door is ~70° (measured about the hinge), and the angle of the spring is ~78° (measured about the spring hinge point). There are two springs per door. The question is how much force does each gas spring need to exert in order to keep the door open? I understand that Force = Torque / Lever Arm, and that the lever arm is always measure perpendicular to the line of force and through the axis of rotation. So in a case like this, the lever arm becomes really small and the required force become really large. Here is a diagram to help see what I am doing (12k):
I have calculated 83.318 lbs of force, per gas spring, but I don't trust the script I wrote to calculate it, and I can't try the springs before I special order them.
Any thoughts?