Club 80-90 Forums

Or any other mechanism for holding them open,
or even better a way that they unlock and remove?
If anyone has done something clever and different,
please share the ideas.

Used these guys to source gas struts and the fittings for belly lockers on a truck

https://www.sgs-engineering.com/gas-struts

Ideal.
Can I just copy your order and design then?

You could, but I wouldn't say I had a design

Mine was on a truck truck not a VW, so fixing points and methods will be quite different.

Crank at the bottom is fixed to the chassis. Crank at the top is fixed to the door. When closing the strut goes beyond a minimum distance so gas pressure keeps the door closed. I bought adjustable dampers, you release the gas to reduce the gas force to what you want it to be.

My Doka has what i assume are the original VW spring struts. Same as the engine bay struts in my Early bay.

https://www.brickwerks.co.uk/t3-parts/b ... ickup.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Simple solution?




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Factory Solution !

I have those presently,
they only open the hatch to just past horizontal,
and catch on my tool boxes as they protrude into the locker space when closing.
Gas struts seem to be able to be less obtrusive and have greater range?

Look at / speak to SGS then.

The compressed gas strut length will be less than the height of the door, uncompressed length will dictate how far open the door will go, though the selection of fixing points does allow you to customise that.

Something like this, but you can't see the top fixing

They look beefy,
I would only need tiddlers,
thanks for the pic it has inspired.

Recently I discovered that geekshackltd are making gas strut conversions for bay window vans engine flaps,
and given the similarity I have asked them to assess making a conversion for our DOKA locker boxes too.
Sent off some pictures and measurements, so watch this space.
http://geekshackltd.co.uk/shop/parts/bu ... strut-kit/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
People that design and build upgrades and improvements to our busses impress me.

rollercoaster wrote:They look beefy,
I would only need tiddlers,
thanks for the pic it has inspired.

They should be beefy - the size / weight of the belly lockers dictate that, and the £200k+ price tag.

Reviving this as I am still at it trying to make them stay open..
I suppose an ordinary original equipment spring would be good?
Anybody got a spare one for now?

You said earlier that you already had the factory spring, but it interfered with your toolbox etc

yes I have one, needs two.
one has got bent and mashed up, and lost its clip
interference..
I may be able to straighten it,
or if no ones got one I might splash out at Brickwerks.
Going to get new locker box doors anyway,
have you seen the price of them!

For the cost of the BW new spring I would just get one & fit it - unless you still want the higher elevation