WHY NOT JUST BUY AN INEXPENSIVE GAS STRUT KIT AT ANY AUTO SUPPLY STORE AND INSTALL IT TO HOLD UP THE TRUNK!!!!!!!!
DO YOU THINK THE EXISTING SPRING IN THE TRUNK CAN BE ADJUSTED TO GIVE IT MORE TENSION? Has any one tried to adjust the spring in the trunk?
Vinnie
I "procured" a set of struts that were destined for the trash at my work and
temporarily positioned them to assist the lid-springs. The "rub" is getting them positioned
permanently with some type of mounting hardware. It seemed like a simple task until I actually looked at the area where the hardware would be needed (in my case, anyways). The cylinders I tried have mounting-holes on both ends, one of which easily slipped over the end of the spring and could be secured there with a clamp. The other end would need to be secured to the inside of the trunk where there is very little room to work. IMO, the composite of the trunk would need to be reinforced in that area to make the installation fail-proof. I've not done any further investigation into those possibilities.
The area where I positioned the struts kept them out of the way of anything that I'd load into the trunk, but in the event that something would strike them, or get in their way upon opening/closing the lid, they'd have to be able to "take the hit", and not fail.
From what I saw while I messed-around with the lid, there is no way to "adjust" the springs. They are alot more heavy-duty than what I imagined. Without completely removing the assembly to see if the springs can be repositioned for more "torque", there's really no way to tell by just looking at them. I sincerely doubt I'd be able to wind one another 360degrees without either breaking it or the attached mounting bracket.
If by some stretch I WAS able to do it, the lid probably could then be used as a trebuchet...
I, for one, am staying tuned to this thread to see what
Fig comes up with. I realize it's no small feat to design something like this while touching all the bases.
edit: I should mention, for those that might be "on the fence" about adding a bed mat, that the tension of the springs (mine) is "nearly adequate". By this, I mean that, although when I am parked on a level grade, the lid doesn't stay up with the spring tension, when I am parked facing down, on the grade of my driveway, the springs DO keep the lid open. My drive is sloped approx. 25 degrees, however. So, my belief is that they (the springs) wouldn't need much "help" to raise/keep the lid up with the added weight of a mat.