mikerodg Report post Posted June 7, 2016 I have an 03 Phaeton diesel pusher. The basement doors under my slide only open to 90 degrees. I know this is to stop from hitting the slides. I would like to forgo that preventative design and have them raise higher. It would make things so much easier when getting set up and filling the propane tank. Hatchlift had no idea how to do it . Any recommendations or web sites I should visit. Thanks, Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
desertdeals69 Report post Posted June 8, 2016 I would look into moving the hinge to the left side then it would open from right to left. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BennieH Report post Posted June 8, 2016 I am guessing they open upwards? If so and you have the gas springs (struts), the spring mounts need to be moved to allow the door to open upwards more. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted June 9, 2016 Mike, On our 02 Dynasty, we have bay doors the open up. 90 degrees is a safety so as to not open or close the slide with the door open. Lots of things can happen. Our doors have a chain on them to keep the door from going past 90 degrees, however the chain can be removed to allow the door to open further when the slide is closed, We also have a safety switch the will not let the slide move if the bay door is open. Look to see if you might also have a chain or cable on the doors. Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jleamont Report post Posted June 10, 2016 Mike, I feel your pain, under the main slide (drivers side) we have three bay doors, first is propane and sewer hose storage, the other two are pass through and I often I am in them while setting up, the last thing we do is open the slides then level. We have safety switches so when they are open the slide will not operate, the 3 doors only open to 90 degrees. I hate crawling under them on my hands and knees to access stuff. I have also thought about changing the configuration so they open like the other bay doors. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikerodg Report post Posted June 12, 2016 Update I just came from the storage and checked and measured two doors. The 90 degree propane door does have the c hinge. But the all have the same hinge and it doesn't impede the ability to raise them higher. I'm sure that's simplicity of design on the manufacturer's part. One door is the type that rises at about 130 degrees and the other is my propane door under a slide. The regular door is 31.5 inches top to bottom. The propane door is 23.5". All of the shocks are 17.5 inches. Simplicity of design once again. The one variable is the location of the anchor point. One was 5" from the bottom and one was 14". If you add the shock length to the anchor point you get the height of the door. ie. 17.5" + 14" = 31.5" The propane door doesn't measure exactly the same but it's close. If I move the anchor point up I'm not sure the shock will compress enough. If I shorten the chock it might not raise it enough. The stroke of a 40lb chock is 7". So theoretically I should be able to move the anchor point from 5" to 13". 10" or 12" is probably sufficient. Let me know I fI'm on the right track. I'm guessing it will take some trial and error but I rather not drill a bunch of holes in the frame for the anchor. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted June 12, 2016 Mike, I have the same situation as you however my compartment doors open higher then yours. I have 20", 80 Pound struts. I will go out and measure my door sizes and dimensions of the strut brackets and let you know what they are. It may help in locating your strut brackets. Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted June 13, 2016 Mike, I measured my compartment door for my Fuel. It is 31" tall. It opens to 120%. The door latches with slip pins, one one each side. The lift strut connects to the bracket for the latch on both sides and to the door 5" down from the hinge. I made a mistake on the measurement on my struts. On the fuel compartment doors they are 27" struts, sorry I was not able to read the poundage on it. As i said before, on my Monaco the doors under the slides have a removable chain that holds the doors to 90%. However when the chain is disconnected to door will swing up to 120%. Hope this helps. Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikerodg Report post Posted June 15, 2016 I called Tiffin to order some other parts and he suggested the two stage shocks. The first stage opens to 90 degrees and then you apply extra force and it opens higher. I've ordered two and will see how they work. I also crawled under the coach at the propane door to view the spring when closed. It's the only bay that is open to the ground. There is 3" left on the stroke on the shock so I assume I can move the anchor point up about 2.5". Any of you engineers/mathematicians want to pull out your slide rule and tell me how much more opening I will get? :jester Thanks. Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted June 16, 2016 Mike, Now you are really telling your age "Slide Rule". I can remember engineering majors on campus with their leather holder hanging from their belts. What the slide rule could do then, your cell phone or pocket calculator can do now, faster and more accurate. Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikerodg Report post Posted June 17, 2016 You are right about that. I bought an HP12c app for the phone for $5. The calculator cost me $125 back in the day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikerodg Report post Posted June 20, 2016 Final update to raise basement doors. And the winner is Cruisingator from the Tiffin network. :thumbsup One of his suggestions was to use a two stage shock. These open to 90 degrees and then with a little push open all the way. This was also suggested by the Tiffin parts department. At first I was concerned because they were 60 lbs not 40 lbs and they were 20" instead of 17". I bought two. Installed them on the propane door. They work great and it seems I only need one shock per door. Not cheap, $28, but worth it. My head and back already feel better. Thank everybody, Mike :clap Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jleamont Report post Posted June 20, 2016 Mike, good to know, I may look into those for one door I have that I have to crawl under to access. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jleamont Report post Posted June 27, 2016 On 6/20/2016 at 8:51 AM, Mikerodg said: Final update to raise basement doors. And the winner is Cruisingator from the Tiffin network. :thumbsup One of his suggestions was to use a two stage shock. These open to 90 degrees and then with a little push open all the way. This was also suggested by the Tiffin parts department. At first I was concerned because they were 60 lbs not 40 lbs and they were 20" instead of 17". I bought two. Installed them on the propane door. They work great and it seems I only need one shock per door. Not cheap, $28, but worth it. My head and back already feel better. Thank everybody, Mike :clap Mike, can you post the part number and manufacture of these? I am interested in this design. Thank you Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
