hi Pieface,
Some time ago you posted in the folding camper section about fitting gas struts to a Pennine Fiesta, can you tell me if you still have the details of how you did this and how successful it was please?
Hi Kev
Sorry I missed this post as I haven't been on for a while.
Crikey the Fiesta seems a long time ago now.
I was lucky that a member of the forum let me take measurements and details of their Fiesta that was factory fitted with gas struts.
Firstly I modified the lefthand bed to accept a strut that I purchased from Pennine complete with the mounting fixings.
I produced an exact copy of the Pennine bed with the extra box section frame and mounting brackets etc. However in use lifting the bed didn't seem as easy as the factory setup fiesta. Over a period it was apparent that the strut was pushing the bed board away from the camper body as though the strut was too strong, but it was an identical loading and length as the original.
The righthand bed was going to create an extra problem as the rear lights on the later Fiesta were mounted differently.
To fit it would mean changing or moving the rear lights. I decided not to continue with the modification and removed the strut I had fitted (still got it somewhere).
I lost interest in trying to sort out why it wasn't performing as it should when a our campervan appeared.
In short it wasn't successful. Sorry if I've burst the bubble. I really wanted it to work.
Pieface
Hi Pieface,
Thanks for the reply, it's really useful. We hace upgraded to a newish 6 berth with struts fitted and have advertised the Fiesta but mot of the interest has been from ladies who are asking about suitability to erect by themselves, so was wondering if fitting gas struts (if relatively cheap and easy to do) would increase the chances of selling, however from what you've said I think I'll keep it as it is.