Wavery -
I'm very interested in this concept. The initial lift of my front shell is very hard, the torsion bar adjustments are maxed out, and I'm not looking for another trip to South Dakota. Can you give me a little more detail in your thinking?
My mental picture says that when the front shell is down, the strut is compressed, so presumably it is mounted in such a way that it is 12 inches (more or less) long. Then, as I release the latches and begin to lift the shell, the strut helps me for the first 8 inches of strut expansion, after which it is fully extended. Then what? The strut is fully extended, but the shell still has to move several more feet. To me this means that the top of the strut can't be attached to the shell itself. You are apparently thinking that in some way it would push on the lift arm at a point where the total motion of the lift arm is 8 inches - in other words, somewhere near the hinge point?
Second part of the question. Once I get the shell up about halfway, the remaining lift is very easy, and I don't need any further help. I don't want the strut to continue helping me, because I don't want it to slam the shell into the end stops at the end of the shell travel. Is the plan to mount the strut where it produces full force when the lift arm is horizontal, and then as the lift arm rotates toward vertical, the strut keeps pushing, but is no longer pushing in the direction of rotation?
In other words, something like the attached sketch?
Thanks
Bill
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