Hello, I've got a 1997 Burstner i572 'A' Class. The drop down bed feels heavy and is hard to lift back up. Looking to have the gas struts replaced . Can anyone recommend a good place to have the job done in West Yorkshire or Lancashire ? Thanks.
Burstner Drop Down Bed Gas Struts
- Thread starter Busybeeyellam
- Start date
Bonkers the Dog
Free Member
just google gas struts, they are fairly common. Then match your size. They are easy to retro fit and your'e not paying dealer prices; Bonus!
I've not got the skill to fit them myself .I did ring a local motorhome dealer who didn't want the job. I will get the struts made up by SGS once I've found a fitter to do the job. One of the original struts needs to be taken off first as there are no serial numbers showing to identify the strut spec.
My local dealer said it would need 2 men for 4 hours. Get a couple of quotes!
Gordon
Gordon
Stealaway
Free Member
- Jan 8, 2013
- 8,496
- 11,548
- Funster No
- 24,202
- MH
- Burstner Lyseo 690G
- Exp
- Happy FLT since 2011
Try and the strength of the existing struts. You don't want them too strong.
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To be honest, it's time consuming rather than difficult!
Removal and replacement are done with the bed "down", sitting/kneeling on the bed. Compressing the spring is done anywhere convenient eg my shed.
I bought two long Jubilee clips from Halfords (£5 each?) and joined them to make a circle.
I placed the screw clips approx halfway between each strut bolt and tightened them equally until they were tight.
I released the bolt FURTHEST AWAY from the windscreen so that if anything went wrong the piston would shoot away from the glass.
The strut expanded a little until the Jubilee took up the strain.
Then I released the front bolt and lifted the strut out.
[Time: 10mins]
I slowly unwound the Jubilee clips, trying to keep each side approximately equal.
[Time: 10mins]
I placed bolts through the new strut and gripped them between a sash cramp, tightening it as much as I could.
Then I placed the Jubilee clips over the strut ends and tightened each side equally until it was tight.
The sash cramp was released, the peg moved closer and the process repeated until the strut was compressed to the length needed to fit back into the MH.
(I think I had to reset the sash cramp approx 4 times.)
[Time: 30mins]
The front bolt of the strut was inserted into the holder (so the windscreen would be safe if anything went wrong).
The rear end of the strut was adjusted using the Jubilee clip until it fitted into the rear hole.
In went the bolt, everything was tightened and then the slow process of unwinding the Jubilee clip started (because the clip also encircles one of the bolts so has to be totally unwound).
[Time: 20mins]
WHY my dealer thought it was a 2man-4hour job I do not know: surely they have better tools than me and more experience of how to do it. There isn't room for two people on the bed while working at the strut. I have since bought a couple of "one-handed clamps" from Lidl/Aldi which I think could make the job quicker.
Good luck - Gordon
Removal and replacement are done with the bed "down", sitting/kneeling on the bed. Compressing the spring is done anywhere convenient eg my shed.
I bought two long Jubilee clips from Halfords (£5 each?) and joined them to make a circle.
I placed the screw clips approx halfway between each strut bolt and tightened them equally until they were tight.
I released the bolt FURTHEST AWAY from the windscreen so that if anything went wrong the piston would shoot away from the glass.
The strut expanded a little until the Jubilee took up the strain.
Then I released the front bolt and lifted the strut out.
[Time: 10mins]
I slowly unwound the Jubilee clips, trying to keep each side approximately equal.
[Time: 10mins]
I placed bolts through the new strut and gripped them between a sash cramp, tightening it as much as I could.
Then I placed the Jubilee clips over the strut ends and tightened each side equally until it was tight.
The sash cramp was released, the peg moved closer and the process repeated until the strut was compressed to the length needed to fit back into the MH.
(I think I had to reset the sash cramp approx 4 times.)
[Time: 30mins]
The front bolt of the strut was inserted into the holder (so the windscreen would be safe if anything went wrong).
The rear end of the strut was adjusted using the Jubilee clip until it fitted into the rear hole.
In went the bolt, everything was tightened and then the slow process of unwinding the Jubilee clip started (because the clip also encircles one of the bolts so has to be totally unwound).
[Time: 20mins]
WHY my dealer thought it was a 2man-4hour job I do not know: surely they have better tools than me and more experience of how to do it. There isn't room for two people on the bed while working at the strut. I have since bought a couple of "one-handed clamps" from Lidl/Aldi which I think could make the job quicker.
Good luck - Gordon
Ashie
Free Member
Very interesting, have you any idea how heavy the bed feels now with new struts?
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We know someone out here in Spain that actually took van to a garage and ended up needing new windscreen plus new rear view camera monitor and sat nav the garage had to give up and they will go home early to get it sorted.?
When one strut failed it needed both of us to lift it.
With new struts it went up easily but I think that we overload it so it “weighs” about 15kg with original mattress, memory foam topper, sheets, duvet, 3pillows and a double micro fibre blanket. It feels much lighter without the blanket!
Gordon
Try Emm Bee they have access to all Burstener parts ask for spares shop.
Ashie
Free Member
I was a bit concerned at the squeal when the bed is lowered or raised, seems to be coming from the gas strut. Using a spring balance to lift it reads over 20 kilos with just the mattress and foam topper. Bit concerned about the weight on the fixing screws holding the roof strap. Thanks for your help.
My weight is a guess as we are away from home at the moment. It’s less than a sack of potatoes (25kg) but more than a few bags of sugar.
Gordon
Gordon
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Very interesting ..... thank you. I need to do the struts on my Burstner 660.
A few questions
1. how long (diameter ) were the jubilee clips you got ?
2. sash cramp ? not sure what you mean by this ?
3. one handed clamps ? do you mean you would you have used these instead of the sash clamps ?
It's a couple of years ago but the jubilee clips were from Halfords and cost approx £5 each (MEMORY! not reliable!). I've just measured them and they're approx 40cm in a straight line (so 12cm diameter circle, if that is how they are sold).
A sash cramp is something which you may have used at school to hold edges of a box together (NOT a G-cramp which holds flat pieces together!). It is a long, flat metal bar with holes drilled at regular intervals (10cm?). One end has a cramp face which is adjusted with a screw thread; the other "end" is movable and held in place by pushing a metal pin through one of the drilled holes. For example:
www.screwfix.com
One-handed clamps work with a trigger action to reduce the distance between the clamping faces eg:
Amazon product ASIN B0002P14NA
This one is 30cm long (so should be OK for my struts) and exerts a pressure of 136kg (=1360N) (so should be OK for my struts). Obviously you will need to consider your own situation.
(This WAS an advert from Amazon but it doesn't seem to like it: here's a less useful one from ebay to give you an idea
I don't know if they would work but the sash cramp took a lot of winding up, tighten the Jubilee clip, unwind, move the end piece, wind some more etc. OTOH I didn't have to spend £16 as I already had the sash cramp!
I only closed the strut a few mm at a time before tightening the Jubilee clip, just in case things slipped and the clips dropped off the strut, in which case I would have to start again.
I originally bought one very long clip but that only tightened up on one side, so the other remained "bowed" and then the metal slipped round when I undid the sash cramp. Using 2 clips, with one tightener at each side, roughly in the middle, kept things safer IMO.
Hope that helps - Gordon
A sash cramp is something which you may have used at school to hold edges of a box together (NOT a G-cramp which holds flat pieces together!). It is a long, flat metal bar with holes drilled at regular intervals (10cm?). One end has a cramp face which is adjusted with a screw thread; the other "end" is movable and held in place by pushing a metal pin through one of the drilled holes. For example:
Magnusson Sash Clamp 35" (900mm) - Screwfix
Order online at Screwfix.com. Clamp with cast iron head provides high clamping strength and applies pressure smoothly and quickly. Features a carbon steel bar and a rust-resistant, powder-coated finish. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.
One-handed clamps work with a trigger action to reduce the distance between the clamping faces eg:
Amazon product ASIN B0002P14NA
This one is 30cm long (so should be OK for my struts) and exerts a pressure of 136kg (=1360N) (so should be OK for my struts). Obviously you will need to consider your own situation.
(This WAS an advert from Amazon but it doesn't seem to like it: here's a less useful one from ebay to give you an idea
IRWIN T54122EL7 Quick Grip 12 Inch Mini Trigger G Clamps - Dark Blue/Black for sale online | eBay
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for IRWIN T54122EL7 Quick Grip 12 Inch Mini Trigger G Clamps - Dark Blue/Black at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!
www.ebay.co.uk
I don't know if they would work but the sash cramp took a lot of winding up, tighten the Jubilee clip, unwind, move the end piece, wind some more etc. OTOH I didn't have to spend £16 as I already had the sash cramp!
I only closed the strut a few mm at a time before tightening the Jubilee clip, just in case things slipped and the clips dropped off the strut, in which case I would have to start again.
I originally bought one very long clip but that only tightened up on one side, so the other remained "bowed" and then the metal slipped round when I undid the sash cramp. Using 2 clips, with one tightener at each side, roughly in the middle, kept things safer IMO.
Hope that helps - Gordon
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MANY THANKS FOR THE REPLY.
The struts on my Burstner 660 (2003) have a rating of 1700N which seems quite high compared to other Posts I have seen (mainly for Hymers .... only your Post for a Burstner ?)
The struts on my Burstner 660 (2003) have a rating of 1700N which seems quite high compared to other Posts I have seen (mainly for Hymers .... only your Post for a Burstner ?)
No, mine is Rapido
Gordon
Gordon
cornishmanfr
Free Member
- Feb 18, 2022
- 5
- 1
- Funster No
- 86,955
- MH
- burstner i572
good afternoon...cornishmanfr here, tell me please did you ever sort your Bed struts if so do you have a part number for the struts fitted, were here in France and have a problem with ours and have now found out that genuine ones are no longer available. please read my post for the details of our problem. Many thanks Paddy
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