Soren Frimodt Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 What about a stepless slide-lock of some sort, where you don't have any ratchets but merely uses friction as a lock? I've seen it somewhere, just not sure where exactly.. A great advantage of this besides no noise or "deadspots" is that it has its own overload safety build in, the friction will be overcome if somebody just grabs your door and wants too push it shot because they are not aware of your modified door-stay And for operating it you could use, say the last 15mm of travel on the door handle to release the "brake" on the slide-lock, so as long as you hold it lifted all the way up the door moves freely, and when you let go of it, it locks immediately at which ever preferred setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 That last idea of Soren's is very clever, and so simple it might even work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 It could use the same structure just with a brake pad like thing (bicycle caliper brake pad springs to mind) in place of the pawl. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 I like this idea. I also like Soren's idea. A brake pad like Simon describes, with a fairly hefty spring applying it to a runner of some kind. Then the pad is retracted with the door handle. Okay it would take some tuning to get the correct size of spring depending on the weight of the door. And I guess in extreme angle situations there's the possibility it could exceed the frictional force of the pad itself. I guess the solution to this would be to use a pin and a rack instead of a friction pad, but this would leave you without the aforementioned overload safety feature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_pending Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 As good as some these ideas are, it all starts to get a bit complicated. More expensive to make, more to go wrong. I liked Si's original idea, simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Or a vertical bolt that drops into a row of holes in the stay bar, to release/open the door you just lift the handle which lifts the bolt -as per sorens idea -no wearing parts then like pads etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I have seen/used something working on a similar ratchet type system that you describe, but with only one point at the nearly fully open end of the travel. Open the door and the ratchet will hold it. Open the door a bit more and the system releases so the door can be closed. The problem I had was when the wind caught the door and blew it open a bit more releasing the ratchet and allowing it to slam on the back on my legs. I had a similar occurance with a Series bonnet stay, the wind caught it and 'unhitched' the stay allowing the bonnet to slam on me. After that I always kept the spare wheel on the bonnet as it was too heavy to be caught by the wind. It could use the same structure just with a brake pad like thing (bicycle caliper brake pad springs to mind) in place of the pawl. Si A nice bicycle disc brake caliper would work well, either cable or hydraulic. You could probably make one that would work very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 As good as some these ideas are, it all starts to get a bit complicated. More expensive to make, more to go wrong. I liked Si's original idea, simple. Even simpler version - an old work colleague used to drive a Swedish tank estate. The gas struts had long given up on the tailgate, and he was far to squeaky to buy replacements. A suitable sized and trimmed to length stick of Hazel tree was his door stay; I'm sure it also doubled as something for his dog to chew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Even simpler version - an old work colleague used to drive a Swedish tank estate. The gas struts had long given up on the tailgate, and he was far to squeaky to buy replacements. A suitable sized and trimmed to length stick of Hazel tree was his door stay; I'm sure it also doubled as something for his dog to chew The tailgate gas struts had failed on my mums old micra years ago, my dad cut a piece of square plastic conduit that he would clip over the extended part of the gas strut when the tailgate was opened, thus stopping it closing on his head .... so very similar to your mate Mickey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_pending Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Now we're back to proper Land Rover engineering, sticks and bits of plastic, superb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo disco Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Locking clip ratched over cap in strip Spring between red and green pin (not in drawing) Locking clip in cap so door stays open.Locking clip will be pulled free by spring. Red pin is in "unlock" position. Just turn position of red pin to lock or unlock clip.Locking clip is sprung free from cap in strip. Untill red pin is turn to "locking" position, clip will not lock. Your CHOICE. Regards Theo. thhblro@hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 I have another option! Earlier in the year we went to the southern manufacturing exhibition and there, there was a company selling lockable gas struts. They could be made to be a spring or just a damper, and the lock configured to stop compression or expansion. The lock was just a lever on one end. I'm going to see if I can find their details and what they cost! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoltan Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Instead of using gas in a strut, hydraulic fluid can lock and with an adjustable pressure relief valve can give variable resistance so that it has overload protection. Very quiet. Sensible manufacturing cost too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinny Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 What about using a round bar through a round hole in a piece of steel like the ratchet system on a silicone gun? Flick the tab one way for a neutral setting. Then once the door closes it would aulomatically reset to open only , when the door is fully opened a stop would push the tab back to neutral alowing the door to close! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fozsug Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 I have another option! Earlier in the year we went to the southern manufacturing exhibition and there, there was a company selling lockable gas struts. They could be made to be a spring or just a damper, and the lock configured to stop compression or expansion. The lock was just a lever on one end. I'm going to see if I can find their details and what they cost! Si We use these on some of the locker doors on the lorry, http://www.industrialgassprings.com/uk/products_locking.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dads Toy Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Did you ever get anywhere with this? I'm fed up with getting bashed when the door swings shut in a gust of wind. Malcolm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UdderlyOffroad Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 There is an off-the-shelf solution for £50 if you're feeling flush. It comes in a blue box, so I will not say anything as that debate’s been had many a time. Two year warranty though, I would give it a punt? A new strut in the right size will cost the thick end of £20, so it depends how much you think your time is worth making bracketry? Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 I concluded that there was no consensus on what was required. Also, the thing that meets most people's requirements was a simple gas strut like the Paddocks one - so there was no point in trying to reinvent the wheel! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris200100 Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I'm going to be a kill joy. It's a great design but why not have a longer and stronger gas strut at the top of the door? I know it's neater at the bottom. I put a gas strut on the top of the door and it worked well held the door open even with the wheel carrier on there and was easy to close. You can acheve a better pivot point at the top and I didn't feel it got in the way at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Mine is at the top, less likely to get damaged there. The strut is a lot weaker than it used to be 10 years ago. Once upon a time it would hold the door open on a moderate side slope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 If you don't grease the hinge points on your after market spare wheel carrier it becomes stiff enough to hold the door open. Save work not greasing and save money not needing a stay or strut Well, works for me Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_pending Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 If you don't grease the hinge points on your after market spare wheel carrier it becomes stiff enough to hold the door open. Save work not greasing and save money not needing a stay or strut Well, works for me Mo Now that's proper Land Rover thinking that is. No modern fangled gas strut nonsense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 I believe Mr Murphy is using an organically produced friction stay, manufacturing techniques are environmentally friendly and use very little energy (and all from renewable resources). Yet more proof that land rovers are indeed very green (with outbreaks of brown) vehicles! Mo, you are indeed a pioneer with your down to earth engineering solutions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Whar's wrong with one of these ??? They seem cheap enough http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Ironmongery/Gate%20Fittings/Black%20Cabin%20Hook/d170/sd2260/p98214 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 If you don't grease the hinge points on your after market spare wheel carrier it becomes stiff enough to hold the door open. Save work not greasing and save money not needing a stay or strut Well, works for me Mo Same method I use, didn't occur to me to mention it. It certainly catches out people when they try and shut it and face-plant the door... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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