rickjo
SW New Mexico
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Joined: 01/20/2007
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Lots of Stuff wrote:When we bought our Lance in 2003 the dealer said they could provide struts if we needed them.
Well after 6 years camper use we still don't know if we need them. AND I'm never going to buy them just to see how they work.
DG
03 Chevy Silverado Regular Cab 2500HD 4X4 Duramax
04 Lance Lite 915
I think your satisfaction is related to your rig. Your Lance Lite must come in considerably less the weight of my 1181. The Lance web site lists it at 2505 lbs and my 1181 at 3650 lbs. Those weights exclude all options. I'm loaded and you may be light in that regard. Can't tell for sure. It's quite a different story when the road starts tossing around 5000+ lbs tied to the rear half of a flexible frame. Aren't the availability of CHOICES like struts wonderful in a capitalist society? This forum is loaded with examples like this.
Rick
2004 F-350 4WD Crew Cab Dually w/ Airlift air bags, Luverne brush guard, side steps and splash guards.
2007 LanceMax 1181 loaded, wider aftermarket custom mattress (driver's side locker omitted).
"Leave the trail a little better than you found it."
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two-rock
Cape Cod, MA
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Joined: 10/27/2009
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My camper is 3400+ with water, according to Lance. I can see where the struts would be nice, might have to check them out.
Thanks to Sleepy, I will now be thinking of struts. Just hope I don't say her name out loud :-)
1999 Ford F350, 7.3, SRW, Hellwig, DIY Stable Loads, no air bags ..
2003 Lance 821
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JIMNLIN
Big Cabin, OK
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Joined: 09/14/2003
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biggeek wrote:Are cabover struts really needed? I have seen some with and some without. I have a F450 Crew Cab and the TC will not come past the roof of the truck so the struts would be very short if only going from the roof to the TC.
As others have said if your combo cab benifit from struts they will help. Not all rigs need struts.
My 1st TC was a new '64 on a '58 3/4 ton Jimmy long bed that required struts. Many TC's of that era had long heavy overheads which can create a need for struts.
My next TC was a new 8.5' '68 on a '64 chevy long bed. It also benifited from struts.
My last TC was a new '72 model 9.5' on a new Chevy Super Cheyenne 3/4 ton and struts were needed also.
There were very few extended cab/crew cab trucks back then as most were standard cab/long beds which had the front of the TC overhead out over the hood of the truck which makes a huge wind sail and its own handling/lifting the TC problems.
Will you need them for your F450/TC combo ?? If the overhead has lots of movement (up and down) and you can feel that movement then struts can stop/dampen that motion.
Most folks used struts back then and I never heard or saw a truck or TC damaged from their use. I'm not current on the TC world so maybe the newer gen folks that are current have seen damage from strut use.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" Will Rogers
'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach Linex
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er with two slides 16" BFG Commercial LTs
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Lots of Stuff
WA. USA
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Joined: 10/18/2003
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rickjo wrote:Lots of Stuff wrote:When we bought our Lance in 2003 the dealer said they could provide struts if we needed them.
Well after 6 years camper use we still don't know if we need them. AND I'm never going to buy them just to see how they work.
DG
03 Chevy Silverado Regular Cab 2500HD 4X4 Duramax
04 Lance Lite 915
I think your satisfaction is related to your rig. Your Lance Lite must come in considerably less the weight of my 1181. The Lance web site lists it at 2505 lbs and my 1181 at 3650 lbs. Those weights exclude all options. I'm loaded and you may be light in that regard. Can't tell for sure. It's quite a different story when the road starts tossing around 5000+ lbs tied to the rear half of a flexible frame. Aren't the availability of CHOICES like struts wonderful in a capitalist society? This forum is loaded with examples like this.
Rick
I agree also note my truck is a regular cab model. That equals a Shorter hence stiffer frame. My truck's wheelbase is shorter than a extended cab's with a short bed.
DG
03 Chevy Silverado Regular Cab 2500HD 4X4 Duramax
04 Lance Lite 915
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sleepy
Oak Ridge,Tennessee
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Joined: 04/07/2003
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lance88lover wrote:I had a pair on my old truck but when I bought a new truck, I left them off.
I don't really notice any differance. The shock is very weak
The Lance struts... are not a shock at all... they are a damper. you can move them through their fuul range by hand and the stay where you stop.
A shock would return to a set point.
2003 Lance 1161,/slideout/AGM batteries/255W Solar/propane generator/Sat dish/2 Fantastic Fans model 6150/AC/winter package
AirFoil, Trimetric, LED lights
2003GMC K3500 LT/Crewcab/duramax diesel/allison/dually/4x4/OnStar/front reciever mounted spare
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biggeek
PA
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Joined: 12/23/2008
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It is better with a partner?!  Now that clears up another question. Thanks Sleepy!  You can learn so much here. 
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sleepy
Oak Ridge,Tennessee
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Joined: 04/07/2003
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biggeek wrote:It is better with a partner?! Now that clears up another question. Thanks Sleepy! You can learn so much here.
Sometimes its good to learn something in terms that we can all agree from 
Everytime that I use the  I feel like I've been chosed to run for VP
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biggeek
PA
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Joined: 12/23/2008
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The older I get the more important it is to get it right the first time. A second time would require a nap and sandwich. I have to agree with you it's like hitting the lottery!
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INSAYN
NW Oregon
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Joined: 12/29/2003
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biggeek wrote:Are cabover struts really needed? I have seen some with and some without. I have a F450 Crew Cab and the TC will not come past the roof of the truck so the struts would be very short if only going from the roof to the TC.
Nope. My camper and truck combo were matched properly to avoid the issue of oscillation in the first place.
1997 F350 CrewCab PSD 4x4, auto.
2005 SnowRiver 8'10", Loaded + EU2000i.
2005 8.5'x16' Interstate West Cargo trailer, Line-X'ed
2005 16' Fish-Rite Rogue welded aluminum boat, 2005 40HP Yamaha 2-stroke O/B.
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INSAYN
NW Oregon
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Joined: 12/29/2003
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sleepy wrote:
Struts are like icecream
Apple pie is good, apple pie with ice cream is unbelieveably good.
My first thought was to use an analagy about s*x
s*x is good by yourself... much, much better with your partner 
Sometimes first class is worth it, this is one of those times.
Now that you are of the respected elder class, you probably don't get to enjoy any of those analogies anymore, huh?
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