How to replace Attwood gas spring on hatch?

[Gr8Lakes]

Cuddy cabin hatch gas springs appear to have no lift/gas left.

Current springs are Attwood SL10- series with "composite socket ends".

If I buy a replacement here on iBoats, how to I get the existing spring off the mounts?

Do I hammer the spring near the socket? pry it out? Or do I have to buy new mounts even though the old ones are still good?

Is there some kind of trick that involves rotating the collar?

Once I know how to get the old ones off I'll buy a replacement here on iBoats.

 

[JoLin]

Re: How to replace Attwood gas spring on hatch?

Cuddy cabin hatch gas springs appear to have no lift/gas left.

Current springs are Attwood SL10- series with "composite socket ends".

If I buy a replacement here on iBoats, how to I get the existing spring off the mounts?

Do I hammer the spring near the socket? pry it out? Or do I have to buy new mounts even though the old ones are still good?

Is there some kind of trick that involves rotating the collar?

Once I know how to get the old ones off I'll buy a replacement here on iBoats.

I just replaced a pair in my Chris Craft. I assume the current ones snap onto a ball stud? Mine were very hard to get off- I dismounted the springs and brackets together, grabbed the bracket with a pair of Channel Lock pliers, and pried them apart by levering the hatch spring off the bracket. The new ones snapped on easily using just hand pressure.

Note of caution here- in my case the replacement spring uses end fittings that screw onto the spring, where the original was pressed on or something- wouldn't screw off. So, in addtion to the springs I had to buy new end fittings as well. Iboats might have it all, but I found mine at go2marine.com.

Hope this helps- good luck!

 

[JoLin]

Re: How to replace Attwood gas spring on hatch?

Ah, shoot! Brain dead today.

I just realized that you were speaking specifically about Attwoods. Mine weren't- In fact, they had no brand name on them. I found exact replacements at go2marine, however.

Sorry about that, but maybe you can use the removal instructions.

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: How to replace Attwood gas spring on hatch?

I'm not sure if Attwoods are just like this or not.

However, on most gas springs that I have seen there is a metal clip on the socket that you can slide a screw driver under to release it from the ball stud.

If you don't pry this clip up it will be very tough to get the socket off the ball. If you do they pop off pretty easily.

 

[Brokenjaw]

Re: How to replace Attwood gas spring on hatch?

spend the extra 10/20 bucks and by new mounts.