Lid Stays

[trekerboy]

Anyone know where I can buy the spring hinges ("Lid stays"?) in this image?



These are the overhead cabinets from a 2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 27FB.

[drboyd]

Are the hinges in your picture similar to these?

[drboyd]

You can also use just regular hinges and get gas springs off ebay. A single 50 Newton strut should do for each door.

[OTRA15]

Why re-invent the wheel?

You can order original new OEM parts like this from an Airstream dealer. On p. 561 of 769 in the following PDF Parts Book, the lid stays are:

381840-01 Hinge, Overhead Spring, LH
381840-02 Hinge, Overhead Spring, RH

https://www.airstream.com/wp-content...Parts-Book.pdf

It is my understanding that only an Airstream dealer can supply these parts, and that the online sites for AS parts do not carry them. We needed some replacement parts for our FC20, and this is what the dealer explained to me. Not cheap but an exact match and fit.

Good luck!

Peter

[OTRA15]

Curious to know why you want the extra hinges? Are you making a custom cabinet to match someplace? In our FC20 galley, there is a small corner overhead that could benefit from a upper cabinet, but there would not be much room for an opening door.

Thanks,

Peter

Originally Posted by trekerboy

Anyone know where I can buy the spring hinges ("Lid stays"?) in this image?

Attachment 272023

These are the overhead cabinets from a 2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 27FB.

[trekerboy]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Curious to know why you want the extra hinges? Are you making a custom cabinet to match someplace? In our FC20 galley, there is a small corner overhead that could benefit from a upper cabinet, but there would not be much room for an opening door.

Thanks,

Peter

I renovated our AS from the ground up (new everything, including cabinets). Up to this point all I had on the cabinet doors were hinges. Of course, that doesn't help keep them open, and I'm tired of them hitting my hand on the way down, haha.

[trekerboy]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Why re-invent the wheel?

You can order original new OEM parts like this from an Airstream dealer. On p. 561 of 769 in the following PDF Parts Book, the lid stays are:

381840-01 Hinge, Overhead Spring, LH
381840-02 Hinge, Overhead Spring, RH

https://www.airstream.com/wp-content...Parts-Book.pdf

It is my understanding that only an Airstream dealer can supply these parts, and that the online sites for AS parts do not carry them. We needed some replacement parts for our FC20, and this is what the dealer explained to me. Not cheap but an exact match and fit.

Good luck!

Peter

I agree completely; usually if AS uses it in their models it's worth copying in the DIY realm. I called the dealer, these hinges come in pairs for $66 each (plus shipping). I need 10 sets, so $660 + shipping for these little buggers. Yeah, not going to pay that. Gotta find an alternative.

[OTRA15]

For the use these may actually be the most economical part for the job they do in the AS overhead cabinets, including staying closed vs. the road movements of heavy items inside IMO. If your DIY use is slightly different maybe another hinge will work, but the tasks accomplished by this AS part are tough to duplicate in one unit:

-- hidden hinge
-- stay closed in all kinds of road action and interior loading
-- stay open high and out of the way (90 degrees +/-)
-- do so dependably for decades despite careless operators at times

Hard to beat in one piece of hardware IMO.

For bulk needs I would research the mfg.. Doubt if AS actually fabricates them.

PS if you factor in your cabinetmaker labor time researching this, and maybe installing separate hinges, catches, and stay-open keepers, all of which can fail down the road, this is a cost-effective solution now.

[cliffcharb]

AS has used those hinges for quite a while.

They are a little less expensive here
http://woodlandtravelcenter.net/prod...-spring-hinge/

I've been thinking about these Blum hinges when we get around to the upper cabinets in our older unit. They also have an all in one hinge lift system
http://www.blum.com/us/en/01/10/60/

[OTRA15]

Thanks for the alternate source. The great thing about the AS spring hinge is that it is all surface mounted. No boring out any of the plywood carcass/door as some other blind hinges require. Do you have a link for the Blum all-in-one system?

Edit here is one:

http://www.blum.com/us/en/01/10/40/

But will the Blum hinges stay down when on the road and the trailer is bouncing all over? I am guessing they rely on gravity as the main down force, with no outward force from the cabinet contents hitting the back of the door.

The AS hinges are actually pretty inexpensive for the multi-task job they do, in my opinion!