Cabinet Door Supports - Struts

keithp

I stuck mine so that they're completely relaxed when the doors are closed; that took a bit of measuring. I'm hoping this will keep them from ripping the hinges apart. So far so good?

Cyclonic

So far no issues here either, besides my wife snapping the door shut loudly

I figure if she can use it without destroying it it must work.  I did tighten the hinges and adjust them after I installed the supports.

Sparky13

Rather than hold those overhead cabinet doors up with your noggin, just replace the hinges with hinges that hold the door up automatically. They are EXACTLY like the existing hinges. I got them on Amazon:

Amerock BP2811J23-14 1/2-Inch Overlay 2-Way Adjustable Concealed Matrix Blum Hinges, Nickel, 1 pair

photoalex

Sparky13 said:

Rather than hold those overhead cabinet doors up with your noggin, just replace the hinges with hinges that hold the door up automatically. They are EXACTLY like the existing hinges. I got them on Amazon:

Amerock BP2811J23-14 1/2-Inch Overlay 2-Way Adjustable Concealed Matrix Blum Hinges, Nickel, 1 pair

Wow, Sounds too easy to be truth, looking forward to do the same! Can they also hold the weight of the larger doors of the back cabinets ?

Sparky13

My back cabinets swing open on the side, not the top, so I can’t help you there!

ColoradoJon

@photoalex - I used these hinges on the back cabinets.  If you replace both hinges yes, they will hold them up just fine.  They will not stay shut tightly, though, so I had to use magnets/catches to keep them closed while in transit.

TerryV6

My back cabinets are the earlier model like Sparks.  During a tour at Ucamp, I noticed they now make them opening up, not left or right.  My front cabinets with the hinge, never open during travel.  They back ones we have to strap, otherwise they throw up.  Always wonder how tough it would be to change them...

rfuss928

The DM CS had the swing up style doors for the pass through cabinets.  They used an extra hinge in the center for door support.

This has been discussed before.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/4096/upper-cupboard-spring-loaded-hinge-replacement-to-keep-doors-in-open-position/p1

Marceline

TerryV6 said:

My back cabinets are the earlier model like Sparks.  During a tour at Ucamp, I noticed they now make them opening up, not left or right.  My front cabinets with the hinge, never open during travel.  They back ones we have to strap, otherwise they throw up.  Always wonder how tough it would be to change them...

I have the same side-opening doors. Elsie gave me a quote of $50/door to replace them but that was quite some time ago so I don't think it would be fair to hold her to that.
You can also buy a jig to drill cup holes in the existing doors to move the hinges (there are also plugs you can buy to fill the existing holes). It was on my list of projects but I never got around to it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXXCEZV

Marceline

rfuss928 said:

The DM CS had the swing up style doors for the pass through cabinets.  They used an extra hinge in the center for door support.

This has been discussed before.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/4096/upper-cupboard-spring-loaded-hinge-replacement-to-keep-doors-in-open-position/p1

Yes. I don't know why PV switched to side opening doors for the first few years of production. It was a mistake.

DougH

Well if you're relatively tall, not always attentive, and tend to forget that the top hinged cabinet near the door is open...  you'll end up with some nice bruises on the top of your head ("BONK") as you head outside.   Or so I've heard.

TerryV6

“This has been discussed before.”
I had read this thread a while ago and at that time there were discussions about holding up the doors in front.  Many went with springs, I chose the small hydralic hinge some went with. I saw your talk about different hinges and assumed that was another solution to holding the door open.  As Marceline said, for some reason the way the back doors opened was changed.  Now for me, if my back doors opened like the front ones with my stiff hinges, they wouldn’t be a problem during travel.  Do you think the hinges you talked about, put in place where the existing hinges are ( still opening to the side) they would stay closed.  

Btw, this is just a question.  I have no immediate plans to change mine.  My wife just fastens the cords...

jgram2

Our back cabinets open to the side and have never come open during travel. Love em.

rfuss928

TerryV6 said:

 Now for me, if my back doors opened like the front ones with my stiff hinges, they wouldn’t be a problem during travel.  Do you think the hinges you talked about, put in place where the existing hinges are ( still opening to the side) they would stay closed.  

My pass thru cabinets (and many others) have this style latch on the outside edge of each door.  I have never had any door pop open.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Amerock-Functional-Hardware-Oil-Rubbed-Silver-Zinc-Friction-Latch/1000537093

TerryV6

jgram2 said:

Our back cabinets open to the side and have never come open during travel. Love em.

Well, I’ve seen this mentioned before.  You are very lucky.  Our front doors under the sink also will spew (what a word) things if things aren’t battened down.

TerryV6

rfuss928, now those latches really interest me.  You wouldn’t have a size on those...?
 I would try those for sure.  The plastic ones just don’t hold for us..

rfuss928

TerryV6 said:

rfuss928, now those latches really interest me.  You wouldn’t have a size on those...?
 I would try those for sure.  The plastic ones just don’t hold for us..

The latch parts can be seen in the corners of this pic. I'd estimate 1"w X 1/2"h X 3/4"d

TerryV6

Thanks rfuss928....

Lawyerboy

RV Designer H277, Door Support Strut, Plastic, Spring-Loaded, 6-1/4 inch, 2 Per Pack, Cabinet Hardware https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009HQ7X6W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_5T44B18DS88FBWZDGT2T?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I find the forum very helpful so as I sourced a replacement part, thought I would share. Mark