Seeking help for camper shell parts replacement!

Hi all! Long time owner, first time poster!

I'm needing some help. I have a 2004 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner with an extended cab. I bought it used in 2009. About a year later, I inherited a Carryboy camper shell for it from a family friend. I don't know what series/model it is, which is complicating my hunt for some replacement parts. I suspect it's a Series 5, but some minor differences give me doubts and I can't find anything on the shell itself that says which version it is.

The gas struts that hold up the back window stopped working many years ago. My father and I removed one and sent it to a parts house to have it matched (my father was a master auto tech and owned his own repair shop before retiring). They couldn't find anything comparable. Ever since, I've been using a screw-on clamp to hold the other strut in place when it's extended to keep the window open. It works, but it's not ideal. I'm looking to get those replaced.

The one strut I have has a part number on it: SPD-GS-7932. Google results for that are exactly zero, so I did all sorts of measurements to try and get the correct 3rd party replacements. They're 13-14" extended and 8.5" compressed. I ordered a pair that had a force of 10 lbs. each (

$55 Set of Gas Spring/Prop/Strut/Shock 14" extended length x 8.5 " compressed length x 10 LB Pressure

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019NUNA2M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) because I assumed the weight of the window couldn't be more than 20 lbs., but now I'm second-guessing that. What I received by mistake from the seller was 14" extended, 8.5" compressed, and 24 lbs. of force EACH, which is a total of 48 lbs. of force. I'm afraid that if that's too much, installing them and trying to close the window may break the glass. I'm also having issues with finding the right brackets.

So, my questions:

-What model/series of Carryboy camper shell do I have? That may help in my hunt. (Side question: Were there series 1-4??)





-How much might the back window weigh? (I found this: https://www.njaluminiumlinings.com/carryboy-truck-top-tailgate-glass-and-parts.html, but it says 50 kg, which is ~110 lbs. I'm a tiny woman weighing around 100 lbs, so I know I'm not lifting my own body weight in window every time I open it up. It's gotta be less.)

-What might the appropriate force in poundage be for me to buy? Will these 24 lbs. work without risk of breaking the glass?





-Struts I've been finding are for 10mm ball sockets on both ends. What would be the appropriate replacements for the brackets? My existing strut has a ball socket on the bottom, but not the top. I found some (

Apexstone 10MM Ball Stud Bracket for Lift Supports/Gas Struts/Gas Spring/Prop,Pack of 4

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K7HHVZJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1), but the holes are not far enough apart and the balls studs are the wrong orientation (outside instead of inside). I've already returned them. The shell's embedded screws are 2 inches apart, so I got these:

GPB1R - 10MM Ball Stud Bracket for Gas Prop/Strut - Set of Two

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013F4JHG0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Ball studs are the correct orientation, but there was only a measurement of the entire bottom of the bracket, which is 2.5". They haven't arrived yet, but I'm hoping the holes are the correct distance apart and large enough to take fit onto the embedded screws.






Anyway, I'm just hoping someone can help me out with the specifics of this project. Perhaps someone who has done this already?

Thanks much!

 

I can't help you with the specs of your shell, but I can help with the struts.

I have purchased a few sets and referred a few folks to this guy for their strut needs - all great results:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/strut-your-stuff-here/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
I would be surprised if he didn't have the specs you need - send him a message with the number you found on them, he may be able to decode it and he surely will be able to tell you the hole spacing, ball orientation, etc..... I have used a few of his struts + mounting brackets in different configurations on camper builds without issue. I would NOT use those incorrectly rated struts on your shell - I have seen what over-rated weight rating struts can do to a camper hatch and its not pretty. It just puts too much stress on the mounts, hinges and generally every part of the door/mount. Of course, a camper hinge is different than a truck bed shell hinge, but I would wait until you get what you need.

To determine the weight of your hatch, get a fish or suitcase scale. Remove the existing struts and hold the hatch to the normal open position with the scale. This is not truly the best way to determine the weight needed, but it will get you close enough. Then divide the weight by two(for two struts) and order that weight needed. That has always worked for me. good luck!

edit: if the existing brackets are still solidly mounted, you can just replace the ball portion, then you don't have to worry about mounting the brackets at all. on the door itself, you could replace that non-ball mount with a ball. i know the guy i referred you to sells just the ball portion. This would make things much easier

 

Have you taken your shell to your local Camper Shell Store? I'm sure they can help you.

 

Gotta be honest, didn't even realize stores specifically for camper shells existed. Turns out there's three in my immediate area! Thanks!

 

A suitcase scale is a great idea! Thank you!

Thanks for the referral too. I'll ping him about all this.

 

I have the same issue as the OP. I had the misfortune of buying the wrong gas shock to replace the worn out gas shock on my rear camper door. The shock that I installed was too much pressure and it damaged the hinge and tweaked the door itself. I took my camper shell in for repairs. Campways was where I bought my camper shell originally. They can only service the window seals or reinstall the camper shell. They wouldn’t do the repairs on the door hinge or replace the gas shocks for the rear shell door.

 

This occurred to me as the ball is, in fact, a separate entity to the bottom bracket itself and I saw they get sold separately. However, in removing the right strut to try and have it matched, that bottom bracket got taken off and lost in the shuffle. Since I have to replace that AND the uppers (which are not ball mounts), I figured I'd just do them all.

 

What force/poundage were the struts you used that did the damage?

 

Update!

I got a luggage scale and the window weighs 13.5 lbs, so the 24 lb. struts are definitely way too much. Luggage scale worked like a charm though!

Amazon seller who sent me the wrong struts is sorta arguing with me about this, so I have to file a claim with Amazon tomorrow and find what I need elsewhere. They're the only ones who sell what I need on Amazon and I'm not going to order from them again obviously.

Will be getting in contact with eBay fellow suggested in hopes he has what I need.

Brackets are still enroute.

More to come on my progress.

 

Project complete!

As it turns out, even though the glass door is only 13.5 lbs., the weight when lifting from the side instead of the middle requires more force, so the 24 lbs. struts were appropriate. Mike from the eBay store explained this to me and I found a couple YouTube videos that backed that information up here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX2TZhad-aw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2nJ7S-f6Tg

The brackets I bought just needed the holes to be a bit larger and closer and the angle needed to be altered just a hair to clear weather sealing:

GPB1R - 10MM Ball Stud Bracket for Gas Prop/Strut - Set of Two

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013F4JHG0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The bottom brackets were, in fact, still intact. One was just missing the 10mm ball since it turns out those were built into the old struts. I was able to find some separately that fit:

$9 10mm Ball Studs with Hardware 5/16-18 Screw Thread 1/2" Long Shank Fits Lift Supports Shocks Struts

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MXYP21F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1