Looking for acco tilt cab spring setup

Dave , can you rig up those springs they use on Horse trailer tailgates??
Only a $100 (odd Each) on Ebay.

Had good deal of experience with tilt cab accos ......and I think the springs,dimesnions ,leverage ,travel etc would need to very delicately balanced to have it work.......The hold downs are the actual links that suspend the cab at the back.............The springs also limit travel when tilted ,so no wires or links needed........I would try this idea using air bags in stead of springs .....more adjustable and manageable.,I would think.

Can't remember which trucks had a hydraulic set up for tilting the cab. Someone out there will know. So! A brand new 10 ton Porta Power set can't be that hard to mount between cab and tray. You may have to buy a second ram. E-Bay have new kit
for approx $2oo. What model/year of Acco . I have a friend with 2 wrecked Accos . I will have a look if you like. Dave.

My Leyland Terrier has hydraulic hand pump up and pump down.......but the cab is secured by normal bolts ,one either side ........which is positive,but a bit of a nuisance .............The normal Leyland tilt cab ,as on the Boxer ,Mastiff,Harrier etc has catches and is counter balanced by torsion bars at the front........very ,very heavy to tilt,I used to have the doors open to put some weight forward .........,not very satisfactory at all........but the torsion bar/hinge/pivot setup is a self contained unit under the front.......unbolted from this unit,both Harrier and Terrier cabs are the same.

I dont know how many times Ive seen tilt ACCOs with one of the locking units not correctly in place .......often used to see one in the traffic with a unit missed.............The locking rods are pushed in from inseide the cab ,so if the cab is just crashed down ,and knocks one of the links out of the way,then the long rod still goes in a and locks ,but misses the hole in the link..............do this on both sides ,and you get a nasty surprise.

Yep. Good one John. Been there .Seen that. Also make sure the gear lever is central to the manhole / boot. I have seen more than one 2 speed button busted and boots torn. Ads to the weight of the cab if you are dragging the cab over the lever.
Definitely heavy. Facing the truck downhill is a help for tilting , but a real bugger to tilt back to lock down. It really is a 2
person exercise especially getting those pins locked in correctly.

'Seed
Gonna look into this idea, will shoot the Trek Hardware mob an email and suss them out.
Probably have to find out how much weight is in the cab and how much travel required etc etc
Did think about the amount of tension that would be on the springs themselves, when in the down position, the springs would be under constant load. Whem at full tilt, approx 60-70 degrees, would be very little (tension)
Whereas in the horse float application, would spend prolly 90% of the time with the back door CLOSED, very little tension. Although I have seen some floats parked up with the tailgate down for quite some time.
Dave_64

Ive fitted the spring rods to horsefloats,and two will lift a full width ramp/door.......but a cab is a lot heavier .

John.K.
Yeah, understand what your saying.
Had a bit of a look this arvo, may be able to squeeze one set of horse float tailgate springs in, wouldnt get two sets, not enough room. Could go up to a larger diameter, possibly 16 mm (or 5/8inch) would have to be worked out just how much assist that would give me, or even just retain the winch and use those smaller ones to make it a bit easier on the winch. What about what I said about being under constant load though? Only time the shed would be up in the air( and so NO tension), would be maintenance or working on the engine.
But suppose that would apply to those loosely wound ACCO springs as well, be under tension as well, with cabin locked down for travel.
Dave_64

Good quality steel springs should not take a set ,or weaken in service.....The first float I did ,I found it tricky to get the springs right......in a truck cab ,I would rather have tails the same length......there is massive force on the short ends.