Need part #/reference for A214HW dormer gas strut etc- dealer needed VIN for lenth?

Montanajen

New Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2023
Messages
5
I have a 2016 A214HW; and I need to replace one or both of the gas struts raising the dormer. I called the dealer - two different ones, actually - and both said they needed a VIN to look up the correct size, that the year and model wasn't sufficient.

In the same call, I asked for part number for the linear actuator motor, and they said the same thing. I'm not as chuffed about the actuator, as it isn't a big deal for me to manually raise it. I do need the dormer strut though.
 
Perhaps you should see the VIN requirement as a positive.

  • It means Flagstaff/Rockwood thinks they have some idea (records) of what was actually installed on a given trailer.
  • A-frames (and pop-ups) at Flagstaff/Rockwood have at least 2 different spec sheets during a given model year. The "early" 2016 production is usually exactly the same as the 2015 production, but given a 2016 VIN so buyers won't have a year old vehicle on the books when they buy it in July - Sept 2015. The "early" 2016 was produced Apr thru June of 2015. The 2016 model improvements/changes take effect after the "early" production, and reach dealers in Sept 2015 or later. Learned this from Roberts Sales in Denver when I bought my "early" 2019 T21TBHW A-frame in Aug 2019. DW preferred the 2018 colors and trim to the 2019, and we got them with the "early" 2019.
You can usually get the specs of a gas strut from the model number stampings on the strut. For my 2019, Flagstaff/Rockwood sourced gas struts from a nearby Indiana manufacturer. I was replacing the forward roof struts, so I called an on-line strut warehouse. They (and an internet page) walked me through what the model number on the struts meant - usually contains strut max length and gas pressure.

hope this helps
Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2022 Hyundai Palisade
 

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