Hi Mike,

        I held off on getting struts thinking they were silly and my pop top worked normally.  But, my wife could not easily operate it.  With struts she can operate the top and I can control it much easier.  I’d consider it a improvement.

I also use the weakest struts as the stronger ones would make it hard to lower the top as I don’t put things up there. 

Eric Caron 
85 GL Auto 

> On Aug 23, 2018, at 10:22 AM, mike riley <mkriley1@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> I have a 85 weekender and it seems the springs have gotten weak in the lifting mechanism. Very hard in the initial lift. I have owned 2 other pop top vanagons and this one is different. This top has not been used much and is very smooth.
> 
> Anybody replaced the springs? Any info anywhere? I want to fix this not put a band aid on it with struts.
> 
> thx
> 
> mike