Bed lift

[Rich and Cork]

Thought I would bring this subject back up to see how many folks have done this kind of a modification and maybe they can share pics,what kind of lift shocks used, sealing, etc. I am thinking this would be a good thing to do.

I tried to bring up a couple of old threads, but apparently you cannot do this if the thread is older than 147 days.

[Algoma]

Not sure why you need to lift the bed often enough to do this. On the very rare occasions I do this I remove the mattress, raise the platform and prop it open with a long stick.

[ArmyEOD]

Rich, I can not upload a pic, but what I did was purchased a one inch dowel 4 foot long from the box store, I then cut down the side on one end about 1/4 in deep by 3 inches long. This gave me a flat spot to add one end of a hinge. I then raised my bed to the max and using the dowel I put it in place so that it would hang at a sligt angle into the corner at the foot of the bed I had to cut some off it was two long and screwed the other end of the hinge into the bottom of the bed frame use short screws I had to file the ends some after I was done so they would not rip the mattress. I also added a 2 in 2 x 2 block at the floor to use as as a stop once the leg was down, this keeps the dowel from being accidently pushed into the frame box when I have it open. I used a " metal spring loaded "broom keeper" to hold the leg in the up postion when not in use. Hope this helps you out.

[shaman52]

If you go with this the usual pressure on the air springs is 90 psi. You will have to determine the compressed and UN-compressed length of the air spring. Recommend you go to a similar used RV and take a tape measure along. You need the measure and take pictures of a similiar bed to your own, with the air springs and brackets. That should get you started. Good luck!

[Old Rv'er]

For those of us with a bed slide, there is no storage under that platform so it would be a waste of time, at least in my 07 it is. Nothing under that bed but HWH stuff and Hydro Hot plumbing.

[Rich and Cork]

Guess I was not clear. I am looking at being able to get to the top of the engine, not just to lift the bed.

[Rich and Cork]

I thought I would bring this back up, because I am a dummy. When I did this original post I did not look to see if the top of the bed frame could be lifted....so the other day I was getting some stuff out of the two compartments under the mattress and noted the lift locks and the lift arms to hold the top up. I just thought I had looked a long time ago and it did not lift. So, the top should lift and you should be able to access the top of the engine. Since I had my manifold replaced, I don't have any reason to get to the top of the engine.....but I will hopefully remember in the future should I have to.

[EngineerMike]

There is a new sponsor here on iRV2 called HatchLift, that has a Bed Lift kit. I bought on and have it already. They have two flavors, regular and heavy duty, which they define in not very explanatory terms on their brochure pages. I emailed them as to "Which one?" They emailed back "Regular." I ordered regular, and it arrived, then I left for Mexico for this week.
I'll install it when I get back, and let everyone know how it works. HatchLift said if I needed the extra crispy flavor to let them know & they would exchange the struts. My coach has support rods for the bed platform which I'll use any time I'm working on engine, and the kit looks like it won't interfere.