Bed Lift Modification

Diplomat Don · 04-30-2010, 05:51 PM

I've hated the bed lift system since I bought the coach. When we added the pillowtop mattress it took two men and a boy to lift it. I added another piston, but the stress broke the mount. I welded up a stronger mount that worked for awhile, but eventually started to fail. I realized later that this mount prevented me from removing the wood cover to the slide...... DUH!

So today I finally tore everything out and started over. I used a peice of angle iron as the main brace with plates on both ends that I thru bolted with carriage bolts. I had previously doubled up the pistons so I already had two extra.

I've never looked under the wood cover at the slide mechanism and I figure that some of you haven't either. Here are a couple fo photos.

The bed lifts perfectly. It takes just a slight effort to initially lift a few inches and then just powers up.

Jim Stewart · 04-30-2010, 06:00 PM

Don, nice job, looks great and sounds like it works well.

Jim

The Danes Are Coming · 04-30-2010, 07:34 PM

Why am I not surprised about this!!!!

Don - I am so disappointed that this is not remote controlled

BTW - great work

Gary CA · 04-30-2010, 10:18 PM

What a talented guy! So many good ideas; so little time.

Sixpack98 · 05-01-2010, 07:33 AM

Good idea using the stringer between the bed platform sides. You are right about the weight of the bed platform. We tossed the original mattress and replaced it with a tempurpedic knock off (bed in a box) and added two additional cylinders to compensate for the additional weight. Wish I had thought of your idea. I installed the new cylinder on the outside of the bed frame and thru bolted the cylinder mount. Cylinder is almost flush with the bottom of the bed frame and not visible and did not impact the small storage area between the bed platform and night stands.

Does your platform "free fall" the last few inches when you lower the bed? I kinda think it is the nature of the opeation of the cylinders.

As always, good job Don.