Bed lift on a 21'?

[skiman]

I was looking at the bed platform in my 21' today and thinking that it is so awkward to open. I am thinking about moving the hinges so that it lifts from back instead of the side. Has anyone done this? Also thinking of putting gas shocks on it to assist the lift and hold it open. Has anyone put lifts on the bed platform?

Interested in any comments, how to size shocks etc. Thanks!

[Rossue]

Haven't needed access that way with the extra door inside & standard outside hatch.

[paulw]

Dave&Kathie have the set up you're considering. Dave posted about it about a year ago.
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f4...html#post47512

[Dave&Kathie]

We did add a bed lift. Our 21 was #8 off the line and the hatch is oriented the other way so it opens from the bottom. Here's the link to the discussion http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f4...od-3477-4.html

Sorry about the pics, they aren't oriented very well but you get the idea. We ordered the small hatch lifts. They come in a pair. Dave had to do some tweaking - moving the extra board he installed but the hatch wouldn't close with two lifts so he took one out and tweaked the other again. Works great. It will hold the mattress up but not with the bedding, so I throw the bedding back off the corner when I use it.

Kathie

[skiman]

Thanks so much. I vaguely remembered seeing this post but was having trouble finding it. I am sure it will save a lot of trial and error.

[TAfraser]

Ours was the third off the assembly line and it was hinged forward like you're considering. A friend took delivery of his 21 a year later with your orientation. We changed his to the forward hinges along with drilling a new hole at the end of the plywood, and he's much happier.

Instead of using a gas shock, I used a permanently installed 1"X2" stick, like in most newer cars. It's hinged at the end of the bed for easy reach. I rounded the ends of the stick and attached Velcro to both the contact end of the stick and bottom of the opening plywood so it wouldn't slip. There's also a wooden catch at the other end of the pivot point so the stick won't fall behind the drawer that's now installed in that space. Works like a champ and it won't wear out.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by skiman

I was looking at the bed platform in my 21' today and thinking that it is so awkward to open. I am thinking about moving the hinges so that it lifts from back instead of the side. Has anyone done this? Also thinking of putting gas shocks on it to assist the lift and hold it open. Has anyone put lifts on the bed platform?

Interested in any comments, how to size shocks etc. Thanks!

If you look at the side and forward hinged versions, the parting line between the two plywood pieces has moved. Dave and Kathies has the hinges beyond the bathroom, while the side hinged version has the break behind the edge of the bathroom. I suspect ETI changed their bed framing, and relocated the hinges to the side so the access panel will clear the corner of the bathroom when it is raised.

I also considered relocating the hinges, but since that area is now full of drawers, decided not to do so.

[skiman]

I switched the hinges yesterday to hinge at the front. I had to take a 1/4" off the front of the plywood panel to give it room for the hinge barrels. Also I needed to take an additional nibble out of the front right hand corner to clear the trim on the corner of the bath. It works well. I still need to add a new finger hole to allow grasping the panel to start to lift it.

Bedlifts are next. I am wondering if the Bedlift Kit - X Small would allow both gas springs to be used? Apparently both cylinders of the "Small" are too much and the bed won't stay closed.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by skiman

I switched the hinges yesterday to hinge at the front. I had to take a 1/4" off the front of the plywood panel to give it room for the hinge barrels. Also I needed to take an additional nibble out of the front right hand corner to clear the trim on the corner of the bath. It works well. I still need to add a new finger hole to allow grasping the panel to start to lift it.

Bedlifts are next. I am wondering if the Bedlift Kit - X Small would allow both gas springs to be used? Apparently both cylinders of the "Small" are too much and the bed won't stay closed.

Might be able to futz with the placement of the lower end to make using both sides workable. They get softer at end-of-travel.

[skiman]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Might be able to futz with the placement of the lower end to make using both sides workable. They get softer at end-of-travel.

That's what I'm thinking...

[skiman]

Originally Posted by Dave&Kathie

We did add a bed lift. Our 21 was #8 off the line and the hatch is oriented the other way so it opens from the bottom. Here's the link to the discussion http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f4...od-3477-4.html

Sorry about the pics, they aren't oriented very well but you get the idea. We ordered the small hatch lifts. They come in a pair. Dave had to do some tweaking - moving the extra board he installed but the hatch wouldn't close with two lifts so he took one out and tweaked the other again. Works great. It will hold the mattress up but not with the bedding, so I throw the bedding back off the corner when I use it.

Kathie

Kathie (or Dave)

When you had the two lifts did the bed come up on its own? You had to go to a single so it would not pop up by itself? You say you have to pull bedding off to let it stay up by itself with only a single lift. Would moving the bottom out slightly let it stay up? I don't want to throw covers back, so I am trying to figure out whether to order the extra small kit and make that work buy adjusting the mounting locations. Thanks so much.

[Dave&Kathie]

You might be able to tweak the one to hold the mattress and covers up. Dave had already moved it twice and was done I think. I will ask him when he gets home. With two it would pop up on its own, it wouldn't stay closed. No big deal throwing the covers back - remember it's just the corner.

Kathie

[skiman]

My Bedlift arrived yesterday. I decide to go with the small and do only one side. If I installed one on the right side, the bracket would have hung down in the storage access door. Despite multiple attempts I could not find a location that held up the panel and also closed properly. The left rear corner wanted to ride up about an inch. I ended up mounting 3 magnetic catches that keep the panel snugged in the full closed position. I also had to adjust the hinge screws to keep the panel snugged forward as the lift wants to force the panel towards the back of the trailer. Now all is working well.

[cpaharley2008]

Nice job, that heater and timer look familiar.....

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by skiman

Despite multiple attempts I could not find a location that held up the panel and also closed properly. The left rear corner wanted to ride up about an inch.

Carl, did you adjust the moving and fixed ends separately, or did you move them as a set? If you adjusted them separately, did you move the fixed end vertically (such as down that bit of framing), horizontally (along the opening frame), or both?

[skiman]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Carl, did you adjust the moving and fixed ends separately, or did you move them as a set? If you adjusted them separately, did you move the fixed end vertically (such as down that bit of framing), horizontally (along the opening frame), or both?

I moved it every which way but loose! I had an additional piece of framing and was moving it up down and sideways.

[skiman]

Originally Posted by skiman

I moved it every which way but loose! I had an additional piece of framing and was moving it up down and sideways.

I think part of the issue is doing all the lifting from one side. Extra small lifts might work. Actually the bracket on the right hand side would not block the storage opening hardly any at all. I already had the small lifts and had wiring in the road from my heater mod. Extra small still might be too much. Anyway its working now for me.

[cpaharley2008]

So what size lift did you use and source? Thanks

[skiman]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

So what size lift did you use and source? Thanks

I went with the small at Hatchlift.com. X-small might work if you use both. I did add a small piece of wood at the bottom end to screw into. As I mention, the one corner wanted to ride up and magnetic catches took care of that. With the small you have two in the kit, so you have a spare.

Bedlift Kit - Small