gas strut supports for bed

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gas strut supports for bed

October 24, 2015, 02:24:52 pm

The previous owner of my coach was a sheet metal installer and he fabricated a metal thingy to hold the bed open for engine access rather than replacing the gas struts. It actually works surprisingly well, like most of the other modifications he made. People always remark that his modifications look like they were installed by Foretravel, in fact I think the guys at Foretravel even said that when they saw the fancy sheet metal boiler insulation he installed around the entire engine and generator compartments... Anyway, I was considering putting the gas struts back the way Foretravel had them. Does it work well or will the bed fall down on me while I'm working on the engine and they'll find my crushed remains in the giant mousetrap? Will the bed bounce open on bumps while I'm driving down the road? I notice he removed the latch assembly, or at least I think there used to be a latch on the front of the bed. Comments from people who have experience with this would be helpful. My coach was modified before I got it so I don't know if the original setup worked well or if I should keep the modification. I intend to do some work on the top of the engine soon and it seems like a good time to consider this.

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #1 – October 24, 2015, 03:21:09 pm

I did not keep the bed latched and it never bounced open. As long as the gas struts are working it will hold the bed up but I use a stick too make sure as well.

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #2 – October 24, 2015, 03:26:51 pm

Very interested in the sheet metal installation in the engine compartment I have toyed with attempting something like that some day. My 280 has a latch but its a very unimpressive looking thing.

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #3 – October 24, 2015, 03:29:31 pm

I bought two new gas struts from Foretravel parts (about $80 for the pair IIRC) and they do not hold the bed up at all. They do make it easier to lift, but that is it. The mattress we have is a latex foam one and may be heavier than the original inner spring, but I don't think that the difference in weight is dramatic.
Don

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #4 – October 24, 2015, 03:47:18 pm

X2 what John said. No latch when running. Add stick when open

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #5 – October 24, 2015, 04:23:30 pm

I presume if you install stronger gas struts to hold the bed open the mounting brackets will break? Either way I end up caught in the human mousetrap so maybe you guys just saved my life! haha

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #6 – October 24, 2015, 04:49:15 pm

Quote from: RRadio – October 24, 2015, 04:23:30 pm

I presume if you install stronger gas struts to hold the bed open the mounting brackets will break? Either way I end up caught in the human mousetrap so maybe you guys just saved my life! haha

More likely the piano hinge in the back. I had to put a wider one on mine because the screws are so close to the end of plywood.

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #7 – October 24, 2015, 08:13:00 pm

Here is where I got the replacement when I replaced the struts on my Barth before I sold it.
HatchLift | Hydraulic Lift Kits | Rv Hatch Lifts | Hatch Hinges

Mike

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #8 – October 24, 2015, 09:00:54 pm

Scott,
the gas struts make it easier to lift, I replaced mine with ones from FOT, the length was easy to figure out but I wasn't sure of the correct pressure rating so I went with FOT instead of NAPA or parts stores. Like others have stated, I use a short dowel rod as a prop just in case? With the struts if you were to knock the prop out accidentally...... it would not fall as fast or hard as it will with nothing!!

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #9 – October 24, 2015, 09:44:18 pm

Mike, good website!

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #10 – October 24, 2015, 09:45:36 pm

I wonder if I order the heavy Bedlift and install a wider piano hinge if it'll hold the bed up? The price looks pretty reasonable and they're 150 lb struts... hmmm

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #11 – October 24, 2015, 09:48:00 pm

For those of you that leave the bed latch open, is there a reason for this? My struts are still working well but I always use a stick.

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #12 – October 24, 2015, 09:51:50 pm

I think one (skinny) person on this forum got into his coach that way when he was locked out.

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #13 – October 24, 2015, 09:54:20 pm

so can.... a crook!

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #14 – October 24, 2015, 09:55:37 pm

Quote from: RRadio – October 24, 2015, 09:45:36 pm

I wonder if I order the heavy Bedlift and install a wider piano hinge if it'll hold the bed up? The price looks pretty reasonable and they're 150 lb struts... hmmm

I installed new 150# bed lift struts about a year ago and they worked for a bit until I changed out my mattress to a memory foam mattress that was much heavier. After that, I require something to prop up the hatch when working on the engine. I've yet to find a spring/strut of the correct size that was rated higher than 150# (can't say that I've looked all that hard though).

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #15 – October 25, 2015, 10:28:42 am

Mine was broken by PO and never saw need to fix

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #16 – October 25, 2015, 10:42:36 am

Quote from: Michelle – October 24, 2015, 09:53:02 pm

If you ever get locked out of the coach and you're slender enough to fit in the engine compartment, you can get into your coach without involving a locksmith or breaking a window

I never would have imagined trying that. Never. Thanks for the amazing Sunday Morning mental video.

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #17 – October 25, 2015, 10:58:43 am

I trust my safety bed support rod, and use it each and every time I plan to leave the bed up. My bed lock down is damaged and I have not see any reason to bother replacing it, yet. And I have two broken window latches, so I have a possible way into the coach with a ladder if needed.

There was once a discussion of the way the slide bolt lock rod could lock you out of the coach by accident when the door swung shut. If that happens, you have to get inside to slide the rod back to unlock. I removed my slide rod after reading the thread on how to break into one's coach.

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #18 – October 25, 2015, 11:10:06 pm

Scott,

Took pics of my bed springs and bed latch. The springs look OEM and are Spring Lift 2-20. They will hold the bed up if lifted all the way and held in place for a while. I still use a rubber mallet for support just in case of bed spring failure!

The bed latch is made by Southco but I'm not sure what the part no. is.

Jerry

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #19 – October 26, 2015, 09:07:35 am

My 93 U225 had that same bed latch. My 98 U295 uses a different highfield latch like on the galley table to prevent it from sliding out.

Re: gas strut supports for bed

Reply #20 – October 26, 2015, 09:18:24 am

Be aware that the label for the bed struts may NOT be accurate. Have seen several where they redid a spring to a different opening force. The reason I question it is that I doubt that two 20 pound springs will left the bed.

Here are the ones for our 1993 U240: Bed: SL25-170

If in doubt, call Foretravel to verify pound rating before buying replacements.

Brett

Quote from: coastprt – October 25, 2015, 11:10:06 pm

Scott,

Took pics of my bed springs and bed latch. The springs look OEM and are Spring Lift 2-20. They will hold the bed up if lifted all the way and held in place for a while. I still use a rubber mallet for support just in case of bed spring failure!

The bed latch is made by Southco but I'm not sure what the part no. is.

Jerry

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