Van 84: DIY SOS
I’m looking for suggestions and help with reworking the legs for my campervan bed and this video explains the issue.
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No idea.
David, Have you sorted it yet? I’m keen to see an update vlog.
Hi, no I haven’t had any chance to get around to it yet, been too busy filming and editing boat stuff plus some other matters.
Hello David. I just watched your video on asking for the ideas about the legs on your bed/sofa. There is a Van building company in the US that has done such a thing to eliminate the need for legs. They’ve used heavy duty drawer slides. Here is a link to their YouTube video about the bed they built. You can see the slide mechanism in the video. https://youtube.com/watch?v=NNLeFxiSSqo&feature=share7
I really like your videos.
Take care.
Thank you. I have considered drawer slides but since the bed top needs to hinge open, the slides would have to attach to that hinged part thus all the supporting force (when the bed is extended) would also go through the hinge and that could break!
Hi David, I think it could be rather simple. Thing is: I don’t know if I can put it in words, since English is not my first language. Let’s see…
For just pulling out the bed a little bit you don’t really need legs, you just need to make sure the bit you pull out does not keel over.
You could do this by fixing a plank underneath the frame side to side, just like the one on the top you already have. Just a bit more forward I think or the bed wouldn’t close completely. Am I making any sense to you at all? Maybe a drawing would help, but I don’t know how to add that to this comment.
When you pull out the bed completely it touches the cupboards you said? Then you might be able to attach some blocks to the cupboards and rest the side of the bed on these blocks, preferably with a dowel construction like you use now with the legs, to prevent it from slipping off while you’re turning around in bed…
I hope you find a proper solution, best of luck, Jobim
Oh, by the way, last week I received my cruising the cut T-shirt, I love it.
Thank you. I understand what you mean perfectly! Unfortunately, because of the access panel to the heater and the opening section under the kitchen, I can’t put any kind of support there, there’s just not the space for it (not for something strong enough anyway). But I will investigate the first idea although I recall there was a reason why I didn’t do that at the start though I cannot recall what that reason was! Regards, David
David, what about the brace that is often used on camping chairs that have a folding up/down side table. The small table is hinged to the chair and when it is pulled up to the horizontal (in use) postion a brace is pushed over-centre to lock the table in the up position. The brace is made of two equal length struts with three pin joints, one on the table, one on the camping chair leg and the last pin joins the two brace struts in the middle. It is at the brace centre pin that the brace goes over-centre. The brace forms a locked triangle with the table and chair leg. The brace is the hypotenuse of a right angle triangle. The right angle is at the hinge between the table and the chair leg. You could use such a brace on each bed leg and this would allow the legs to fold down when the bed is lifted up for loo access but locked and safe when the legs are in the ‘extended bed’ position. Hope this is clear enough to make sense.
Hi Tony, I get exactly what you mean – thank you. Cheers
I have the perfect solution but need to send you a picture. I did not see how to do that on YouTube ?
I watched your video while sitting in our sailboat and realized it’s designers faced the same issue.
They used two triangular supports that fold out from the front of the vertical surface. The top seat can slide out as much as you want and be supported.
When folded , they only add 3/4 of an inch to the bench.
A picture would be great if I could send it.
Hello! Thank you. I understand perfectly what you mean, no picture needed :-) Much appreciated. Cheers