Drop down bed gas struts

Camperval
Camperval Forum Participant Posts: 15
edited February 2023 in Motorhomes #1

We have a 2017 Hobby T60H Optima and need to replace the two gas struts which hold up the drop down bed. The problem is that when the bed is down and the struts are fully accessible they are compressed and whilst it was easy to remove the old struts, it’s impossible to compress the new ones before fitting.

when the bed is raised the struts are extended but completely inaccessible between the bed and side wall of the van..

we’ve asked virtually every motorhome engineer in the south of England but no one wants to touch the job and one said that the struts and bed are fitted in the factory before the roof is fixed on the van.

it seems extraordinary that a consumable item on a relatively new motorhome cannot be replaced without major disassembly of the vehicle, which is now effectively worthless since no one will purchase a van with the bed permanently down and it is impossible to raise it manually without the struts in place!

Don’t suppose anyone has any ideas?

Comments

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2023 #2

    I think it sounds odd to hear the bed is fixed before the roof, that doesn't sound right. There are DIY examples of people adding drop down beds to vans so this shouldn't be a problem. Have you tried phoning Hobby for help as they are the ones who built the van and should be able to help you especially if the gas struts have failed.

  • Camperval
    Camperval Forum Participant Posts: 15
    edited February 2023 #3

    Hobby can apparently only be contacted via their online portal, and telephoning a bunch of Germans probably wouldn’t help when I don’t speak the lingo.

    obviously I have included at least four Hobby dealers in my quest and none of them want the job or know how to do it. One of the dealers said he would make a formal written request for information from the factory but says that IF they reply it is usually several weeks before they do so.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2023 #4

    Some photographs of the situation would help Hobby-non owner engineers make some suggestions.    

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2023 #5

    I used to do business with Germany, their English was a lot better than my German and I think German engineers will be concerned about a parts failure. It might be worth a try. Good luck anyway. smile

  • IanUK
    IanUK Forum Participant Posts: 16
    edited February 2023 #6

    If the Gas struts are closed when the bed is in the down position and open in the up position I would suspect that the bed is fitted with Pull tension gas struts ( these work in the opposite way to conventional struts).

    Have a look at SGS engineering, I have found them most helpful.

  • Camperval
    Camperval Forum Participant Posts: 15
    edited February 2023 #7

    Many thanks for all comments.

    Problem solved!

    Removing the suspended cupboards beneath the bed when it is raised exposes the struts in the extended position!

    Just to confirm that the struts are not pull tension ones as one might indeed have reasonably thought would be the case.The struts compress as the bed is lowered and then use a leverage arrangement to assist raising the bed back up again.

    Having said that, the struts still needed compressing by a centimetre or so for fitting, even when the fittings were exposed in the extended position. This is because the nearest length of correct pressure strut I could get from SGS engineering was slightly too long. However I managed to compress them this small amount using a ratchet strap. The correct struts purchased from Hobby were unbelievably expensive but “only” £50 quid each from SGS.

    Bloody awful job all round!

     

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