DIY Bed Lift for Van or Camper | Happijac Alternative
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 มิ.ย. 2024
- We converted a cargo trailer into a beautiful travel trailer / DIY camper! In this video we take a look at the electric bed lift that we designed from the ground up.
We hope you enjoy this video and learn something along the way. For full details, helpful how-to’s, and in-depth build guides, check out our website and start your own DIY cargo trailer camper conversion!
🛒 Products used in this video (affiliate links):
Actuators: www.firgelliauto.com/products...
Control board: www.firgelliauto.com/products...
Switch: www.firgelliauto.com/products...
Brackets: www.firgelliauto.com/products...
Feet: www.firgelliauto.com/products...
Wiring: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
Tracks: www.homedepot.com/p/Superstru...
Trolleys: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09...
Other Great Bed Videos:
Ladi & Margaret: • How to Build $140 Moto...
Brian Rogers: • Cargo to Camper Conver...
Don'sDoItYourself: • Cargo Trailer Camper C...
🥼🩺 ABOUT US
Corey's a doctor. Cait's a therapist. In our free time, we have a thousand hobbies. Follow along and learn something new as we navigate the insane life that is balancing work and play. Subscribe for more videos on DIY, cargo trailer conversion, build videos, camping, and learning new hobbies and skills.
💻 Our website: diycargotrailer.com
📸 Follow us on Instagram: / docnmental
💡 TOPICS IN THIS VIDEO 💡
0:00 - Intro
2:39 - Showcase
3:40 - Timing
4:14 - Lighting
7:06 - Control Board
10:19 - Cost & Parts
10:40 - Parts
12:12 - Final thoughts
🔎 HASHTAGS 🔎
#cargotrailer
#cargotrailerconversion
#cargocamperconversion
#tinyhome
#camper
#diycamper
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completely awesome. 1 tip to save money. that 200lb rating is for dynamic loads, meaning weight that it's actually lifting. as long as your static load rating is less than the total amount that will be resting on it when it's not in motion, you don't need to spend all that extra money. for instance, 100 lbs of dynamic force is 180lbs of static force. as long as the amount of weight on it when at it's stopping point is less that 180x4, then you can get a lower dynamic. hope that helps with cost saving in the future. really great job. saved a ton of money.
I was thinking the same thing. When it's in the up position it's only having to support the weight of the bed. When it's in the down position the bed itself can sit on those bolts that he put through the track. So the linear lifts are only ever supporting or having to lift the actual weight of the bed. You could even add bolts or pins through the track underneath the carriage wheels when it's in the up position just for safety. And you can also drill holes in the track about halfway down for pins in case if you wanted to put the bed halfway down so somebody could lay on the bed and somebody else could still access the table area.
A ratchet system on the rail like a car 4 post lift would be good, then you could could also put a cup and socket at the top of the actuator so they are totally disconnected in the up position and no load put on the actuators,
Thks for getting straight to the build in your videos! Great idea! Very nice!
Thank you for sharing! I've been waiting for these bed videos. I'm building a utility trailer slide in and will be using this concept to raise and lower the roof so I have a lower height during towing.
Thank you for showing so much detail on a project you worked so hard on! Saving this video for reference for when i get to that stage in my build.
Great bed. Thanks for sharing your build and providing your researched sources!
Corey, you are simply fantastic. Thank you for being so kind in showing us your skills.
Looking forward to the part two of this with the DIY explained. Subscribed!
That moss wall is freaking banger 🔥❤️
Thank your for your generosity with your time, research, wisdom and downloads! You have given me more hope that I can do this!! Gratitude!!!
Thanks for the details! I've been looking for an alternative and the other videos didn't quite tell you how it all is put together, more of the what. I appreciate the knowledge 🙏🏾
Great job I have been doing research to build the exact same bed in a van. You gave me the information I will need to complete my project.
Thank you for the details and even going into the online shopping site going through the products you bought. You made things very easy for us to do. You did a great job with your bed.
I am very much impressed. That's a great solution to the problem. Congratulations and keep up the good work 👍
That’s pretty neat. Total fan of ceiling & murphy beds for build. Just makes so much sense for dual use spaces. Imagine the weight savings if the bed frame and slats were aluminum.
Excellent job. Best DIY I seen on bed lifts. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you liked it!
You did great with this project. Good job
What an awesome build Corey! Thank you for sharing and doing a detailed explanation of how you did it. I'm in the process of creating a bed system in my trailer and I think you just solved my Delima. Thanks again.
Thank you so much for the details on how to make it work.
Thank you so much! I'm going without the actuator and electronics for the but thanks for the tracks idea!! It's exactly what I was looking for. I'll just have to manually lift it for now.
Exactly the solution i'm looking for. Great video 👌 thanks a lot man
Amazing video! Thank you for sharing. It is obvious that you are a good guy. Keep up the good work!
I was planning the exact same thing except with a garage door opener type lift system. I think I like this better.
Thank you for sharing , I've been wanting to install a bed like this on my 23' class c rv, I'm getting to old to jump up on the cabover bed, and this would be fabulous, for us old folks.
Thank you man I was worried how I was going to do this in my van and you made it really easy. you just gained a subscriber
A very nice design. To refine it you could install simple magnetic switches as up and down limit-switches and connect them with a DPDT toggle switch so you don't need to babysit the bed when it's moving.
Great idea, can't wait to see how to build it.
This looks amazing! Brilliant
That is super cool. Yes - you definitely want to use electrical actuators. I used pneumatic for mine. Got it to work but I had to use a few flow control and one-way valves to get the pressure leveled. Anyway - nice work - nice video!
Excellent.
Please direct me to the second video on micro aspects of this DIY bed lift.
Nice job. Thanks for sharing
Awesome job, man. Really great quality.
Much appreciated!
Your are chancing people life, good stuff in here
Corey!!! Thank you for an excellent video ... I was thinking that there had to be a system like this, and that HJ couldn't be the only thing available ... its not easily available in the UK at all.
I think you may just have solved a big design problem for me ❤
Cheers!!!
Just such a great video. Thanks from uk
Very cool build!
Well done! Thanks for sharing.
Really nice solution!
Merci beaucoup! This is very well appreciated thanks for all of it.
Thanks so much for this!subbed in appreciation.
I was thinking about hiding the actuators away but wow the chrome looks really Trick here!
this is the best DIY execution of this i have seen. Very clean! I do wish it was a bit faster but flipping a switch and letting it go while you do other things isnt bad. Great job!!
Awesome soution! well done 👏
You. Are. My. Hero.
Really neat project 👌. I'm going for a non electric version for my studio apartment (not a car so I can use iron and balance weights). But I'm definitely building something like this if I ever build a campervan..
Did you end up making a manual version?
Great video, thank you.
Any chance you could go into more detail about the aluminum frame, trolleys, and upright tracks?
If you wanted to build a televator for your TV in your countertop, you could use the 2 actuator system for that.
Check out Suspa Movotec. That’s what I use in my 80/20 table lift designs. They have many sizes and all come with 4 lifting cylinders, a motor controller, a switch, the appropriate motor/pump.
I made brackets that the switch and cylinders mount to that then mount to the extrusions
Upon further inspection, the lift system you are using seems to be bigger than the Suspa Movotecs I use. However, they have other lift systems
I need to check out HappiJac and Firgelli
Interesting DIY, and thanks for sharing your solution.
One piece of advice from a professional communicator/consultant: many people have developed a bad habit of saying, "right" after every other sentence or so. It immediately detracts from everything else that is said by the speaker (right?) and it makes the speaker sound unsure of themselves, which is the opposite of what they want (right?). If you can get rid of that unfortunate speech habit, your communication and presentations will be next-level!
Yep!
Great work buddy. Really nice to let ppl know where to get all the items 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Is there a second video of the nitty gritty of physical install ?
a winch does wonders!!
Very nice. Use Ropes and Pulleys to save electricity. It doesn’t matter if it is not balanced going up and down. As long it is fine when on the roof and settled down flat and square on the benches underneath 😊😊
lol i used ropes and pulleys but after about 6 months of pulling it manually i put a 2000lb ATV winch in to lift it....10/10 improvement
Thank you! Awesome
Thanks for the information provided in your video. Yes, HappiJac is expensive and I also looked into linear actuators for my tiny house bed lift but I soon realized that the travel distance of linear actuators is limited (30 inches in your design) however HappiJac can travel from floor to ceiling. Thanks again...
ives seen up to 1000mm stroke length on aliexpress
Great video thanks for sharing do you have a full parts list for the rails etc
You're a genius.
great job
Brilliant video bud you have got more specific info on the track roller and bolts etc list of parts I would need many thanks
Thank you so much for this video. This is exactly what I had in mind but was confused about how to go about it. One quick question please : is it possible to configure the system to have the option to a single switch connected to a sync system has you described, and also, or alternatively (but having both options would be nice) to control each actuator independently ? The reason would be to level the bed to a possibly inclined parking spot after the bed is brought down by the single synchronized switch.
Thanks again.
Andre
Amazing video thank you so much for making it, I have one question please.
When it comes to wiring do you need 4 core or 5 core? And would 14amps be substantial or would you go for 16.5amps?
Inspiring ! 💕
Well done
Soo sick!
this is wonderful this System can be used for a floor to celling bed?
Thank you!!
this is cool. have you thought about using only one actuator on one corner and and use a pulley system for the other 3 corners? I would still keep the track on all 4 sides. i mean.. the actuator can actually hold 200lb. this is just for lifting/lowering an empty bed. use the track to actually hold it when they are in position with the metal pin.
Very cool! Did you ever make the 2nd build video?
Bad ass man bravo
Great build! About the a/c? What you think about using it in a semi? To reduce idling. You think it would keep up?
Hi, great project, can you get the synchronising controller on its own? I’ve bought the actuators but still need the controller.thanks
Nice job! What supports the weight when stopped? is their a brake on the linear tracks/wheel carts or is there some kind of mechanism in the actuator? Or is it just a hard mechanical stop?
That's a really tidy solution.
I like it. 👍
Good idea with bed lift , I too have put a lot of thought into bed rise & fall; have you ever thought of a counterweight system like say in ‘tiny house -Denis Daigle’ but in a van . Would take away the need for electricity, although I d split the weight equally either side to distribute weight! Also ‘BA Backwater’ was another inspiration. Your thoughts would be good?? 🏴🏴
Thank, I believe you, I'm going to avoid the 100's of hours and take your advise!!
We need part 2 please!
really coo! nice work. you have the precise up/down times figured out, SO: slap on an electronic timer switch in place of that latch switch, and add a kill switch on the wall *just beyond* your desired (and timed) high/low points. circuit kill switch would only trip if any part of the beds electric system went awry. in addition, you could put up a bike bell or something that will alert you when you are in the last x amount of seconds if you want to be extra safe.
i thought you had done something similar for the lights above the bed. there was a moment in the video when the bed reached a certain height in your demonstration, and the lights above the bed went out as it reached the top. I was wondering if this was something you added intentionally, to protect your bedsheets from the heat of the led lights etc. which led me to thinking about the bed auto shut off.
again, excellent work, you got my mind cooking with gas now.
Simply wiring those wires from the rocker switch to go via an upper limit switch and a lower limit switch would be the best way. Then he could set it to raise/lower and forget about it. Easy.
Great job on this bed lift. And great detail shared. Appreciate it. The controller seems to do very well managing all 4 actuators perfectly together. Are you also able to independently drive the actuators if the van is on an unlevel surface? Was thinking it would be cool to adjust the bed leveling vs. leveling the entire van. Also, I noticed a warning on the controller website that states if power is lost to the controller that the actuators need to be disconnected and recalibrated. Is this true and have you run into this issue? Thanks!
Do they advise on how to recalibrate?
Hi could provide some measurements, so I can get a rough guide as to the resulting bed lift you did? What was the height from the floor when the bed was at its lowest? and when it was completely raised? many thanks, great job by the the way.
So smart🎉
nice build! you mentioned having to watch and wait by your switch, but they have internal limit switches which shut off the actuators. or do you have to much actuation? i reviewed their website, but couldnt find and extentions. i suppose someone could make some. hey, looking forward to seeing the build. i really need some form of bed lift. id have so much more usable room. im done with pieced together mattresses. theyre never comfortable.
Nice!
Nice design and execution. I've been wondering how to keep the bed laterally stable and the use of the track and trolley cars looks great. When the bed is all the way down is it resting on the furniture or supported by the actuators? Also, do you have a link for the extrusion you used for the frame? Thanks!
Something you could also use to address both lifting and a literal track system is using a track linear actuator.
A 40" stroke that holds 150 lbs is $208. That's just 1 quick google search so prices may vary, market conditions blah blah blah. 30" are $183 and same weight.
Running an additional support on the ends attached to the actuators should help distribute weight. Another option would be using 2 more tracks in the middle on both ends totaling 6. Ideas and options are honestly limitless. Just the time and money.
Great video and thank you!
Edit: The Firgelli had track actuators as well, up to 600 lbs for $250. Once you hit 200 lbs the cost went up.
Hello to you I am writing to you from Quebec, Canada and just like you I am looking at how to raise my bed to the ceiling in my trailer that I am to fit out to slide my motorcycle underneath when moving. I find your system very ingenious, but have difficulty finding actuators that lift so high. Do you have a mark to give me so that I try to find an equivalent here in Quebec ??? Thanks in advance and keep up the good work
Linear actuators have built in sensors so wire them into the most basic of controller and you don't need to watch it, it will just stop when it is open or closed
Did you ever post the "how-to-build" video for the bed lift you mentioned? I can't find it. Thanks!
I had considered doing the exact same thing but using a winch (or two). I ended up going with a murphy-bed, instead. Nice work overall. Your build is much cleaner than mine. I'm curious to know about how the trailer behaves when towing it - with all that weight up high. Noticed anything odd?
I keep it in lowered position while towing! Handles great
Super bed solution, i am from Netherlands and i already build same design with actuators but without tracks and everything is not stable. so I want use tracks , which tracks did you use? Dimensions ? Can you pls send me Product link of track? Thank you and best regards
Great Video. Do you think you could have used 2 actuators instead of 4? I was thinking you could place them at the middle of each end rather than the corners.
Nope! I tried that. It doesn't travel upward correctly and gets hung up in the rails.
What are you going to do if one of motors will malfunction? Can you change the state of the bed manually?
You were able to connect all the actuators into one switch? Also, do you think you could have gotten away with 150 pound actuators since it wouldn’t be lifted or lowered with body weight on it?
Thanks! Just what I paid as looking for! Just subscribed! I am doing a conversation also
If I were to make a bunk bed, how would the lift be supported midway?
Awesome Job. I was planning something like this for a different project a while back. The longest actuators Firgelli seem to have is 30-inches, your's seem a lot longer. Are they 30 inch?
If you look at about 12 min mark says he got the 30” ones
Great build just curious how much did you spend on it?
Wonder if you could go with 2 actuators? one on each side.....
I dig your guys' build! Did you weigh it before and after the conversion? I'm wondering if I can build out a 1,300lb (dry) trailer and stay under my broncos tow rating of 2,000lbs
The short answer is no. For example, my IceCo fridge weighs 55lbs…empty. My full size mattress weighs 57lbs…no sheet or pillows or bed for that matter. My countertops, 14’ of them weigh 150lbs. They are butcher block and you can go lighter than these. My point is flooring, windows, light fixtures, components, batteries, toilets, showers, cabinets, stoves, sinks…they all weigh and all added up they weigh a lot. Then you have water, food, clothes, camp chairs, tables, hammocks, awnings, rugs, and all the stuff you want to use outside when you get somewhere. I couldn’t stay under 3500lbs and realized a double axle trailer was the way to go.
Now, anything is possible but I just can’t see 700lbs being anywhere near realistic when you pull out the scale and the calculator.
My 26 gallon water tank weighs 15lbs empty. Full it weighs well over 200lbs.
Again, you can go ultra light and meet that goal but not by doing a full buildout anything remotely similar to what they’ve done here.
What are the tracks the bed is running on ? Been searching everywhere for options but am stumped.
I like that you used an up down switch that you just flip. With the others I've seen, they have to hold the button to move it up or down which must be annoying.
Getting a somewhat unclear response from Firgelli on this: Can you just stop the Actuator any height you want via the switch? They are saying you need an external limit switch to stop anywhere except top/bottom of stroke. Also....if you can stop it anywhere with the swtich (without the external limit switches) ---is it rated for static load at all positions?