Drop down bed Gas Strut replacement? (1 Viewer)

[CazPaul]

Drop down really hard to get back up, New gas struts needed? Or just tighten boots up holding the bed arms to the van. Anybody changed the gas struts, 2005 concorde concerto, where do you buy replacements, how best to remove them, bed up or down best?

 

[MikeD]

https://www.sgs-engineering.com/gas-struts?msclkid=85c2d4da2b281c1e2cd78f8869b37d35

These people are mean't to be good. The information regarding strength etc is usually written on the strut casing.

 

[jockaneezer]

Just bought two struts from SGS for our wood chipper. They will be able to sort something out for you from the details off your old strut, or they have a drop down table that you can enter your sizes in, the only thing is, they would want to know the force rating (in Newtons) but they do sell adjustable units too.

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[two]

Getting the struts will be the easy part. You'll probably need to remove all the 'curtaining' and, maybe, the bedding to get to the mechanism. The strut needs to be in its extended position when you fit it, which is when the bed is in its uppermost position. Don't try to compress the strut to fit it, or you'll be on a hiding to nothing.

 

[scotjimland]

As said SGS , after removing a strut you can order using the data from it.

To remove strut, bed will have to be fully UP.. (gas struts then fully extended.. ie not compressed)

remove mattress to get the base to max height.. then prop up base with a piece of timber..

the struts should now be fully extended, ie no pressure on them, and easy to remove ..they should feel slack on the bolts.

remove bolt for strut closest to windscreen first .. the rear bolt..

replace in reverse order

 

[CazPaul]

As said SGS , after removing a strut you can order using the data from it.

To remove strut, bed will have to be fully UP.. (gas struts then fully extended.. ie not compressed)

remove mattress to get the base to max height.. then prop up base with a piece of timber..

the struts should now be fully extended, ie no pressure on them, and easy to remove ..they should feel slack on the bolts.

remove bolt for strut closest to windscreen first .. the rear bolt..

replace in reverse order

Thankyou so much Jim, wonderful information in how to do it and the order is needs to be done in. I will print your post out if you don't mind for reference.

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[CazPaul]

As said SGS , after removing a strut you can order using the data from it.

To remove strut, bed will have to be fully UP.. (gas struts then fully extended.. ie not compressed)

remove mattress to get the base to max height.. then prop up base with a piece of timber..

the struts should now be fully extended, ie no pressure on them, and easy to remove ..they should feel slack on the bolts.

remove bolt for strut closest to windscreen first .. the rear bolt..

replace in reverse order

It would be nice to have the type of strut already at hand before taking the old one off, hopefully I can see the writing on them before removing.

 

[Mikeco]

Just make sure that you obtain identical struts both in extended length and pressure.

 

[rangi]

I have posted on here twice how to do it, Strip the bed of Bedding Curtains etc With the bed DOWN loosen the nuts/bolts.
With the Bed UP remove the struts by working by feel from the sides.
With the Bed DOWN fix one end of the struts to the bed harness, may I suggest the Forward end ie nearest the windscreen.
With the bed UP and working again from the side of the bed (you might have to clear a few of trim to clear the way to work!) engage the other end of the strut, you might have to make a slight adjustment to the height of the bed, working by feel! Get at least five or six good full turns of the nut, then lower the bed, low enough for you to see, and tighten up the last few turns from the front of the bed,
NOT the w/screen end you wally, the other end.

On no account try to close the Struts before you try to attach them, because you WILL fail.

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[CazPaul]

I have posted on here twice how to do it, Strip the bed of Bedding Curtains etc With the bed DOWN loosen the nuts/bolts.
With the Bed UP remove the struts by working by feel from the sides.
With the Bed DOWN fix one end of the struts to the bed harness, may I suggest the Forward end ie nearest the windscreen.
With the bed UP and working again from the side of the bed (you might have to clear a few of trim to clear the way to work!) engage the other end of the strut, you might have to make a slight adjustment to the height of the bed, working by feel! Get at least five or six good full turns of the nut, then lower the bed, low enough for you to see, and tighten up the last few turns from the front of the bed,
NOT the w/screen end you wally, the other end.

On no account try to close the Struts before you try to attach them, because you WILL fail.

That's my idea gone astray then, I was thinking after reading Jims post to get the bedding, mattress removed etc and then get the bed firmly propped up and complete the job in its entirety.

 

[two]

Take photos before you disassemble anything, especially if your memory is starting to fade. What, at first, may seem obvious could become obscured in the process of time and any frustration that might ensue.

 

[CazPaul]

Take photos before you disassemble anything, especially if your memory is starting to fade. What, at first, may seem obvious could become obscured in the process of time and any frustration that might ensue.

Yes good idea that, thanks.

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[two]

That's my idea gone astray then, I was thinking after reading Jims post to get the bedding, mattress removed etc and then get the bed firmly propped up and complete the job in its entirety.

I'd see how you go. You will need to prop the bed up. Lowering may provide better access to the awkward bits. The bed needs to be up to complete the task, or you'll be fighting the compression of the struts.

 

[two]

Have bedding ready.
When you've done it all, you may well need a rest!

 

[Crazylegs]

We changed ours with like for like, however the results were disappointing, I should have got the heavy duty ones as we have an aftermarket mattress that is heavier than the original plus we keep a few extra pillows all of which means the standard struts ain’t up to the job.

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[rangi]

As I've already said "Remove bedding and curtains" bedding includes mattress.

By lowering the bed, after the old stays are removed, gives you plenty of space to get the first end on, take that up tight, then slacken off a turn, this gives you a bit of slack for adjusting the stay to fit over the other end WITH THE BED UP. Also as said in my last post fit the final end working by feel, with the bed UP

The bed on our Pilote A class did not require propping up, if yours does by all means do it. You can of course negate the need for a prop by doing only 1 side completely at a time.

It's a simple operation, that can be done easily in a couple of hours, the annoying bit is working blind from the side, it can get a tad cramped.

Bed down , slacken nuts to where the nuts reach the end of the bolts
Bed up, Remove nuts completely , then stay, (here you might have to give a bit of welly)
bed down, attach 1 end of stay (as above)
Bed up attach the other end
Bed down Tighten to finish

Repeat on the other side