Lift Assists on an old Grandby?

[blinca]

Hi,

I'm a new member and was lucky enough to obtain a previously well-loved FWC Grandby. It even came with a truck!
Anyways, it's an old 1987 or so and the truck is an '86 Ford F150.
I'm in the process of providing it some well-needed TLC which involves a good re-do of the interior. The exterior is pretty good and only a few things need to be taken care of out there, but nothing urgent.

The overhead bed will need some work in the future as it is a bit saggy with the particle board that was used. But that, too is for another day.

Right now, I cannot lift the entire top. I can get the back up without a problem as I'm standing right under it. I cannot get the front up though. The wire rod is very flimsy and not up to the task. Also, I can't really get up there to help out any as the bed extends into the living space by a few feet. The bed extension hinges, but it looks like it hinges up. I'm not sure how it's supposed to work right yet. Also, if I could get up there, I'd certainly get squashed.

I've read on this forum about lift assists which are available, however, they seem to be best suited for the newer models which have the sliding bed extension that would be out of the way when they are installed. Would those lift assists work with the older camper bed and how?

Has anyone done it on an older camper? I did not see any mention of this.
Also, anyone out there with the same year camper? I did not take any "before" pics.

Thanks for any help. Other ideas to get the top up may help, but that rod that came with it is useless and looks about to break.

Thanks,
B.L>

 

[Phil]

Hi BL

Sounds like a rusty hinge in the front.Get someone at the outside front and push up the top as you push up on the inside. I don't see why the lifter struts won't work. My buddy has a 1988 and I put struts on his.

MXVP

 

[Desert Rancher]

Right now, I cannot lift the entire top. I can get the back up without a problem as I'm standing right under it. I cannot get the front up though. The wire rod is very flimsy and not up to the task. Also, I can't really get up there to help out any as the bed extends into the living space by a few feet. The bed extension hinges, but it looks like it hinges up. I'm not sure how it's supposed to work right yet. Also, if I could get up there, I'd certainly get squashed.

Thanks,
B.L>


The bed section folds down. There s/b support posts on each side of the bed that support it. They fold towards the front and allow the bed to swing down.
The roof must be pushed upwards by hand. The wire rod is there only to lock the roof into place, it's not really to be used for lifting.

I have an '86 Grandby.

 

[blinca]

The bed section folds down. There s/b support posts on each side of the bed that support it. They fold towards the front and allow the bed to swing down.
The roof must be pushed upwards by hand. The wire rod is there only to lock the roof into place, it's not really to be used for lifting.

I have an '86 Grandby.



What is s/b? My support posts fold into the centre and there are two large metal handles installed on the underside of the bed for some reason. If the bed folded down, one of those handles would puncture the front wall.
The mattress is on that extension as well.

If it works as you say, those handles may have been added by one of the previous owners and could be taken off.
I thought when I tried it, it just sort of hung there. I didn't dare push on it. Perhaps I can try again. What do you do with the mattress when it hinges down?

How does the bed and lifting the top supposed to work then? When the bed is folded down, should I then be able to lift the top?
How does this type of bed work with the lift supports? Where and how do they get installed?

Not having seen one this old in it's original form, I'm kinda flying blind here.

Thanks.

 

[Desert Rancher]

I was wrong. The bed supports swing up towards the center of the bed and then the bed folds down. The mattress extension folds down also and becomes a backrest for the seat. There is a piece of alum. angle that provides a stop so that the handles don't hit the front wall.

Anyways my bed always stays up. I never put it down and I can still lift the roof.
Sorry, I don't have any experience with the lift supports. But I may look into that.
Hope the pics help.

 

[blinca]

I was wrong. The bed supports swing up towards the center of the bed and then the bed folds down. The mattress extension folds down also and becomes a backrest for the seat. There is a piece of alum. angle that provides a stop so that the handles don't hit the front wall.

Anyways my bed always stays up. I never put it down and I can still lift the roof.
Sorry, I don't have any experience with the lift supports. But I may look into that.
Hope the pics help.



Yes, the pics helped. Thanks for those! It looks kinda familiar, except yours is in much better shape than mine is.
I finally got the roof up! Putting the bed down made all the difference! The front was still a little difficult, but I had an extra hand ready to help.
I need to make sure I can put it up on my own, otherwise, there's not much point.
Now I can let things air out up there and assess what needs to be done there.

Since I didn't know how the bed operated, I never put both supports up at the same time.
I removed one of the handles that was in the way and the bed went right down. I now know that the mattress is in two pieces and it would not be left hanging.

Have you ever thought about converting the folding bed to the new slide out version in the newer models? Do you find it gets in the way?

Also, all my screws that are used all have large heads sticking up whic may prevent it from folding completely down. Does yours have the same?

So, I will further think about the lift supports but still amb or sure how they would work with that bed.

Thanks!

 

[Crickert]

Put the lift struts on the outside. They work great!

 

[blinca]

Put the lift struts on the outside. They work great!


Nice pics.
Where is the best place to order the struts? Specs or item number?

I thought that on the outside they would be exposed to the weather and perhaps get dust and dirt in them and make them not work.
How well sealed are they? If I take it into the desert with a dust storm, I need them to keep working afterwards.

Thanks.

 

[ski3pin]

You may have seen it, but much about the lift assist shocks here:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/2974/

Good luck with your project.

 

[blinca]

You may have seen it, but much about the lift assist shocks here:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/2974/

Good luck with your project.



Thanks for that link! I had totally missed that. I just got through reading it all and it has a lot of the info I was looking for.
The thread I had found was way back last December. This one is much better.
I'd like the struts on the inside, as I'm thinking about taking it to the Nevada desert for BurningMan activities, but once I get it all fixed up and pretty, I may not want to take it there afterall...

However, I think I now have all the info. Perhaps I should move any further discussion to that thread?

Thanks so much!

 

[terrisjoy]

Hi,

I'm a new member and was lucky enough to obtain a previously well-loved FWC Grandby. It even came with a truck!
Anyways, it's an old 1987 or so and the truck is an '86 Ford F150.
I'm in the process of providing it some well-needed TLC which involves a good re-do of the interior. The exterior is pretty good and only a few things need to be taken care of out there, but nothing urgent.

The overhead bed will need some work in the future as it is a bit saggy with the particle board that was used. But that, too is for another day.

Right now, I cannot lift the entire top. I can get the back up without a problem as I'm standing right under it. I cannot get the front up though. The wire rod is very flimsy and not up to the task. Also, I can't really get up there to help out any as the bed extends into the living space by a few feet. The bed extension hinges, but it looks like it hinges up. I'm not sure how it's supposed to work right yet. Also, if I could get up there, I'd certainly get squashed.

I've read on this forum about lift assists which are available, however, they seem to be best suited for the newer models which have the sliding bed extension that would be out of the way when they are installed. Would those lift assists work with the older camper bed and how?

Has anyone done it on an older camper? I did not see any mention of this.
Also, anyone out there with the same year camper? I did not take any "before" pics.

Thanks for any help. Other ideas to get the top up may help, but that rod that came with it is useless and looks about to break.

Thanks,
B.L>

 

[terrisjoy]

I had a problem lifting my '05 Hawk a few years ago, I was not aware that the back door had to be open while lifting the camper. At the time it was 24 degrees , in the middle of the night after driving all day so I wasn't thinking clearly. The following morning I called fwc and they told me about the vacumn problem that is created while lifting the camper without the door being open. I am now looking for a lift assist and the one at fwc looks like a good one. Terri