7'*18' V-Nose Cargo Trailer Toy Hauler Conversion

[flboy]

I bought #14 wood screws and am going to countersink.

Hank, the vertical load of the deployed bed will be supported by a horizontal rails the bed will rest on. The strut rails are suppose to serve as guides only and hold the weight of the empty bed when in the up position. I am not sure the metal studs are goung to line up right, and they are P-hat.. so a very small target on the inside anyhow. I think several screws into the plywood sides on each rail will be more than strong enough ( I hope so).


The gas struts theoretically should help control the travel and provide some tension in motion. We'll see. I may have to modify as I go.

Thanks for the input guys. Appreciate them.

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[flboy]

Tried the countersink on a test piece. Works great. Going with that.



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[McDave]

Perfection!

McDave

[flboy]

Got the struts and trolleys all assembled. It took me a while and some elbow grease to drill 20 holes and countersinks in these with a hand drill. Now I got to go out to the CTC and mount these. Then the bed platform build starts.



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[flboy]

This is as far as I got today. I had to go over to a friends and install a garbage disposal for him. I should finish this up tomorrow as I just have to frame and build the platform which is the easy part.

The rails are installed. I'll install a horizontal rail between the two struts that will hold the load of the bed and etc.. I want to get the bed on there and get a feel for how high I can go and still be comfortable. I only need 4' to clear my motorcycles (where it is at now)... but I'd like more to be able to set under the loft when the bed is deployed.



View from the front of the rails.



This L-Bracket is where the bed platform will attach to the lift trolley in all 4 corners.



I just cut and set the outer 2*4's on there while I size things up.




I'll need to drill 2 holes deep enough to inset the bolt into the 2*4 so it will be flush with the bracket. Also, doubling up the 2*4's on the outer for strength. I'll add the cross members and put the 3/4" decking on tomorrow.

[McDave]

Boy, it looks real good so far. Should be able to use bed without removing bikes, and with just a foot or so of lift you could have your sitting/lounging area. I think you have got her on the run Don. Very Nice.

McDave

[flboy]

Thanks McDave.

Well,I have the bed built, but I have problems. The bed does go up, but it has to go up very evenly in all four corners or it will bind. The gas struts were too strong (100lbs each) and I bent one bringing the bed down. I am going to try 50lb. struts to see if that works better.

For now, I think I am going to raise it 12 inches and leave it deployed. Plenty of room with 5 ft. under the bed for the bikes (and getting in and out) and lounging room. I think 30 inches is plenty of height for the bed. Where it is now, I can sit up in bed.

I get in the bed now and it is very sturdy just hitting the stops on the rails, but I will put a stop bar at 5’ on each side until I get the struts sorted out or go to a pulley system.

I like though. It still have to go through and do the final paint (especially the ceiling where I have been covering countersunk screws up with Spackle... but I am going to use it a few times before I do that.









I have a ladder coming tomorrow for getting in and out. It is a 5 footer.. so that will go well with my intent to raise the bed.

]

[McDave]

I wonder if struts above and below would be of any advantage. Say for example #75 below and #50 above? Sort of a push/pull system. The hard part is get all 4 corners sync-ed up. This is where the cable/pulley system may have the advantage. Or with two people to lift evenly?
Do you know the weight approx.?

McDave

[Padilen]

You don't need countersunk screws! The trollies ride on the outside lip. Unistrut or super strut as labeled in big box stores, is for buss ducts - which is horizontal. I used 1/4-28 bolts in mine tapping all of my mounting holes. In my current build I used self drilling /tapping hex head screws.
CORRECTION
You used a different style than I have used.
So with this style
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KQOB7DY/re ... 2545385952
Counter sinking isn't needed.

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[flboy]

Padilen, I can see where the type of trolley you used would not need screws to be counter sunk. The one's I have really do... no other way given almost zero clearance for the trolley plate.

[Padilen]

I posted before the pic's opened. So then my post was on a different page. By the time I went back your pic opened and I saw I was wrong. The middle plate on the style you used would hit. But instead of deleting my post I did a correction. That way others could see both styles.
I'm having issues with my second build. Weather has been too cold. It's warmed up now, but the bed is just to big for me to handle with my physical issues.

Merry Christmas


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[flboy]

I posted before the pic's opened. So then my post was on a different page. By the time I went back your pic opened and I saw I was wrong. The middle plate on the style you used would hit. But instead of deleting my post I did a correction. That way others could see both styles.
I'm having issues with my second build. Weather has been too cold. It's warmed up now, but the bed is just to big for me to handle with my physical issues.

Merry Christmas


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How does your bed work? Pictures? It has warmed up here too (like it ever got cold).... suppose to be 80F on Christmas tomorrow.

Mine is too heavy too lift by one person also as it has to be even or it will bind. I have ordered some 40# gas struts to see if they work better than the 100# ones I bent (too strong to pull down well). The gas struts are just to assist the lift and hold it up so it can be pinned in place. If that does not work, I'll have to design a pulley and cable system... but honestly, if the bed works good with 5' of clearance below and is comfortable up top, I may just leave it that way. I did buy the trailer with an extra 1.5 ft. in height (7.5 ft. total) with the bed in mind. The idea was to be able to get the bikes in and out and have sitting room below. If I can do that with the bed in one place, there is really no need to move it up and down all the time.. We'll see. I am leaving my options opened since I went to the trouble of building the tracks.

[flboy]

I wonder if struts above and below would be of any advantage. Say for example #75 below and #50 above? Sort of a push/pull system. The hard part is get all 4 corners sync-ed up. This is where the cable/pulley system may have the advantage. Or with two people to lift evenly?
Do you know the weight approx.?

McDave

McDave.. I think I need enough lift to offset the weight just enough for one person to guide evenly without too much effort. The 100lb (200lb total) struts I had to put my full weight on to even begin to move downward. Way too big for the job. I ordered 2 40 pounders to see if that will work. The bed is essentially the weight of ~6 2*4's and a sheet of 3/4" plywood. It has to be somewhere between 100 and 120 lbs.. I could have gotten 2 60 pounders.. but I am afraid the initial stiffness and angle will cause them to bend also if the strut does not start to compress easily enough. That is what happened with the 100 pounders. One side started to compress and the other bent due to me putting uneven weight to try to bring it down.

It may be some trial an error until I get it right. As I said in an earlier post. I may just leave it a 5ft. and call it done also.

[Hader]

Don,
Merry Christmas.

Your thread is the most popular one that is viewed by more members of the forum! Please allow me to use it in Wishing all a Very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous Happy New Year. to all.

[sleepsontoilet]

Do you have a link with the price and dimensions of these? Mine came with a free 42 gallon tank, but it's size is gonna be too awkward to fit how I'd like it to.

I got them on Ebay back in April. They are 33Gal. tanks. I bought them from Seller: classacustoms. At the time, I bought 2 for $74.75 ea. with free shipping.

Description: 33 Gallon Fresh Water Holding Tank for RV Camper Trailer Marine Concession 33-TK
Measurements for Tank: (+/- .25" on each measurement)
36" Longest Length (not including fittings) X 12" X 17 3/4" (rotate the tank to change height or width)

Here is the link, but it says 0 available.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/33-Gallon-Fresh ... 7675.l2557


I hope this helps. Good luck.

I appreciate the help, i started searching the web and found ppl was running a sale through the 23rd. Snagged up a 42 gallon fresh water tank from ppl motorhomes today on sale for $84. They were at least $100 less than several I saw online, plus it's just a 45 minute drive.