bed lift kit question - Journey

Jupiter · 04-10-2013, 10:18 PM

I recently purchased the bed lift kit from Camping World for the queen size sleep number in our 39K Journey. I wanted to take advantage of more storage space without taking screws out of the frame to lift the bed.

I'm impressed. The lift kit came with very good illustrated instruction, was easy to install, and works great. The kit even included the plywood blocks! The bed raises with a slight nudge from two fingers!

Now... here's my question for the panel of experts. The only clear area for storage is on the right half of the floor where there are no moving hydraulic components, wiring, etc. But, there is a rather large opening in the floor (see picture) leading down to the electrical compartment. I'm wondering what the purpose of the opening is? Access to the wiring and components? Ventilation for the inverter? I'm thinking that it's just to access wiring other components, but I don't want to arbitrarily position a storage container over the opening if it is in fact to help ventilate the electrical compartment.

All comments / thoughts welcomed

cheers,
Joopy

Deucenut · 04-10-2013, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jupiter

I recently purchased the bed lift kit from Camping World for the queen size sleep number in our 39K Journey. I wanted to take advantage of more storage space without taking screws out of the frame to lift the bed.

I'm impressed. The lift kit came with very good illustrated instruction, was easy to install, and works great. The kit even included the plywood blocks! The bed raises with a slight nudge from two fingers!

Now... here's my question for the panel of experts. The only clear area for storage is on the right half of the floor where there are no moving hydraulics components, wiring, etc. But, there is a rather large opening in the floor (see picture) leading down to the electrical compartment. I'm wondering what the purpose of the opening is? Access to the wiring and components? Ventilation for the inverter? I'm thinking that it's just to access wiring other components, but I don't want to arbitrarily position a storage container over the opening if it is in fact to help ventilate the electrical compartment.

All comments / thoughts welcomed

cheers,
Joopy

I'm not sure what the opening is for.....I have a 39K as well. What year is yours? I looked under our bed and it is all flat. I didn't think there was any storage under it.

Jupiter · 04-10-2013, 10:34 PM

Same as yours, Duecenut. 05'. The hole appears to be a factory cut with clean, precise edges and round corners. Go figure. I'm assuming you have the same equipment load in your electrical bay below, i.e.- inverter heat load?

SVTotem · 04-11-2013, 07:07 AM

Jupiter,

Our 39k is identical except the hole is covered with a metal grid to keep critters out or perhaps things from falling through into the electrical bay. It was my understanding from talking to others that this is for ventilation. Temps in that bay can get quite high. A friend who upgraded to a larger inverter has even added a fan to the base of the bed to pull heat out of the compartment via that vent.

1ciderdog · 04-11-2013, 09:56 AM

The opening on my 39K is on the left side of the middle track. I thought the opening was to allow warm air to the water side of the electric/water bay to help prevent freezing in cold weather. The lift kit is a very good idea - I might add one on mine.

1ciderdog · 04-11-2013, 11:16 AM

Jupiter, I see camping world has standard size and large size. Which did you use?

Jupiter · 04-11-2013, 05:38 PM

Thanks for the responses, guys. I was surprised that there wasn't mesh over the opening if for no other reason than to serve as a critter barrier. I suspected that ventilation may be the reason because the electrical bay, particularly the inverter/charger fan, puts out a good bit of heat at times.

I think what I'll do is place a raised cage over the opening (maybe around 3") so I can still place plastic storage containers over the opening without choking off the ventilation.

Ciderdog, I used the standard size for a queen bed. See photo.

cheers,
Joopy

1ciderdog · 04-11-2013, 06:07 PM

[QUOTE=Jupiter;

Ciderdog, I used the standard size for a queen bed. See photo.

cheers,
Joopy[/QUOTE]

Thanks
Bob

doorguy · 04-11-2013, 10:14 PM

Joopy, I want to copy you, but I went to C.W. today and they had some other brand that was for cargo bay doors AND bed lifts, but not the same packaging as you display in your pic. Did you buy it at a C.W. store or their website? The website does not have that particular item, but other ones which I am skeptical of.

Deucenut · 04-11-2013, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doorguy

Joopy, I want to copy you, but I went to C.W. today and they had some other brand that was for cargo bay doors AND bed lifts, but not the same packaging as you display in your pic. Did you buy it at a C.W. store or their website? The website does not have that particular item, but other ones which I am skeptical of.

I did a search on CW website and found it...Internet sale has it for $38.79

Jupiter · 04-13-2013, 07:29 AM

Yup... got it online via the internet sale.

skigramp · 04-13-2013, 11:40 AM

Thanks for the posts guys ... I see some of these struts in my future.

Our rig is a 39W ... I am quite sure the bedroom configuration is the same as your 39K

I converted the area under the bed to storage several years ago but did not know about the struts ... I will be installing some of those soon ... I have been lifting and holding the bed up with "sticks"

I can answer the question about the "hole" in the floor ... that is the source for the heat to the electrical / water bay .... I travel in cold weather sometimes ... when I open that bay door I can feel warm air on my face ... it comes from that hole.

If anyone wants to see the modifications that I have made for storage under the bed ( some of the storage is accessible only by lifitng the bed and some is accessible from the side of the bed) ... send me a private message with your email address and I will send you the pictures ...

doorguy · 04-14-2013, 05:15 PM

Well, this is interesting. I went to the Camping World store and they don't have the same box that Jupiter shows in the pic. They have a green/black/white box labled HATCHLIFT.COM and it is sub-labled as a Bedlift Kit Standard. I installed according to directions(very easy, by the way) and it does indeed make the lifting of the bed a snap but it does not hold the bed in up position. I faxed a letter to Hatchlift in Denver explaining the outcome. My question to them was: Do I have the right kit? And also, I described the box Jupiter has and I asked them if I order the CW kit on line, do I get the same one he has? Am awaiting a reply, but today being Sunday, I'll have to wait till tomorrow. I'll keep you all posted.

Old Snipe · 04-14-2013, 06:25 PM

I have the 39K as well and the opening is to vent the heat from the electrical compartment below.

There is no grating over the hole because the bed board is screwed down from the factory. I removed the screws and left them out to be able to lift the bed. I'm thinking the screws were such to prevent the space from being used for storage.

I appreciate the info on the lift kit, I'm getting one. I was thinking about doing this and having a pre-engineered kit is icing on the cake.

Best Regards!

Jupiter · 04-14-2013, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doorguy

Well, this is interesting. I went to the Camping World store and they don't have the same box that Jupiter shows in the pic. They have a green/black/white box labled HATCHLIFT.COM and it is sub-labled as a Bedlift Kit Standard. I installed according to directions(very easy, by the way) and it does indeed make the lifting of the bed a snap but it does not hold the bed in up position. I faxed a letter to Hatchlift in Denver explaining the outcome. My question to them was: Do I have the right kit? And also, I described the box Jupiter has and I asked them if I order the CW kit on line, do I get the same one he has? Am awaiting a reply, but today being Sunday, I'll have to wait till tomorrow. I'll keep you all posted.

Sorry to hear that, Barry. My lift kit arms are quite strong and easily hold the bed in place. In fact I was concerned that the bed may even raise on its own when hitting rough road surfaces, so I was actually considering a hold down latch. However, we camped over the weekend and realized that with all the bedding in place, the bed stays lowered just fine. No hold down required.

Thanks again for all the commentary about heat dissipation. Sounds convincing to me.

cheers,
Joopy

doorguy · 04-20-2013, 06:07 PM

Well, I got the problem resolved with my bedlift kit that I posted in post #13. I faxed the Hatchlift Co. explaining my situation and Gary Neff was kind enough to call me and he immediately decided I needed the Bedlift Kit "Large". The standard kit comes with 90lb springs and the large, 120lbs. He shipped me two of the 120lb springs pronto and I replaced them and all is good. Bed is very easy to raise and it stays up when lifted. All he asked was that I return the 90lb springs which I will do on Monday.

Gary was very helpful on the phone and although I bought the kit at C. World, he could have told me to return it to them and get the "large" kit which meant I would have had to unscrew everything, box it back up and return it. However, he didn't and solved the problem himself with minimal effort on my part. I was duly impressed with his customer service.

So, at least in the 39K, the "large" kit is required (I have the Sleep Number bed, with an electric blanket, a small wool blanket and a light bedspread).

Jupiter · 04-21-2013, 04:38 PM

Barry,

Glad you were able to correct the install. Always a pleasure to experience quality customer service! My "bed kit" springs were not marked in terms of identifying spring rating, so based on your info, I'm assuming mine are also 120lb. springs.

FWIW - in my original post I mentioned the hole in the floor which most folks agree that it provides ventilation from the electrical bay, particularly the inverter. I built a 2" raised wooden frame covered with 1/4" hardware screen sized to fill the entire half of the bed floor. Now it should be possible to place plastic storage containers on top of the screen and still maintain plenty of ventilation.

cheers,
Joopy