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I haven't been very active posting my build, but I was finally able to sleep in the van over the weekend at a bike event. I actually slept in the parking lot of the hotel, while my riding mates had paid rooms. I got to use the bed for the first time and use the van for it's main purpose, transporting bikes inside!
Here are some pics of the drawer and bed....
The Drawer:
I used two 60" drawer slides rated at 500lbs (although I would never test this limit). The drawer is 3/4 maple ply (47"x62") with FRP applied to the top side to enable easy cleanup of bike grease. I mounted 4 standard QR fork mounts (https://www.mec.ca/en/product/4008-579/Claw-Fork-Mount) (after removing the through axle type shown in a few pics) and have ordered 4 adapters (https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5048-203/Fork-Adapter) to allow 15mm through axle bikes to be mounted. The drawer itself uses 3x3" aluminum as the frame bolted to the plywood. The drawer slides lock in the closed and extended position but can't be removed like a kitchen drawer. Instead I made the drawer bottom removable with a few bolts and rivnuts in the aluminum frame. When the bed is up I can walk on the closed drawer, it's very strong!
Here is a link to the slides http://truck-hardware.orrorr.com/item/drawer-slides/s-heavy-duty-lock-in-lock-out-full-extension-slide/h-8570
The Bed:
I built the bed frame out of the same 3"x3" aluminum angle brackets bolted in each corner with 4 bolts. I used the ikea centre rail that many have used, and two ikea bed slats. The mattress is an 8" memory foam ikea mattress in size double (54x74"). I considered by the happijac bed lift but decided I could create something similar for much cheaper, and with a smaller footprint. I used 4 of these (https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/latch-spring-assembly/A-p8650913e) to lock the bed in the down and up positions. I simply unlock the two latches at one end and then raise or lower the end, then I come around and do the other end. It's doable with one person, but better with two. I will eventually add a third option that allows me to have the bed about 8" higher than the lowest position so I can mount my road bike without removing the saddle. The current height from the lowest position to the drawer floor is 33", even my bike road bike (size 61cm) can fit with the saddle removed. This gives me about 30" headroom above the bed to ceiling.
Thoughts?
Here are some pics of the drawer and bed....
The Drawer:
I used two 60" drawer slides rated at 500lbs (although I would never test this limit). The drawer is 3/4 maple ply (47"x62") with FRP applied to the top side to enable easy cleanup of bike grease. I mounted 4 standard QR fork mounts (https://www.mec.ca/en/product/4008-579/Claw-Fork-Mount) (after removing the through axle type shown in a few pics) and have ordered 4 adapters (https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5048-203/Fork-Adapter) to allow 15mm through axle bikes to be mounted. The drawer itself uses 3x3" aluminum as the frame bolted to the plywood. The drawer slides lock in the closed and extended position but can't be removed like a kitchen drawer. Instead I made the drawer bottom removable with a few bolts and rivnuts in the aluminum frame. When the bed is up I can walk on the closed drawer, it's very strong!
Here is a link to the slides http://truck-hardware.orrorr.com/item/drawer-slides/s-heavy-duty-lock-in-lock-out-full-extension-slide/h-8570
The Bed:
I built the bed frame out of the same 3"x3" aluminum angle brackets bolted in each corner with 4 bolts. I used the ikea centre rail that many have used, and two ikea bed slats. The mattress is an 8" memory foam ikea mattress in size double (54x74"). I considered by the happijac bed lift but decided I could create something similar for much cheaper, and with a smaller footprint. I used 4 of these (https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/latch-spring-assembly/A-p8650913e) to lock the bed in the down and up positions. I simply unlock the two latches at one end and then raise or lower the end, then I come around and do the other end. It's doable with one person, but better with two. I will eventually add a third option that allows me to have the bed about 8" higher than the lowest position so I can mount my road bike without removing the saddle. The current height from the lowest position to the drawer floor is 33", even my bike road bike (size 61cm) can fit with the saddle removed. This gives me about 30" headroom above the bed to ceiling.
Thoughts?
