# Overcab bed struts



## BriTali (Sep 9, 2014)

My recently acquired 1999 A Class Pilote Galaxy 270 has the usual over drop down bed over the cab. When I bought it the bed had no duvets pillows etc, and was reasonably easy to lift. Not that she tried it but I think my wife could have lifted it. Now I find increasingly heavier to lift to, to the extent that I have to adopt a weight lifters 'press' pose to achieve the lift.
Anyone out there found a solution to this, I'm sure, common problem?
Replacing the struts is an obvious but how to test the existing ones?
Is it possible to fit a motorised system? if so, how difficult and costly?
Any advice welcome


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

BriTali said:


> My recently acquired 1999 A Class Pilote Galaxy 270 has the usual over drop down bed over the cab. When I bought it the bed had no duvets pillows etc, and was reasonably easy to lift. Not that she tried it but I think my wife could have lifted it. Now I find increasingly heavier to lift to, to the extent that I have to adopt a weight lifters 'press' pose to achieve the lift.
> Anyone out there found a solution to this, I'm sure, common problem?
> Replacing the struts is an obvious but how to test the existing ones?
> Is it possible to fit a motorised system? if so, how difficult and costly?
> Any advice welcome


Hi, all things are possible, testing would need an original make and type of course to compare, but if you remove one, it should be just about impossible to compress.

There might be a part number you can google.


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

You have just described a worn out strut.
They both need replacing.
Link http://www.sgs-engineering.com/

There is probably a number on them it was on mine when I replaced them, I had to use a small mirror though.

Some have compressed and taken them off and compressed new ones and put back , with bed in down position.

I did mine with bed in the up position with the struts extended, which is how the new ones arrive. I removed the wrap around curtain that is fixed to cab and bed for easier access.
I used side door for one side, took off the end furthest way from windscreen, dropped be down so that it rested on front seats climbed up, took front one off.
On with the new, screen end first, bed up and 2nd one on, done through the door opening.

2nd side was done through the sliding window obviously for the one furthest away from screen, and repeat procedure.

It is important to get the right "newton metre" strut, don,t guess, if the figure is too high you will not be able to pull the bed down! Too low no improvement.

It is a bit fiddly and you may have to make a small adjustment to the bed position to line up/align the strut holes.

But a massive improvement

Ian

I


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## BriTali (Sep 9, 2014)

Thanks Ian for your reply. The struts are Lift-o-mat with this number 085553 1700N 053/99 D01. Presumably the 1700N is the Newtons and the 053/99 is the age of the M/H. The compressed length is approx 365mm. The strut is well above the window top so I think the bed will have to be unbolted and dropped down to allow access to the windscreen end which is a split pin attachment, (the top is a nut and bolt). Does any of this make sense to you? 
Brian


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## A14GAS (Oct 9, 2014)

Hi BriTali,we have the same problem as you and same motorhome but v plate 2000.
I bought from a dealer approx a year ago and when trying bed with just the original mattress on it seemed moderately easy to lift.
Once we had added a lightweight foam mattress topper,duvet and pillows you need to as you describe adopt a power lifting stance and have the strength of two men to lift it.
Took if back to the dealer without duvet and topper etc and they deemed it to be ok.
I explained when I added the extras if became really hard to lift and they said that was the problem as it was not designed to lift the extra weight of the mattress topper.
Would like to hear your outcome if you do decide to change the struts as I feel mine must have the same problem as yours.
Alex.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Would it be possible to add a adapter plate, and use two per side, maybe that would cure it, and do the ironing too.


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## A14GAS (Oct 9, 2014)

Sounds a good idea,wish I had the necessary know how to do it,


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

A14GAS said:


> Sounds a good idea,wish I had the necessary know how to do it,


Plenty of fabrication shops would do it for a beer voucher or two.


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

BriTali
I suggest you have a word with SGS re numbers and confirm which strut is the one for you number on the link I gave you.
Mine was a Hymer strut 1700N was also lift o mat but ref was 3571LY see link http://www.sgs-engineering.com/nl5008-motorhome-bed-gas-strut

Both of my ends were split pin retained.

To put simply after taking off surround curtain I lowered bed, and worked on one side at a time. I removed split pin from end away from screen whilst the bed was down, with bed in up position I prised it off the "spronk"
it then simply hung down, I then lowered bed and took off front one, it was not under pressure, as it was fully extended. I made sure that bed was supported from underneath as a precaution.

Then new one was replaced like this. With bed down I put it on the spronk one closest to the screen 1st ,because it is the hardest part to reach with bed up, So placed it on, split pin in.. Bed up, rear lined up on spronk split pin in, job done.

Move to other side and repeat.

Ian


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Another thread here
http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/49-tech-mech-chat/77181-replacing-gas-struts-drop-down-bed.html


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## BriTali (Sep 9, 2014)

Hello again Ian, I,m making progress with your help and also Kev n Liz and Alex. SGS cannot identify my struts from my numbers but can test and possibly regas the struts or match them if they are to far gone. However Billingham Group at Rotherham have identified them and are going to quote for replacements.
Alex is suggesting that I think about increasing the force to account for the bedding weight but you warned against too high a force rating!
I'm inclined to stock with the original, I cant't believe an allowance was not made for a reasonable weight of bedding.
All comments welcome and thanks for all of you for your interest
Brian


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

Brian,

I think you will find that new struts will handle the exra weight.
The old ones are worn out

Ian


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## BriTali (Sep 9, 2014)

Ian and other strut followers, Ive tried to upload photos of my attempt to remove strut, three times without success. I give up!
Any way up, I tried to follow your instructions, Ian but having removed split pin from windscreen end and nut for other end, with bed in down position, I raised bed and propped it to give minimum gap for access, the strut was still tight on the locating spindle. Even with only a foot lower than the completely up posision the spring was still in tension. I did'nt dare force it off because the thought of compressing a new strut in the limited access was frightening.
In my M/H there is no access from beneath unless I remove the fiberglass cowling under the bed.
Any ideas anyone?
Brian


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