Promaster Bed Lift using Linear Actuators

We built a full size bed 75x54 at the back of our 2021 Promaster 2500 159" non-extended
Bed frame is 54"x65" using 2x4s and "Luroy" slats from Ikea. Mattress is a full size Lucid 6" memory foam that we cut down to 65" ( to match the frame) The cut piece is then made into 2 sections, one 4" and one 6".
We used 4 -30" linear actuators from Windy Nation ( www.windynatio...) with the top brackets attached to bed frame and bottom brackets attached to floor system. For stability the actuators are secured to top of benches about 16" from floor.
Actuators are wired together and controlled by up/down switch ( www.amazon.com... )
Thanks for watching.
Questions? Comments?

[@buzzinbee9463]

Brilliantly done. The whole van is the best I have seen to date. I am in awe of your talent and such a beautiful couple. Very very impressive. Enjoy your travels. More videos please on your travels. Many many blessed years to you.

[@ricks.1318]

Hi ... New Subscriber ! You did an AWESOME layout, (especially for a standard length Promaster .... ) The 4 actuators Are BRILLIANT !! (allowing for the "dining area" to be fully functional when the bed is in a raised position ... 2 thumbs UP !! Also like the planning of having an "insulated" bulkhead, with access to/from the drivers compartment !!! You thought this out VERY WELL, ... (BETTER than most other RV builders ..... ) As a carpenter with over 29 years experience, "I take my hat off" to you BOTH ...... Appreciate you sharing your design and ideas, all the way to some personal touches !!

[@TOTALLYRELAXED]

Hi Karen & John! Pretty cool that you have a diner AND a big bed! Ingenious! Since it’ll only be me when I go full time soon the fold down couch into a king size bed in the Pleasureway Lexor TS will be enough for me…after living in a 70 inch deep walk-in sleeper the majority of my 38 year trucking career the van will be like living in a castle! 😂. Thanks for sharing and stay safe! ~Jim~

[@snappycappy27]

Just love your build. Wish I could afford a build out. I’m not physically able to do it myself

[@mission-vanpossible9586]

WOW! Thanks for sharing! I have been wondering exactly how to do this.

[@gordeng4001]

Nice job! Great idea, Smart! Thanks for sharing!

[@Milo19970]

This is awesome! Convinced me to do the same thing. I saw a bed lift for vanlifer's online but those are way too expensive in my opinion.

[@thecorbettchronicles]

Fantastic!!! Thank you for sharing!

[@billchristopher1242]

Brilliant!

[@emilydiamond3128]

Hi there! Did you paint these actuators black or did you buy them that color? If so where from please 😊

[@gregg9135]

Very nice! Have you done a complete van tour?

[@ChrisandNancyTravel]

Is that a bit of 1" black iron pipe that attaches to the top of the actuator going up to the bedframe, or is that the extension from the actuator? GREAT JOB!!!

[@moki888]

Really cool!! Bre all those linear actuators so noisy? Anyway to muffle that down some?

[@ChrisandNancyTravel]

Do you have some sort of limit switch at the top or bottom to prevent it pushing beyond it's limit? Well, the top - as I understand it, you start out w/ the actuator at the bottom.

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

They stop automatically. Build in to the actuators

[@nordicweiss]

Do all four actuators are wired through the 20a rocker switch….does the bed lift pretty symmetrical? I know if load isn’t equal the actuators with higher loads will lift slower.

[@user-ze7tl2dw4i]

how have those windynation actuators held up? any problems with not having hall sensor synchronization?

[@michaelfishkin4332]

Nice

[@Kiterrob]

off subject do you run the propane hot water tank with the doors open? thanks great bed by the way

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

We can. We don’t have to open the doors to run it, though. If we take a shower and run it longer than a few seconds, minutes, we would have the exhaust mode for fan on and rear window open. That takes care of h2o and CO2 byproducts of the combustion.

[@P01N7]

This is great. I'm curious, why haven't you used any vertical rail guides to support/guide maintain the beds position?

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

When bed is up it is firmly up against ceiling. When down it is resting on top of benches. Actuators are secured to floor and bed frame and held in place vertically in place at the top of bench seat about 15” from floor.

[@reycastellanos3955]

Great work! Do you have any trouble with the actuators not synchronizing or staying level? I’ve seeing some people use special control units to keep them level, curious if you are using one and if not, any issues that you’ve noticed?

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

they are all pretty close in terms of speed. Also, when you lower the bed to actuator stop points they all individually turn off resetting the levels even.

[@reycastellanos3955]

@@adventuresingreyce4771 did you wire them in series or parallel?

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

@@reycastellanos3955 parallel

[@beemawootton7947]

Thanks for taking the time to do the video. How did you wire all actuators together and did u use a speed controllers to balance lift speed??

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

Just joined all positives together and all negatives together and then to the powered switch. I did not use a speed controller. All the speeds are similar so there was no issue with one corner being too high or low. When lowering they all seat at their low point and individually shut off automatically.

[@stephenmartin5487]

Hey, Great video! I’m in the process of doing the same here in Australia. I’ve a Fiat Ducato, similar van. Having trouble finding some reasonably priced actuators in the length I’m after which is the same as yours, 30 inch. Also trying to find something that’s not too slow. We’re did you source yours? Heaps of Chinese ones online. Do the actuators travel at the same speed or do you have something to synchronise them? Cheers Steve

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

Hi Steve. I got mine from WindyNation. A little pricier than some on Chinese sites. There is a very slight difference in speed of the 4 I have. They do individually shut off at each low point which will be the level ground for bed mode. So at the high point ( which is not full extension) they may be at different heights. High point will be determined by mattress compression but with our 6” mattress and 4” bed frame allows plenty of head room under bed.

[@ricks.1318]

@@adventuresingreyce4771 AWESOME planning, throughout your van !!!

[@KS-wr8ub]

Very nice build with the actuators! I noticed you’ve screwed down your mattress slats, doesn’t that defeat their purpose of being able to spring? Or have you only screwed them on one side?

[@Milo19970]

It doesn't really matter if you are not to heavy.

[@rickhanson9678]

Love what you have designed with the bed lift/Dining area. I was just wondering if it's possible to put windows behind where you sit in the dining area on both sides where it is indented? (just below your reading lights)... Thanks!

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

Yes we could have put windows in and maybe will in future. I heard there is a long wait to get those windows.

[@lilianesa2485]

Hi! How did you wired them together? Could you make a quick video explaining?

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

1. Place all actuators at their low point 2, wire all positives together and all negatives together. Then wire in DPPT switch. blog.actuonix.com/2017/03/connecting-linear-actuator-to-rocker.html?m=1

[@dawnnelson4602]

Thank you so much for your video!!! Your video has inspired me to do a similar layout. I am running into a issue with my framing. What size boards did you use for framing the wall on the side of the bed? Also, how were you able to secure the wood into the space where the windows would be?

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

Sorry for the late reply. Hopefully you resolved any issues.

[@mission-vanpossible9586]

Hello and thank you for the video. Getting ready to order the actuators from Windy Nation, your video seems to show that you used 3 but the descriptiin has 4. Will 3 be enough using the same build and same 6 inch matress? Also 30 inch actuators I heard you mention but the website has you select "LOTS" and "Mounting Brackets" . I am unsure which to choose for this exact set up, would you please let me know? (Im just learning to build things, so need to copy exactly. Thanks so so much!

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

I used 4 actuators with brackets on both ends. The lower ones attach to floor and uppers to bed frame.

[@mission-vanpossible9586]

@@adventuresingreyce4771 Thank you!

[@kylepaxton431]

I feel like van builds should be designed around standard mattress sizes

[@kimberlyparkerson4530]

You got bed frame from ikea????

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

The slats only. Not the frame. Leroy I think they are called. Frame made from 2x4s and slats were screwed to frame.

[@ricks.1318]

@@adventuresingreyce4771 Bed slats are a "must" in ANY RV bed design .... Ventilation is so important, to prevent mold/mildew from forming ....

[@ericvando]

Synchronization will be an issue leading to tilts and uneven load and can fail. Not worth saving a few bucks and risk your life. Get the hapijac lift instead.

[@adventuresingreyce4771]

It is not an issue. When bed is down all actuators are at their stop point…so even load. Risk life??? Kind of extreme. Hapijac $3000. This one $350. Happijac you have to have bed north-south losing precious inches.

[@ericvando]

@@adventuresingreyce4771 Sorry if I sound too critical. Just looking out for your safety. I am more concern about when it is in the up position where the actuators are fully extended and structurally the weakest. To improve this design, add additional posts at the 4 corners where you can slide in lock pins as a redundant safety system. You can sit under the bed without fear.