Some Bed Platform Support Ideas/Options

altide8

Active member
Here is what I went with. You could use foldable legs. I chose to just use the couch I already had to support the other side. I went with not seat swivels. Very affordable
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Shawn182

Well-known member
I just got the parts for my fixed platform bed above rear garage and about to install...stealing a brilliant idea I saw on a youtube build and adapting to aluminum...using 1 5/8" aluminum slotted strut channel (vs more common steel strut from Home Depot to save weight). Commonly used to attach electrical, plumbing and mechanical to buildings. Much cheaper and stronger than 8020. Stuff is strong as hell. Gonna bolt two strut rails to the van walls with the channel facing inward, then 4 spanning strut runners sit on top of the rails with channel facing down and connect with basic unistrut hardware and corner connectors adding in some rubber spacers to allow a bit of flex. Gonna screw on 1x3 wood slats on the runners with ventilation spacing for mattress. Will hold the entire family and dog with no legs into garage plus provides an entire slot system on the bottom of the bed for mechanical and gear attachment!

Easy peasy. I should be into it for about $300.

Available at McMaster Carr and most electrical supply houses. McMaster has 6' and 6'8" lengths so you can order exactly just what you need and shipping was cheap...usually you have to buy it in 10' chunks.

https://www.mcmaster.com/struts
Dry fit of platform bed complete.

1 5/8" Aluminum Unistrut system which is less than half the weight off steel strut. Attached to side walls with only two RivNuts per side with PVC spacers providing a thermal break and still allows for plenty of flex in the van walls. Ended up with two legs down to deck and the back set bolted all the way to factory floor mount bolts holes vs fabricating more wall mounts and having the bed more rigidly locked to van walls and completely floating. Wound up with a great balance of strength and flexibility. Went with 1x3 poplar for stringers since it is actually lighter than 1/2" ply of same width and I didn't have to rip them.

This thing is rock solid and I placed the stringer struts channels facing down so I now have a complete strut system in entire garage for mounting mechanical and accessories.

May be overkill for some but super happy with outcome so far.

Bed 2.jpg

Bed 1.jpg
 
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Timtim518

New member
Dry fit of platform bed complete.

1 5/8" Aluminum Unistrut system which is less than half the weight off steel strut. Attached to side walls with only two RivNuts per side with PVC spacers providing a thermal break and still allows for plenty of flex in the van walls. Ended up with two legs down to deck and the back set bolted all the way to factory floor mount bolts holes vs fabricating more wall mounts and having the bed more rigidly locked to van walls and completely floating. Wound up with a great balance of strength and flexibility. Went with 1x3 poplar for stringers since it is actually lighter than 1/2" ply of same width and I didn't have to rip them.

This thing is rock solid and I placed the stringer struts channels facing down so I now have a complete strut system in entire garage for mounting mechanical and accessories.

May be overkill for some but super happy with outcome so far.

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Nice job . Definitely strong!
 

SD26

2012 NCV3 3500
Dry fit of platform bed complete.

1 5/8" Aluminum Unistrut system which is less than half the weight off steel strut.
Oh, that looks great!

Do you know what the strength difference is between aluminum and steel Unistrut?
 

220629

Well-known member
Oh, that looks great!

Do you know what the strength difference is between aluminum and steel Unistrut?
That can be found on any Unistrut selection guide.

That said, any strength difference is absolutely not a problem for a loft bed. Even if just using 4 ea. aluminum 1 5/8" Unistrut cross pieces for a queen sized bed it will be overbuilt. If the materials weight is your concern, using ledgers attached directly to the walls are sufficient. No down legs to the floor are needed.

Be prepared for the shock though. The price of the aluminum Unistrut is significantly higher. 1 5/8 can be 80 bucks per length, 13/16" a bit less. Even with aluminum strut I would still use steel connecting angles/components to help to keep the costs down.

Weight savings with steel.
Slotted 14 ga. 1 5/8 x 13/16" strut on edge could be used for cross supports. Again, plenty strong, a bit lighter than 1 5/8 x 1 5/8 standard steel. Less expensive than aluminum.

A P2341L fitting will bolt in the 1 5/8 x 13/16 on edge to a 1 5/8 x 1 5/8 or even a 1 5/8 x 13/16 ledger. Just orient the fitting properly.
https://www.unistrut.us/product-details/p2341

The bolted brackets and thinner 13/16" Unistrut should allow for the "flex" which I feel is needed.

:2cents: vic
 
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Shawn182

Well-known member
Oh, that looks great!

Do you know what the strength difference is between aluminum and steel Unistrut?
Aluminum does have a bit more flex than steel, but as noted, even with aluminum it is still overbuilt for bed stringers. But as I mentioned, that is also going to double as frame for mechanical and cabinets in the garage and now I can drop in an eye bolt and strut nut and have a tie down virtually anywhere in the garage since all the channels are facing inward as well as bolt racks and holders to the bottom of the bed for gear, which is typically a very under utilized space.

Even with aluminum strut I would still use steel connecting angles/components to help to keep the costs down.
Agreed. I did my first round of connectors in aluminum but went back to steel for changes and additions. Weight was negligible but cost was almost triple for connectors and those add up fast. Doing it over again I would do all aluminum strut and all steel connectors.

Be prepared for the shock though. The price of the aluminum Unistrut is significantly higher. 1 5/8 can be 80 bucks per length, 13/16" a bit less.
While that is on par from a local retail store cost for a full 10' stick, I was able to order direct from McMaster Carr online and they sell it in 6', 6'8", and 8' lengths so I was able to order almost exactly what I needed and had only inches of waste rather than feet. A 6' stick was only $35 and they can ship 8' long stock in a cardboard tube via UPS Ground and not have to pay excessive freight or oversized charges. I think I paid like $45 to ship it all. The shipping was way cheaper then paying for the waste since only 10' sticks were available from my local supplier.


Best part of the strut IMO in this application...zero fabrication needed compared to welding or most metal work, the aluminum easily cuts with a metal blade jig saw or sawzall (or standard chop saw with metal blade in my case) and it all bolts together with the strut nuts. Super easy for the DIY build not needing any specialty metal tools and you wind up with rock solid product in the end.
 
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pfflyer

Well-known member
Thanks for the data!

It seems that the price from McMaster isn't so bad...

https://www.mcmaster.com/strut-channel-systems
Most electrical supply houses carry Unistrut as well. I would check out prices with them especially if you don’t have a McMaster location near you to save on freight. Local supply may be more flexible on price if they are higher than McMaster. Most probably won’t have aluminum or Ss channel but can order it and if you can wait to get it, tell them you can wait on a stock order to save on freight.
 

220629

Well-known member
Not that anyone asked...

If Unistrut, Superstrut is the material/system of choice.

Weight is important, but it's not like it's a space shuttle. Aluminum is light and pretty, but it's not going to be seen anyway.

The slotted 1 5/8 x 13/16 channel should be available locally. The weight will be similar to the full sized aluminum. The cost and availability will be much better.

Hell, the 1 5/8 x 13/16 is probably strong enough even when spanned across flat (use regular 90 degree right angle fittings) and 3/8" or 1/2" decking. The 90 degree fittings are cheaper than the special P2341 style. I know that 13/16" channel will still be overbuilt when installed on edge.

To further save cost the cut off pieces from 10 ft lengths obtained locally can be pieced together and attached to the walls to make the ledger.

...

Weight savings with steel.
Slotted 14 ga. 1 5/8 x 13/16" strut on edge could be used for cross supports. Again, plenty strong, a bit lighter than 1 5/8 x 1 5/8 standard steel. Less expensive than aluminum.

A P2341L fitting will bolt in the 1 5/8 x 13/16 on edge to a 1 5/8 x 1 5/8 or even a 1 5/8 x 13/16 ledger. Just orient the fitting properly.
https://www.unistrut.us/product-details/p2341

The bolted brackets and thinner 13/16" Unistrut should allow for the "flex" which I feel is needed.

:2cents: vic
FWIW. vic
 

Lojack72

'02 DIY adventure van, 300K miles (210K by me)
The bed solution for my in-progress '02 158: FedEx shelving from a wrecking yard.

I found these on Craigslist and picked up both sides for $100. The hinge and mounting assemblies are steel, very well built, and have gas struts to hold them upright when folded up. The originals clamp to the roof transition and bolt through the floor, I modified them by welding on tabs to bolt to my L-track and lowering the bottom shelf to allow for 23" wide plywood. I then used Superstrut 90 degree fittings to attach a support strut between brackets. Everything metal got a coat of John Deere Blitz Black, then bolted on 3/4" plywood wrapped in carpet.

Found 4" thick folding mattress on Amazon (Milliard 25" wide tri folding mattress) and use a strap to hold them position, while a body pillow is a simple backrest when used as a bench seat.



My original plan was to make a piece that connected the two sides into a queen bed, but I didn't like crawling into bed or not being able to easily get out the back.



Instead a strap a 4" thick folding mattress onto each (Amazon). Works great as a bench seat, and if I'm sleeping on one then I set up a folding bench next to it & put the body pillow on top so I can stretch out a bit more.

I made the top folding shelves with a folding piano hinge, so when put up I can still access my L-track easily. Folding crates from Sam's Club are secured with a strap around them.



Benefit of this setup is I can always get from the back door to the driver's seat, and can easily change the back to haul cargo without removing anything from the van.
 

homeslice

New member
We have a 144 and still need to occasionally use the rear seat in 3rd row position, but wanted a quick way to set up bed. We made an expandable platform that than compresses to fit behind seat, and easily expands to fit queen size mattress. The idea borrows from AVs Moab Bed, but expands forward and aft. I welded two simple 16 x 66.5" aluminum frames. Then I welded angle on the shorter lateral supports to act as a sliding track for 1" square tubing that serves as a cross bar. I used 1/2" ply and tacked on router guides to cut a serpentine pattern. Each half of the plywood pattern is attached on one frame and one cross bar. When compressed, the width is 34" and the platform fits behind the 3rd row seat. When expanded, the width is about 50". I combine this with a fixed 16" frame to support a queen mattress. The platforms rest on 1" steel tubing and flatbar combo that is mounted to sides of van with plusnuts. I cut a 6" foam mattress from amazon, and made a cover that velcros pieces together. Pictures do a better job of describing set up.
sprinter-bed2.jpg

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sprinter-bed4.jpg

sprinter-bed1.jpg
 

Townie

New member
We have a 144 and still need to occasionally use the rear seat in 3rd row position, but wanted a quick way to set up bed. We made an expandable platform that than compresses to fit behind seat, and easily expands to fit queen size mattress. The idea borrows from AVs Moab Bed, but expands forward and aft. I welded two simple 16 x 66.5" aluminum frames. Then I welded angle on the shorter lateral supports to act as a sliding track for 1" square tubing that serves as a cross bar. I used 1/2" ply and tacked on router guides to cut a serpentine pattern. Each half of the plywood pattern is attached on one frame and one cross bar. When compressed, the width is 34" and the platform fits behind the 3rd row seat. When expanded, the width is about 50". I combine this with a fixed 16" frame to support a queen mattress. The platforms rest on 1" steel tubing and flatbar combo that is mounted to sides of van with plusnuts. I cut a 6" foam mattress from amazon, and made a cover that velcros pieces together. Pictures do a better job of describing set up.
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super interested in your bed design. have you made any changes in the past year? looks like you had to extend the bed rails across the window. do you have any other pics? thank you!
 

melcol

New member
I just got the parts for my fixed platform bed above rear garage and about to install...stealing a brilliant idea I saw on a youtube build and adapting to aluminum...using 1 5/8" aluminum slotted strut channel (vs more common steel strut from Home Depot to save weight). Commonly used to attach electrical, plumbing and mechanical to buildings. Much cheaper and stronger than 8020. Stuff is strong as hell. Gonna bolt two strut rails to the van walls with the channel facing inward, then 4 spanning strut runners sit on top of the rails with channel facing down and connect with basic unistrut hardware and corner connectors adding in some rubber spacers to allow a bit of flex. Gonna screw on 1x3 wood slats on the runners with ventilation spacing for mattress. Will hold the entire family and dog with no legs into garage plus provides an entire slot system on the bottom of the bed for mechanical and gear attachment!

Easy peasy. I should be into it for about $300.

Available at McMaster Carr and most electrical supply houses. McMaster has 6' and 6'8" lengths so you can order exactly just what you need and shipping was cheap...usually you have to buy it in 10' chunks.

https://www.mcmaster.com/struts
Hey Shawn, i know its been awhile since your bed build but do you have any pics or the video that you followed? Thanks so much Melanie
 

Sprinter907

Alaska Sprinter (907van.com)
Unistrut/Superstrut Platflorm
Hi! I grabbed some ideas from this forum about a year ago and decided to go with unistrut/Superstrut for my bed platform. It was an easy and inexpensive path and is working very well. Super flexible for various configurations. I finally did a writeup on my new blog 907van.com. It's an ongoing project (both the van and the blog) so I'll add more details as I find time
 

Attachments

full metal racket

2012 144" High Roof
Unistrut/Superstrut Platflorm
Hi! I grabbed some ideas from this forum about a year ago and decided to go with unistrut/Superstrut for my bed platform. It was an easy and inexpensive path and is working very well. Super flexible for various configurations. I finally did a writeup on my new blog 907van.com. It's an ongoing project (both the van and the blog) so I'll add more details as I find time
What size rivnuts, bolts, and washers did you end up using? I am in the process of building my platform out of unistrut right now. Now I'm thinking about vertical adjustability too...
 

Sprinter907

Alaska Sprinter (907van.com)
What size rivnuts, bolts, and washers did you end up using? I am in the process of building my platform out of unistrut right now. Now I'm thinking about vertical adjustability too...
I used M8 Rivnuts for mounting to the chasis. I also used washers with the M8 bolts since the holes in the struts are fairly large. Unfortunately, I could only find standard-size connectors for the struts so all of those strut-nuts and bolts are 3/8" - (I felt the 1/2" strut-nuts were a bit overkill).
 

220629

Well-known member
I used M8 Rivnuts for mounting to the chasis. I also used washers with the M8 bolts since the holes in the struts are fairly large. Unfortunately, I could only find standard-size connectors for the struts so all of those strut-nuts and bolts are 3/8" - (I felt the 1/2" strut-nuts were a bit overkill).
Strut nuts and fasteners do come in 5/16" and 1/4" bolt sizes, but 3/8" is a fine choice. The 1/2" bolts could support the Queen Mary. I agree about overkill.

:2cents: vic
 

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