treesner Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 Hey guys building out my van (instagram.com/vanbound) and putting a bed in it. A very annoying thing I’ve always had with sleeping in vans is not being perfectly level. Any ideas on how to make a bed can be adjusted to match the incline you’re on? This is my corner bolt idea (don’t mind the odd shapes scrap plywood). Thought is lift up the top part and spin the bolt on each corner to the height you want then set it back down with the excess bolt going down into the bed frame. Would be worried about the top flexing a lot and not being sturdy/having all the eight on the 4 corner bolts. Might need to make the frame top out of square metal tubbing? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 That seems like a lot of work. Even with coarse thread bolts, that is a lot of wrenching. This is the kind of thing they do for appliances that are “set and forget.” There must be a better way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bankstick Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 Level the van like some campers- put 2x6s under the tires. Plus, every time you park the van, you will have to level it again. Got to bet a better way as mentioned. My parents had a motor home and the electric levelers got a workout at each campsite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 Better to level the vehicle. Grab 4 scisdor jacks and put one under each corner. That's the cheap version of the electric levelers mentioned above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 How about a set of cabinet feet? They have a few inch rise so you can get your hand under, spin up and and down quickly with course threads, locks down easily and they're relatively cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 Cordless drill or impact driver should be considered to speed whatever you decide on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 +1 on levelling the van. Sure, you could level the bed, but anything else in the van would need to deal with being on an incline (might spill, things would roll around, etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 First choice: level the van. Second choice: use Lester's idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 Yeah, level the van. Unless you plan on stealth sleeping in urban areas. If that's your case, then consider leveling one side only of your bed and grab some sleeping pills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Leveling-Blocks-10pk/21907582?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227016815233&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40839803792&wl4=pla-59291748091&wl5=9009705&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=21907582&wl13=&veh=sem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200641764_200641764 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 I like the Lynx Leveling blocks.. Light weight and compact. If you don't want to level the van than why not cut up some different size blocks and shim up the platform . Wouldn't take no time to do. I dont think I would hade a hard time sleeping if the bed was off level unless my head was downward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 When I was active with our Boy Scout troop, we used to do a week long backpacking trip in mountains every Easter vacation week. I remember once we couldn't find a level place anywhere to pitch our tarps. Some of the boys woke up the next morning 15 or 20 feet downhill from their tarps, but still in their sleeping bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 Two trips to the Kalahari bush and I like hammocks now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 I remember sliding a sleeping snoring kid out of the tent and leaving him outside the rest of the night ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 I mean no offense by this but i can't help but wonder what someone alive 500 years ago would think of that video, aside from the obvious "wtf is this black magic box with people trapped inside". I also would level the vehicle, but i can sleep just about anywhere, as long as my head is generally up hill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesner Posted April 25, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 Trying to find a solution other than leveling the van. where I camp it can be muddy and on a hill or on the side of a road on long trips. Would like to figure out how to just level the bed. I wonder if a shim type of thing would work under the bed, would need a way to lock it in so it doesn't slide out though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesner Posted April 25, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 9 hours ago, I B said: I was going down the same path, sort of. Get 4 jacks, bolt them down, and attach a metal frame for the mattress. the one example of a leveling bed was this youtube video and he also used jacks + drill to make t go up and down. how did it work out for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesner Posted April 25, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 11 hours ago, C Shaffer said: That seems like a lot of work. Even with coarse thread bolts, that is a lot of wrenching. This is the kind of thing they do for appliances that are “set and forget.” There must be a better way. my thought is lift up the bed frame top (all the weight off the bolts) and then just freely spin the bolt not having to use a wrench? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 Suspend it from the ceiling, with a line at each corner. I looked for some cheap sailboat blocks with one cam cleat, but couldn't find any. There are other ways to do it from tying knots, to dock cleats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnesota Steve Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 1 hour ago, Tom King said: Suspend it from the ceiling, with a line at each corner. I looked for some cheap sailboat blocks with one cam cleat, but couldn't find any. There are other ways to do it from tying knots, to dock cleats. hanging bed swing... just put each corner on a pulley and you can pull it up for storage underneath. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 25, 2018 Report Share Posted April 25, 2018 The problem I see with using very simple "leveling feet" adjusters under the bed is that they require a rigid bedframe to work, a.k.a. heavy thing to lift in tight quarters. Driving them from above might help. How about this: make the bed frame with a set of arched 'ribs' running down the center in both directions, crossing in the middle. This provides a pivot point in the center. Now attach one screwjack to the side, and one to the end. Each must anchor to the bedframe as well as the floor, so they can pull OR push, as needed. Those two jacks working against a central balance point will let you adjust the tilt in all directions. You can even put on handwheels for turning the jacks. Instant Roubo bedstead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Coop Posted April 26, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted April 26, 2018 I’ve never found an uneven bed at the Hilton. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted April 26, 2018 Report Share Posted April 26, 2018 11 hours ago, K Cooper said: I’ve never found an uneven bed at the Hilton. Rookie, gotta make it uneven first. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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