Replacing rams on A class pull down beds.

[Dave Attridge]

Hi motorhomers little helpers! can you help please.Have just privately purchased a I700BD Frankia A class and one of the bed rams is US.

Question 1,can the ram be replaced with the bed in situ or has the whole thing got to be dismantled ?.

 

Question 2,Is there a propriortory ram supplied by a UK company that will do the job.? I suspect that

 

Hymer probably use the same ram or does anyone know who the German manufacturer is?.

 

Question 3, I would like to do the job myself to keep the costs down.Is it a DIY job?.

Thanks for your consideration I look forward to your replies. Dave.

[pepe63xnotuse]

Sorry,I'm not familar with your van but if you can access the ends of the struts when they are fully extended(and any weight is supported), then I would've thought you'd be able change them with the bed in situ..

 

Hopefully the struts will have some marking/spec on them showing stroke and what "force"(N) they are..if they havn't,you'd probably need to take one off and have a bit of a play... ;-)

 

Knowing how long MH spares can take to arrive,it may be worth making enquiries with someone like these;

 

http://www.gasstruts.co.uk/

 

 

[Barney123]

Hi, yes they can be replaced in situ, but they are a hell of a job for one person (well mine were).

May I suggest you replace both sides as you may find the other one is possibly on its last legs.

You will find a big difference in operating the bed with 2 new ones instead of one new and one old one.

Best of luck

 

[Derek Uzzell]

Dave

 

This is a link to another company that might be useful as it offers a strut 're-gassing' service:

 

http://www.sgs-engineering.com/pages/home

 

Assuming that there are no manufacturer's markings on your Frankia's bed struts, you may be able to identify the maker via a UK Frankia or Pilote dealership. As Frankia is not part of the Hymer Group, it's anybody's guess whether the bed struts will be common to both brands.

 

GOOGLE-ing on "motorhome bed struts" may also prove helpful.

[George Collings]

If you talk to the firms suggested they can proabably match the spec from the numbers on the units.

 

As usual with hydraulic units renew in pairs.

 

Some struts come with a cage that hold the strut closed during fitting but who knows what fun lies in store.

 

I remember reading on one strut manufacturers site that the strut should ideally be horizontal/ vertical in the closed/open position I can't remember which now but one major continental converter found this inconvenient and those vans had a reptation for strut problems. Funny that.