Help me design a better bed for my van?

[Naio]

I might have time to build something in the near future, or, if not, I can figure out what to do when I do have the time.

My current bed works well, but it weighs something and I need to lighten my van.

What I have now is metal frame from a large drafting table, 2" or so tubular steel with telescoping legs, and 3/4" plywood on top (with numerous holes).

A key feature is the telescoping legs, which allow me to level the bed. It's difficult, though, so what I do is load the van, level the bed, and then not change it until I reload the van. (Campsite leveling I do with blocks under the wheels or, for longer term, jack stands.)

I dunno if it's a function of the small size of my van, but even with the rear wheels within 40lbs of each other on the scale, I needed to raise one end of the bed an inch to get near level.

Ideally, I would have a bed that was lightweight and EASY to level, and I might just never level the whole van :). Can I get 4 tiny jacks somewhere?

[DrewE]

Naio wrote:
Thank you, folks, for all the creative ideas!

...

The cabinet levelers turn with a wrench, yes? Very creative, but hard on the hands and hard to make space around each one for wrenching. Is there such thing as an open-ended wrench attachment for a socket set ratchet handle? That could be easier.

I think they adjust by sticking a screwdriver or allen wrench or some other pointy rod in the holes at the foot part and using that to turn it. I haven't actually seen or used them myself to be completely sure, but that's how I understand the description (and the pictures).

[Naio]

MrWizard wrote:
"The cabinet levelers turn with a wrench, yes? Very creative, but hard on the hands and hard to make space around each one for wrenching. Is there such thing as an open-ended wrench attachment for a socket set ratchet handle? That could be easier."

yes..its called a crows foot
i don't think it would help much, you still have to pull it off the NUT each turn

Right! I don't know what I was thinking.

Awesome tool knowledge you got, though :).

[MrWizard]

"The cabinet levelers turn with a wrench, yes? Very creative, but hard on the hands and hard to make space around each one for wrenching. Is there such thing as an open-ended wrench attachment for a socket set ratchet handle? That could be easier."

yes..its called a crows foot
i don't think it would help much, you still have to pull it off the NUT each turn

they come is different sizes or sets

[Naio]

Thank you, folks, for all the creative ideas!

Trying to answer everyone's comments and questions here:

I hesitate to change mattresses because my back is very picky and likes this one. And it hates memory foam :).

Futons are extremely heavy. Cotton weighs more than foam.

My current system uses friction for the leveling adjustments. The difficulty comes in because lifting the plywood, foam, and bedding is hard -- that's what made me think I wanted some sort of jacks (not jack STANDS, coolmom42).

But it's true, if I had canvas or 3/8" plywood it would be easier to lift!

The cabinet levelers turn with a wrench, yes? Very creative, but hard on the hands and hard to make space around each one for wrenching. Is there such thing as an open-ended wrench attachment for a socket set ratchet handle? That could be easier.

Why does it matter if it's an inch off level? The van is small -- If my head is an inch down I wake up every 15 minutes like clockwork, all night, with my neck kinked at a weird angle and my head mushed against the window. I scoot down as far as possible.. and wake up 15 minutes later, in the same scrunch against the glass.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

FRAME. Canvas, heavy, stretched tight. Top with custom do it yourself 2" memory foam* or 2" of gel memory foam if it gets down to <60F during the winter. Bring Mohammad to mountain not other way round. Use a bullseye level and wedges for the wheels.

Cheap! Buy half thickness memory foam and double it. Tip A thin piece of wood panel atop the canvas stops butt-sags cold.

[Harvey51]

A box spring is quite light. Not very compact, though.

[coolmom42]

Switch to 3/8" plywood. Glue a stiffener strip of 1 X 4 down the center. Cut some squares off the 1 x 4 and glue in each corner. Put a layer of HYPERVENT under the mattress. Get 4 of THESE JACKS and use them to level each corner.

[westend]

Lightest? Get a cot or hammock. If you use a cot, you can level it with small pieces of plywood or similar. If you make an index hole in the center of your plywood pieces, the cot leg, and the floor, a dowel will keep everything from moving around. Hammocks are self-leveling.

[GordonThree]

Just curious, why is dead level so important? being an inch off seems little to worry about.

[MrWizard]

Futon ?

air shocks or air bags, for leveling the Van

just because the weight is equal, doesn't mean the suspension is doing an equal job all the away around

[TucsonJim]

How about changing the mattress to an air mattress in order to really lighten it up?

[DrewE]

Easy lightening: replace the 3/4" plywood with 3/8" plywood or canvas like a cot...or perhaps hardware cloth (wire mesh).

One possibility for a hight adjustable post might be to cannibalize some PA speaker stands. I don't know that it would be much if any lighter than your current setup. These usually, at least the lower-end ones, have a sort of friction clamp system to keep the position, often with a cross pin for added safety. I'd look for used ones on craigslist or ebay or wherever, rather than paying lots for new ones.

Other possibilities for height adjustment: these cabinet levelers (with about a 2" adjustment range, which may be insufficient) or this piano stool lead screw (which looks promising but awfully expensive).