Underbed storage access

[Malco]

Originally Posted by campnqueen

Hey Y'all, it's been awhile.

Okay so we have this 2010 Graywolf 19RR toy hauler.
The spear tire is under the front bed compartment...not a big deal.

However.. there is sooooo much extra space under the bed to store those little things we just "HAVE" to have when you travel...
you know.. the "stuff" you need but not everyday.

The plywood lifts up (bed mattress sits on top) but it is unwieldy and very heavy for anyone to lift with one hand,
and fish out whatever it is you need from the compartment with the other hand.

I don't think gas struts will actually hold the bed up very well, while you get whatever it is you are looking for.
(not to mention how many times I have hit my head on the plywood)

So my thought is to cut out a large section of the finish board that is covering the frame...
add some reinforcing framing and a hinged door that swings out...in order to get to the under bed compartment.

Has anyone out there done this?
If so ...where did you find a cabinet door that matches the wood finish in the camper
and how did you finish the edge of the framing around the door opening?

If anyone has done this....please send details and some photos.
Your thought and comment are welcomed.

I am in the construction business,and if you take one of your doors into a building center that sells cabinets they will be able to get you a door that matches very closely,if not exactly,the style and color of your door.As for the opening,if the door is a surface mount and not recessed,all you will have to do is cut a hole about 3/4 of an inch smaller both ways than the outside diameter of the door you get and probably add some support to the inside of the storage space along the edges of the opening.Then mount the door with similar hinges to the outside of the opening.
On the other hand our trailer has gas struts that hold the bed up and they make lifting the bed very easy but when you put the bed down it takes quite a bit of force to close it.Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

[F and E Damp]

Lift the bed up in the middle of the end that rises using a fish scale or a luggage scale. Then you know how much lift you need. Get lifting units that give that much force (divided by two if you're going to put one each side)at about 1/3 of the way from closed

If you have on-board compressed air, a couple of air cylinders would do the job. Not sure I'd get into hydraulics, but maybe even a couple of electric jacks would work.

After moving from a Class C to a basement model Class A we've got more storage volume that we know what to do with, so under the QS bed isn't used for much. Two bays under the floor are empty.