This is my first post so I hope I haven't placed it in the wrong area.
We are about to buy a second hand van and the mattress in it is a 'pillow-top'. The gas struts for the bed frame, they drop a little if you lift the frame say 60% of the way but seem to hold when the bed frame is pushed as high as it can go.
Before signing the contract the salesman pointed out how lovely the mattress is but I pointed out that the struts drop a little which he said that will be checked (can't remember the term he used, when the work shop check it over). I said I would want them replaced which he said again it will be looked at in the check-over.
When I signed the contract, I noticed that he used the words "Struts under bed - check tension". I reminded him about when we inspected it I wanted the struts replaced only for him to say "the mattress isn't standard and because it is a pillow-top, is heavier and replacing the struts may cause the screws holding the struts to the bed base, to "tear out".
My questions are;
Shouldn't the business ensure that the bed is correct for the frame/struts and point that out at the sales pitch inspection?
Does anyone know where to find the original mattress make/model especially the weight when the van is first built? I rang a Jayco dealer in SA and they said they wouldn't know where to find that out.
I think you will find that struts are not made to hold the bed up at any height except for when totally up at full extension.
If you are concerned about it dropping then get something to prop the bed up when you require it to stay up as a safety stop, much like a car bonnet support.
I use a long enough piece of PVC pipe to prop up the bed in conjunction with the struts to hold the bed up, a bit of timber dowel or similar will do the same job.
We also have a pillow topper on a non standard mattress and have no problem with the above method, just make sense to be smart about being under struts of any kind.
Thanks for the reply, I understand to always be cautious of things that can fall down, but other new and 2nd hand vans I looked at, the struts were firm and there was no sag of any kind at any angle where I stopped lifting (except of course lower than say 30 degrees).
I would think there should be some record of a vans original factory fit out that I could refer to especially in regard to what the salesman is telling me that pillow-top mattresses are heavier than standard, but what is standard?
if the mattress has been replaced with a heavier one then the struts may not be strong enough to support the bed but you can get stronger struts.
My previous van (not Jayco) had struts which had pulled the mounting screws from the struts with the standard mattress and it was a very easy fix to fit a piece of wood inside the bed base to support larger screws. Took me about half an hour.
It is a second hand van and the seller can probably just sell it as is, however it would be much better for the dealer / customer relationship for them to fix the struts.
I did read that Jayco changed their mattress supplier a few years ago to one of a lesser quality so the salesman may have been correct in telling you the mattress is a better one.
You would probably need to find a van of the same model and age to compare the two mattresses.
You might try phoning the Jayco factory in Victoria but I wouldnt be holding my breath.
On another note we bought a new Jayco last year and the mattress in it is terrible. We bought a pillow top overlay for it to make it much more comfortable.
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The mattress supplied with Jayco vans when new is something you dont need to experiance, the topper mattress will be far more comfortable and as said by others use an additional support under the bed to hold it up,we do.
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Steve, The struts on my Jayco Discovery's bed actually broke the plywood supporting bedside. - I would suggest you reinforce the area where struts are mounted and replace struts with some with more strength. Struts are not expensive in comparison to replacing the sides of bed side support.
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With our van, the bed frame hinges let go, probably the power of the struts was too much for them. Ended up making up much stronger hinges. Can provide more info if required.
