Side fold futon or rear to front tri fold bed??

[mischko]

I started with a bed across the back and up high enough to stack two crates tall beneath it. My van is a Chevy Astro van and it is too narrow to stretch out on. After trying to sleep on that a few times, I changed my bed to up the driver's side. My mattress is 25 in wide and 72 in long, trifold. If I were shorter and the across the back version would have worked I would have kept it because it gives you a lot of open space up front rather than along the side which I think is a better way to go. I attached my bed to the side of the van by pop riveting aluminum angle to the metal wall of the van and threaded the angle so that I could bolt plywood to it. On the other side I threaded another piece of angle angle and attached the other side of the plywood to that along with supports going down to the floor also made of aluminum. Pop rivets and aluminum are fantastic to build with.

 

[LargeMarge]

...planning... build in my 94 G20 eclipse and need some advice...travel with a 70 lb pit and a 100 lb pyrenees so what's really in my mind is whats gonna be more comfy for them when the bed isn't down?!...

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a)
I think your foundation is flawed.
You are attempting to create three dimensions on a two dimensional sheet of paper.
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Semi-retired welder-fabricator here.
In the shop, we constantly build full-size cardboard mock-ups to verify fit, access, interference.
The system transfers to designing a rig interior.
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b)
If I was me, I would start with the safety and comfort of the canine herd:
* traveling, where are they safest in a wreck
* parked, where are they comfortable
* food and water storage
* adequate responder alerts posted on the rig exterior in case of an unattended fire... or your disability.
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c)
Glancing at your designs, I think you are trying to carry everything you might need, and trying to make everything fit.
Based on your herd plus your bed preference, might a bigger vehicle be appropriate?
A trailer for the peripheral gear?
A live-aboard trailer with the dog-stuff in the van?
And I wonder about the spiritual well-being of your companions in the labyrinth you envision... (not good nor bad, just wondering).
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Our hx:
After a half-century of make-do camping in lesser rigs, in 2003, we built our ExpeditionVehicle with a permanent bed, ready for an afternoon 'nap'.
We would be 'inconvenienced' -- interrupting or trimming our 'nap' -- to deconstruct and re-build half the rig each time.
Not every reader of this forum would agree with nor require our impromptu 'down-time', but we get 'tired' often and need our 'rest'.
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PS:
We travel with three Heelers.
If anybody suggests we pare our numbers, they have zero clue about what we are about.

 

[LargeMarge]

It's not a Murphy's, I've...a short top...

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Although a traditional Murphy bed usually hinges near the foot, it can hinge sideways... 'Pullman' style.

 

[thebarefootbadger]

I think my last van had what yours does, they called it a "jack-knife sofa". Looked good, seemed like a very practical setup. Turned out to be uncomfortable and too narrow as a couch, and uncomfortable and too wide as a bed. Yay. I don't blame you for wanting to be rid of it.

I have been considering buying something like this folding chair-bed. For something that needs to be assembled every night it seems really simple and would fit easily into the open space. I don't know if this particular one is any good, it weighs practically nothing. My main concern is that I do want something snuggly and comfortable to sit on, I spend more time than I would have expected curled up in my little nest. If I'm going to roll off it every time I try to put my feet up, that's not going to work at all.

I also have a camping cot similar to this one. Again, super lightweight. It's no good as a chair, but to me it's very comfortable as a bed, doesn't require more than a small pad. Since it's a pain to put together, if I were in a full sized van I'd find a place to store it assembled.

 

[Zerpersande]

I have been considering buying something like this folding chair-bed.

And…. it’s not currently available. The idea seems good though. Here in Japan the HOUSES have space limitations. I need to head to a few ‘home centers’ for some ideas. Thanks for the kickstarter.

 

[dreamrunnerjt]

I am sure I have seen similar things on Amazon or Walmart when college days start. Have seen many make your own YouTubes.

 

[Happy Camper]

Just moving away from the bed that came with the van conversion will give you more space underneath for storage and the dogs. I had one also. While convenient, it was made for part time camping. It wouldn't be my first choice of bed.

If you even had the same sized bed made with raise plywood, you'd find yourself in a much better position for the three if you. Also consider where your dogs will want to hang out when you're driving. If they had some space under the bed, they might like that. If so, that's less bed space you have to account for.

 

[that420vanchick]

Just moving away from the bed that came with the van conversion will give you more space underneath for storage and the dogs. I had one also. While convenient, it was made for part time camping. It wouldn't be my first choice of bed.

If you even had the same sized bed made with raise plywood, you'd find yourself in a much better position for the three if you. Also consider where your dogs will want to hang out when you're driving. If they had some space under the bed, they might like that. If so, that's less bed space you have to account for.

Great advice! I'm actually planning to build a space for the dogs were the center console would be which was where the TV/VCR combo lived when I got her. It's gonna serve as storage and have a 2step design so my big ol Pyrenees can keep her hips comfy! They both like to rude up front with me so I might even design it so a surface space would flip over to test on the passenger seat making a little mini bench seat for them to share.

You're 100% right on the over engineering of those beds though....sheesh! Plus, an actuator or something went out on mine like a year ago so the dogs function doesn't even work and all the bulky eject m components are so hard in the way

 

[LargeMarge]

... They both like to rude up front with me...

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For the 'next-level' in rude:
* try trucker air-horns
* or a locomotive whistle.
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For our ExpeditionVehicle -- to encourage slacker pedestrians -- we are thinking of mounting a 'moose-basher' set of massive steel hardware to the front of the rig...
...an accessory to ye olde locomotive horne.
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Although you could splurge around six grand for the super-deluxe, I like the 'King 3':
https://hornblasters.com/collections/train-horns.
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An aside:
That is the new 'ring-tone' on my telephone.
True fact.