On our new Elddis Chatsworth 550 (for which read Avante apparently), we have had to make a warranty claim from Glossop Caravans for replacement gas struts on the double island bed, as the bed will not stay raised on its own. If you remove all the bedding, duvet, pillows etc., and with the frame pushed right in at the front, it can just about hold its own weight when raised, but only just. So I have ordered a pair of replacement struts, of which only one has been delivered, another one on the way (for some reason they thought only one was fitted!). My question is, do other Elddis Avante owners have the same problem? Only the struts are rather spindly and do not seem fit for purpose, and after struggling to fit the replacements, I don't want to find it's exactly the same as before. Obviously this may be a minor issue for some, but due to a rather poor amount of storage space on this new caravan we use the under-bed storage rather a lot. And are there alternative struts that would do the job better?
Elddis Avante Island Bed Support Struts
- Thread starter john080347
- Start date
We have the opposite problem with the bed on our Lunar. This needs weighted down when travelling or it flies up! Like everything on the caravans even the things that look costly are generally just cheaply made.
We use owned a Elddis Crusader that had a fixed bed ours must have heavy duty gas Struts because we use to lift it up with bedding duvet and pillows on with no issues ..
This made me smile, as I had an image of you being launched out of bed in the middle of the night when you turned over - rather like a medieval trebuchet! Maybe we could swap struts then?
Hmm, I think the new models may have cheaper versions of the struts; according to the markings, they come from Slovakia and don't seem very solid. Also, the Hypnos mattress (optional extra) may be heavier than the standard one, but the struts should still be able to cope.
Hi Can you go back to the dealer and see if you can get some heavy duty gas struts and then it should hold all the time seeing it on warranty
Considering the problems I've had just getting replacements for the standard items from Glossop Caravans, I think it highly unlikely that they would even entertain the idea of providing me with heavy duty struts; in any case, it sounds like Elddis themselves should provide them direct to me, as they obviously specified the type of strut in the first place. At the moment it's just a question of waiting to see if the replacement ones are any better (when the second one finally arrives!), but I'm not optimistic.
We have the same issue with our island bed on our Cruiser. Also magnet to hold bed in place while travelling very weak so bought a heavy duty magnet which now does the job.
For struts have a look here. https://www.sgs-engineering.com/gs6-15-220-250
For struts have a look here. https://www.sgs-engineering.com/gs6-15-220-250
Thanks for that, much appreciated. I have checked the web site and just need to work out how to measure the force required to lift the bed in Newtons! I guess I can use a bathroom scales and convert it.
i would it be better putting some better ones on your new caravan at least the island bed would be sorted.
Just to conclude tis thread, I can report the following...
1. After a great deal of chasing, I finally received 2 new (replacement) struts from Glossop Caravans, and they were no better than the originals. I have now given up trying to get any sense out of Glossop Caravans, and indirectly, the manufacturers Elddis.
2. I contacted SGS Engineering who supply struts to any specification, but you do need to provide the exact figures for the size and type of strut, and importantly, the pressure in Newtons. Surprisingly the salesman at SGS had no idea how to calculate the Newtons required, but the SGS web site has a section which gives you the method for doing it yourself: https://www.sgs-engineering.com/help-advice/how-to-calculate-the-force-required-for-a-gas-strut/
3. Long story short, the struts I ordered were not quite powerful enough and had to be sent back to SGS to be uprated to 475 Newtons (originals were 300 Ntns), a service offered for free apart from postage. Struts cost £50, return postage another £10.
4. Now they are fitted, the bed will lift and stay up with mattress, topper, and bedding - just. I think the struts might have needed 500 Ntns,
So, if anyone is in the same position, I can recommend SGS providing you can give them the entire specification, and I have learned a lot about the mechanics of moment about a pivot!
1. After a great deal of chasing, I finally received 2 new (replacement) struts from Glossop Caravans, and they were no better than the originals. I have now given up trying to get any sense out of Glossop Caravans, and indirectly, the manufacturers Elddis.
2. I contacted SGS Engineering who supply struts to any specification, but you do need to provide the exact figures for the size and type of strut, and importantly, the pressure in Newtons. Surprisingly the salesman at SGS had no idea how to calculate the Newtons required, but the SGS web site has a section which gives you the method for doing it yourself: https://www.sgs-engineering.com/help-advice/how-to-calculate-the-force-required-for-a-gas-strut/
3. Long story short, the struts I ordered were not quite powerful enough and had to be sent back to SGS to be uprated to 475 Newtons (originals were 300 Ntns), a service offered for free apart from postage. Struts cost £50, return postage another £10.
4. Now they are fitted, the bed will lift and stay up with mattress, topper, and bedding - just. I think the struts might have needed 500 Ntns,
So, if anyone is in the same position, I can recommend SGS providing you can give them the entire specification, and I have learned a lot about the mechanics of moment about a pivot!
What you need to be careful of is the bed lifting while travelling if he pressue is not correct.
Or as above ejector system. Think I'll stick with using my head as reserve prop. Or a stick.
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