HappiJac top bunk as storage?

[Hoopy Frood]

I had read about people doing that and am seriously considering it myself. I, too, carry a Spyder under there, only it's Peggy's and not mine.

[jjbbrewer]

Was that high enough to get the pins back in to support the bed?

My 349M has a different version of the HappiJac that doesn't have pins - it has these little levers that latch or unlatch the top bunk like in this video - https://youtu.be/hzOYUMa-Idk
I did not run it up high enough to snap the latches.

I've hardly ever snapped them since I usually want the bunk to come down. I've transported the ladders, rear table, table legs, folding chairs, bunk padding and some blankets while being supported by the lower trolley (latches unsnapped) and the brake seemed to hold everything just fine.

[Hoopy Frood]

That certainly looks more convenient to use.

[jjbbrewer]

When not latched, the lower bunk trollies are held in place through the chains to the motor which has a brake on it. It's mentioned in the manual operation instructions here - https://happijac.com/images/pdfs/Bed...%20Manual2.pdf

I searched and searched and haven't found anywhere where is specifies the "holding power" of the brake. I know it'll hold at least 185+ lbs statically because I've hung off of the top bunk while the bunk and lower couches were held in place only by the brake.

I am going to transport 3 people's riding gear & clothes up there this coming week. I'll find out how well it works and post up here.

[Paragod1345]

We modified ours into a room for our kids, and made the top bunk into a catch-all for bulky crap. It's worked great so far except for the occasional Nerf gun taking a dive off of it if I have to stop a bit more quickly... I'd say we have 200 lbs on there at most with no issues.

[xrated]

When not latched, the lower bunk trollies are held in place through the chains to the motor which has a brake on it. It's mentioned in the manual operation instructions here - https://happijac.com/images/pdfs/Bed...%20Manual2.pdf

I searched and searched and haven't found anywhere where is specifies the "holding power" of the brake. I know it'll hold at least 185+ lbs statically because I've hung off of the top bunk while the bunk and lower couches were held in place only by the brake.

I am going to transport 3 people's riding gear & clothes up there this coming week. I'll find out how well it works and post up here.

I went one step further. I bought 4 pins and drilled all four supports/tracks and I pin the lower section, the sofa that turns into a bed. So when I'm traveling, the upper bed has 4 pins to hold it in place, and the lower has 4 pins to help/assist the motor brake keep it in place.....or on the chance that the cross shaft would un-****** itself and allow the lower to drop. I've read several times on different places about the cross shaft failing and the sofa or lower section dropping on something....motorcycles, equipment, whatever is/was under it. Even if the brake on the motor holds firm, if that shaft lets go, it all coming down. To me, it's a no brainer to spend maybe $10 and an hour or so drilling the tracks to be able to put in four pins.

[jjbbrewer]

Even if the brake on the motor holds firm, if that shaft lets go, it all coming down.

Speaking of that shaft letting go, the guy in this video describes some pretty cool mods to the happijac system.
I haven't done the lag screw nor the extra leg additions, but I did do the shaft modification and the control box relocation that he suggests.

[xrated]

Speaking of that shaft letting go, the guy in this video describes some pretty cool mods to the happijac system.
I haven't done the lag screw nor the extra leg additions, but I did do the shaft modification and the control box relocation that he suggests.

Thank you for that video......I will be doing that before our trip out west.....5000+ miles. I really don't want that kind of problem to face when we pull up somewhere and open the back end up to get out the Spyder or the bicycles and find the street side section of the sofa laying on top of our stuff. Thanks again for posting that....you da man.

[xrated]

Well, that video inspired me....and being retired, I went out this morning after watching the video and did the shaft mod......and guess what...the set screw was loose enough to turn without putting any pressure on it with the allen wrench. The shaft had not moved, the screw was definitely loose as a goose. So, in went a 1/4-20, 1/2" long hex bolt with some blue locktite on it and then the hose clamp around the shaft. I left the little white box on the ceiling, as the wires that came out of the ceiling were going to be too short to move it over to the wall. What I did do though is to identify which plug/wire was which for the upper and lower limit switches and then marked the white box with a magic marker....."Up" and "Down". I then used some wire markers and wrapped one around each of the wires coming into the white box. They are now labeled...."Upper Limit Sw" and "Lower Limit Sw". Next thing I did is put some stick on type wire tie bases up on the wall and wire tie the wires so that they cannot move around. Then a wire tie and base on the ceiling for the bundle of wires that leave the white box and go to the motor and brake assembly. So now, the cross drive shaft is secure, the lower unit (sofa/bed) is pinned, and I'm comfortable being able to put the Spyder in there without worries of anything falling on it.

[Hoopy Frood]

IMO a better idea than the bolt in place of a set screw is to make a divot in the shaft, use a conical set screw, and some locktite on the set screw. A bolt
isn't inherently "better" than a set screw, in fact in some cases it would be worse, as the bottom of the bolt is flat and the set screw should be serrated.
But you can tighten a bolt down enough to strip out the threads. All the set screw has to be is snug, which is the reason for the divot, and conical end.