Hydraulic vertical lifting camper roof
- Thread starter David0915
- Start date
RoamIt
Well-known member
Ha! I was looking at hydraulic cylinders today! I would like to do a lifting roof on my build as well. But I don't even have the truck yet, so a long way from it.
The outfitters that build boxes may be a place to start to get some ideas. I am not aware of anyone who produces a 'kit'. To my knowledge, your going to have to hire it done or design your own.
My thoughts center around 6 hydraulic actuators driven from the PTO. The roof structure would be on tracks, like an overhead door/garage door, etc. Each of the actuators would be located inline with the track system. I am thinking 6 lifts not for the capacity, but more for stability.
The outfitters that build boxes may be a place to start to get some ideas. I am not aware of anyone who produces a 'kit'. To my knowledge, your going to have to hire it done or design your own.
My thoughts center around 6 hydraulic actuators driven from the PTO. The roof structure would be on tracks, like an overhead door/garage door, etc. Each of the actuators would be located inline with the track system. I am thinking 6 lifts not for the capacity, but more for stability.
There seems to be plenty of people trying to solve the same problem for some time so you'd think that a reliable solution would have been sorted by now.
kcshoots
Active member
I think 12vdc electric liner actuators would be far less costly, less complicated, less messy, less maintenance (none), cheaper, lighter, more reliable, quieter, and even much more energy efficient than a hydraulic system. I have seen many camper lifting roofs for expedition campers and the like--all using electric linear actuators--and I used linear actuators for my van's lifting bed (you can see a video of that on my YouTube channel--those support 1600 pounds static and dynamic, so more than enough to lift a roof with people on it. You can get them to support static and dynamic loads far exceeding several tons, and with Hall effect sensors to move within thousands of an inch in unison with each other. All for less money, less weight, less complication and easier installation. My suggestion would be to use electric linear actuators to lift your camper roof. PS, I am working on a lifting roof design for my next camper, using electric lifts, as so many others have. Happy to design and build a kit for you, in the future.
kcshoots
Active member
FYI, The linear actuators in my lifting bed that support 1600 pounds (400 each) weigh about 5 pounds each, and only a small wire set to each, so very simple, light and easy to install, and only use a few amps @ 12vdc each. Also they are IP67 rated, so fully waterproof. No hydraulic pump, hoses, reservoir, leaks, etc. And operate at over a an inch per second.