HAPPIJAC BED LIFT INSTALLATION GUIDE
Watch the video tutorial for a visual guide on how to install your Happijac Bed Lift system:
Need a Happijac? We’re now official dealers! Contact us to order yours today.
HOW TO INSTALL A HAPPIJAC BED LIFT
Attention to detail and precision in the installation process of the Happijac Bed Lift is crucial for a successful and secure installation.
STAGES:
Preparation and Wall Alignment
Track Installation
Motor and Drive Shaft Connection
Building a Bed Frame
Final Checks and Adjustments
STAGE 1 - PREPARATION AND WALL ALIGNMENT
🛠️ The most important thing before installing the bed lift is ensuring that the walls are completely square, with no angle, and consistent measurements from top to bottom and across. There should be less than a 1/4” of error when measuring opposing distances.
(ex. driver’s side front-to-back, passengers side front-to-back, diagonal front-top to bottom-back, and opposite)
🛏️ Do not remove the cross beams that come installed on the tracks, as this will keep the tracks square and make them easier to carry.
📏 To prevent any noise from the chains hitting the metal behind it while driving, place velcro strips (the soft side) along the whole length of the chain on the bare metal.
🔧 The walls the tracks will be mounted to need to be extremely sturdy and connected to the chassis, preferably on at least three sides.
STAGE 2 - TRACK INSTALLATION
🔩 The installation process involves mounting the Happijac as high as possible to maximize headroom. You can even cut slits in the ceiling for the top notches to go up and into the ceiling itself.
🛠️ Make a stack of scrap wood under each of the legs to hold the tracks in place while you screw it in. This will allow you to get the tracks in the perfect position before mounting.
📏 Measure everything again, ensuring the tracks are exactly centered (best to measure from the centerline of the van), and that the legs are going down vertically at 90 degrees and not getting closer together or further apart as they go down. Screw in two screws at the top, measure the distance between the bottom of the legs, and then screw in two screws at the bottom.
🔩 You can then screw in all the remaining screw holes provided (including the two horizontal screw holes at the top and bottom of each track).
STAGE 3 - MOTOR AND DRIVE SHAFT CONNECTION
🔧 It's important to ensure that the plates are at the same height before installing the drive shaft to prevent any issues with the installation.
🔧 Connect the motor as per the instructions (it’s very straightforward) and secure with provided screws. Decide if you need the motor facing inwards or outwards.
🔌 Test the motor before building the entire frame can save a lot of time and effort in case something goes wrong. Wire it together as per the instructions (also very straightforward) to test. You can use a 12v power tool battery or your van/RV house battery.
Use the wiring diagram. Connect the pigtail to the power source, and then connect the limit switches, brake, motor, and switch to test for smooth operation.
Pro tip: the operating switch needs to be grounded to the same ground as the battery you are using to test, or else it won’t work. The instructions don’t explain this and they do not provide a wire for the ground. You must make your own and ground it to the negative terminal of the battery.
🔧 Next you will mount the drive shaft. This connects the motor side to the other side of the tracks. We needed to cut the inner shaft so that the connected shaft would fit between our two tracks. Once secured in place (one side goes into the motor, the other to the hex bolt on the other side), you can lock it in place by screwing in the drive shaft together with the provided self-tapping screws.
STAGE 4 - BUILDING A BED FRAME
🛏️ There are many different ways to build a bed frame. The most important aspects are structural support and proper ventilation.
🛏️ The Happijac comes with end-bars that can be mounted to the tracks. We built our frame onto these end bars using two long aluminum sidebars (6061-T6 Structural Alum Angle 2-1/2 x 2-1/2 x 1/4) that went the length of the bed on either side. Then we created 5 cross beams using aluminum rectangular bars (6061-T6 Alum Rect Tube 1-1/2 x 3 x 1/8). We covered our bars in wood veneer to give them a wooden beam look!
🛏️ The bed platform is made of 1/2” Baltic birch wood plywood, providing a sturdy base for the bed frame. We cut slits into the plywood to allow enough airflow to go through to the mattress from below.
🛏️ Pro tip: make sure the end-bars that come with the Happijac have enough clearance to go all the way up without hitting your walls (relevant only for vans with sloping walls). If needed, cut the end bars to the maximum width you can fit and build the bed frame to that size.
🔌 Test the movement of the Happijac with the bed frame installed. The movement might be a little jerky and not smooth, this is normal when there is no weight on the bed. Add a mattress or something to simulate the weight of a mattress and it usually with smoothen out.
STAGE 5 - FINAL CHECKS AND ADJUSTMENTS
🔧 Check the chain tensions and tighten or loosen them if needed.
🛠️ Our horizontal chain was loose, which does not have a tension adjustment bolt. We received replacement chains from Happijac but they were still loose. We were recommended to place weather stripping on the bottom lip of the metal so that the chain doesn’t hit against it and make noise, which has worked well.
🛏️ Install recessed lighting if desired, as well as ambient lighting around the frame. Combine all wiring to a single wire strand and leave enough slack so that it will reach the bed when it is at both extremes of its freedom of movement (all the way up and all the way down).
Good luck!
Q&A
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Yes, strangely enough, these systems are super hard to buy! They must be purchased through a dealer, and most don’t have any in stock.
Fortunately, we recently became Happijac dealers ourselves, and you can order your bed lift through us! -
Installing will free up a ton of room in your van or RV, but it will also lower the available headroom. Calculate how much headroom you will have left (ceiling minus thickness of bedframe + mattress), and consider if this is something you’ll be comfortable with.
For us, we got used to the head height very quickly and it was well worth our gained space. The area under the bed is a sitting area anyways so it doesn’t bother us.
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The most important steps for mounting the Happy Jack bed lift include measuring and centering the track, and ensuring the walls are exactly straight. Measure everything 3 times minimum!
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To build the bed frame for the Happijac bed lift, you will need aluminum channels and cross beams, and plywood for the bed platform.
