Westy bed hinge springs

[Bluesnailman]

Hi. I’ve been away at the weekend and been reminded how awkward the bed is to fold up in the morning. There were at some point some remains of small broken springs on the hinges. Anyone know of a source of new springs, what size the should be and how they might fit. Mine is a 1968 if that makes a difference. Many thanks

 

[sparkywig]

NLAVW sell them.

 

[milfredo]

Hang-on!! There are springs on the bed?? WHAT???

 

[milfredo]

Hang on... There are bed springs!!

Ordered some.

 

[Bluesnailman]

NLAVW sell them.

They don’t for the early. I called and they did a comparison. They sell hinge springs for late bays and complete hinges for earlies. The complete hinges have bespoke springs…. And they won’t sell me them separately

 

[Bluesnailman]

So, has anyone got an early Westy bed, with hinge springs and can take a photo with some dimensions?

 

[Bluesnailman]

Hang on... There are bed springs!!

Ordered some.

Let me know how you get on, they may/may not work…..

 

[mike202]

This is a pic of mine when I took it out to refurb in 2020. Unfortunately I don't have a pic of the actual spring but it sits inside the bar with the little 'tooth' that moves. This is to lock the hinge in place. I think if you lift up the seat base that unlocks the 'tooth' and the bed can then be folded away .

 

[Bluesnailman]

thanks Mike. interesting....

 

[milfredo]

Oh balls. I can’t see where they’d go even if they were the right pnes

 

[CleoMar]

These springs are quite long and a narrow gauge. They wrap around the hinge fulcrum and are hard to see. Two springs, one either side. Did not even know they were there until one of mine broke and I had to search to see where the broken bits had come from. Not replaced to date but think I should as they help the smooth folding operation. Bed still operates but needs more care. I will take another look at it and report if I have any success in locating new springs. They look quite "unique" and I think would be fiddly to replace.
Cheers.

 

[Bluesnailman]

so, i actually have springs.... in studying the bed, these help it fold and the back stay at a fixed angle to the seat squab...

 

[Bluesnailman]

i know ive slept in this van close on 350nights, but am wondering if i misunderstand how the bed "is supposed to work". to fold it from bed to seat i have to reach down between the big cushion and the seat back with one hand and with a fair amount of grunting lift it 3 inches. after that i can then lift the leading edge of the seat and it folds up nicely. is this 'standard'?

 

[naskeet]

i know ive slept in this van close on 350nights, but am wondering if i misunderstand how the bed "is supposed to work". to fold it from bed to seat i have to reach down between the big cushion and the seat back with one hand and with a fair amount of grunting lift it 3 inches. after that i can then lift the leading edge of the seat and it folds up nicely. is this 'standard'?

This is something I have never done on my family's 1973 VW "1600" Type 2 Westfalia Continental, which has been in my life since January 1975!

To transform it from the bed configuration to bench-seat configuration, simply raise the front leading edge of the front plywood-based upholstered section, until the rock & roll mechanism clicks and then push down on the same leading edge until the front plywood-based upholstered section is horizontal again.

One does much the same thing to revert back to the bed configuration.

 

[Bluesnailman]

Thank you Nigel. There is just no way that mine will do that….. I think might do some experimenting with the positions of the front bracing legs or other points…. At the moment there is just no give at all if I try and lift that leading edge of the seat/bed when it’s in the bed configuration. Clearly mine is somehow missed judged/ill configured. That was the explanation I needed

 

[milfredo]

My base doesn't even lock... I can freely life the base up and down and if I go far enough, the bed falls into place.

 

[milfredo]

I managed to poke this upwards and it looks broken to me

The other side is probably the same.

 

[Bluesnailman]

looks very broken to me!

 

[Bluesnailman]

assuming one doesnt have a broken arm thing.... i wonder what the little dangling tooth thing does.... its all a bit mysterious

 

[CleoMar]

Here is a pic of the hinge assist spring. My Westy is a 71 which came to me without any interior (used as cargo van) I managed to find a folding bed from a 1978 and adapt to fit hence the "plaid" covering. Mechanism should be the same. Cheers .