Electric Penthouse Lift

**macmcintire** · 03-06-2011, 05:26 PM

I am still looking for an electric Penthouse Lift if anyone has one they would like to sell. My wife says this is a mandatory requirement and we aren't finished adding stuff to the van until we have one of these. The conversion to a power lift is too expensive and time consuming, so we are looking for the portable version.

Please send me a PM or email if you have an electric lift you would like to sell.

Thanks!

billwilson · 03-06-2011, 05:43 PM

Mac

Did SMB make a bunch of these?
I seem to recall that they did not make too many

Any one know??

ps
did you call the SMB shops and see if they have in stock?

**macmcintire** · 03-06-2011, 07:20 PM

Rob:

Sportsmobile doesn't make them anymore. I asked. I'm sure they want people to purchase the power lifts instead. I don't know how many they made. I'm hoping someone bought one and doesn't use it so they can sell it to me.

Mac

**WVvan** · 03-06-2011, 08:34 PM

Just curious. Does anyone know what SMB charged for the portable lifts?

yvrr · 03-07-2011, 08:32 AM

They were $600 new. I think John Kalmbach came up with the design and I don't think they made many of them. I recall visiting Fresno a couple years after they had some made and there were a dozen or more collecting dust so I got the impression they didn't sell or make many.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3368&hilit=lift

Jack

**WVvan** · 03-07-2011, 09:48 AM

I haven't built it yet so take this with a block of salt but here's what I will be using for my Penthouse lift.

400 lb Force 30" Stroke

In my case it will be a permanent mount but I don't think it would be too difficult to take one of these actuators and add a base, top plate, switch, plug and fuse onto a portable style. Especially a fuse. The actuator is $116 so with the other parts it should be done under $200.

The one thing I haven't figured out yet is how big the top plate would have to be to spread the force out so it doesn't punch through the roof.

mjeffrey · 03-07-2011, 12:30 PM

Could you drop some of those actuators in place of the 'helper' springs? You just need the top to get high enough (about 1 foot) for the main springs to grab it, I'd think.

Cheers,
Mike.

billwilson · 03-07-2011, 01:23 PM

I just pinged Aluminess
maybe they made em or can make em
will post when i hear back

bw

rockbender · 03-07-2011, 02:33 PM

mjeffrey, that is a great idea. My old top that I just fit on my old van either lost its helper springs somewhere along the line or never had them. I've been thinking about what to use to help raise the bed up out of the 'hole' so to speak and was looking for some generic spring of some sort. The horizontal stroke/effective working spring length required before the main springs take over is probably only about 2"-3". I wonder if small air cylinders could be fit in place of the springs? I'm guessing the correct cylinder would work under pressure attainable with a bicycle pump. My gears are turning for salvaging an old bicycle air shock (front forks) right now! If you left the pressure in the cylinders after raising the top, you would then theoretically hit those when lowering the top back down and could then just release the air and have a nice controlled descent. Simply run a common air line and it would balance side to side.

billwilson · 03-07-2011, 04:38 PM

Dave at Aluminess got back to me

"Sportsmobile has the electric lift. I designed to one that is built into the penthouse top. They did the portable version. I made an air operated portable lift but only made a few. The electric is easier to use".

pinged him back to see if he can make either one

bw