HELP with 2000 Hawk Couch

[alpinemike13]

Hello everyone. I've had my 2000 Hawk 4 Wheel Camper for about 3 years now. I bought it used in 2022 and finally got around to fixing a leaky roof over the last month. My friend and I repaired the roof, and replaced the insulation, headliner, headliner attachment boards with aluminum, and push-up boards. I'm in the process of updating the electrical system with 2 100 AH Marine AGM Batteries and a 30 AMP Victron DC-DC charger. I also had to replace the fresh water tank since mine had a huge crack in it that was not fully sealed, so it ended up leaking.

Needless to say, I've been putting a lot of work into making it my own and upgrading a lot of components on it. For the life of me I can't figure out how the couch on this era camper is supposed to work. I'm attaching photos of what I see/have and hopefully, someone can enlighten me on what I need to make it work. I didn't attach a photo of the other cushioned piece but it looks pretty much the same as the one that's sitting in the camper in my photo.

It has the 2 cushioned pieces. One for the backrest and one for the bottom where you sit. It also has a wooden board with a little chain hanging off of it. There is an eyelet on the rear side of the camper (side with the front door) for where I think the chain is supposed to mount to, but honestly, I don't understand how that system is supposed to go together?!

I know I have some support feet that were never attached to any of these boards or at least as far as I can tell they weren't.

I'd like to be able to sleep on this couch and have it be functional. If anyone has any guidance that would be most appreciated.

Thank you!!

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Hi Mike, welcome to WTW! I am having a hard time visualizing your camper’s layout, but from what I’m seeing, I believe it is a shell model. I suspect the previous owner did a bit of custom building. That board is a mystery to me.

If you could take some wide angle interior photos that show more of the layout, I suspect you’ll get more feedback

Again, welcome aboard!

 

[Occidental]

I was also thinking to myself "sure looks like a shell". The traditional full length couch would have a rollover backrest that rolled over (with a special rollover mechanism) to widen the couch seat to a bed.

 

[buckland]

The rollover mechanism mentioned in post#3 is very handy, Allowing fast change from couch to bed. There are at times folks selling the mechanism in the gear exchange. I converted my couch to a side dinette using the mechanism. Chain support and legs would work but less convenient.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

You can find rollover mechanisms online, but be certain you know which set is needed. Some sit horizontally flush in the camper, others are for a vertical surface, could also be a combination of the two.

 

[alpinemike13]

Thanks for all the replies, everyone! I will post another photo later today. But, can someone explain to me what the shell model means specifically?

Chain support and legs would work but less convenient.

Can @buckland or someone explain to me how this was supposed to work? Or was this never factory? I believe I saw a post actually referencing this exact mechanism but since there were no photos or a full explanation I couldn't make sense of it.

If someone has a photo of this setup that would be greatly appreciated.

I've read about the change to a rollover mechanism in the late 2000's I believe, but if I remember correctly people have said you lose a lot of aisle space because of the mechanism even in the couch position. Is this correct? And if I were to go this route, where does the rollover mechanism mount specifically? And how is it supported with the back panel floating in the air, while in bed mode? I apologize but my visuals on this are pretty hazy, so I have a hard time understanding it.

Thanks again!

 

[alpinemike13]

Here is the post I referenced seeing the feet support and couch system that I think I have..

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

The shell is a stripped down version of the camper. At its most simple, it uses truck battery power for lights, no camper battery, and little to no interior options.

My ATC Cougar is a shell model that has camper batteries, uses solar and truck for recharging, a furnace and stove, heater and convertible sofa. It doesn’t have a counter, sink, water system, etc..

Hope that helps.

 

[pods8]

Here is the post I referenced seeing the feet support and couch system that I think I have..

The old couches the bottom panel rested on the bottom box (those stops held if from sliding forward) and the rear back rest just stuck in behind it. For bed mode the bottom was pulled outwards to that rearward catch and legs deployed to hold it up and the back rest cushion laid down in the gap between the wheel well hump and the other cushion.


Roll over couch: the rollover couches had metal brackets on each end to flip the backrest out into the aisle. Like these: RecPro RV Rollover Sofa/Bed Hinge Mechanism

Mark Ingles did a custom couch where the bottom cushion pivoted up to the bedrail height and then the backrest was laid down so the bed didn't protrude into the aisle as much.

 

[oldhotrod]

Hello everyone. I've had my 2000 Hawk 4 Wheel Camper for about 3 years now. I bought it used in 2022 and finally got around to fixing a leaky roof over the last month. My friend and I repaired the roof, and replaced the insulation, headliner, headliner attachment boards with aluminum, and push-up boards. I'm in the process of updating the electrical system with 2 100 AH Marine AGM Batteries and a 30 AMP Victron DC-DC charger. I also had to replace the fresh water tank since mine had a huge crack in it that was not fully sealed, so it ended up leaking.

Needless to say, I've been putting a lot of work into making it my own and upgrading a lot of components on it. For the life of me I can't figure out how the couch on this era camper is supposed to work. I'm attaching photos of what I see/have and hopefully, someone can enlighten me on what I need to make it work. I didn't attach a photo of the other cushioned piece but it looks pretty much the same as the one that's sitting in the camper in my photo.

It has the 2 cushioned pieces. One for the backrest and one for the bottom where you sit. It also has a wooden board with a little chain hanging off of it. There is an eyelet on the rear side of the camper (side with the front door) for where I think the chain is supposed to mount to, but honestly, I don't understand how that system is supposed to go together?!

I know I have some support feet that were never attached to any of these boards or at least as far as I can tell they weren't.

I'd like to be able to sleep on this couch and have it be functional. If anyone has any guidance that would be most appreciated.

Thank you!!

Did you get this figured out? I have the old 2pc couch and can supply pics and measurements if needed...

 

[alpinemike13]

Did you get this figured out? I have the old 2pc couch and can supply pics and measurements if needed...

Mostly got it figured out. I did attach the feet that I had and created the bump stops as well. But I'd be happy to see some pics and measurements! Thank you.