Drive for adjusting parts of seating and lying furniture, wherein a first furniture component is movably supported relative to a second furniture component, comprising - at least one spindle rotatable by way of an electric drive motor, - an adjusting nut which is carried on the spindle and which is guided non-rotatably in a guide tube which is drivable by rotation of the spindle in the axial direction of the guide tube, - a lift tube operatively connected to the adjusting nut, - a first pivotal connecting device which is arranged at the free end of the lift tube and which can be pivotally connected to the first furniture component by way of a first hinge connection, and - a second pivotal connecting device which is provided at the opposite end of the adjusting drive and which can be fixed by way of a second hinge connection to a stationary frame portion or to a second furniture component, wherein a first extension element (13; 14) is provided at at least one of said two pivotal connecting devices (6; 10) and is rigidly connected thereto, one hinge half (15; 16) of the hinge connection (7; 11) being arranged in each case at the extension element, - wherein the hinge half (15; 16) which is carried at the respective extension element (13; 14) is displaced in the direction to the central portion of the guide tube so that the dimension between the connecting bolts of the hinge halves (15; 16) in the retracted state of the lift tube is relatively small and therefore arbitrarily shortened, - wherein the respective extension element (13; 14) is rigidly fixed to the corresponding pivotal connecting device (6; 10), - wherein the extension element is fixedly connected directly or indirectly to the free end of the lift tube, characterized in that - the extension element is in the form of a U-shaped loop, the base of the loop is indirectly or directly fixed to the end of the lift tube, the limbs of the U-shape of the loop extend on both sides of the lift tube parallel thereto and the hinge halves are arranged in the region of the free ends of the limbs of the U-shape or - the extension part is designed a pot, the inner surface of the pot bottom being connected directly or indirectly to the free end of the lift tube or - a cross-loop is fixed to the free end of the lift tube, a flexible rope being passed around said cross-loop and the ends of the rope being connectible to the pivot fork of the pivot shaft. - at least one spindle rotatable by way of an electric drive motor, - an adjusting nut which is carried on the spindle and which is guided non-rotatably in a guide tube which is drivable by rotation of the spindle in the axial direction of the guide tube, - a lift tube operatively connected to the adjusting nut, - a first pivotal connecting device which is arranged at the free end of the lift tube and which can be pivotally connected to the first furniture component by way of a first hinge connection, and - a second pivotal connecting device which is provided at the opposite end of the adjusting drive and which can be fixed by way of a second hinge connection to a stationary frame portion or to a second furniture component, wherein a first extension element (13; 14) is provided at at least one of said two pivotal connecting devices (6; 10) and is rigidly connected thereto, one hinge half (15; 16) of the hinge connection (7; 11) being arranged in each case at the extension element, - wherein the hinge half (15; 16) which is carried at the respective extension element (13; 14) is displaced in the direction to the central portion of the guide tube so that the dimension between the connecting bolts of the hinge halves (15; 16) in the retracted state of the lift tube is relatively small and therefore arbitrarily shortened, - wherein the respective extension element (13; 14) is rigidly fixed to the corresponding pivotal connecting device (6; 10), - wherein the extension element is fixedly connected directly or indirectly to the free end of the lift tube, characterized in that - the extension element is in the form of a U-shaped loop, the base of the loop is indirectly or directly fixed to the end of the lift tube, the limbs of the U-shape of the loop extend on both sides of the lift tube parallel thereto and the hinge halves are arranged in the region of the free ends of the limbs of the U-shape or - the extension part is designed a pot, the inner surface of the pot bottom being connected directly or indirectly to the free end of the lift tube or - a cross-loop is fixed to the free end of the lift tube, a flexible rope being passed around said cross-loop and the ends of the rope being connectible to the pivot fork of the pivot shaft.