bunk bed relocation - 98 model 24TB

[towlit554]

I am thinking of removing the bunk bed from the front above couch. I am also considering reinstalling the frame and bed above the rear corner bed. When lowered the frame and upper mattress would sit inside the bed below on the mattress. The frame would be supported in three places on the lower wall and I would have to fabricate a support for the fourth corner over the lower mattress. Possibly an arm reaching the bathroom half wall divider.

Has anyone done anything crazy like this with the foldable bunk? Potential Issues I am not thinking of? Suggestions to make it work?

I like the bunk just do not like the idea of 175 to 200 lbs hanging from the upper roof causing vibrations and stress on cables and pulleys.

 

[RichR]

I like the bunk just do not like the idea of 175 to 200 lbs hanging from the upper roof causing vibrations and stress on cables and pulleys.

The bunk weighs about 50 pounds according to my Hi-Lo owners manual. That amount of weight places minimal stress on the lift system. The greatest stress on the lift system is probably from lack of proper maintenance or some form of damage.

 

[towlit554]

I understand the bunk itself is 40 to 50 lbs but if u put a teenager up there there is 180 to 200 hanging on the roof. That is my fear of stress on cables is during use. ie. getting in bed, rolling over, moving around a little.

 

[r67northern]

I just unbolted and moved the bunk in the 2000 Classic I'm restoring this weekend. It's not very heavy, mattress is quite light, bed itself not much more than just the metal frame you see when you look it over.

Based on what I'm seeing as I go through the trailer (walls, roof etc), the bed should be pretty solid. Mine at least has two front feet that support it when it's in the down position by lodging directly into the bottom half of the trailer. Those are in the front of the bed. The rear of the bed is bolted to the end-cap wall via the hinge mechanism. That should be a fairly strong part of the trailer from what I can see, the load would translate more to the corners of the front where many pieces of tubular steel come together in weld joints.

That's just my observation from having recently dealt with it. I do wish there was a different spot for it though, I kind of like the area that opens up with it gone.

Of course, if my classic is set up differently than your trailer, just forget everything I said. And if you come up with a neat idea on where to put the bed instead, pass it along.

 

[RichR]

I have been an active member of this forum since Feb. 2010 and helped my Hi-Lo dealer friend for probably ten years before that and I never heard of a bunk failure. The bunks were designed to hold 300 pounds.

 

[Hersbird]

But the OP is not talking about the bunk failing but that the 4 cables ultimately are the only things holding up the weight of anybody who is on that bunk while raised. So the bunk may not fail but it's just more, and more stress on those cables Which at some point will fail. Obviously the less weight they support the longer they will last. Why I personally use 2x4s to take all the load off the cables when raised. There automatically is no weight on the cables when lowered. So my cables only carry weight when rasing or lowering, not when sitting up or down.

 

[RichR]

Roughly half the weight of the bunk and its occupant rests on the legs that sit on the lower half of the trailer. If the lift system is properly maintained and there is no damage to it there should be no problem with the bunk. Cables break from rusting, wear and tear, or highway damage. They need to be inspected, cleaned, and lubed periodically. Additionally, the cable mounting points need inspected to make sure there is no deterioration due to rust or rot of the wood.

 

[Hersbird]

That helps with the bunk on the lower 1/2 then, I didn't know how it worked as mine was removed before I bought it. As well as the roof A/C. I also don't put anything heavy in the upper cabnets, just things like paper plates, napkins, plastic cups and light food. I know the roof collapsed on the previous owners and after seeing how the cables are attached I just would never trust it even when new. To me it would be like lifting a V8 motor (probably a similar weight as the top, the windows, the vents, the a/c, the cabinets and their contents, the bunk) on a hoist by some cables lag screwed into some 1 1/2" wood and then letting my family play and sleep under it. Luckily when mine failed it only 1/2 failed, probably one cable immediately followed by another and before all the weight being on the other 2 could break them as well, the top jammed cockeyed. It may actually be pretty hard for it to come all the way down catastrophically but it only takes 30 secs to throw some precut 2x4's under there to take all the weight off the cables before releasing the hounds to go inside.