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Old 04-11-2012, 10:55 PM   #1
ThePair
TrailManor Master
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 1,063
Default Bunk beds in a 2720SL...a reality!

So, as my twins get a little older, we decided it was time that my son didn't sleep on the dog bed on the floor any more. DW suggested an air mattress, but I thought I could do something that would be more elegant, and less obtrusive to the floor space...plus wouldn't involve me inflating/deflating each time.

Thus was born my quest for bunk beds. In the 2720SL. One winter of thinking and searching later, and here's my solution.

The bed itself is a Disc-O-Bed Cam-O-Cot single. These beds are made to be stacked as bunkbeds, but I only needed the one.

Link here to the bed: http://www.discobed.com/?products/9

Now, we needed to raise the back legs quite a bit, as seen in the pictures below. So, we get the extension legs in tan, and put 2 each on the back legs, none on the front: http://www.discobed.com/?products/9#&&id=107&p=products

The back legs are now a few inches too long, but that's simple to fix, just cut down two of the extension legs, and we're done. Now the Header and Footer fit just fine, but the bars that run the length of the bed are a bit too long. Fortunately, the center piece (they're each 3 pieces) is a non-tapered tube, so I cut the length of that piece down to fit, and it easily reconnects with the end pieces. Both of these changes do not affect the integrity of the frame at all. Finally, I shortened the bed webbing by taking a few inches off the end, and sewing on a new hem (a sewing machine works wonders here!)

For day-to-day, I plan to leave the long sides connected, with the sling wrapped around them, on the back shelf behind the sofa, and the sides will rest on the side of the room (where I keep some other things against the wall, like folding chairs and the trash can). Set up will be a simple matter of removing the arms from the couch, putting the sides into place, then snapping in the webbing/long sides. Reverse to convert back to daytime use. The whole thing will break down fairly compactly for storage and travel, and only weighs a total of ~30#.

Yes, the front legs are resting on the tables. The sides of those tables go all the way down and rest on the floor, and are designed to carry the majority of the weight that might be placed on the table at any given time, so in this matter I expect the weight on the bed to translate directly down to the floor. The back legs rest on the solid frame of the couch, so there should be no issue there. If the table becomes problematic, it would be a simple matter to add more brackets around the inside of the table frame, and perhaps even one directly into the floor, but I'm not yet convinced that that is needed. Plus, my son only weighs 40# right now, so each of those legs will only be holding 10-25# tops at any given time. Perhaps as he gets older I'll strengthen the attachments.

I like this because there are no modifications to the TM itself, and the cot is still completely useable as a cot on its own, if desired, by simply removing the extension legs. Plus, it solves my problem nicely.

I'll certainly add a post with my experiences once we get out and camping, roughly 1 month from now.
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2009.5 2720SL
2006 Toyota Sienna
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