48" front beds

[fallsrider]

I'm wondering if any of you sleep as a couple on the front bed that the TM web site shows as 48" x 78"? Our DS has autism, and needs to be restrained in bed at night, even though he is almost 6. It seems to me that the rear bed would make more sense for installing some type of gate since there is a wardrobe and bathroom blocking most of the opening to the rear bed.

A standard twin size mattress is 39" wide, and a full, or double, is 54" wide. So apparently TMs have a front bed that is slightly less than a full.

Do any of you sleep this way? Just wondering what our options are. Thanks.

 

[Shrimpburrito]

We don't have a front bed, but it would seem that installing some sort of gate up there would not be too challenging if you are even reasonably handy. I know that doesn't answer your question, but thought I'd throw it out there.

Dave

 

[rvcycleguy]

Thought I replied to this post last week but the site was having issues and lost the history. I also would recommend the rear bed for your son and some type of temporary fencing between the wardrobe and bath wall. Please remember that the emergency exit procedure for the rear bed is to tilt the bed up and climb down below the TM. With you sleeping in front and your son in the rear, with the kitchen and electrical components in the middle, it's important to know what to do.

 

[ThePair]

What model TM do you have? We have a 2720SL, and the front bed (folded out couch) is not at all that comfortable for two adults. Been there, tried that. The couch doesn't sit level, and one side is shorter than the other. All depends on how big the two adults are, I suppose, but we're not at all big and it wasn't good. For kids it's fine. That being said, closing off the back is likely easier than the front (much smaller opening), as you've already noted. The front could be doable, especially if you got some kind of child gate like you would use for a wide hallway, you could likely fashion brackets for the barrier.

As to the escape in the back, the newer (2009+) models have an escape window in the back, not just the "lift the bed" escape route.

 

[Laura FM]

I also tried to respond last week when the site was having problems. I sent a PM but not sure if it went through.

It looks like you are planning to buy one? Consider the 2417, because the smaller bed is blocked by the (optional) toilet. OTOH, I am not sure if any of the bathrooms on the TM are structural enough to anchor a bathroom.

 

[fallsrider]

I apologize for those of you who did reply last week. I posted this message then, then when I went the next day to look for any replies, my message was not there. I don't know what happened to it.

@Laura FM - I did not receive a PM. The problems you all spoke about must have meant the PM didn't make it through, as well. BTW, we can't afford a 2417. They are too new and out of our budget.

@ShrimpBurrito - I think you are right, but I was thinking that it would be nicer to have our DS in the back so that we could play cards, other games, etc., after he goes to bed around 8:00, if there was rain or other inclement weather. We would be less likely to disturb him.

@rvcycleguy - good call on the emergency exit. I was not aware of that. It doesn't matter where the exit is, though. My DS could not get out on his own anyway. But in an emergency, I would need to consider how I might get him out.

@ThePair - we don't have a TM yet. But I'm trying to figure out if one would work for us. I really like the concept. But we would only be interested in a model with a front bed. A slide model would not work for us.

If we could comfortably sleep on a front bed, then an older 2518 or a 2619 would work for us. Or even a 2720.

 

[rvcycleguy]

I see no problem for two adults sleeping in the front bed. I think your plan to put your son to sleep while you still have the front living space after hours is a good idea. Good luck on our search for a TM.

 

[wbmiller3]

I also tried to reply last week, that is when I found out the board was acting weird.

My wife and I sleep comfortably in the front bed, in fact I would say better than at home due to the relaxing camping effect. She's petite but I am above average size. At home we have a regular double bed so we're not used to the wide open spaces anyway. The TM bed does seem a little smaller than the bed at home.

When we had a small popup, our son was a chronic faller-out-of-bedder. I made a folding two-bar rail out of PVC pipe with two legs that extended under the mattress to hold it. He broke it a few times but it was inexpensive to fix. By the time we got the TM, he had grown out of this issue, but something like that would work very well between the wardrobe and bathroom at the rear bed.

 

[fallsrider]

Thanks for the help.

 

[Shrimpburrito]

Another thought: you could perhaps build a small extension to the front bed to make it wider. It would probably be easy to support it from a portion of dinette, and if it's just the 3 of you, you probably wouldn't miss the slightly smaller seat.

But, as others have experienced, perhaps the front bed will be just perfect.

Dave

 

[fallsrider]

Another thought: you could perhaps build a small extension to the front bed to make it wider. It would probably be easy to support it from a portion of dinette, and if it's just the 3 of you, you probably wouldn't miss the slightly smaller seat.

But, as others have experienced, perhaps the front bed will be just perfect.

Dave

That's always a possibility. The mental wheels are spinning....

 

[fallsrider]

What model TM do you have? We have a 2720SL, and the front bed (folded out couch) is not at all that comfortable for two adults. Been there, tried that. The couch doesn't sit level, and one side is shorter than the other. All depends on how big the two adults are, I suppose, but we're not at all big and it wasn't good. For kids it's fine. That being said, closing off the back is likely easier than the front (much smaller opening), as you've already noted. The front could be doable, especially if you got some kind of child gate like you would use for a wide hallway, you could likely fashion brackets for the barrier.

As to the escape in the back, the newer (2009+) models have an escape window in the back, not just the "lift the bed" escape route.

BTW, how does your Sienna handle your 2720? We have an '04 Sienna, and am wondering whether it can handle a 2518 or 2619. I'm pretty conservative in towing. I don't like pushing things too much.

 

[ThePair]

BTW, how does your Sienna handle your 2720? We have an '04 Sienna, and am wondering whether it can handle a 2518 or 2619. I'm pretty conservative in towing. I don't like pushing things too much.

Depends on where you're going. 2004 is the same engine/etc as mine (2006). I go only on the flats in the Midwest (Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois/Indiana). For this area, the Sienna is pretty awesome. Great cargo space, no issues with towing. Very comfortable with this set up (good power, long wheelbase, enough capacity to tow TM + "stuff"), especially if you're looking at the 25-26 models.

If you're planning on towing in mountains or elevation, however, you'll probably benefit from something with more horsepower.

 

[fallsrider]

Depends on where you're going. 2004 is the same engine/etc as mine (2006). I go only on the flats in the Midwest (Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois/Indiana). For this area, the Sienna is pretty awesome. Great cargo space, no issues with towing. Very comfortable with this set up (good power, long wheelbase, enough capacity to tow TM + "stuff"), especially if you're looking at the 25-26 models.

If you're planning on towing in mountains or elevation, however, you'll probably benefit from something with more horsepower.

Thanks! Yes, we do have mountains not very far west of here. That has to be part of our consideration. I don't want to be confined to only going to the beach, which is east.