bunks

[Octopus Prime]

Has anyone ever had safety issues with the bunks?
They do look sturdy, but I can't find the studs or 2x4s holding up the upper bunk.
Has anyone had an issue with the upper bunk crashing down onto the lower one?

[Marcm157]

Mine are rock solid and state 600 pound capacity. I am not sure I would go to that extreme but my daughter and her three cousins were all playing in my upper bunk recently had to be at least 400 - 450 pounds bouncing around up there without any sign of impending failure...

[bluegill1]

"Has anyone had an issue with the upper bunk crashing down onto the lower one"

Seriously?

[PonyExpress]

I remover the upper bunk in my 264BHW.

there is not way I could have gotten up there without I breaking. Its make of 2x2s and 1 had a big knot right in the middle and was already broken in 2.

I would not put any more than 100 pounds up there( children)

[SkyBound]

Trust me, the upper bunk can handle a lot of bouncing around.

[Marcm157]

Originally Posted by SkyBound

Trust me, the upper bunk can handle a lot of bouncing around.

I see what you did there - I just spit coffee all over myself!!

[sennister]

Originally Posted by Octopus Prime

Has anyone ever had safety issues with the bunks?
They do look sturdy, but I can't find the studs or 2x4s holding up the upper bunk.
Has anyone had an issue with the upper bunk crashing down onto the lower one?

If you don't weigh too much to get up in the upper bunk, you don't weigh enough to cause it to collapse down on the lower one.

Jayco's have a 600lbs rating. Not sure this is the case with all manufacturers but I don't worry about that at all with ours.

Besides I think I read somewhere that the steps to get into the camper are rated to 250 lbs.

[PonyExpress]

there is absolutely no way the bunk that I remover from my TT could have held 300 pounds much less 600

[SouthCo]

I don't know if the double over double bunks have a higher rating than the single over double bunks, but our double over double are very sturdy. I've been in the top bunk just checking it out and there was no flex. I'd be more concerned a branch would fall and crush the camper than the upper bunk falling...

[Octopus Prime]

Originally Posted by PonyExpress

there is absolutely no way the bunk that I remover from my TT could have held 300 pounds much less 600

Do you think this was possibly a warranty item, or do you think something common in many units?

I know a prior poster seemed to think I was goofy for even asking, but my youngest would be the one sleeping on the bottom bunk. He's 2.

[PonyExpress]

the structure is built using white pine 2x2s, and one of them had a huge knot in the middle and was actually 2 separate pieces . Then there is a very thin sheet of plywood, like maybe 1/8" or 3/16" on top and then a sheet of the wall paneling, its 1/8".

Like i said, fine for kids. 100 pounds I would be comfortable with. If there was not issues with knots and such then more weight but how do you know without taking it apart. Plus for anyone of any size, its like being in a coffin.
I truly believe that RV manufacturers intend for the bunks to be used by children.

Now the bottom bunk is different. It will hold more and you can look under and make sure nothing is missing or broken, and you can strengthen it up if you wanted to. Plus if it breaks there is nobody under you and not far to fall.

JMHO

[jasoncw]

There are various different bunks depending on the floor plans. On my model, 2 bunks are on a side slide. The top is rated at 300# and is a flip up bunk. It is pretty sturdy, but I wouldn't stay up there if I was over 200# or so. The upper bunk on the other side sits atop the outside kitchen, so it is extremely sturdy.

[Firedoc]

I came to this site to determine if there have been any bunk failures because we had one this weekend.

Funny... well, not so funny that several people here have basically mocked the OP’s question.

Our Whitehawk bunkhouse has a decal that indicates a 300lb limit on the upper bunk so I assumed my 185lb teenager is well under the limit and would be perfectly safe sleeping in the upper bunk. Fortunately for all of us, the bunk failed while my 80lb daughter was NOT in the bunk below my son.

After a quick inspection it appears there only four small screws holding up the bunk with nothing else in place to provide support.

Searching through the threads it appears ours was an isolated incident but bunk failure is possible.

Now to see how our dealer handles this when we bring it in to the service department tomorrow.

[RavenBC]

We were told by our dealer that our top bunk was rated for 600lbs, and this past weekend we had at least 4 kids(50-80lbs) and one teenager up on it with no issues. I did as soon as I discovered all of the playing around up there to get down immediately, but the top bunk held them all.

[Octopus Prime]

Originally Posted by Firedoc

I came to this site to determine if there have been any bunk failures because we had one this weekend.

Funny... well, not so funny that several people here have basically mocked the OP’s question.

Our Whitehawk bunkhouse has a decal that indicates a 300lb limit on the upper bunk so I assumed my 185lb teenager is well under the limit and would be perfectly safe sleeping in the upper bunk. Fortunately for all of us, the bunk failed while my 80lb daughter was NOT in the bunk below my son.

After a quick inspection it appears there only four small screws holding up the bunk with nothing else in place to provide support.

Searching through the threads it appears ours was an isolated incident but bunk failure is possible.

Now to see how our dealer handles this when we bring it in to the service department tomorrow.

OP here.
May I ask you a few questions?

Which model White Hawk do you have?

How old is your unit?

Were there any indicators that the bunk was weakening?

My older child sleeps on the upper bunk. She probably weighs about 80lbs.
My younger one, now 3, sleeps on the bottom.
I can't really switch them at this point because he doesn't have enough sense not to tumble out if the bunk, and I have to still lie down with him for a little while anyway.
At one point I will switch them, but even then, I expect his weight to surpass hers if he continues on his current growth rate.

I can, and have, gotten in the top bunk, but have decided not to do it unless necessary anymore. Older child can make her own bed now.

Also, did any children play and flop around up there? No judgement if they did--just trying to determine any contributing factors.
My older one is very active, and I've told her she can be up there to read and sleep--not to play.

I know it isn't common, but your post reveals that it isn't unheard of. There is also a post on one of the Facebook groups about this happening on a Forest River product.

[Firedoc]

Our unit is a 2015 Jayco Whitehawk 32DSBH.

There were no idications of any trouble with the bunk whatsoever. We’ve been very pleased with the unit up to this point.

Our children and their friends typically stay in the bunkhouse but we have had adults stay back there in the past. The largest adult that has slept on that bunk was approx 200lbs. No rough play by anyone at any point.

This failure happened as my son was reading while lying supine in bed. The screws in the wall at the head and the foot are what failed. The lateral side stayed intact to the wall so it basically rolled him off the side and dumped him on to the bunk below.