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Old 08-02-2016, 12:10 PM   #1
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Fixing the RV bed platform - thoughts?

The bed platform in our Eagle appears to be 3/8" plywood with three 2x2 boards run lengthwise to add some small amount of stability.

Needless to say, this is not a terribly stable platform, and I discovered the other day that one of the 2x2 boards had a large crack in the middle, and it was that way before I got the trailer from the dealer, hence 3 screws that were drilled from the plywood into the stabilizer board, while everything else is attached with staples. I was pretty annoyed to find this.

Last night I put another 2x2 board alongside the cracked one and glued and screwed it in place as a "bandaid" for our upcoming trip, but long term this needs to be re-designed.

Wondering what other folks have done?

I don't really want to replace the plywood with 3/4", as that would add a lot of weight. How have other folks braced the bed platform to make it more solid? Interested in ideas.
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Old 08-02-2016, 12:14 PM   #2
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I'm new to all this, and not sure what the difference would be weight wise, but what about steel square tubing or angle iron? I'm not sure how thin you could go to save weight but still have support but I guarantee it would be solid...and could still be screwed to the wood platform.
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Old 08-02-2016, 12:20 PM   #3
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I'm not sure, I think once you put square steel tubing in there, you may as well have used 3/4" plywood?

I'll have to look up weights.

With the trailer loaded and the whole family in the truck, we are hitting a few hundred pounds above GVWR already, so I'm reluctant to make modifications that add significant weight, especially toward the front of the trailer.
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Old 08-02-2016, 12:22 PM   #4
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Add more 2x2's across, bringing your total to 5. Then mount 2x2's on the long sides, on the inside. Make sure they are recessed down (1 1/2"). The point being, with the bed closed, the 2x2 cross members rest on the new interior side rails. For even more strength, many lumber yards stock 2x3's, use those instead of 2x2, with the 3 dimension going vertical. Of course, glue and screw everything....
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Old 08-02-2016, 12:27 PM   #5
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Look at how your bed at home is supported. Steel frame and slats most likely. If the plywood is over a storage area, simply install 4 to 6, 1" x 6" "slats" to the bottom side of the plywood and support the slats with pieces of 2" x 4" floor to slat and allow the plywood to rest on the slats. That ought to make a stiff foundation for you and you can remove the 2"x 2" actually on the plywood.

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Old 08-02-2016, 12:46 PM   #6
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Here is what I did. I went to Home Depot/Lowes and purchased some 1 1/2" x 1/4" aluminum strips and mounted them on the support 2x2 supports under the bed. Worked for us.

That is a linear actuator in the middle that I installed, to electrically raise the bed, because the 4" topper that we added to the bed was pretty heavy to raise by hand for DW. Now we just flip the switch in the direction we want the bed to go.

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Old 08-02-2016, 12:55 PM   #7
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I mated another piece of plywood to the original. Now it's 3/4". Wife wants to add a piece of material at the end of the season to the topside to protect the mattress.
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Old 08-02-2016, 01:13 PM   #8
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There's nothing wrong with the Jayco design. We are talking probably about a 4' W x 4' 6" L support area what only has the 3- 2x2" length support, which is enough for 932 lbs. load.
But if you are not comfortable with the 2x2 support, get some 2" x 3/16 flat aluminum and screw them to the side of the 2x2's.
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Old 08-02-2016, 02:02 PM   #9
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If you search the forum you will probably find a few ideas. It's a fairly common fix it seems.

Here is a thread where I posted how the dealer fixed our collapsed queen bed c/w photos of the finished product (see page 3).
http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f1...d-35807-3.html
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Old 08-02-2016, 02:04 PM   #10
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There's nothing wrong with the Jayco design. We are talking probably about a 4' W x 4' 6" L support area what only has the 3- 2x2" length support, which is enough for 932 lbs. load.
But if you are not comfortable with the 2x2 support, get some 2" x 3/16 flat aluminum and screw them to the side of the 2x2's.
If there is nothing wrong with the Jayco design, why are they breaking?
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Old 08-02-2016, 02:59 PM   #11
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In another thread someone said that Jayco has a warranty fix for the bed support issue. Supposedly you have to ask to have it warrantied but once you do they will fix it. I don't know if it's true but worth the asking.

By the way: My dealer said that Jayco has a pre-approved warranty fix for water siphoning out of the FW tanks when you travel. The dealer doesn't even have to call to get authorization. Again, you have to ask for it or it doesn't exist.

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Old 08-02-2016, 09:13 PM   #12
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I did the same as it appears Mustang65 and others have done - added a panel across the back of the opening to separate the under bed storage from the outside cross storage area. It sits up tight against the bed supports so provides added support for the bed frame. I also found one of my bed supports not glued well to the plywood and had to glue it again and put a few screws in it. We added a foam topper to our Denver mattress and it was hard to lift and hold without it so I added a pole support on a hinge to the underside of the bed to hold it up but still have to lift it.

Mustang65 - can you provide details on the linear actuator? I've been considering the hydraulic bed lift assists but this looks like a potentially better alternative.
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Old 08-02-2016, 11:36 PM   #13
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I found one of the 3 support boards under my plywood wasn't glued and was pulling the screws through the 3/8" plywood. I removed the support board, glued it and then added washers with a countersink on them to prevent the screws from being pulled through the plywood and also not catching the mattress. I then added the same washers to the other 2 support boards and then added 2 additional 2x2 support boards that were longer and thus prevented the head and foot of the bed from sagging so much. Wife says it's much better now.
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Old 08-03-2016, 06:27 AM   #14
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Mustang65 - can you provide details on the linear actuator? I've been considering the hydraulic bed lift assists but this looks like a potentially better alternative.
Your wish is my command...

You will need 4 measurements:
- the distance between the bed board and the floor in the closed position and open position
- the length of the linear actuator extended and compressed position.

Insert spacers where and if needed.

I also bolted a metal plate (12x18x1/4") to the top of the bed board, above the actuator for support. The bolts go through the plate to the actuator.

NEWS FLASH: Sorry the switch did not come with the unit.. I will look up the switch and post it here.

I can not locate my invoice for the switch, but it is a DPDT / (On) - Off - (On) type.

Do NOT purchase the 16" model, it will not fit under the bed when closed.

Copied from an earlier post of mine...
Don
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Old 08-03-2016, 06:57 AM   #15
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Thanks. After seeing yours I had looked at several on Amazon and this model may have been one of them. Looks fairly straightforward to hook up and add a remote switch..thx!
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Old 08-03-2016, 09:07 AM   #16
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All these "lack of bed support" issues and tons of creative solutions. You would think Jayco would pay attention and incorporate them into the design. I'm betting alot of people would pay a few extra bucks for 'em. I sure would and that electronic lifter for the bed is pure genius!
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Old 08-03-2016, 09:56 AM   #17
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All these "lack of bed support" issues and tons of creative solutions. You would think Jayco would pay attention and incorporate them into the design. I'm betting alot of people would pay a few extra bucks for 'em. I sure would and that electronic lifter for the bed is pure genius!
We are constantly lifting the bed (all my electronic hobby parts are under the bed)... now DW can do it herself. That 4" topper makes it real heavy to lift. I have done business with WindyNation and they are a GREAT company to order from.

Don
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Old 08-03-2016, 10:33 AM   #18
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Here is what I did. I went to Home Depot/Lowes and purchased some 1 1/2" x 1/4" aluminum strips and mounted them on the support 2x2 supports under the bed. Worked for us.

Don
I had my centre 2"x2" crack right in the middle of the bed due to a knot in the wood. I braced it in a very similar fashion to your example, and the bed no longer sags in the middle.
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Old 08-03-2016, 12:26 PM   #19
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These beds are designed to be slept on by the average person, and that's about it. But the actual use they see is people larger than average, kids jumping on grannie's bed, owners sometimes loading heavy bags and suitcases on the bed during travel, etc . So, they aren't necessarily designed defectively. But they are light duty for sure. The previous owner of my Seneca ran into that problem, and he built a light plywood wall halfway between the head and foot of the bed, across the middle. Has a doug fir stiffener top and bottom, and just the same height as the sides. So, it supports the plywood bed base all across the opening. Still store stuff in there the same way, just not very long items like fishing rods, etc. Works like a champ.
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Old 08-03-2016, 12:32 PM   #20
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These beds are designed to be slept on by the average person, and that's about it....

Thanks alot. Now I feel fat.
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