Converting an east-west bed to a north-south bed in a Pal Bronco

[Sun_Lover]

So we bought a 2007 Palomino Bronco 1250. I know it's not the best, but it's all we could afford. If we like this RVing thing, we'll save up for one of the better ones. In the meantime we need to change one big element: the bed.

We want to change the bed from E-W to N-S. The bed has already had the lift-up storage thing removed by the previous owner who said he wanted a thicker mattress. So there is just a piece of plywood covered with new carpet (which we lifted - it's not a scam, not hiding anything like moisture damage.) My husband really does not want to attach anything to the wall or the plywood which might pierce the outside and cause leaks.

Sooo ... I suggested making a dropdown extension attached to the front of the bed with a piano hinge and supported with these brackets: http://bit.ly/2mUELnG

It will obviously have to be somewhat shorter than the entire width of the bed in order to clear the sink/faucet, but that's how it goes.

I've looked at pics online of people making pullout drawers for a bed extension, but I cannot figure out how to attach drawer glides without attaching to the outside of the camper. The drop leaf seems the only way to do this.

Or ... do any of you folks have better ideas? We're pretty handy - just new to the camper thing.
Many thanks!

 

[ntsqd]

Some folding leaf tables use a support with a vertically oriented piano hinge. Then the support can be the same material as the 'leaf'.. Operation goes like Lift the leaf slightly higher than when in use, swing out the support(s) perpendicular to their wall, let the leaf down onto the support(s). To prevent accidents sometimes there will be keying features that require the lifting of the leaf in order for the support(s) to be folded flat against the wall.

Commonly the slide-outs run on rails attached to the inside of the camper's left & right walls. None that I've seen use gliders of any sort, they're just wood on wood or similar. Pick-up the "studs" with your attaching screws and you need only pierce the inside surface of the camper.

If a regulation mattress & sheets isn't a goal then the extension leaf could be notched in the middle for ease of access or clearance.

A thicker mattress sounds really nice to me!

 

[michgoblue]

I recently went through something similar with my no-name pop-up (Four Seasons Magnum). I built a couple 3/4" thick extension planks that made my small E/W 45 x 72 bed to a decent size N/W 75 x 72 bed. For the extension I use the cushions from the lower side settee that I have and it's almost a perfect fit across.

To support the extensions I used a 2"x2" piece of oak and screwed it into the side of the camper for one side, and on the other side it sits on top of my refrigerator cabinet. I tried several iterations of this before I found one that was sturdy enough and easy enough to quickly set up. I have a couple carriage bolts sticking through from the bottom of the oak piece and these go into the extension planks and are secured by a couple wingnuts. Otherwise the planks would shift around some and I wasn't comfortable climbing up on them. As it is now, the whole thing is rock solid and takes just a minutes to set-up, with the planks easily stored on top of or under the main mattress.

Not sure what the layout for the Bronco is, but unless you have something preventing extending the bed I am sure there are a couple ways to do it.