Older Grandby “flip down” to “slide out” bed conversion

[thom429]

Have a 1990ish grandby, which has the cabover bed fold down to create a front “sofa”, however this blocks view through the front window and also means anything on the front seat area needs to move to make(or unmake) the bed. Did the cabover section get deeper on the newer campers? Interested in converting it to a slide out style bed but not sure where the mattress half stores, doesn’t seem like the cabover would be deep enough for both halves to stack. Thanks for any input, unfortunately don’t have a never camper to do a comparison on.

 

[WyoIDI]

My 88' grandby had the same style of flip down bed as you have in the picture. My newer style 92' grandby has and slide out bed. What enables the slide out to work is the cushions are substantially thinner so they can stack in the cabover. The older style cushions are too thick. If you could find the thinner ones or make them, then it wouldn't be too hard to make the slide out.

That being said I found the older campers thicker mattress to be much more comfortable, we have to add a double size thermarest to the newer camper to be able to sleep. I think theres pro's and cons to each, but the thicker mattress sure was nice. We just left the bed in the up position full time and used the area underneath for storage.

 

[donks2]

We have a 2001 Hawk that we got used. The slide out was gone, and the previous owner put a permanent extension in, which covered the stove. Not good for us, so we ripped that out, so the cab over bed was pretty tiny. We were able to find a used slide out, which is just thin plywood with a nice piece of solid trim on the front edge. It rides on rails mounted on each side of the camper, with a rubber bumper stop so the slide out can't slide off. It's fantastic. We use an Exped Megga Mat Duo mattress, which is between a full and a queen, and works out great, really comfortable and super well insulated. Since it's inflatable, we just open the valve and can keep the bed fully made up to drop the top (pillows come off). The Exped just needs a couple of puffs to bring it back up, it's actually quite hard to fully deflate. If you stay with foam, I think the extra pieces have to come down to slide the bed in, they are part of the couch cushions, I believe. Hope this is helpful!

 

[ckent323]

We had a 1984 FWC Keystone with fold down bed extension. The mattresses in the older campers were attached to the floor of the overcab area as well as to the fold down section. So the fold down part and the mattress folded down together. The bed was double size.

Our newer 2007 FWC Keystone has a slide out bed. The overcab portion is longer and the bed is queen size.

Before we sold the old camper and got the newer one I recall evaluating if I could mimic the newer campers and make the bed in the 1984 Keystone a slide out. My conclusion was that I could but would need to remove a fair amount of the interior paneling to do that. We found the 2007 Keystone at a very good price before I started refurbishing the 1984 model.

Foam online is a good source for mattress foam. Read the information carefully. The owner has a storefront near us and we bought a new mattress from him. He really knows his stuff.

The mattress we specified turns out to be a bit too firm but it is much better than the original. I recently bought the Froli springs to put under the mattress but have not yet slept on them.

http://www.foamonline.com/mattress.php?cartID=e879157b8ebf18f3f3b11d749f4f8b70

 

[Alley-Kat]

I have an All Terrain Camper, Bobcat, that has a 4" thick foam for the mattress. Very comfortable.

When the roof is DOWN, the bed is pulled out and the mattresses are NOT stacked one on top of the other, they are just in place as if I was sleeping on them. Roof fits fine.

When the roof is UP and the bed is pushed in... to be able to walk around inside the camper, the slide out section of the mattress is simply put on top of the non-sliding section, along with everything else that was on the floor when we were driving.

BTW, I highly recommend David at Foam Online in Goleta (Go-lee-ta).
A real hole in the wall store with a national presence.
He has helped me with all my foam solutions, i.e., patio furniture, house furniture (couches & chairs), camper, vintage cars, trucks & motorcycles, and boats.
Here is the web page with the video where he talks about types of foam available.
I usually tell him what the use of the foam is, sitting, sleeping, both or whatever, and he has always been right with the type of foam.

 

[klahanie]

Thom, our '97 has a 31" cab over. I think some older versions had ~25".

Pretty simple pull out design, as already posted. Our board is 1/2" ply cut and radiused fit the over cab portion. Front pull is 3 x 3/4" stock. Side ledgers are similar sized stock. When pulled out fully the board still over laps the over cab portion by ~1" - for support.

Foam pads are ~2 and 2 1/2" thick. ( I get the thin side, natch ...)

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/uploads/gallery/album_1320/gallery_351_1320_1021556.jpeg

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/uploads/gallery/album_1320/gallery_351_1320_1325651.jpeg

 

[klahanie]

... we have to add a double size thermarest to the newer camper to be able to sleep.

Same here. We had two at home in storage but it took a few years for the penny to drop to use them in the camper... and a few more to stop deflating / inflating each time ! Now we just store them inflated on the couch when top down.

Since it's inflatable, we just open the valve and can keep the bed fully made up to drop the top (pillows come off). The Exped just needs a couple of puffs to bring it back up, it's actually quite hard to fully deflate!

Brilliant

When the roof is DOWN, the bed is pulled out and the mattresses are NOT stacked one on top of the other, they are just in place as if I was sleeping on them. Roof fits fine.

When the roof is UP and the bed is pushed in... to be able to walk around inside the camper, the slide out section of the mattress is simply put on top of the non-sliding section, along with everything else that was on the floor when we were driving..

Great idea. I saw someone on here post a pic like this. But wondered if it would be hard to reach the push up bar. Maybe yours it longer ?

 

[Alley-Kat]

To lift up the roof at the FRONT... the movable cushions need to be pulled and put on edge on the floor, I do them on the driver's side next to the counter. That is easy to do if the rear of the roof is already UP. Then slide the bed support portion IN, and access is now easy to get to the front lifting roof push wood portion and then for the last part, push the front holding bar forward and fix in place. Then with the movable bed section already "slid in", the cushions can be placed on top of the other cushions. It's a regular process.

 

[shellback]

I have an All Terrain Camper, Bobcat, that has a 4" thick foam for the mattress. Very comfortable.

When the roof is DOWN, the bed is pulled out and the mattresses are NOT stacked one on top of the other, they are just in place as if I was sleeping on them. Roof fits fine.

When the roof is UP and the bed is pushed in... to be able to walk around inside the camper, the slide out section of the mattress is simply put on top of the non-sliding section, along with everything else that was on the floor when we were driving.

BTW, I highly recommend David at Foam Online in Goleta (Go-lee-ta).
A real hole in the wall store with a national presence.
He has helped me with all my foam solutions, i.e., patio furniture, house furniture (couches & chairs), camper, vintage cars, trucks & motorcycles, and boats.
Here is the web page with the video where he talks about types of foam available.
I usually tell him what the use of the foam is, sitting, sleeping, both or whatever, and he has always been right with the type of foam.

I can't believe I never thought of sliding the bed out when folding down the top! I always stuffed the slide out mattress down below.

 

[Alley-Kat]

I know there are a lot of guys that buy used pop-top campers and never get the factory description of how to do it. I've met several of them on the trail and showed them the process and they were just as amazed they didn't think of it either.

I know that Marty at All Terrain Campers showed me that process, and I'd guess that someone at FWC does the same.

Storing the pull out section of mattresses in the bunk allows easy stealth (roof down) camping if you have a lower bunk, perhaps the fold over couch or a convertible dinette.

 

[Vic Harder]

Same here. We had two at home in storage but it took a few years for the penny to drop to use them in the camper... and a few more to stop deflating / inflating each time ! Now we just store them inflated on the couch when top down.

Brilliant

Great idea. I saw someone on here post a pic like this. But wondered if it would be hard to reach the push up bar. Maybe yours it longer ?

I made a longer push bar for ours. Lifting the roof from closer to the middle of the camper is a LOT harder. Thank goodness for Suspa Struts!

 

[BBZ]

I have an old Granby that I converted to a slide it.. rather simple.. I will see if I can find pics..

I have a 4 inch memory foam mattress.. I do have to slide it out a bit to get the top to close, but not all the way.

I also created a pulley system so that I can fold the mattress up while the top is up and slide the bed in so that the space below can be used for those cold/rainy nights.. works like a charm..

 

[BBZ]

 

[BajaSurfRig]

@BBZ did just sink screws into vertical aluminum framing members?

I have an 83 Grandby that I am in the process of redoing.

What length type screws did you use? 1 1/14" self tapping #10's?

How thick of wood did you use for the slide out supports?

If you were to do it again would you change anything?

Thanks!

 

[BajaSurfRig]

How were you able to find the vertical framing members in the walls?

Is there a way to do this without removing the interior wood siding?

 

[BBZ]

@BBZ did just sink screws into vertical aluminum framing members?

I have an 83 Grandby that I am in the process of redoing.

What length type screws did you use? 1 1/14" self tapping #10's?

How thick of wood did you use for the slide out supports?

If you were to do it again would you change anything?

Thanks!

I used 1 x4 for the wood and it also is supported on the edge of the bed part by about an inch.. also used metal supports under the slide out.. I think i used 1 3/4 or 2 inch screws.. and as many as i could in all metal framing..

I wouldn't change it..it works perfect

 

[BBZ]

How were you able to find the vertical framing members in the walls?

Is there a way to do this without removing the interior wood siding?

I had mine all apart and marked where all the frame pieces were.. not sure if there is a tool, like a stud finder that could help, or an xray..haha