Arghhhhh! Broken the bed again!!

[Nabsim]

I don't know how your slats work Barry but I would be removing the plants and either getting some L shaped angle screwed in or wood strips. You may tell me yours is different but usually pull out slats are taped together so you only need to peg the end one to stop them moving

 

[barryd]

I don't know how your slats work Barry but I would be removing the plants and either getting some L shaped angle screwed in or wood strips. You may tell me yours is different but usually pull out slats are taped together so you only need to peg the end one to stop them moving

Here is the video. Sorry about the bare feet and swearing.

 

[Nabsim]

I would scrap the plastic runners and plastic end caps on slats. Two lengths of nice planed all round screwed on as a runner. Pins to drop into slats and through runners at both ends.

The original is a real crap idea

 

[alcam]

So why can't you just remove the plastic stuff and screw a length of wood in their place for the slats to rest on?

Does seem like an obvious answer . Maybe too obvious?

 

[alcam]

Here is the video. Sorry about the bare feet and swearing.

Nice clean feet but , unfortunately, my auto translate doesn't recognise what language you're speaking

 

[barryd]

I would scrap the plastic runners and plastic end caps on slats. Two lengths of nice planed all round screwed on as a runner. Pins to drop into slats and through runners at both ends.

The original is a real crap idea

I suppose it would be a cheap and simple solution but as said, it begs the question why do motorhome manufacturers not do this? I guess you could strengthen up the other side of the supporting panel with some more wood and bolt them on all the way through. You would never have to worry about the spazy plastic supports ever again.

I still think I need a second opinion But liking your thoughts.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I took the bed support runners off today. I think I am just going to buy replacements. They are eye wateringly expensive though at £125 per side. They look like they would be pretty difficult to remake so I wonder about supporting them and making them stronger. Some pics below of what they look like from the end. They basically sit on the wooden frame and the complicated bit houses the wooden slats which have little nodules that slot into the runners you can see. I think its to stop them falling off. Both the runner housing and the supporting bit underneath have gone. I might be able to saw a bit off and save it for a spare if it breaks again.

I think it would be useful to try end re-enforce them somehow so open to suggestions. I don't think I can ask Tim to try and replicate this.

View attachment 139418

Ah yes the green arrowed but is fro the seat itself.

 

[Nabsim]

The plastic extrusion will be cheaper to manufacturer than wood Barry, plus a little lighter. £120 odd for them is a joke though, bet its pennies to manufacture

 

[barryd]

The plastic extrusion will be cheaper to manufacturer than wood Barry, plus a little lighter. £120 odd for them is a joke though, bet its pennies to manufacture

Tim reckoned a couple of quid it probably costs to make them. However I think the big cost is shipping them as I checked today. Courier costs rocket over 1.5 metres.

 

[barryd]

View attachment 139489



Ah yes the green arrowed but is fro the seat itself.

Nope. You got that the wrong way around. The slats sit on top of the bit with the green arrow. No idea what that bit with the yellow arrow is for as it ends up inside the under seat locker.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Hmm, assuming the bit in the red box is fine with no breaks of splits & only the bed supports is knackered it could be a very easy DIY fix for you, nip to B&Q get some 18x44mm timber and ten 6mm coach bolts, put them under the bed suport and bolt them in use penny washers under the bed, get a mathc pot of paint and painthe timber and forget about it, cheap and simeole and exactly what I would do

 

[barryd]

Hmm, assuming the bit in the red box is fine with no breaks of splits & only the bed supports is knackered it could be a very easy DIY fix for you, nip to B&Q get some 18x44mm timber and ten 6mm coach bolts, put them under the bed suport and bolt them in use penny washers under the bed, get a mathc pot of paint and painthe timber and forget about it, cheap and simeole and exactly what I would do

View attachment 139490

Read my reply to you above. You have it the wrong way around.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Nope. You got that the wrong way around. The slats sit on top of the bit with the green arrow. No idea what that bit with the yellow arrow is for as it ends up inside the under seat locker.

Bugger, that was an easy repair as it's not angled, that same idea would work if you know someone with a saw table to match the angle.

have you got a pic of the actual broken bit?

 

[barryd]

Bugger, that was an easy repair as it's not angled, that same idea would work if you know someone with a saw table to match the angle.

have you got a pic of the actual broken bit?

Its in the video. The runner itself that guides the nodules on the slats has split and in the middle the entire side has started to split and come away. Its only good at one end for about a foot or two.

Whatever solution goes in it needs to last 10-15 years.

 

[merl]

Which will be best and look the best do you think. Steel / Aluminium or timber?

It doesn't matter what WE think Barry, you'll ignore everyone anyway

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Cut the broken bit off and get some ally angle and bolt it through.

 

[barryd]

Tim has had chance to do a proper FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) and sent me some more complex drawings. He is now of the opinion that the plastic runners will still fail and break even with supports in place. As the break and split is both with the runners and above where the support would be and its just down to age and it going brittle. The supports I think would stop the bed collapsing but the ultimately they will likely keep failing.

I have discussed Nabs suggestion of going back to the drawing board and just creating timber supports with him and he thinks it might work. I think its worth a punt. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best so unless someone comes up with a reason against this idea I think its worth a go. The trouble with the plastic runners is as far as I can tell there is only one in stock in the entire country so three or four years from now I bet you wont get them so best to find another solution now which if just simple and timber based can easily be replaced down the line by any joiner.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

The seat and the bed need supoort, they dont have to be made out of the same piece.

 

[zzr1400tim]

Tim has had chance to do a proper FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) and sent me some more complex drawings. He is now of the opinion that the plastic runners will still fail and break even with supports in place. As the break and split is both with the runners and above where the support would be and its just down to age and it going brittle. The supports I think would stop the bed collapsing but the ultimately they will likely keep failing.

I have discussed Nabs suggestion of going back to the drawing board and just creating timber supports with him and he thinks it might work. I think its worth a punt. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best so unless someone comes up with a reason against this idea I think its worth a go. The trouble with the plastic runners is as far as I can tell there is only one in stock in the entire country so three or four years from now I bet you wont get them so best to find another solution now which if just simple and timber based can easily be replaced down the line by any joiner.

I knew that I was useful for something

 

[barryd]

I knew that I was useful for something

I feel honoured to have had a design made by the "worlds greatest product designer" even though it looks like we will be going with Nabs "chunk of wood" design in the end.

Seriously though Tim, thanks for your help. Its been extremely useful as now you have drilled down into it we can now see that the supports will not ultimately 100% resolve the issue.