Arghhhhh! Broken the bed again!!

[barryd]

Well that's a bugger innit.

Eh? What is? Sounds like a result to me. I maybe should buy a few hundred metres of the stuff and start flogging it. Apparently it's used in a fair few vans which I was doubtful about as it was flipping hard to track down.

 

[marchie]

You are no longer allowed to refer to me as a fat Bastud! Well built rock God maybe who hasn't been on the pies every day, just now and again.

Im now driving around the lake district looking for bits of timber I can snaffle. Fcuk me!! Im literally surrounded by millions of tons of wood but can I find an 18 x 2 inch bit of timber? Nope.

Pity you weren't in Tortosa on Tuesday, Barry. Someone had left a complete single frame, with all the struts and clips intact 15m outside the Aire. And you could have had your own bay, and one either side to carry out the removal/installation work ...

Steve

 

[yeoblade]

So an update. For a couple of weeks now I have been conversing by email with a very helpful young lady at Catterick Caravans and she has managed to get me 4.5 metres of the correct runners, brand new for fifty quid!! Weeks ago I found the part she found from swift but the image was wrong so discounted it. She did some digging and seemed certain it was correct so I went ahead and ordered. Been in today to pick them up. All cut to my requirements and the correct part!

So now I have tons of spare and an easy way to buy more.

So I reckon there is no point in farting about now I have a cheap source of the correct part. Considering I nearly coughed up £260 for two cut pieces from that other supplier I reckon I'm happy with that.

Out of interest, did that email exchange exceed the post count?

 

[barryd]

Out of interest, did that email exchange exceed the post count?

It did go an a while now you mention it. Being thorough of course does get results. I suspect because of Swifts incompetence I am the first person to manage to purchase these runners directly from them. Cracking the Enigma code was probably easier than sourcing the correct part.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Eh? What is? Sounds like a result to me. I maybe should buy a few hundred metres of the stuff and start flogging it. Apparently it's used in a fair few vans which I was doubtful about as it was flipping hard to track down.

Buggered if I can recall what triggered that, I've slept (badly) since then, but yes a most excellent result.

 

[barryd]

Whoever designed the rear lounge bed runners at Swift in this van needs a large garden Gnome inserting in their bottom with no lube.

Two flaming hours I've been at this. What I discovered is there is no way at all to replace the broken shorter side runner without first removing the other longer side. Because they thought they were improving the design from the Kontiki from the last century which was dead simple all the slats have lugs on and they slot into a grove in the over complex bed runner design you are now familiar with. Both have to come out so you can somehow pull both forward and wangle them in one at time. I had to cut a chunk out of the end of one of them as it clearly wasnt fitted correctly before as it wasnt run under the wood surrounds for the Truma housing on one side. Then I couldnt remember how the wooden cover over the rear of the slats fitted so when I first got them in I had to take it all back to bits again and start again. In the end I fitted new runners on both sides as the old ones were a different colour. So ill keep the good old side as a spare.

The install is made more difficult by the bathroom sticking out so you cant get a lined up run to fit them in with space to slot in the slat lugs. None of this on the old van.

So Ive done it. Kind of. I still need to attach with screws somehow the rear wooden panel above the slats at the back and put some stoppers on to lock the slats in place.

Only taken two months.

 

[colinm]

Have you put in extra support to stop it breaking again?

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Never seen bed made up like that Barry.

When we were shown, you pull the seat cushions to the middle, drop the back pieces down, then the filler piece is best against one wall the the centre bit is more stable to manoeuvre on to get in and out in and out in and out.

 

[barryd]

Have you put in extra support to stop it breaking again?

No. Since I have found a good source of 4.5 metre lengths of the stuff at a reasonable price I've decided not to bother. Will see how long they last. In the old van I usually got three to four years out of them before a bit broke. If they dont last this year ill have to think again but I suspect like the old van they just got brittle over time. We will see. The main panic was for weeks there just seemed to be one spares place with a few pieces left who were charging eye watering prices for short sections of the stuff. Now I have a very nice young lady at the local dealer who spent some time sourcing the correct stuff from Swift Im not so bothered. The confusion was Swifts diagram never matched the part number. I also have a bit spare of new runner and the longer unbroken section old one which ill take with us in case of a breakage on tour.

 

[barryd]

Never seen bed made up like that Barry.

When we were shown, you pull the seat cushions to the middle, drop the back pieces down, then the filler piece is best against one wall the the centre bit is more stable to manoeuvre on to get in and out in and out in and out.

Seems to be the easiest way Kev and the most comfy. I've tried various combinations of the jigsaw bed puzzle. Its surprisingly comfy but again not as good as the old Kontiki from the last century and not as easy to make up. It might not look it but its absolutely massive. Bigger than the old one and that makes it a little trickier to make up tucking a sheet in. Still only a two minute job though. 5 minutes if your shitfaced and it all ends in a heap.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Two superking duvets, one thick & one thin (the duvets not you two ) then you can be comfy regardless of the temperature inside or out.

 

[barryd]

Two superking duvets, one thick & one thin (the duvets not you two ) then you can be comfy regardless of the temperature inside or out.

Nah. I just have a sheet which fits fine and then depending on what time of year it is and where we are a single sheet on top if it's hot, opened up double sleeping bag if it's warm or two opened up double bags if it's a bit chilly. That way you cover all bases. The awkward bit is tucking the sheet in on the far side as it's a bit of a stretch.

Just waiting for the fixed bed brigade to chip in now.

 

[colinm]

No. Since I have found a good source of 4.5 metre lengths of the stuff at a reasonable price I've decided not to bother. Will see how long they last. In the old van I usually got three to four years out of them before a bit broke. If they dont last this year ill have to think again but I suspect like the old van they just got brittle over time. We will see. The main panic was for weeks there just seemed to be one spares place with a few pieces left who were charging eye watering prices for short sections of the stuff. Now I have a very nice young lady at the local dealer who spent some time sourcing the correct stuff from Swift Im not so bothered. The confusion was Swifts diagram never matched the part number. I also have a bit spare of new runner and the longer unbroken section old one which ill take with us in case of a breakage on tour.

Just bodged it the same as Swift then.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Nah. I just have a sheet which fits fine and then depending on what time of year it is and where we are a single sheet on top if it's hot, opened up double sleeping bag if it's warm or two opened up double bags if it's a bit chilly. That way you cover all bases. The awkward bit is tucking the sheet in on the far side as it's a bit of a stretch.

Just waiting for the fixed bed brigade to chip in now.

Each to their own mate.

 

[barryd]

Just bodged it the same as Swift then.

I've not finished yet!! I'll not be able to move tomorrow! I'll be going back for round two at some point. I think you need to be like a feckin squirrel to crawl about working on motorhomes.

 

[barryd]

Each to their own mate.

Trust me. I've tried every combination and that was the most comfortable.

 

[Robmac]

Nah. I just have a sheet which fits fine and then depending on what time of year it is and where we are a single sheet on top if it's hot, opened up double sleeping bag if it's warm or two opened up double bags if it's a bit chilly. That way you cover all bases. The awkward bit is tucking the sheet in on the far side as it's a bit of a stretch.

Just waiting for the fixed bed brigade to chip in now.

You've got a fixed bed Barry.

You just fixed it - can't you remember?

 

[exwindsurfer]

Whoever designed the rear lounge bed runners at Swift in this van needs a large garden Gnome inserting in their bottom with no lube.

Two flaming hours I've been at this. What I discovered is there is no way at all to replace the broken shorter side runner without first removing the other longer side. Because they thought they were improving the design from the Kontiki from the last century which was dead simple all the slats have lugs on and they slot into a grove in the over complex bed runner design you are now familiar with. Both have to come out so you can somehow pull both forward and wangle them in one at time. I had to cut a chunk out of the end of one of them as it clearly wasnt fitted correctly before as it wasnt run under the wood surrounds for the Truma housing on one side. Then I couldnt remember how the wooden cover over the rear of the slats fitted so when I first got them in I had to take it all back to bits again and start again. In the end I fitted new runners on both sides as the old ones were a different colour. So ill keep the good old side as a spare.

The install is made more difficult by the bathroom sticking out so you cant get a lined up run to fit them in with space to slot in the slat lugs. None of this on the old van.

So Ive done it. Kind of. I still need to attach with screws somehow the rear wooden panel above the slats at the back and put some stoppers on to lock the slats in place.

Only taken two months.

View attachment 140714View attachment 140715View attachment 140716

They don't look very thick lats Barry for that span I'd be frightened to sleep on it lol

 

[barryd]

They don't look very thick lats Barry for that span I'd be frightened to sleep on it lol

The lats themselves are fine. There are lots of them so its spread evenly. Never had one break on the old van and they were just the same. Its the plastic runners that are the weak spot I think but I guess we will find out soon enough how good the replacements are. If they are shite its back to the drawing board. If they break every three or four years I can live with that. Plus I have spares now. Its a rubbish design and all the suggestions mentioned up thread would be better but I just cant make them happen. Not as worried now though I have a supply of the stuff.

 

[Nabsim]

My bed aint not never broken, not ever, not even once. I could put what type it is but you have an aversion to them haha