Voltage 3800 bed support frame

[Pirate]

Got our 2014 Voltage Epic 3800 on May 7th.

We've had it out three times now.

I sleep on the driver's side of the queen size bed in the bedroom.

I felt sort of like I was sleeping in a hole. My shoulder would always feel like it was below the top of the nightstand.

Investigation showed me why. The OSB sheet the mattress rests on come to within 1" of the edge of the mattress on the Passenger side, but on the Driver's side, the mattress hangs over the OSB by more than seven inches!!

Took the trailer in for a couple of additions, repairs and warranty work. Dropped it off on Sept 6th. Our appointment was Sept 10th...but we were in Denver on the 6th.

Picked up the trailer on Friday, Sept 26th and to my amazement I was told the bed support frame was "per spec" and nothing would be done.

Got the trailer home, bought two sheets of 1/2" OSB and widened the bed support to 59 inches. That leaves about 1/2" of mattress extending over the sides and bottom of the mattress.

Did drawings of the OSB pieces required, and cut to design.

Took them to the trailer and during installation find that the vertical sides of the bed support are not in the center of the bedroom, the curved base of the headboard is not centered in the bedroom.

So the attachment boards for the air lifts had to be "as built" to attach to the new OSB and allow the air lifts to clear the vertical sides of the bed support.

All has been put back together, the mattress is fully supported on all sides. The mattress extends over the OSB by 1/2" on all sides except the head of the bed...and that rests on the base of the headboard.

But totally weird. Why would Dutchmen install a bed with more than 7" of mattress hanging over the edge unsupported?

Why would Windish RV tell us "this is per spec and no changes".

Anybody else having this fun?

Thanks,

Pirate

[sundancer 87]

We all are having some flavor of fun with Dutchman and its dealers.

I know your questions are rhetorical because Windish and Dutchman can't answer them.

[azdryheat]

My bed was the same way and I fixed it myself. Had to put in 120# struts because the 80# weren't strong enough to hold the bed open.

[MartyG]

I checked the promo for the 3800, and it has a "queen island bed." As opposed to a "queen bed." Hmmm, I guess island beds are a little loose around the edge? Maybe they're promoting romance, i.e. forcing the two sleepers towards the middle? LOL

[Pirate]

Yup, some flavor of fun...I've got about a dozen more that Windish wouldn't or didn't do...despite having the trailer for 21 days...after our scheduled appointment...so I think I'm going to do it all myself. I guess the rest of the warranty and 2 year extended warranty will just be for the "appliances" that quit.

Hmmmm....Mama had to put the 4" memory foam mattress pad on after I got done. Sure enough, the struts won't hold it up.

So I'll be shopping for some 120# struts.

Can I get some input on where to get them?

Thanks,

Pirate

[Pirate]

Marty,

What's interesting is the island leaves one side of the mattress hanging over nothing...but then the rest of the bed frame isn't centered either. Really kinda strange...but then if Dutchmen spends 30 minutes slapping it in, no wonder it took me half a day to get the new pieces cut, aligned and installed so that it works right.

Second RV trailer I've owned. First a 2010 Jayco T29A. This one cost three times as much...and somehow I figured the quality of construction would be a little better...

Silly me!!

Pirate

[Sinecure]

I'm in the process of replacing to OSB under my queen bed for the same reasons you stated.

[Pirate]

I thought about going with plywood...but you can't buy flat plywood these days. So I went back with 1/2" OSB.

I cut both pieces at 59" wide. That keeps the OSB just inside the edges of the mattress. In fact the seam cover over the top and side just hang over the OSB.

If you like, PM me, give me an e-mail address and I'll send you pdf copies of my drawings. Worked out perfectly!!

Pirate

[DesertRat]

One of the first things I did on my to-do list was to make the bed wider. Also installed a Sleep # Bed. I used plywood but because the new bed is lighter than the OEM one I didn't need different shocks.

[Pirate]

And somewhere you were able to find plywood that isn't warping like crazy?

I sheeted my machine shop with 1/2" plywood, finished on one side. Fortunately I only bought the first six sheets. Fine an flat on the trailer, stacked them on the shop floor, and overnight...not one corner still on the floor or the sheet below. I finally wound up buying three sheets at a time, about what I could hang per day, in the time that I had.

I have some OSB left over from other projects...still flat...no warping.

So for the bed...I went back with 1/2" OSB.

So it goes!!