Homemade bedboards and platform removal
Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 11:08 pm
A few weeks ago, I had a PM from new forum member Mrs Muffinhead. She was asking about how we'd made the Bongo more usable for a family of four, considering the potential difficulties the roof hatch can cause with communication and checking on kids whilst sleeping etc.
I promised to take some photos for her, and now I have I thought I'd put them up as a post so that the info's there for anyone else to use.
Please note this was not my idea originally I've just copied from someone else on here...I'm good at that
We made the bed boards last year from 18mm plywood. They're obviously strong enough for the kids, but they're fine for me too (6' and more than 13st ). They are in three sections all 1100mm wide. Two the same depth 580mm (to go at the front and middle) and then a smaller one at the back 420mm.
I removed the original panel above the cab to ensure the boards all lay down together smoothly, and as you can see the first board is notched at the top to go around the tent support arm thingies. (note - when the boards are in storage in the roof space and not is use this board has to be slid back to allow these arms to fold down).
Each board is drilled in the edge to allow the next piece to fit together with dowells. I also added little self adhesive rubber pads on the edges of the Bongo roof floor (!) so that the boards weren't resting on the metal or trim.
Once the boards are in I use a little wedge to stop them moving...
Then it's mattresses on top
Having used these in the past by storing them in the roof whilst going away it has limited using the roof space for other things - i.e. sleeping bags, pillows, duvet, and of course it takes a bit of time to set up. So last weekend I decided to take the platform out such that the boards and beds, sleeping bags and pillows can be left up there ready. All I have to do is slide the whole thing back around 6" to allow the front tent supports to go down flat. It was easy to take the platform out, and of course can be put back in easily, so it's not a permanent thing.
Remove the grab washer and pin...
Take out the gas strut bolts (sorry about the pic quality)
Unclip the light plug (sorry about the pic quality again )
The result is suprisingly a lot more room to get up and down, less hassle on set up and a nice little shelf area!
I promised to take some photos for her, and now I have I thought I'd put them up as a post so that the info's there for anyone else to use.
Please note this was not my idea originally I've just copied from someone else on here...I'm good at that
We made the bed boards last year from 18mm plywood. They're obviously strong enough for the kids, but they're fine for me too (6' and more than 13st ). They are in three sections all 1100mm wide. Two the same depth 580mm (to go at the front and middle) and then a smaller one at the back 420mm.
I removed the original panel above the cab to ensure the boards all lay down together smoothly, and as you can see the first board is notched at the top to go around the tent support arm thingies. (note - when the boards are in storage in the roof space and not is use this board has to be slid back to allow these arms to fold down).
Each board is drilled in the edge to allow the next piece to fit together with dowells. I also added little self adhesive rubber pads on the edges of the Bongo roof floor (!) so that the boards weren't resting on the metal or trim.
Once the boards are in I use a little wedge to stop them moving...
Then it's mattresses on top
Having used these in the past by storing them in the roof whilst going away it has limited using the roof space for other things - i.e. sleeping bags, pillows, duvet, and of course it takes a bit of time to set up. So last weekend I decided to take the platform out such that the boards and beds, sleeping bags and pillows can be left up there ready. All I have to do is slide the whole thing back around 6" to allow the front tent supports to go down flat. It was easy to take the platform out, and of course can be put back in easily, so it's not a permanent thing.
Remove the grab washer and pin...
Take out the gas strut bolts (sorry about the pic quality)
Unclip the light plug (sorry about the pic quality again )
The result is suprisingly a lot more room to get up and down, less hassle on set up and a nice little shelf area!