Creating bunk beds in a 171
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3344
Printed Date: 12 May 2025 at 9:26am
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Topic: Creating bunk beds in a 171
Posted By: techntrek
Subject: Creating bunk beds in a 171
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2013 at 10:13pm
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As our kids have grown they've begun to complain about their room on the dinette at night. It was time to give each of them their own bed. I decided to add a bunk above the dinette. I wanted to be sure I could still get to the storage under the seats, and maybe even remove it to use the table. In the end I can get to the storage by lifting up on the front edge. However, it ended up being a little too big to just remove as I hoped. The tolerances are so tight I had to put one of the legs on with a ratchet through the front window, so no easy-out. The towel is there to protect the wall and the front ledge. It just sits on the ledge and the legs slip between the wall and cushions. I made the bunk smaller than the dinette to leave a place to step up and a place to sit.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Replies:
Posted By: Thinker
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2013 at 7:03am
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Hey that is pretty cool... You guys are natural engineers. Had I not seen yours, I would have tried a type of pipe berth, sitting on the ledge on one side like you did, but suspened by a chain on the front corners. This would then fold up out of the way during the day. I don't know enough about the pod structure to know for sure how to find solid attachment points. Yours is solid. You are a lot like me and if a 2x2 will carry the load.. put in a 2x4... ha. ------------- Tow Vehicle: 2013 Pathfinder 4WD R-POD Model 171 
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Posted By: Goose
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2013 at 10:52am
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That's really neet! I see it now.......the fighting begins for ownership of the top bunk. I know because my brother and I had trundle beds when we were young. Goose ------------- Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee 
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2013 at 1:22pm
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Amazingly, no fighting from the kids - one wants the top, the other wants the bottom. I did expect to mediate a full schedule of who gets what on which day. Happily no. The front rail is actually a 2 x 3, I was surprised to find that. I expected to have to rip a 2 x 4 to make it a little less high to climb over. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Goose
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2013 at 2:34pm
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What are you going to use as a mattress on the top bunk? ------------- Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee
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Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2013 at 3:05pm
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How about a waterbed?
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2013 at 8:31pm
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I have several backpacking mattresses so probably one of them. I'm sure they would love a waterbed!
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: wildflowerz
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2013 at 8:47pm
| Looks great! |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2013 at 8:53pm
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Looks great.. and, I love my Merrells..  (another forum I am on, people take a lot of pictures of objects laying on the ground that end up with their feet in them, so I notice these things... lol) ------------- |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2013 at 9:54pm
Probably the 12th pair I've owned, its all I've worn for about a decade.  ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: unlblkrubi
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2013 at 4:35pm
| Moab Ventilater, same as I wear. |
Posted By: g4royce
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2013 at 12:49pm
Fantastic mod! Greg & I were talking about doing a mod like that if we went up to a 171  However, if we went up to a 172, we'd be stuck doing a loose top bunk/dinette mod....------------- ChaiPod 2009 RP152 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe 3.5L V6 |
Posted By: jeannierom828
Date Posted: 05 Apr 2013 at 9:26am
| What are the measurements of your top bunk? Looks great! |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 05 Apr 2013 at 8:06pm
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While I'm camping tonight I don't have a tape measure here. I can tell you that I measured the width of the queen in the back and cut that in half, then added a few inches. I can get you exact measurements tomorrow. I need to pull it out of the pod and cut an inch or two off the side so I can lift it easier. Right now it catches on the window frames unless I get it just right.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: DocTom
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2013 at 1:03pm
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You are wearing my shoes, too!!! Nice work on the bed also. ------------- Brush and Floss, It is the Secret of Life! |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2013 at 9:58pm
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I took the measurements this afternoon, going by memory here, 29" X 70". I have them written down upstairs, if I'm wrong I'll post back later.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: jjkd
Date Posted: 07 Apr 2013 at 10:59pm
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------------- -- Joe Kyle --jjkd-- |
Posted By: jeannierom828
Date Posted: 08 Apr 2013 at 8:34am
| Thanks for the info! |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 08 Apr 2013 at 12:31pm
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Yup, it was 29 X 70, which is after I took an inch and a half off of the length. Now it tilts upwards much easier to get to the storage compartments, just clearing the window frames but still wide enough to reach the outer edges of the cusions.
I made the legs as high as the ledge on the front wall plus the height of a 2 X 4 on edge (usually 1.5 inches milled, but measure to be sure), which made it all level. However, another 3-4 inches in height would be better now that I've seen it in use. Just barely enough room for the bottom sleeper to comfortably roll over in its current configuration.
The legs at their current length are about a half inch too long to get the thing through the door in one piece - still. The first leg through the door has room because you can turn the whole thing but by the time the 2nd leg needs to come through you can't turn it because of cabinets on the far wall. I'm considering adding hinges and buckle latches to allow the legs to fold up but for now I'm leaving it as a semi-permanent installation. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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