Forum Discussion

slemnah's avatar
slemnah
Explorer
Dec 30, 2013

Banging my head one too many times on my Safari Panther

On my 2005 Panther (same as Monaco Dynasty) the head of my bed is up against the window which creates its own problems (pillows bending the shade, etc) but then Monaco in their infinite wisdom put a tall set of cabinets above the bed and then added insult to injury by placing 2 drop down decorative lights and 2 speaker grills for me to slam my head on every time I get into the bed. Of course my wife being shorter than me fits without too much problem but I can't sit up straight to watch tv and i have to be very careful when I lay down on the bed to keep from slamming my head. I see that mine isn't the only coach designed stupidly this way, has anyone changed the configuration to give more room? I am thinking of removing the cabinets and having them remade so that they are much smaller but my wife doesn't want to lose the storage. Please let me know if you have any options.
Thanks,
Happy New Year
Steve 05 Panther
Class A
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    Dec 30, 2013
    We like to lay in bed and read/watch TV so I found a metal grill the right length to span the window. Mounted it on hooks so I can still get to the emergency exit if necessary. I'm 6'4" and do not hit my head (same coach) because I only lay at about a 45 degree angle to read using two pillows against the grill. While this picture was taken to show the mounting of the TV, you can see the grill over the window. There is a gap at the bottom so I can get to the day/night shade. Hope this helps.

  • B_s_Bunch's avatar
    B_s_Bunch
    Explorer
    Dec 30, 2013
    sleep at the foot of the bed:B Newmar and some others made the cabinets shorter over the bed but it was still a pain to get in and out but at least it wasn't a pain in the head. Larry
  • Daveinet's avatar
    Daveinet
    Explorer
    Dec 30, 2013
    You could do it the government way and just post a yellow sign warning of the impending danger. Hey maybe even some flashing lights with sensors so they go off, just before you hit your head. (OK, sorry, I was thinking of those YouTube videos of trucks crashing into bridges)

    On a completely different tack than what has been suggested, would it be possible to mount the bed farther from the wall? It may be easier to fill in the empty space with a false headboard, than tear down the cabinets and modify them. That would also get the pillows away from the shades and keep DW happy to boot. You loose a little foot room when the slide is in, but a small price to pay compared to bandaids.
  • MustangGT's avatar
    MustangGT
    Explorer
    Dec 30, 2013
    Now that I have googled your rig and see those low cabinets. They ARE low. I also HAAATTTEEEE bashing my head.
    I am a hobbiest wood-worker. If it were me, I'd pull down the cabinets, since only screws hold them up and together, and modify the faceframes of those two cabinets immediately over the bed by trimming the bottom and tilting the faceframe bottom in 3 or 4 inches (or just 2 or 3, depending). you may get lucky and find the finish on the abutting cabinets is continuous on the newly exposed triangular areas.
    If you are not capable of this, a cabinet maker surely could do it and would charge waaaayyyy less if you could do the de-install, install yourself.
    The big problem would be if the cabinets are heavily glued with non-heat sensitive (hot-melt) glue. Then a new box would have to be made, but the original doors and faceframe could still be used.
    Or just cut-off the back of the cabinets and re-hang.
  • Pangaea_Ron's avatar
    Pangaea_Ron
    Explorer
    Dec 30, 2013
    Is there any way to create a headboard that is blocked out from the wall/window that could be padded, or is the bed too short as it is?
  • MustangGT's avatar
    MustangGT
    Explorer
    Dec 30, 2013
    LOL..."scar tissue..."
    either that, or if you bang your head enough times, you'll eventually forget the pain.
    But to be serious, not like THOSE OTHER POSTERS (who should be ass-hamed of themselves...), you could build a run of tufted upholstery along some wood strips. Install with screws for future adjustments or removal. The color could even be chosen to hide any blood stains or scalp residue. sorry
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    Dec 30, 2013
    VELCO an babycrib bumpers helps big time...

    Roy Ken

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