Hi. I'm new to the forum and hope I can find the answer here. I've searched trying to find where someone replaced the bed support bars on a hybrid TT with cables like the newer ones. We found a 2003 Kiwi we are thinking of buying that has the bars and would like to upgrade to cables.Thanks bunches for any assistance!

Welcome to the forum!The newer hybrids have the trailer frames and cables that can support the load/weight. To the best of my understanding the older trailers like yours the trailer frames were designed different where they needed the poles to take the load/weight directly to the trailer frame. Not worth trying to change if you ask me.Mike

While I wish my hybrid had them as it would save a little time, in the whole process of setting up, the poles are a not that big a deal. Cables would save maybe 5 minutes of my time. Not having cables would not be a deal breaker for me.Honestly, if really fast setup/tear down is what you are after, an HTT is probably not for you. There are other tasks with them (much like a pop-up) that are part of being an HTT owner and will require more time than a regular travel trailer. A good example is how you need to make/unmake the beds upon arrival and departure because of the folding bunks. You cant pre-make the beds before leaving so that they are ready to go once you pull into your campsite.

In over 8 years on various hybrid forums, no one has ever done it, because hybrids like yours were not engineered for it. Yours doesn't have framework on the ends to support the weight from above.Yours relies on the weight being supported from below, by the trailer's A-frame or the rear bumper area.The costs required to refab yours, would probably cost as much as buying another one that already had the cable setup.

Thanks for the feedback. Didn't really think of it that way. Good points!Set up and tear down is no big deal, time wise, as we have an older (1985) pop up now. 15 minutes is all it takes with that. Just time for something new to last the next 12 years til we retire. Now just hoping the groundhog was wrong and Spring gets here sooner. Ready for all this snow in Northern Michigan goes away!

2008 travel star sport have cables while the up models antiqua or regular travel stars had poles.

Change Bed Support Bars with Cables | Good Sam Community

13 Replies

RoyB
Explorer II
Feb 28, 2014
AH SO - I guess I never looked at the early HYBRIDS... All I ever saw was the drop down types without support from the bottom of the beds going back to the fame.. I was always amazed how much room you always had inside the hybrid trailer hot having the bed to contend with. Seemed like a great idea.

I don't think the VERY LARGE DROP-DOWN DOOR was very roadworthy and probably would warp easy and cause water leaks. Opening down from the top goes against the grain as far as water leaks would be concerned.
bikendan
Explorer
Feb 27, 2014
RoyB wrote:
The HYBRID tent beds are mounted outside the trailer and drop down from the top and gets supported with cables.

The POPUP tent beds are pull out types and supported by a tent bed rail. They need the pole support after the tent bed floor is pulled all the way out.

Roy Ken

Roy, hybrid beds initially were supported by poles, just like popups, only the bed platform dropped down instead of being pulled out.
but the pole mounts were welded like they are on popups, two on the A-frame and two on the rear bumper/frame.

around 2004 or 2005, cable-supported bunk platforms started showing up. took 2-3 years before all the hybrid manufacturers went completely to the cable systems.
Wavesprite
Explorer II
Feb 27, 2014
RoyB wrote:
The HYBRID tent beds are mounted outside the trailer and drop down from the top and gets supported with cables.

The POPUP tent beds are pull out types and supported by a tent bed rail. They need the pole support after the tent bed floor is pulled all the way out.

Roy Ken

We have a hybrid and it definitely is supported by poles.
Wavesprite
Explorer II
Feb 27, 2014
RoyB wrote:
The HYBRID tent beds are mounted outside the trailer and drop down from the top and gets supported with cables.

The POPUP tent beds are pull out types and supported by a tent bed rail. They need the pole support after the tent bed floor is pulled all the way out.

Roy Ken

We have a hybrid and it definitely is supported by poles.
RoyB
Explorer II
Feb 27, 2014
The HYBRID tent beds are mounted outside the trailer and drop down from the top and gets supported with cables.

The POPUP tent beds are pull out types and supported by a tent bed rail. They need the pole support after the tent bed floor is pulled all the way out.

Roy Ken
bikendan
Explorer
Feb 25, 2014
in all the years that cable supports have been out, i've only seen one incident that there was a failure and it was on one side only.

i can tell you that i've read way more pole failures, in comparison.
SLSAntigua
Explorer
Feb 25, 2014
I think I'd prefer to still have the poles holding up the bunkends. I am a big guy, 6'4 290 and I think I need more than 4 screws and 2 aircraft cables holding my big ... up! Wouldn't want to find out in the middle of the night either!
Oasisbob
Explorer
Feb 22, 2014
Welcome to the forum. As others have said the frame of the trailer is not built to support the cable weight so NO won't work. We have the tube supports and are very happy with these. Very easy and they install in seconds. I would honestly rather have the tubes than the cable IMHO.
PAThwacker
Explorer
Feb 12, 2014
2008 travel star sport have cables while the up models antiqua or regular travel stars had poles.
dchandler12
Explorer
Feb 12, 2014
Thanks for the feedback. Didn't really think of it that way. Good points!

Set up and tear down is no big deal, time wise, as we have an older (1985) pop up now. 15 minutes is all it takes with that. Just time for something new to last the next 12 years til we retire.

Now just hoping the groundhog was wrong and Spring gets here sooner. Ready for all this snow in Northern Michigan goes away!