Forum Discussion

raychris1's avatar
raychris1
Explorer
May 03, 2022

Modify top bunk

I have a new Open Range 26bh. It has Double bed bunks. We do not need the upper bunk. I was thinking about removing the front half of the bunk and using the back half as storage. Possibly putting up some plastic drawers for clothes and other items that will not be used all the time. We also have inflatable paddleboard/kayaks as well. Anybody do anything similar?
  • With sufficient support an RVer can cut out anything IMO.
  • Why remove any part of the bunk? We use our bunks mostly for storage.
  • FIL recently got a little 18' TT to use during the summer months - his big 5'ver stays in storage down @ Lake Havasu. The one he found was a bunk bed model... and he's discovered that after years and years in first a big class A motorhome, and later the big 5th wheel, he's gotten spoiled by not having to watch his head ;)

    We've been discussing possible mods along similar lines - removing the top bunk entirely, making the top bunk height adjustable, etc. I'd be interested to hear what others might have come up with.
  • Do you want to carry tall items? I would not modify the bunk itself except removing the mattresses. Put whatever shelves/bins you want there.
  • In our TT the access to the bunks is on a corner of the bunks. Not much room. To put storage on the top bunk we would have to climb onto the bunk. If I remove half of the bunk, I will have a lot more access to that area. An added bonus is it would make it easier to get to the hot water heater hoses and valves which are under the lower bunk against the rear of the trailer.
  • I removed the upper bunk in my Wolf Pup BHS16. It was a PITA getting the screws out. Had to remove the luan top to access them and remove and reroute the wires to my thermostat. It was just a 2x2 frame with several cross braces. You’d have to rebuild that frame to make it a shelf. I installed a wood clothes rod up near the ceiling from the back wall to the cabinet above my dinette.