Modify OR Access Easily Over cab Bed for the Older Camper

[rv4jimnme]

Have a 2011 24ft Fleetwood DSL on Sprinter Chassis. Forever I have been looking for a safe way for older folks to get into and out of top bunk (the lift up bed above the cab). The ladder won't work for us. We did use a secured rope to pull us up and let us down but searching for ladder with feet.. well its not safe. I have researched bunk bed stairs and other clever ideas. I would love to modify this top bed into drop down but the built in part looks very complicated to remove. Maybe it is not. I doubt seriously if hubbie would let me even attempt that. lol So every once in awhile I get looking again. Of course with all the head room in cab the upper bunk is too high to just stand on sofa and get up...I bet there is some clever solution out there? I even thought of motorized lift chair thing..some wild ideas appreciated. I am thinking the best solution for old folks would be a drop down bed...???

[pnichols]

Gjac wrote:
I have been thinking about this issue my self. Most all the small class C’s have this corner bed and would not work well for two older people so one would have to sleep somewhere else. Has anyone tried reclining the front seat and using that to get down in the middle of the night? Can you step on the couch then to the reclined front seat to get up and down.?

Our 24 ft. Class C has a dinette that easily converts into a full bed in addition to a rear corner queen bed and a cabover queen bed. A couple could sleep one in the rear corner queen bed and one in the dinette full bed if neither on one wanted to use the cabover bed.

[Gjac]

I have been thinking about this issue my self. Most all the small class C’s have this corner bed and would not work well for two older people so one would have to sleep somewhere else. Has anyone tried reclining the front seat and using that to get down in the middle of the night? Can you step on the couch then to the reclined front seat to get up and down.?

[navegator]

One my 2001 C I modified a wood ladder the ones that open as an "A", took the ladder apart cut the top portion to the correct height and placed the last rung on the ladder so that it rests flat against the bed, in order for the ladder not to move I drilled two holes on the rung that sits against the bed and installed two sliding bolts, this proved to be perfect I also found a wood towel rack that I installed on the ceiling in front of the AC just to have a hand hold for balance not as a trapeze.

This has proven great, the ladder rungs are wide side to side and front to back big enough that your feet do not hurt as opposed to the flimsy ladders sold for this purpose, I also installed carpet remnants on the rung.

navegator

[klutchdust]

How much room is there between the drivers seat and the dinette. Could steps be built that could also double as a little storage cabinet and be

a permanent piece of the unit. Doubtful that the front nose cone could support any modifications.

[Dusty_R]

I made one out of 1x3 oak. Used it for 13 years.

[Booner]

I would think anyone with a table saw could make you a ladder that would work for you.

Shoot, come to my place in Central Missouri and I'll make you one! When I'm done, we'll do lunch. I've got some scrap 2x6's out in the garage.

[CharlesinGA]

I had a Winnebago View with a cab over bed and a jackknife couch. I tried the cab over bed twice and ended up sleeping on the jackknife couch. Had I kept the MH I was going to make a better ladder, possibly using a library ladder kit to build something solid and sturdy with wide steps (I say library ladder because they are nice looking and well made, not referring to the part that rolls on a track, just the wooden ladder itself.)

Charles

[pnichols]

rv4jimnme wrote:
Have a 2011 24ft Fleetwood DSL on Sprinter Chassis. Forever I have been looking for a safe way for older folks to get into and out of top bunk (the lift up bed above the cab). The ladder won't work for us. We did use a secured rope to pull us up and let us down but searching for ladder with feet.. well its not safe. I have researched bunk bed stairs and other clever ideas. I would love to modify this top bed into drop down but the built in part looks very complicated to remove. Maybe it is not. I doubt seriously if hubbie would let me even attempt that. lol So every once in awhile I get looking again. Of course with all the head room in cab the upper bunk is too high to just stand on sofa and get up...I bet there is some clever solution out there? I even thought of motorized lift chair thing..some wild ideas appreciated. I am thinking the best solution for old folks would be a drop down bed...???

I believe this link might show your motorhome's floorplan: https://www.rvt.com/Fleetwood-Jamboree-DSL-24D-2011-Forest-City-IA-ID9654648-UX77725

If the above is your floorplan, then it's almost identical to our Itasca's floorplan, except our dinette area isn't in a slide but it's in the spot your's is in.

Doesn't your dinette make into a full size bed like ours does? Ours makes into a nice full size bed, especially if we lay an additional layer of foam on the dinette cushions which are used as this bed's mattress. I'm 6'2" and have slept in it.

For what it's worth, I'm 78 and use our overhead cab bed all the time. Our ladder has flat steps in it so they don't dig into the pads of my feet at all. As an idea - how about using two ladders held side by side, with two sets of anchor brackets, to get up into and down out of the upper bed. This would be much safer because of the extra width - put one foot on one ladder and the other foot on the other ladder ... this would provide better stability when going up and down.

[ron_dittmer]

This is not what you want to hear, nor asking for, but the right solution is to change motor homes to one that has a main floor double or queen bed, or twin beds as is popular with older folks.

I just did a quick search on the motor home you own and note that you have a rear dinette that could be made into a rear corner bed. That is of coarse one option to consider. That situation is what we deal with.

14 years ago, we bought what we hope will be our final motor home purchase. Our 2007 Phoenix Cruiser model 2350 SEEN HERE remains in tip-top condition that is easy accomplished with heated indoor storage.

We are turning 63 years old this year. We continue to have no trouble (only the expected inconvenience) with our limited access rear corner main floor double bed, but we anticipate it will be more challenging as we age. We will find out whether we give up such travel from the limited access bed, or we are too old and dangerous to safely drive the rig that comes with a general loss of independence. I hope it is the later happening much later. The plan would be to sell our house to include a motor home in the garage to sweeten the deal.