cancel
Showing results forย 
Search instead forย 
Did you mean:ย 

I remodeled my BF10.4 living room - picture heavy

HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Explorer
I really like the forward bath, aft dinette of the Bigfoot 10.4, looked for one for several years and found one (new old stock) in 2013. While I like the general arrangement, the dinette is quite small, especially for two tall people. This is the compromise of this floor plan. We lived with it this long, but the seats are uncomfortable for more than a few minutes (like most camper dinettes) and they are too close together, so your legs and feet interfere with the person facing you. It is only about 30 inches in width and 66 inches in length, useless as a bed except for small children.

Bigfoot 10.4E, 2015 F350 6.7L DRW 2WD, Autoflex Ultra Air Ride rear suspension, Hellwig Bigwig sway bars front and rear
26 REPLIES 26

mountainkowboy
Explorer
Explorer
I like it! Great mod.
Chuck & Ruth with 4-legged Molly
2007 Tiffin Allegro 30DA
2011 Ford Ranger
1987 HD FLHTP

fpoole
Explorer
Explorer
Wow... heheh nice ReConFig... Kewl...
Frank Poole
Roam'n ROG (Full Timer since Oct '15)
2016 RAM 5500, C/c, 6.7 Diesel, AISIN HD 6-spd, 19.5 DRW, 72 Gal fuel, 4x4, 10โ€™ Alum FB, 440 Amps, 4.10 Axle
2016 AF 990 640-Solar/10-6v Batts
GlowStep Stow Nโ€™ Go, E-Bike
RS1 Buggy
frank

Pooles website

HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Explorer
I've used it on a couple of trips now and like the change. Seating is very comfortable, like a nice cushy chair at home. The downside is that you are looking at the galley, not so much out the windows. I understood that compromise when I started, but a lot of time is only spent inside with bad weather or after dark, so it seemed the right trade off. A surprise was the gain in floor space, the tiny bit between the two seats. This was buried under the plinth before. It turns out to be quite valuable as it lets one person pass another much more easily in the pullman style plans that all campers have.
Bigfoot 10.4E, 2015 F350 6.7L DRW 2WD, Autoflex Ultra Air Ride rear suspension, Hellwig Bigwig sway bars front and rear

notsobigjoe
Nomad III
Nomad III
Wow! It's absolutely beautiful!!!!

HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Explorer
I am often alone in the camper when I take it to the glider port (wife thinks sailplanes are boring!) and like to sit on one seat with my legs up on the other. This ability is retained by turning the seat cushion around. Now it's 2 deg taper cancels the 2 deg taper in the seat bottom, and the surface is level. The back cushion can be moved to the wall and I have a nice chase lounge. All that remains now is to build a swinging table mount similar to the Lagun. It won't work as the arm isn't long enough to let it swing to serve the three different seating positions, so I will have to fabricate one.

Bigfoot 10.4E, 2015 F350 6.7L DRW 2WD, Autoflex Ultra Air Ride rear suspension, Hellwig Bigwig sway bars front and rear

jimh406
Explorer III
Explorer III
Looks good. Congrats.

'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.

NRA Life Member, CCA Life Member

HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Explorer
Final touch was to sew the cushions. Tried to find a shop to do this but they are all on Covid vacation of very busy so I ended up doing it myself. The seat bottoms are sloped about 2 deg, the cushions are tapered to an additional 2 degrees. Backs have about a 20 degree slope. All that is missing in most dinettes as they keep them flat and upright so it will turn into a bed. The furnace ducting was relocated and simplified.

Bigfoot 10.4E, 2015 F350 6.7L DRW 2WD, Autoflex Ultra Air Ride rear suspension, Hellwig Bigwig sway bars front and rear

HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Explorer
Nearly finished, extra space behind the forward seat forced by the furnace was used as a storage compartment, shelf above was created out of the original table as the Formica matched the galley counter opposite. Edging of counter and seats were done with a teak boat molding as I could buy it with the round corner pieces (to save the shins...).

Bigfoot 10.4E, 2015 F350 6.7L DRW 2WD, Autoflex Ultra Air Ride rear suspension, Hellwig Bigwig sway bars front and rear

HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Explorer
Actual construction was cut from ApplePly, an American made version of baltic birch, considerably better quality (with a price to match!). It took two sheets with only a little left over. I cut the pieces corrected by the mockup, prefinished them outside the camper. The corner joinery uses yacht style oak corner posts, everything is pocket screwed together. It took a bit of experimentation to get the stain somewhat matching the original BF "photo finish" plastic wood.

Bigfoot 10.4E, 2015 F350 6.7L DRW 2WD, Autoflex Ultra Air Ride rear suspension, Hellwig Bigwig sway bars front and rear

HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Explorer
Next was to mock up the design out of scrap plywood to see where I had made bad assumptions. I had to get right down on the heat ducting, and step the back of both seats up so that the back cushion starts at the top of the seat cushion - only way to leave room for the stuff I couldn't easily change.

Bigfoot 10.4E, 2015 F350 6.7L DRW 2WD, Autoflex Ultra Air Ride rear suspension, Hellwig Bigwig sway bars front and rear

HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Explorer
So I demo'd the living room and started in on it. I discovered some 'interesting' construction methods used by Bigfoot, but eventually cleared it all away to the floors and walls. This is still has the original base or plinth for the dinette, that was cleared away down to the linoleum and walls.



Bigfoot 10.4E, 2015 F350 6.7L DRW 2WD, Autoflex Ultra Air Ride rear suspension, Hellwig Bigwig sway bars front and rear

HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Explorer
So for years I have noodled on changing it, probably something I would never do. Then along came Covid 19, eliminating all other plans for this year. I had 3D modeled it over the years, and had settled on this design, turning the seating sideways, with proper slopes to the seat bottom and back rests. There are many constraints, mainly the black water tank and furnace under the forward seat, and the window and exterior access compartment aft.

Bigfoot 10.4E, 2015 F350 6.7L DRW 2WD, Autoflex Ultra Air Ride rear suspension, Hellwig Bigwig sway bars front and rear