Post by John Wilko on Oct 22, 2015 19:39:56 GMT
I have just purchased a 2014 Elddis Autoquest 180 only to discover that the dinette bed widening flaps had been removed from the seat sides by the previous owner. Since I am planning a Europe trip with my cousin and his wife it was important to widen this bed to a full double width of at least 4ft 6ins which wouldn't be possible even if the flaps hadn't been removed. Time for a bit of lateral thinking and an alternative solution.
Eureka! The solution was to purchase 4 of those cheap and ingenious one step plastic folding steps. I have increased the height of each of the steps to the same level as the dinette seat bases using 9mm MDF which has been glued to the outside of the two long legs. I used 6mm MDF on the inside but this has been used sparingly so as not to bind the hinges or interfere with the folding mechanism. I just made a sandwich of MDF on each leg using two 40 X 160 strips glued into the cut out areas and then another larger single piece of 6mm was glued over these these two pieces and part of the plastic inner legs. Once this three layer (20mm overall) sandwich had been completed I just drilled four holes through the three pieces of MDF on each of the two legs and riveted the MDF together. To be clear each of the two legs were extended to the required length using 9mm MDF on the outside of the plastic steps whilst two smaller pieces covered by a slightly larger piece of 6mm MDF were glued to the inside of each leg. Once this three layer sandwich had been achieved on each leg four rivets provided additional strength to each MDF sandwich on each leg. I hope that is clear.
Once completed four of these bed extending supports are placed down the side of the dinette seats and covered with an 18" wide X 6'6" long piece of Mellamine to complete the bed widening support. The whole thing is strong, free standing and with the cushions in place makes a very nice wide dinette bed. I'm very happy with mine, give it a try!
Eureka! The solution was to purchase 4 of those cheap and ingenious one step plastic folding steps. I have increased the height of each of the steps to the same level as the dinette seat bases using 9mm MDF which has been glued to the outside of the two long legs. I used 6mm MDF on the inside but this has been used sparingly so as not to bind the hinges or interfere with the folding mechanism. I just made a sandwich of MDF on each leg using two 40 X 160 strips glued into the cut out areas and then another larger single piece of 6mm was glued over these these two pieces and part of the plastic inner legs. Once this three layer (20mm overall) sandwich had been completed I just drilled four holes through the three pieces of MDF on each of the two legs and riveted the MDF together. To be clear each of the two legs were extended to the required length using 9mm MDF on the outside of the plastic steps whilst two smaller pieces covered by a slightly larger piece of 6mm MDF were glued to the inside of each leg. Once this three layer sandwich had been achieved on each leg four rivets provided additional strength to each MDF sandwich on each leg. I hope that is clear.
Once completed four of these bed extending supports are placed down the side of the dinette seats and covered with an 18" wide X 6'6" long piece of Mellamine to complete the bed widening support. The whole thing is strong, free standing and with the cushions in place makes a very nice wide dinette bed. I'm very happy with mine, give it a try!