Reinforced Bed Support Frame

[Jim Dow]

This weekend I reinforced the bedrame in our 2011 Montana High Country.

We were tired of rolling to the middle of the bed due to a weak support mechanism under the bed. The support was made of nylon straps stretched across the box frame. I have read many complaints about the beds in 5ers; and the solution has been, generally, to buy a more expensive mattress. Even a very expensive new mattress would not have solved our problem.

I purchased two (2) sheets of finished (sanded on one side) half-inch plywood ($57) and cut them to produce three (3) planks (24" x 60"). The fourth plank just served as a spare.

I placed the 3 planks in parallel across the bed frame with about 2" open at both the head and the foot of the bed frame. The bed frame (camper queen) was 76" x 57".

I replaced the matress; and now I have a comfortable, firm bed/mattress that does not sag in the middle. I added a 1 1/2" memory foam pad on top of the mattress; and now I have a very comfortable mattress without spending hundreds of dollars for a new mattress that would have just sagged like the original. I figure that I saved about $700 in the process.