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.

[Jim7411]

Good thinking. It's amazing what a little ingenuity can accomplish. It's also amazing at how sloppy Keystone is when it comes to little things like that. On the other hand, it keeps us do-it-yourself types off the couch!:D

[Canadiansteelman]

We also have a problem with our main bedroom mattress in our 37 ft 2012 Montana High Country 5th wheel. We have not used the trailer very much but we end up rolling to the middle of the bed as the mattress sags there.

Anybody else have this problem and what was the fix?

[Poppy's 5th Wheel]

We had the same problem. We originally thought a new, better mattress would resolve it but, nope. I was going to go the same route as Jim did but when we bought our mattress our salesman told us if it still sagged in the middle he would provide us with what is called a Bunkie Board. They are fairly expensive to buy, around $200, but since we didn't have to pay for it we went that direction. It did work as promised.

It did add about an inch to the height of the bed but now our bed is like home.

I found this through googling Bunkie Board and this looks like a great option and far cheaper than what ours was (would have been).

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Signature-Sleep-Ultra-Steel-Bunkie-Board/34334506

[Dhuhn]

I did the same with my bed, added three planks across the bottom frame, no more sagging or roling to the center.

[therink]

This is surprising. My 2013 Sydney fiver came with 1/2" (sanded on topside) mattress base top (real) plywood. This model is considered a step below the Montana line. Our bed platform is quite stable. I did however have to put a 3" memory foam topper on the cheesy mattress, but when all said and done it is a comfortable bed. I find it more comfortable than the sleep number bed in the house.
I don't understand why Keystone isn't consistent with their construction standards across the various lines, especially when it comes to bedding or a base for a bed.

[Dhuhn]

This is surprising. My 2013 Sydney fiver came with 1/2" (sanded on topside) mattress base top (real) plywood. This model is considered a step below the Montana line. Our bed platform is quite stable. I did however have to put a 3" memory foam topper on the cheesy mattress, but when all said and done it is a comfortable bed. I find it more comfortable than the sleep number bed in the house.
I don't understand why Keystone isn't consistent with their construction standards across the various lines, especially when it comes to bedding or a base for a bed.

This is the lighter weight Montana I think they where trying to get rid of some more weight by doing this.

[therink]

This is the lighter weight Montana I think they where trying to get rid of some more weight by doing this.

Ah, I see. I would think the bed would be an obvious area (to the owner that is) that they wouldn't compromise. I guess that is part of the helium technology. ;)
Other than that, how has the High Country been. Fit and finish, floor construction, frame, etc.
I am thinking of moving to a rear living model in a year or two and the high country is on my list versus the Montana and Alpine.

[Dhuhn]

so far things seem t be holding out for us. been very happy with it so far. you have electric slides instead of hydrolic ,and electric landing gear. all in all been a good 5er.

[Pmedic4]

Yeah, just echoing 'therink' comments, as ours is a 2012 Cougar High Country with Helium Technology, and it comes with the 1/2" plywood bed board.

Since ours is a late year 2012, perhaps they had enough complaints about the earlier versions and went with the tried and true plywood method? Also, our Cougar being a lower priced model, the fancy nylon web design probably cost more to install, so they went cheap on ours.

On other positive note, our sales rep told us that the dealership where we bought always upgrades the mattress, because the base mattresses are junk, and I have to admit our is very nice. We had upgraded in our previous TT because those 4" foam mattresses just don't cut it, and if our 5ver didn't come with the upgraded mattress, we would have kept the mattress.

[pscole98]

We have a 2012 343 HC. We have swapped out the mattress with a different thicker one added a mattress pad and added a 2x4 across the bed. All with no change. We after camping for turkey day, that was the last straw.

Does someone have a picture of the plywood "bed board". Jim, you have your boards running from head to toe, not across from one bed frame to the other one? And on the inside of the frame. So that the boards are setting on the fabric of the mattress support. Is this who the bed board is as well.

Was going to do something like that this weekend, but was thinking I'd go across the frames.

Thanks Guys.

[SkiSmuggs]

My Cougar High Country must be the saggy bed frame as we roll to the center and it is tough to get out of. I am going to take a look at it in the spring as the replacement 10" memory foam mattress is frozen solid. LOL!
I am thinking either the finished plywood slats mentioned early in the thread or 1 x 4" furring strips from Lowes/HD with cotton straps stapled to them for stability. The furring strips should be the cheapest. If I staple the slats to the outside frame, I probably wouldn't even need the cotton straps.