Adding Storage

[PND]

OK, my wife won't let me remove the plywood cover under our King bed without asking if anyone has done it. The bed does lift up and there is a couple of inch deep storage, but what is under the bottom ???It looks like, to me, that there is a big void that I could turn into more interior storage. Any ideas??

PND
2013 Mountaineer 358RLT

[SAD]

Slide mechanism? :shrug:

[Randy_K]

My guess would be the fresh water tank and pump. That is where mine is . Should be easy to open one panel and look in there. I doubt they left free space.

[SlowPoke]

PND, When in doubt, and there are screws, REMOVE THEM! The first weekend I had alone with my trailer when I got it, I pulled out the torx bits, the drill driver, screwdrivers, and a wrench. I proceeded to take it apart piece by piece... discovering all sorts of neat things. Like loose ducts and OVERLY LONG ducts, like Bob Landry has spoken of, hidden compartments, locations for future leaky connections, routes for wiring and plumbing lines I didn't know were there.

I too have a plywood "cover" under my bed. I took the screws out, and found my fresh water tank mounted underneath. Also I found another 4" by 20" area that could house something...(I don't know what, but I'll think of something to put there one day). What I did, is left the plywood there, but drilled a finger hole to pull it up easier, and cut about 1/4" off the end to slip the board in and out easier. Maybe not what YOU want to do, but just a suggestion. Search for my mods and you'll see the pics posted for that one!

Good luck, and don't be afraid of investigation!! (It's ok to be afraid of the DW...(I am too of mine )

[hankpage]

We seem to be comparing apples to oranges here. The 358RLT is a fifthwheel with a bedroom slideout. Under that plywood you will find the slide mechanism and I believe rollers. You may be able to utilize a little space but be sure not to interfere with the travel of the slide. I recall other similar posts about this that included photos ... try the search function on the forum to locate them. Good luck, Hank Similar to THIS ONE.

[KanTC]

Ditto what SAD & Hank said... all of your bed slide mechanisms/rollers, etc are beneath there.

Something to keep in mind before you "create" a larger/deeper storage area ~~ the slide-out may not be designed
(nor intended) to carry/move a lot of additional weight. Any major modifications could possibly void your warranty IF by
chance you have future problems with the bed slide-out, etc. Only you can decide

Terri, the Chevy co-pilot

[SlowPoke]

Agreed Hank, apples to oranges it is, but I was more or less going for the idea of investigating when possible is always a good idea... I'm glad you had the info about that model though... more help than me!!

[PND]

Thanks to all. This is our first slide-out unit, so never thought that the slide mechanism would be under the bed. My wife wants to hide my cordless drill, since I like to take things apart to see what and how it all works. Next is starting my wiring diagrams (still have to remove panels) to see what I might be able to improve on. Kind of my thing (electrical) for the last 45 years, so like to know how it is put together.

PND

[byrdr1]

This is the top piece of plywood removed so I could fix the sliding bed pulled from the frame problem. BUT you can see the metal piece in the picture that is the slide bed mount and it runs all the back to a screw styled ram. it looks like the old satellite tracking arms. it moves the bed back and forth. if you have storage under the bed use what got and dont go down below that. MY bed has NO storage under it, two pieces of plywood cover the opening. one at the front and a larger piece towards the foot of the bed. I have had both off thinking I could do something with storage but with the bed moving back and forth.. no go. I really have storage in cabinets we are not using now.