Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Now that the AC is done, it's time to focus on the bed. I want a full size bed (54"w x 75"l) and the trailer is 68"w wall to wall. I'm looking at a pull out sofa bed or a fold down "Murphy" bed. I really don't want to have to make the bed every night, so a fold down is more appealing, but with only 68" in width, I would have 14" between the bed and the wall. I don't know if I could safely fold down the bed from the end rather than the side and my butt won't fit in that 14" space. What are you all using and do you have pics and/or build plans. Thanks

My 6 x 12 is a toy hauler for the Harley. I don't have to live in there for extended periods, 7-10 days at most. Been using the queen sized air bed for a couple years now with no complaints. I have developed a small leak and it will get pretty soft after 5-6 hrs, but I have it plugged into the inverter and can just hit the switch for a minute or so and it firms right up. For 50.00 it has worked well for me. I sleep pretty darn good in there. You could probably spend more and get better quality but who knows? I haven't tried to find the leak, I'll just replace it when it gets bothersome.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Intex-Queen- ... p/33563031

McDave

McDave - An idea I hadn't considered. I'll have to check them out. Thanks

Actually you might have less space than that as the frame will take space as it rotates to the down position.

You might look into a spring loaded bed, like the spring on a garage door. It stores the energy to raise and lower the bed.

Alternatively, you could add counter weights -- cords over pulleys to weight. The bad thing there is that the cord will always be there when the bed is down.

Not to be too flip, but who exactly will see this unmade bed? And how long does it take to smooth the covers?

Generally Murphy beds or beds that can be raised are installed because the space/area used by the bed is used for some other purpose eg storing items while in transit or a work area.

I have found the 14" not that hard to deal with, and I am a perty big guy.

Scottie - It's not a case of someone seeing the unmade bed. I've had trailers where the dinette was the bed and making & unmaking the bed just bothers me. Petty? Yes, but it's how I feel about it.

Icon- Good to know. If the temperature gets above freezing tomorrow, I'm going to use a single bed frame to simulate the perimeter of the bed to see if I can move aroungd it.

One thing to keep in mind is the bed height when open will depend on how high the hinge point is on the wall and that will be restricted to the overall interior height of the trailer minus the width of the bed. I did not want the bed to be at floor level and had limited ceiling height (my trailer has a gable roof and the bed is mounted on the front wall) so made the pivot point on a short wall set out about 18 inches from the trailer wall and about the same distance from the edge of the platform. You will lose some floor space but it is offset by an equal amount behind the bed when closed which I use as a closet.



As for making the bed from one side it can be a bit difficult, and even more so if the open bed is low to the floor. You can modify sheets and covers to make a pocket like a fitted sheet on the wall and foot sides and a couple of attachment points on the approach side with Velcro, then all you have to do is pull tight and secure. That will also eliminate the sheets/covers from sliding off when the bed is folded up to the wall. You could also use a sleeping bag attached at the four corners and an insert sheet.

I built a low ledge around the perimeter of my platform to keep the mattress from shifting. I use a 6 inch foam mattress so the ledge is about 5 inches high on the wall side, 3 inches high on the head and foot and 2 inches high on the approach side.

The is a full width storage box under the approach side of my bed which supports it when down and provides seating when up.

M C Toyer - This is a very nice set up. My approach to the bed would be at the "head" of the bed as my bed would run front to back. Would a bed like this be able to be lowered and raised from the end? With only 14" between the edge of the bed, I don't think there would there be room for a large person to lower it from the side. Also, what did you use for hinges? I want to takea hard look at this set up to see if I can figure out how to replicate it in my build. Thank you.

jwh92020 wrote:M C Toyer - This is a very nice set up. My approach to the bed would be at the "head" of the bed as my bed would run front to back. Would a bed like this be able to be lowered and raised from the end? With only 14" between the edge of the bed, I don't think there would there be room for a large person to lower it from the side. Also, what did you use for hinges? I want to takea hard look at this set up to see if I can figure out how to replicate it in my build. Thank you.

+1! I love that trailer!

McDave

McDave - You & me both

I made mine to be duel purpose. When fully down its a full size bed, or with the middle piece out its two benches, or two benches and a table. Both units fold up against the wall, or can be fully removed.



Both sides folded down



Folded up.



One up one down, loaded.

Hmm don't have a good photo of them all down full bed. If we are traveling without the bike and not staying in the same place for more than a day I leave it all down as a full bed.

dirtsailor - That is a nice looking set up. My trailer is strictly camper. The fold down bed is most appealing to me, but I'd have to fold it down from the end. Not sure how that would work. Here is a pic looking from front to rear. Blue tape on floor is the width of a full size bed. The only difference in the picture and what will eventually get done is that the bed will be on the driver's side wall. I don't want AC blowing in my ear when I'm sitting there.

jwh92020 wrote:M C Toyer - This is a very nice set up. My approach to the bed would be at the "head" of the bed as my bed would run front to back. Would a bed like this be able to be lowered and raised from the end? With only 14" between the edge of the bed, I don't think there would there be room for a large person to lower it from the side. Also, what did you use for hinges? I want to takes hard look at this set up to see if I can figure out how to replicate it in my build. Thank you.

The bed platform was made from 1/2 inch plywood. The underside is framed with 1 x 4s laid flat, glued and screwed. Two additional 1 x 6s are placed laterally. I used a pair of T hinges (black in photo) from the top of the knee wall to the lateral 1 x 6s on the underside. The knee wall was built from cedar 2 x 3's skinned on both sides with 5 mm plywood, like a hollow core door. It attaches directly to the trailer deck and sidewalls so no other bracing was needed

The outer perimeter of the platform is framed with 1 x 6s on edge with the outer piece set lower to have only a short ledge on the approach side. It supports two adults - 350 #



One caution, learned the hard way. Because the pivot point is about 1/3 from the back edge any weight beyond that will result in a sew-saw. A normal murphy bed hinged at the wall would not have that problem, the weight resting equally in the pivot and legs or floor. I added a locking bar across the outside platform frame edge that keeps the platform from rising or falling when open or closed, but most of the open weight is supported by the chair cushions on the storage box below the bed. The complete bed platform, hardware, mattress, and bedding probably weighs around 60# and with the offset pivot can be easily raised with one hand.

I built the trailer from the inside out and the bed first after the deck was laid. I then mocked up the side walls and rafters to check for clearances all around the bed and for the layout of my additional cabinets (you will see a lot of cardboard boxes for mock-up in all my construction photos)

As for the minimal bed to wall clearance for your build you would just have to make a cardboard mock-up to see how it would work but only 14 inches would probably be a real knee knocker if hinged from one side. If you hinge it from the end you will need the full 75 inch mattress height for the interior walls plus 3-4 inches for radius clearance. It would be possible to construct the platform in two sections so it could jackknife in the middle if ceiling height would be a problem. If not resting directly on the floor you would need a system of folding legs for support but would a bit tricky to make all fold in unison and not that stable. If space permits a pair of narrow storage cabinets along each sidewall would support the open bed. If you center the bed then the tops of the cabinets will provide some additional space for bedside accessories (eyeglasses, clock, radio, drinks, keys, flashlight, elc.) You might need some springs or hydraulic cylinders to assist in fully folding the bed and mattress over and up against the front wall. If only half folded might provide a convenient table top for day use.

You might have to do something like this if you want to have the bed fold up against the wall and be off the ground.