Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Not sure what to do here... thought you might help.

My 6'x10' trailer has two 5' E-tracks running along both walls from the side door back to the rear doors. One is just under the windows at about 46" height and the other is about 20" off the ground. Originally I was going to have stacked bunks using the E-track stud brackets running wall-to-wall, but I didn't allow enough room between the E-tracks (with the width of the studs, etc.) So up until now I've had one bunk, 36" wide and 69" long at 46" above the floor, against the back of the trailer. It's a 1/2" hardwood ply surface resting on three 2x4s held up by six beam sockets.

I want to add another bunk/bench, also the width of the trailer (69"), on the lower E-track. I have 20" of width left to work with. I can leave this 20" wide, which would probably make a great seat, but I'm sure it's too narrow to sleep on. So I should cut the 36" upper bunk back a bit, yes? What the's minimum reasonable width for a sleeping bunk for an adult? I could split the difference and make both bunks 28" but then both would be too narrow, yes?

Once the measurements are set, I'm going to order those cushions/foam. Is 4" thick too thick, just right or not enough? Would I be better served with 3" thick cushions? I know they compress some when you sit/lay on them.

What do you think? Thanks. -Gary

Before I sold my teardrop, I used a 30" wide rollaway bed mattress. Seemed to work just fine for me. Anything less might be a bit cramped.

The rear berth in the small trailer I tore down was 27" wide; I slept well on it. As I recall Navy bunks were 27"

28" should be fine. I would take a look at commercial camping cots as a guide for minimum dimensions.

I have a couple foam pads to use with sleeping bags when sleeping on the ground. They are 21" wide. I would think that would be the very minimum.

Just thought you'd like to see the result...

Love the bunks! How long are they? Does the bottom one slide under the top one?

Thanks for asking. The wall-to-wall width of the trailer is 69". The bunks are 28"x67" 1/2" thick hardwood ply screwed into three 2x4's and dropped onto three sets of E-track wood beam sockets, although they are not screwed into the sockets so I can more easily lift the bunks out when necessary. I have two 5" lengths of horizontal E-track on each sidewall, one at 18" high and one at ~40" high. I mount the beam sockets in the E-track and then span the width with the 2x4s.

Because each bunk is clipped into the E-track, they don't slide, but I can lift the bunks off their sockets and then move the sockets around. The main advantage is that it quickly returns the trailer to a cargo trailer when needed.

I think the best part (would be for me) of whatever you do with the bunks is being able, as you have done, to quickly convert back to a CT for hauling. Very nice job.

Dan

I had a similar concept in mind, but would like the beds to be able to slide vertically in a track to get them out of the way, something like this:
http://www.rvweb.com/rvimgs/four_winds/ ... o_area.jpg.
I thought about using vertical etracks, but it seems as if the beam support of the bed running across the entire width would squeeze the beam sockets too tight and you could get them free. Is that the case?

Does anyone have an source for a vertical track with a pin that could slide up and down. I looked at L track also, but couldn't find the beam support connector to make the link from the track to the bed.
Nice wood work!

How about ropes and a pulley like those garage gizmos that hoist the bikes up to the ceiling? Keep it simple, as they say.

Or ... folding beds. I'm considering getting two twins that will fold up under the cabinets during transport.

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I made 2 - 26" X 76" beds out of 1/2 inch ply to fit in a 6' wide X 10; there was a aprox 1'-6" "walkway" between; this works quite well and the beds seem roomy and comfy with a 1" foamy over 48" therma rests in mummy sleeping bags at - 10 F ...

I sleep on a 30-inch wide Thermarest Dream-Time XL in my TD. That is plenty of room for me.

http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-r ... me/product

It is also available in a 25-inch width. I could sleep just fine on that, too, if I needed to.


CD

Sharon,

Got the bed(s) in your build yet?

Where's your build thread here on the forums?

Prem