Modifications

[happycamp88]

Hello - I'm new to this site and three years ago I bought a 1975 trillium trailer - love it - can't say enough about it - problem - I have two boys who sleep on the couch that folds out into bunk beds - both boys are big boys and my oldest is pushing 5'8 and 160 pounds at 13 years old - my oldest sleeps on top bunk because youngest rolls around too much and flies off the top bunk every time! Has anyone modified that top bunk so that it extends out a little further in width - surprisingly it's long enough - but it could be a little wider - needs to be something that can be set up for sleep only as I definitely want to keep the couch - hubbie tells me that we should sale it and get a new trailer - I'm keeping my little trillium....love to hear from someone if they've got any ideas!!!

[melissab]

Hi Jo and welcome! I also have 2 kids but they are girls ages 16 (today!) and 9. My 16 y/o is only 5' 1" and barely 100 lbs. She likes the top bunk which suits my youngest fine b/c she can then build a fort in the bottom bunk area with a blanket. But, the lower bunk is much wider than the upper bunk. You could devise a safety rail for the top bunk and switch the kids around giving the bigger kid the wider bottom bunk while corralling the younger one with a safety rail.

Good luck and I'd do anything in my power not to sell the Trillium.

[LukeP]

if you want to read about others modifications until someone responds directly - use the search --- "google" function for Bunk Bed Modifications. There are lots of posts on here.

You may want to look at options for reinforcing the top bunk at the same time as adding width - I believe the top bunk in our Boler is only rated to 80 lbs.

[Mike Magee]

I too would be concerned about too much weight on the top bunk. We've had some folks post pics of nice solutions to the roll-off problem, but mostly they had added rails (pvc seems to work well) rather than adding width. One or two have posted pics of complete rebuilds of their bunks, though, and they looked very sturdy indeed.

[happycamp88]

Thank you to everyone who replied - I've thought of putting some kind of safety bar for my youngest but his weight will be an issue soon enough - still looking for solutions - will post when I find one - really want to keep the trailer - soon they will be old enough to sleep in their own tent...

[Raz]

A tent with a couple of cots might be easier?


Wasn't quick enough

[theresa p]

been there...done that----my vote---get those boys their own tent.
problem solved.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by happycamp88

Thank you to everyone who replied - I've thought of putting some kind of safety bar for my youngest but his weight will be an issue soon enough - still looking for solutions - will post when I find one - really want to keep the trailer - soon they will be old enough to sleep in their own tent...

Soon be old enough??? My kids slept in their own tent when the youngest was 4 and they're girls. Now show this to your boys and they won't want to be so wimpy that they were out done by a 4 year old girl.

[happycamp88]

I think you're right - time for the boys to leave home!

[Lynn Musgrave]

Originally Posted by theresa p

been there...done that----my vote---get those boys their own tent.
problem solved.

You can always put an AC in it for when you camp in hot weather. My DD has AC in their tent if interested I will post a link to how she did the first one.She is now on her third tent and has improved on the design.

Another Plus to their own tent is at their ages they would join their own space. Of course you would have to make firm rules about set up -take down and how much day time use they couls have.

Hope you solve your problem.......Happy Camping!

[Roy in TO]

If you love your Trillium, you can kill 2 birds with one stone. By upsizing to a 4500 you put off catching twofootitis longer and your kids get a wider bunk. I think ours is about 32".

[Hazel in Sk]

My vote would also be for solving the problem with a tent. My kids slept alone in tents from quite a young age. Now we take grandkids and the rule is "If you don't want to sleep in the tent - don't come". If the oldest kid is seven we figure that is ok. We do provide a top quality little tent though - none of those cheap, flimsy things from a hardware store (we are Mountain Equipment Co-op fans).