Is Bunk important to structure of egg? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 10-22-2014, 02:53 PM   #1
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Name: Tonnie
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Question Is Bunk important to structure of egg?

I want to remove the couch/bunk unit at the front of my 13' Scamp. Is it needed for structural support?
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Old 10-22-2014, 05:13 PM   #2
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What did you want to put in its place?
A known weak spot is lower part of the body at the hinge side of the door. The frame is cut there to allow for a lower floor and door opening.
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Old 10-22-2014, 08:04 PM   #3
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I want to put a couch there, but with it high enough that I can store a cooler and porta- potty under it.
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Old 10-22-2014, 10:41 PM   #4
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....so, just removal of the upper part of the bunk?? Shouldn't be a problem as long as you keep at least some part of the lower part for structure strength!
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Old 10-23-2014, 05:32 AM   #5
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If you store a cooler under it, it will not be a couch but will be a counter instead. It will be too high to use as a couch.

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I want to put a couch there, but with it high enough that I can store a cooler and porta- potty under it.
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Old 10-23-2014, 07:10 AM   #6
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My future plans for my Scamp 16 include a “front dinette mod” similar to that done by several here. I have had frame problems, a crack on the driver’s side to be exact. I think the flex of the door/curb/passenger side at the door opening actually keeps that side of the frame from cracking, a benefit the driver’s/street side does not have. I think some kind of “box” (lower seat) on each side spreading forces to the shell from the floor/frame is more important than the seat/lower bunk running solid from side to side. I know it will no longer do so in my planned front dinette mod and I am not concerned about it.
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Old 10-23-2014, 08:29 AM   #7
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If you store a cooler under it, it will not be a couch but will be a counter instead. It will be too high to use as a couch.
That depends. If the floor continues under the bench (not a step) either a cooler or portapotti would fit. If you think about it, a standard cooler slips under the bench of the average picnic table.

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I have had frame problems, a crack on the driver’s side to be exact. I think the flex of the door/curb/passenger side at the door opening actually keeps that side of the frame from cracking, a benefit the driver’s/street side does not have.
I think it is the opposite Tim.
The flex on the doorside should increase the forces on the opposite side, which is more rigid.
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Old 10-23-2014, 08:36 AM   #8
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I think it is the opposite Tim.
The flex on the doorside should increase the forces on the opposite side, which is more rigid.

That is what I meant, the "street" side can not flex and therefore cracks.
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Old 10-23-2014, 08:53 AM   #9
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Gotcha Tim,
We are saying the same thing.

As for the cooler under the front bench. I thought about how we use ours. We keep it outside with the kitchen during the day and it goes into the tow vehicle at night. We might only put the cooler into the trailer when it goes into storage off season.
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Old 10-23-2014, 09:44 AM   #10
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I want to put a couch there, but with it high enough that I can store a cooler and porta- potty under it.
The section under the bottom bunk with the door on it should be big enough to hold a porta Potty as it is - that is what that space was designed for and used by many as such.
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Old 10-23-2014, 09:57 AM   #11
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I forgot to mention, I am considering taking the door off of the little compartment under the front bunk. Some previous owner laid another layer of carpet over the original on the floor and the door drags on it anyway. Also, my inner door mat must be roled back to open the door. I don't use that area much but figure to remove the door and stick a milk crate in there that can be easily accessed, until I do my front dinette mod.
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Old 10-23-2014, 10:01 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roy in TO View Post
That depends. If the floor continues under the bench (not a step) either a cooler or portapotti would fit. If you think about it, a standard cooler slips under the bench of the average picnic table.

Only the center part is lowered, and it's designed and sized for a porta-potty. A typical cooler would not fit. I agree with Rick that raising the height of the bench high enough for a cooler to fit underneath on the raised sections of the floor would make it unusable as a seat, though it could work as a single bunk or a place to carry kennels (which I seem to recall from an earlier thread is part of the OP's plan).

Tonnie, coolers come in a lot of sizes and shapes these days. We bought a tall, narrow one to fit in the space behind the third seat of our SUV. It always surprises me how much I can fit in there, and the shape is more thermally efficient. Have you considered looking for something that will fit in the space for the original fridge/icebox?
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Old 10-23-2014, 02:07 PM   #13
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Thanks! I so appreciate all the replies.

Jon, I can't believe you remember about the kennels. I plan to put a refrigerator where the cooler originally was. I was thinking it would be nice to be able to keep some additional ice in a small cooler. I guess I should have specified that. That way I wouldn't be opening the fridge as much and letting the cold air out.

The PO took the original bunks out and built new, much stronger (and heavier) ones. They don't look good so I want to take them out. That's why I'm trying to figure out if i need to build a new support frame for whatever I put in.

I'm still in the research and planning stage until the Scamp project rises to the top of the budget priority list!
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Old 10-23-2014, 06:21 PM   #14
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The fold down bunk should be able to be removed (this forms the back of the front bench when its folded down). The 'bench' portion might not be a good idea to remove due to the structural strength that it supplies to the side walls.
But I was under the impression that the 13footer only had one 'bunk' above the front bench. You are referring to 'bunks'... are there more of them?

It will help if you can post a few photos of the area you're talking about.
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