Upstaris Bed extender for my westy

Downerman · Samba Member Joined: July 21, 2004 Posts: 65

Moderator note: This thread is now locked. Please use the more recent and more thorough upper bed extension topic: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=469327 .

Does anyone know of a company that makes a bed extender... now what do I mean by that..... I am 6'4" and when I go up top I have to bend the knee's to sleep. I could and will make something that goes into the 1' opening where it exposes the downstaris. In other words I want to completely enclose the bottom of the upstairs. so my pillow doesen't fall and I can extend out and sleep well. Make sense?

cnskate · Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 7:31 pm Post subject:

I'm 6'2" and have much the same problem. I drilled a couple of holes in the wood bed platform so that I could attach a cargo bungee net to it and to the poptop frame and catch. I make a little bungee platform, so to speak, and I leave one side open so we can still climb up and down. I call it the "Pillow Catcher", patent pending Smile

I sleep a lot better knowing that my pillow won't fall down.
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Downerman · Samba Member Joined: July 21, 2004 Posts: 65

Yeah, great idea. I am almost considering a ply base with handles and cushion that match that can be placed into the area. Would be a bit of work though making a dash outdoors in the middle of the night. LOL
Thanks for sharing your catcher !!

DanJReed · Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 8:00 pm Post subject:

Make one! I did - I sleep like a king now and Triumph (the wonder dog) can fall out of bed! I am 6'2 and my wife is 5'1.23334445". Does make getting down to the port-o-potty harder.. but sleeping is SO much nicer...

1"X12"X48" long clear pine.

Foam.

Covering.

Staples.

Done.

Fits so well, you think the Vanagon Gods had some type of plan.

I used a nice fleece gray covering and about 2" of thick foam. Same height as the rest of the bed. Stores behind the "flip up" section of the bed when not it use (down where you feet go).

Nice tight friction fit between the front lift posts and the bed!
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(87 Westy Vanagon, 98 Jetta GLS 2.0, 95 Golf Sport) VW Logo

Downerman · Samba Member Joined: July 21, 2004 Posts: 65

That's exactly what I was thinkng but the deminsions really get me on the road. Is this funny or what.... you would think some really that gowesty or someone would be marketing something like that. Many thanks for the info. I have yet another mini project on my hands.

psych-illogical · Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:00 am Post subject:

One more forum user chiming in with the same solution. I made mine out of 3/4 x 48" birch plywood and a piece of foam. Works great. One other thing about the bunks in a Westy. I find the lower one much more comfortable due to it having 4" of foam but it's too narrow for me and my wife. The top one only has a paltry 2" of padding so I went down to the local Sams Club and bought ($80) a 2" memory foam mattress pad for the top bunk. Between that and the bed extender I sleep like a baby now.

dogcoves · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 9:09 pm Post subject:

Timwhy · Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 2:33 am Post subject:

I also made one out of a 1'x4' shelf from Home Depot. Bought some foam and material and another 1'x4' board the screwed the boards together. Thanks too my mom for the fine sewing job, the wife doesn't sew!! Also put on the bottom of the white shelf rubber bumpers so that it won't slide while it in place for use or stowed above the back passenger seat.

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calcite5 · Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 9:36 pm Post subject:

how are you guys getting around the a/c vent housing above the sliding door on the passenger side...the top of the housing has an increasing slope as you move from the edge of the top bunk to front of the Vanagon? I have an '87 Westy with stock a/c

Dogpilot · Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 9:52 pm Post subject:

I made mine like this from some ply bits I had around. I offset the brace to clear the vent tunnel:

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86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
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08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G

joeredd · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 6:27 am Post subject: downstairs bed extender

can someone tell me if there is any thing out there to get more length out of the bottom bunk im six two and have a hard time fitting in the current bed

felixthevolks · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 8:12 am Post subject:

Bottom bed-
I took a little bent birch ply Ikea stool/end table ("Folkestorp"), cut a square of plywood the same size as the top of the stool and mounted two bolts through it, then added foam and upholstery. I cut two parallel slots in the top of the stool (extending halfway across the top) to fit the bolts in the cushion and attached the latter with wing nuts. Now I loosen the nuts, slide the cushion and half the stool top is exposed. The exposed part goes under the end of the bed (stool is usually toward the door so fridge can still be opened for snacks). The hard surface adds extra/emergency support to the Z bed and the cushion provides another foot and a half of headroom/pillow room. When not extending the bed, it makes a good camp stool and step stool to the upper bunk.

I have been planning to make a bed extension for the top (I'm 6'4" as well and my head is half off unless I fold my feet flat under the hinged end or sleep diagonally/bent). Can you guys use the extension to climb down or do you flip it out of the way for bathroom/snack, etc.? It seems even plywood and pine would need some sort of brace because it is so much longer than it is wide (I'm 230lbs and am envisioning a loud snap followed by a nasty wake-up call)

tam_shops · Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:18 pm Post subject:

Thank you! Keep meaning to go out and pop the top, but it's been nothing but rain when I've had the time....

tam

HBSURFDAD · Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:37 pm Post subject:

Went to home depot and picked up an Oak stair piece that was finished. Had to notch 2 corners, but is was simple, strong, and very nice looking. I have a old car trunk net that I have attached to the pop top lifter that I can slide up and down. With the stair piece and net inplace my 6'5" frame never drops it's pillow.

Sleep well my friends.
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HBSURFDAD
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The Big Red Lunchbox
87 Wolfsberg Westy Weekender (automatic)
Rolling on 16's

madspaniard · Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:46 pm Post subject:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=469327
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rlamb · Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:58 pm Post subject:

I used a stair piece from home depot for mine as well, and it was perfect. Just had to cut two small notches. I upholstered it with some stretchy fabric and 3" foam I had lying around, and then put a coat hook to hang it up on the pot top support bar. I love it. Total cost = ~$15
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1984 Westfalia - Ford Cologne 2.8L conversion
2003 Passat GLX Wagon (4Motion)


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