Questions about 183 entertainment center & bunks

MountainTop

Active Member
We're getting our new (to us) 183 ready for the road - a cross-country ramble in the summer. As space is precious in our little MPGs, we'd like to hear how others are using the entertainment center for more than a TV. For now, we don't have a TV, so there's a lot of space we might use for something else in this top section. Then there's a wide but shallow space below the TV section with just a net to hold in whatever might go there. What do you store in this area? Have you modified either of these areas for another use, and if so, how?

We also are trying to figure out the best use for the bunks, as we'll use the dining/bed area for sleeping. Have you found handy ways to use the bunks for storage? What items do you store there? We're mindful about not loading too much weight on the back of the trailer, where the bunks are, but hate to see all that space go to waste.

Occasionally some of our grandkids may sleep in the bunks, which means climbing up to the top. Would like recommendations about a bunk ladder. Because the back door is right by the bunks, we don't want something that will block access to the door. Most bunk ladders on the market look bulky to store. If you use a ladder in your unit, where does it "live" in transit? And have you done anything to make the bunk area less cave-like - maybe extra lighting and ventilation?
 

kevduf4

Member
Hi Mountain Top, As for the entertainment center i use it mainly for coat storage. I put on three of those 3M removable hooks. It keeps them out of the way with still room for my small tupperware containers I have on the middle shelf to hold keys, change, ipod, etc. As for the bunks that is where my daughters sleep and they are big enough to just jump up there. I thought about a ladder too but didn't have much luck finding a suitable one. Good luck & Happy Camping. Kevin
 

crennpage

Member
MountainTop, since my MPG came with the TV installed I’ve just kept it there even though it hasn’t been used very much since the reception seems so poor wherever I take it (I’ll try to fix that with a better antenna). The space below the TV by the net, however, seemed to me to be screaming for an additional shelf or two so I decided to install an additional one there for now just under the top lip of the net. Great place to put books, CDs, keys, wallets, etc.

As for the bunk storage, since I usually camp solo I’ve been thinking about a suggestion I read on one of the R-Pod forums. One of the owners of an R-Pod 176 (very similar to our MPG 183s) cut the top bunk in half. The half behind the entertainment center he keeps down and is used for storage, while the other half he kept upright so the lower bunk could double as additional seating. I’ve been thinking about doing the same thing but I’ll need to be careful where I make the cut so as not to compromise any support for the top bunk as I want to still use it as originally intended when my wife joins me camping (for the record, she’s only 4’10” so she gets the bottom bunk). 

As for a bunk ladder I don’t use one, but I’ve found a simple collapsible stool (about 12” high and 12” wide that works just fine for me (I’m 5’8”) and is easily stowed under the bottom bunk when not in use. Perhaps there are other such collapsible stools that are somewhat larger that may work for the grandkids.
 

MountainTop

Active Member
Thanks for the helpful info Craig. So it sounds like the split bunk thing you described requires 1 half of the upper bunk to be raised up somehow to allow someone to sit on the bottom. Guess I'd better go over to the rPof forum ans see what I can find about that idea, which sounds like a good one since seating is pretty limited when one of us decides to hit the hay early or sleep in.

You mentioned stowing a stool under the bottom bunk. Have you cut an access panel under the mattress into the storage compartment below?

Hope your wife gets the trailer camping bug and joins you more often.
 

FoxHunt

Member
The bottom bunk also raises up and can be "latched" in place to access the pass through storage in the rear. No need to cut anything out. The top bunk can also be locked into the raised position with a simple sliding latch.
 

MountainTop

Active Member
There must be variations from year to year with the bunks. We've looked carefully, pushed, pulled, etc. and find no way that either bunk can be lifted from the horizontal position, nor does there appear to be any latch to attached a raised bunk onto. For now we'll put the idea of making this change on the back burner. We already have too many Mus Dos ahead of our next trip to engineer this one.
 

crennpage

Member
The bunks on your 183 sound to me like a manufacturing defect. Heartland's website (which still has the MPG last time I looked) shows the floor plan for the 183 with option of using the space where the bunks are for "bike storage". It's the reason for the big side cargo door as it's big enough to slide a bike through. Naturally, one would need to pull up the bunks and latch them out of the way before trying to put the bike into that storage area. Even with the bottom bunk down on a standard 183 one should be able to lift it up and access the storage compartment underneath without having to access one of the two outer doors.

Still, even with the bunks locked in place I'm sure there's an easy enough modification that can be made if it becomes a real issue down the road. It's still a fine little TT no matter how maneuverable the bunks might be. :)
 

MountainTop

Active Member
I don't know why, but our 183 does not have the tall cargo door. Instead, it's the usual size, giving access to a pass through hold. When we were in the market to buy a used 183, we couldn't find one close enough to avoid a long trip or expensive delivery, so this is what we ended up with. Might make some changes later on.
 
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