New Bed/Bench

[Yianni]

Mike,
Do you have any information on converting the lower bed of the pre 2011 model years to the new design? Specifically, do you know if a conversion will work with existing Happi Jack rails and if so, where do you start looking to order the new bunks and table.
Thanks!

Picture for reference.

 

[Howdy]

A local dealer was trying to sell me an early 2011 3010 that just had the 2 queen beds. I said I wanted one with the new bed/bench option. He looked into it and could convert it to the new style. He said the new 2011's were all coming standard with it now. I don't know if his conversion also included the 3 holes in the floor for the table or if his idea was just to use a fold out table between the benches. I never followed up with it, but it does seem the older style can be retrofitted.

 

[Yianni]

I'm pretty sure converting to the new setup will not be a problem but would still like some factory input.
Thanks!

 

[Manke3010]

I'm with my good friend Louie, interested in some info here. What is the weight capacity of them individually as a couch, and also as a bed since there isn't any full length cross frame support, wonder if it's only good up to 200lbs or so...

 

[Mike Aplin]

Good morning and thank you for your question regarding the new happi jack bed system. The new system is NOT retrofittable to the old system. It is a different type of bracket system even though it appears to be the same rails. To add the new bed system, you would need to swap out your rails with the new ones as well as add the new bracket system for it all to work. You can contact our customer service/parts dept for ordering information. Take care, Mike

 

[stsmark]

Hi to all, especially Mike, thanks for changing the trim piece in the bedroom. The bride and I are on the way home from Holman's with the new 2810 and having a ball. Should take another 10 days or so via Black Hills and Yellowstone .
We have the new style beds and to answer a couple of questions, there are fold down legs for the backrests to support them when using as a bed, Cathy and I slept on it one night in a rest area, combined we are about 300 lbs and it was no problems and actually quite comfortable. Neither of us noticed the gaps between cushions.

 

[Mike Aplin]

I am so glad that you are enjoying your new 2812 Cyclone. Talk about a "road trip". You are really getting a chance to "break it in". The new bed system is awesome and the feedback from our customers has been outstanding!! Welcome to the Heartland family. Take care, Mike

 

[Yianni]

Hi to all, especially Mike, thanks for changing the trim piece in the bedroom. The bride and I are on the way home from Holman's with the new 2810 and having a ball. Should take another 10 days or so via Black Hills and Yellowstone .
We have the new style beds and to answer a couple of questions, there are fold down legs for the backrests to support them when using as a bed, Cathy and I slept on it one night in a rest area, combined we are about 300 lbs and it was no problems and actually quite comfortable. Neither of us noticed the gaps between cushions.

Congratulations on the new 2810. I did the same trip with my 3010 from Holman's to California through New Mexico for the Balloon Festival.
Thanks for the bed info. I am going to do the conversion in the next few months.

 

[shagan77]

As an almost 1 year owner of the 3950 HD, I'd like to add that all the feedback is not 'outstanding' on this new bedding system. We spent 2 weeks at Sturgis and the couple who slept on the beds weren't happy at all. The gap, well over 4" is to much and was noticable to them. We wound up having to add a 1/4" sheet of vinyl covered plywood to cover the gap, and an air mattress to smooth the board/bed combo. They also tried sleeping on the beds as 'twin beds'. Sleeping front to rear. It worked for the lady, but the guy was 6'2" and half his legs hung off. My camper was delivered early spring this year, so maybe I have a version that has been changed since. We also find the use of the little 4' folding table disappointing as well, it doesn't match the benches in any way, and it has to be slid well forward to keep the legs off the dovetail consequently a big slant to the table). It would be very nice to see the holes in the floor re-positioned for this new bed/bench combo. We have approached the Sales Manager at BT Camper where we purchased this the same day we received it and he promised to get with the factory for a solution (for the bed). Nothing to date. This is the only disappoint factor so far on this rig.

My rig will be headed back to the factory for some other work, perhaps this could be looked at at that time....

 

[tcbrady]

shagan77 - we could look at your unit if you come to the factory. We no longer have a 4" gap for the bottom flip down beds for the units produced today. Did anyone sleep on the top bed when you were in Sturgis? There is no gap on that bed.

can you take a picture of the holes in the floor of your garage and post it? I'm having trouble understanding your problem here....

 

[Yianni]

Shagan77,
I'm attaching a couple of pictures of the current bed and table setup. I think the bed setup that had the 4 -6 inch gap was pretty short lived. Same with the plastic folding table. You could modify your Cyclone to the new table setup pretty easily. Just drill 3 holes in the floor.
I'm still working on converting mine.

 

[shagan77]

Coley,

Thanks for your response. I will be happy to supply photos , and am also working with dealer in Wentzville MO to get my rig returned for another issue. The walls surrounding the refrigerator in the garage have waves in them (looks like they were insufficiently braced). Service Rep at BT Camper has already looked at them and said when we were done for the season she'd coordinate getting the unit returned to factory to have this issue corrected. Perhaps we could arrange for something then? And as an aside, we love the unit, despite this shortfall, so we did our best to sell them for you at Sturgis (gave a number of tours). Yes, we did have the couple sleep on the top bunk. the bunk was comfortable, but being 5 ft off the floor made the missus a little nervous. (plus the ladder to get up and down, etc). Again, thanks for your response!

Scott Hagan

 

[Vtxkid]

I have the 2011 3010HD with the "bunk bed/ bench setup and when they are laid down flat, they don't have a gap in them, however, their is enough room in between the two bunks that you could actually slide through if needed... We like the set-up a lot although the only bed used in the garage to date has been the queen above them. That will change the middle of Oct when we go to Cherry Stone Campground. Both of our mothers are coming so I have my fingers crossed that all will be good! LOL...

 

[Yianni]

Well, to wrap this thread up from my original post, I talked to Heartland parts about doing the conversion. Sandy Horn in parts did an outstanding job of researching what would have to be done. Unfortunately, we hit the $3,000 mark and were not even done. I think for that amount of money I'd love to have the new setup but I could do a level up system in that ballpark so I stopped Sandy there and am going to keep the system I have.

 

[Manke3010]

Yikes!!!
That hurts
Thanks for doing all the leg work Louie. You answered it for me as well. I feared this would be a spendy upgrade, since we'd have to replace the happijac rails and all.
Happijac needs to figure out a way to retrofit or make it universal with our existing rails. That way we just have to buy the whole bottom dual couch frame unit, one add'l leg for the table, 1 add'l leg mount for the bottom of our existing garage table (I have a larger one than stock kidney bean), and 3 new floor receptacles for the legs.
I wouldn't think that would be more than a grand, but we may never know