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Modifications to add a fourth bed to a EII


ChrisMI

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I need four twin sized beds or an Oliver is a no go for our family. Has anyone ever added the structure required to bring an extra family member?  It would need to be removable, able to support 150 ish lbs, and be aesthetically pleasing. 
 

Currently I’m thinking a raised platform at the back of the trailer.  The structure would stop at the bottom of the windows and would probably be made of walnut or maple. The extra person, my son or daughter in this case, would sleep sideways over the foot end of the twins below. 
 

Does anyone have any pictures showing the back end of an EII without cushions?  What access do the porthole covers below the bench provide?  Thanks for the help!

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My suggestion for sleeping kids has always been a tent.  Give them the camping experience while giving yourself the extra space. Add a cot or an air mattress if they want a bit of luxury.  

But to answer your question, I don’t think anyone has done anything like that. It seems possible in theory but IMO also seems like it would be a pain in practice.  Perhaps if it’s something lightweight that could be taken down except when sleeping?

As for the hatches, the forward one on the curb side gives access to the water valves if you think you’ll use them, but otherwise you’ll only need to access the hatches if something is broken. 

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Across the back is an interesting solution that no one else has proposed.

Maybe a youth sized bottom  disco bed? 62" long, 11" of height for your feet underneath, and supports 200 lb. It could be quickly folded and stored during the day, keeping the cabin more "open " for seating. Lightweight. Useful later when the kids want their own tent.

You'd probably have to add some flat d-rings (and lashing or carabiners) somewhere on the benches to keep it from moving around .

 

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What about converting the dinette bed with some sort of raised platform or bunk arrangement?  I don’t know of anyone who has done a modification for a fourth bed.  It would be pretty close quarters….  Mike

Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L

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4 hours ago, Overland said:

My suggestion for sleeping kids has always been a tent.

……

As for the hatches, the forward one on the curb side gives access to the water valves if you think you’ll use them, but otherwise you’ll only need to access the hatches if something is broken. 

Both kids are currently under 5 so ideally I’d like to keep them inside for awhile. Also I tend to push hard on vacations (to the mountains/beaches/parks) and it would be nice not to set up camp every night while in transit. 
 

I was curious about the hatches to provide access to mounting hardware from the underside of the benches.  

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2 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

Maybe a youth sized bottom  disco bed? 62" long, 11" of height for your feet underneath

That’s a really good idea. Do you happen to have the inside measurement from sidewalls?

 

2 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:

What about converting the dinette bed with some sort of raised platform or bunk arrangement?

I’d like to keep the dinette set up as a couch during the day just for extra space on rainy days. Probably all sleeping surfaces will have a foam topper cut to size and stored on the raised platform bed during the day. 

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I have a 2008 shorty, Elite. The Elite 2 is wider, so I'm sure it would fit. Just a question of where the disco feet  land.

And, hopefully, not block emergency egress window. At least it would be light, and portable. 

With the height of the 2, you "might " be able to do bunks over the little dinette.more work, though.

2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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The possible addition of bunk beds has been cussed and discussed hundreds of times by both owners and the factory. To the best of my knowledge, no one has ever come up with a workable solution.

Personally, I think it is a great idea and if you can figure out a feasible way to accomplish this, I'm sure Oliver would be interested in seeing it.

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Steve, Tali and our dog Rocky plus our beloved Storm, Maggie, Lucy and Reacher (all waiting at the Rainbow Bridge)

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what about using a collapsable, kids camping bunk bed in the dinette space until the kids are old enough to be by themselves in a tent?  Some of the bunks even convert to a loveseat for daytime use (seating)

2021 Elite II, Hull# 898

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We have carried two of our grand children several times; one sleeps for a couple nights on the side dinette and the other one on the floor.  They will switch positions every couple of nights.  We carry a roll up pad for the one that sleeps on the floor, this has worked for us several times.

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Horace & Dianne

Chesapeake, Virginia

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2015 Oliver Legacy Elite II - Hull # 93

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What am I missing here?  Two kids under 5 yrs.  One on the side dinette bed and the other on a foam pad on the floor between the twin beds.  Just don't step on the little one when you get up to go pee.  If you go with the port/starboard sleeping arrangement in lieu of the twin set up you can tuck the youngster under the bed.  If I was a toddler I would love that.  It would be like a "fort".  Remember those?

In a few years they will be old enough to set up their own tent and sleep in it.  Then you won't have to deal with disassembling a mod to make the Ollie comfortable for just 2 or 3 persons.

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Mike and Yasuko

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2 hours ago, LongStride said:

What am I missing here?

My mission for an Oliver is probably different from the normal demographic buying these units. My guess is the pending/recently retired group along with the Dual Income No Kids couples make up a big chunk of the owners.

I’m looking for an RV that…

keeps us together as a family unit for the next six ish years.

allows us to comfortably push 750-1.5k miles to get to the destination (quick night stops along the way).

allows the adults to relax outside with a beverage after the kids go down.

facilitates me slipping out of the camper a few hours early to capture first light.

 

In all of those situations I don’t want to be tripping over one of them or dealing with negotiations before or during the trip with who’s on the floor.  I push hard on my time off and need a trailer that can keep up with my schedule.  
 

 

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25 minutes ago, ChrisMI said:

In all of those situations I don’t want to be tripping over one of them or dealing with negotiations before or during the trip with who’s on the floor.  I push hard on my time off and need a trailer that can keep up with my schedule.  

Then, your solution is probably better .

Or, a small motorhome, class c, with bunks. Or a big, family tent.

Our adult daughter has camped with us, many times over the last decade in a tent. I wouldn't be comfortable with a small child in a tent, personally,  unless I were in the tent, too.

The most important thing, honestly,  is that you get the kids out into nature, camping. We're so happy that our daughter learned young, and enjoys it. You also have to look at enjoyment factor.

Pitching tents nightly is a pita. Especially  when it rains. Setting up, or packing up, in inclement weather is bad enough in a trailer, much less a tent.

Our neighbors recently sold their rarely used class c. It was great when the kiddos were little. Now that three are on their own, youngest is 15, no longer using it much.

Everything changes over time. 

Memories are priceless. 

Find something that works for your family, get out there, and teach the kiddos.

 

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2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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I think you might feel cramped in an Oliver based on your stated mission.  My son has a Forest River No Boundaries that has bunks for his 8 and 5 year olds.  It gives each kid a space of their own plus a dinette table they all can sit at and a queen bed for mom and dad.  As I sit in my Ollie tonight writing this and imagining two young children in here as well, I’m not sure I could do it.  Not the quality of an Oliver, but probably more practical for a family.  We spend as much time outside as possible either under the awning or in the Clam, but sometimes the weather has us inside and cabin fever sets in after a couple of days with just two people.   I recommend finding an Oliver that you can see and be in before you make a decision.  Mike

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Many years ago, our daughter was 14 or 15. We did our first "relocation " trip for an rv company .

The big class c was old(er), rattled like crazy. Generator quit in east Texas.  We had an unplanned two day stop in El Paso to get it fixed, as house ac (necessary in a june in Texas) couldn't run without the generator, on the road, or camping without hookups

. Minor detail. We camped out, and walked over to Mexico. (Not that I'd do that today, with someone else's child.)

We had a blast. Daughter brought her BFF. We picked up one of my bffs in Houston airport..

Paul might not agree, as four girls, one guy, but, it was hilarious. And, to this day, we all share the memories and laughs .

That's why I say , get out and do it. Don't wait for perfect. Nothing ever is. 

But, imperfect memories are indeed priceless,  as well.

 

2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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12 hours ago, ChrisMI said:

My mission for an Oliver is probably different from the normal demographic buying these units. My guess is the pending/recently retired group along with the Dual Income No Kids couples make up a big chunk of the owners.

I’m looking for an RV that…

keeps us together as a family unit for the next six ish years.

allows us to comfortably push 750-1.5k miles to get to the destination (quick night stops along the way).

allows the adults to relax outside with a beverage after the kids go down.

facilitates me slipping out of the camper a few hours early to capture first light.

 

In all of those situations I don’t want to be tripping over one of them or dealing with negotiations before or during the trip with who’s on the floor.  I push hard on my time off and need a trailer that can keep up with my schedule.  
 

 

Sometimes you just don't have the right tool. 

The standard floor plan- sleep two adults and a small child n rear- the dinette - the other. Otherwise any Rube Goldberg you devise will be more work than you will want. 

The Oliver - in my experience - will more than keep up with anything you can throw at it. We have done many 1000K days, stopped in a wally world, or other - and "camped" with all the comfort of home. 

A truck with a properly set up topper worked for us with the kids - the boys loved sleeping in their own place. When in the wilds - a tent was their choice of home. 

Your issue is not the Oliver - its the request to make it something its not - a 4 person sleeper - with the kitchen dinette area open most of the time - rainy days- ha.

Wish you well.

RB

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That said, if you check out multiple posts on fiberglassrv, you'll find people camping with 2 kids in a trailer smaller than my Elite.

I would not put a child or a dog under the bed, imo. 

Btw, I ordered an xl discobed for my NC property. My brother-in-law flies in to tent camp with us, and the old coleman cot isn't cutting it anymore. I'm interested in seeing how it stacks up against reviews .

2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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@LongStride that was a bunk designed to have a human beneath. Yes, I know it was close quarters. 

Like I said, I wouldn't do it. All up to you. 

2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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On 7/26/2021 at 9:14 PM, Mike and Carol said:

My son has a Forest River No Boundaries that has bunks for his 8 and 5 year olds.

I’m looking at models from a FR mini lite 2509s to a AS flying cloud 28.  Both, from opposite sides of the price spectrum, have a better layout for our family.  Just trying to get a durable relatively trouble free unit that will provide an enjoyable vacation experience.  Also planning on sharing the trailer with my parents and in-laws so it will be used as a (retired) couples trailer some of the time. 

23 hours ago, LongStride said:

perhaps a small Class C would be better suited to your mission.

I’d rather not maintain another engine and running gear for something that could sit a month or two between uses. 
 

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. The disc-o-bed looks nice and gives me an idea of adding the cradles to the sides of the trailer (making custom brackets).  The bed could easily be deployed and stored when not in use and with a thin foam topper might be very comfortable. 

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3 hours ago, ChrisMI said:

I’m looking at models from a FR mini lite 2509s to a AS flying cloud 28.  Both, from opposite sides of the price spectrum, have a better layout for our family.  Just trying to get a durable relatively trouble free unit that will provide an enjoyable vacation experience.  Also planning on sharing the trailer with my parents and in-laws so it will be used as a (retired) couples trailer some of the time. 

I’d rather not maintain another engine and running gear for something that could sit a month or two between uses. 
 

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. The disc-o-bed looks nice and gives me an idea of adding the cradles to the sides of the trailer (making custom brackets).  The bed could easily be deployed and stored when not in use and with a thin foam topper might be very comfortable. 

We aren't having kids tag along on our adventure so the Elite II works well for our situation.

 

If our requirements were like yours I think we would just find a SOB with a front bedroom and rear bunks and spend the remaining $ on either building or renting indoor storage so as to protect it from roof degradation/leaks and sidewall delamination and maintenance when things happen.  Once the kids were either grown enough to either sleep in a tent or out of the house, we would move to something like the Ollie.

 

The most important thing it sounds to you is to get the kids out camping sooner rather than later (Kudos to you).  

 

Best wishes in your search for the right trailer to get your Family out on the road.

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2021 Elite II, Hull# 898

2018 Toyota Tundra, 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 5.9l SRW

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  • 2 weeks later...

We, too, are in the minority and are traveling with an almost teenager in our Elite II twin bed model. The dinette conversion has worked very well for us and has proven to allow enough space. I've found there is the feeling of a bit of division when in the trailer from front to back and we all have our own areas. You could also easily put in a curtain on a tension rod to create even more of a separation if wanted. We generally leave the dinette converted for the duration of each stay, use it as a sitting area during the day and only convert back to table when needed or packing up to leave a site. While a sleeping pad on the floor works OK when there happens to be more than the three of us, it isn't ideal and I've wondered about securing some sort of foldable bunk platform on the dinette base that could be completely removed. The fiberglass Parkliner, which is no longer in production, had a removeable bunk above the dinette in one of their models that you could search out and possibly try to replicate in some way. Interested to see what your solution is if you decide on an Oliver.

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