Gaucho or Bunk Beds

[Pfeathers]

My 17B has the 4 person dinette from the factory configured as a coiled mattress. I want to remove the mattress, get some cushions, and revert that space back to the 4 person dinette. I do not think that will be too difficult. I think most of the pieces are there with the exception of the cushions.

I also want to convert the 2 person dinette into a bunk bed/gaucho bed system. The folks at escape tell me that my 17B lacks the wooden supports that are needed to install their factory gaucho bed.

Has anyone developed a gaucho/bunk bed system, in the 2 person dinette space, that one could retrofit an escape without the factory installed supports?

[sunrisetrucker]

Originally Posted by Pfeathers

My 17B has the 4 person dinette from the factory configured as a coiled mattress. I want to remove the mattress, get some cushions, and revert that space back to the 4 person dinette. I do not think that will be too difficult. I think most of the pieces are there with the exception of the cushions.

I also want to convert the 2 person dinette into a bunk bed/gaucho bed system. The folks at escape tell me that my 17B lacks the wooden supports that are needed to install their factory gaucho bed.

Has anyone developed a gaucho/bunk bed system, in the 2 person dinette space, that one could retrofit an escape without the factory installed supports?

Don't have any pictures but I've seen it done with using 1 1/4 inch PVC pipe to make a bed frame. That would also allow you to dismantle it when not in use.

[Pfeathers]

Originally Posted by sunrisetrucker

Don't have any pictures but I've seen it done with using 1 1/4 inch PVC pipe to make a bed frame. That would also allow you to dismantle it when not in use.

I am really surprised. Has nobody done this?

Either I am the only one that wants to convert a 2 place dinette to gaucho beds or this is the best kept secret .

[Doug2000]

We used to own a 1977 Trillium 4500 which is the 15' version. The front had bunks. It worked great at the time, the kids were small then. A 2007 Escape 17B came up for sale locally and we thought we could make it work for our family. At that time my boys were 14 and 15. I did this mock up welding up some brackets and building a frame using a canvas from a Cabelas cot I had. After trying it out, we realized it just wasn't going to work. From memory, I think there was only 55" from the bench to the bulkhead cabinets. This would give each kid only 26". This would have worked for kids under 10 but not for us. The only way to make it work was remove the bulkhead cabinets and I didn't think that was an option.

So the next season my older son seemed more interested in sleeping in the truck bed or the tent so I abandoned the plan.

Years later, a family with a baby and a toddler bought the trailer. I cautioned them that it wouldn't be enough room with all there stuff but they insisted they could make it work. One trip and the trailer was for sale on the forum. I contacted them and they said they just had too much stuff,

This thread has a few pics of my trial.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...age-11059.html

[Pfeathers]

Originally Posted by Doug2000

We used to own a 1977 Trillium 4500 which is the 15' version. The front had bunks. It worked great at the time, the kids were small then. A 2007 Escape 17B came up for sale locally and we thought we could make it work for our family. At that time my boys were 14 and 15. I did this mock up welding up some brackets and building a frame using a canvas from a Cabelas cot I had. After trying it out, we realized it just wasn't going to work. From memory, I think there was only 55" from the bench to the bulkhead cabinets. This would give each kid only 26". This would have worked for kids under 10 but not for us. The only way to make it work was remove the bulkhead cabinets and I didn't think that was an option.

So the next season my older son seemed more interested in sleeping in the truck bed or the tent so I abandoned the plan.

Years later, a family with a baby and a toddler bought the trailer. I cautioned them that it wouldn't be enough room with all there stuff but they insisted they could make it work. One trip and the trailer was for sale on the forum. I contacted them and they said they just had too much stuff,

This thread has a few pics of my trial.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...age-11059.html

Thanks Doug2000 for the things to think about. I did not really consider the width to be in issue, I go tent camping a lot and sleep on a thermarest cot that is 26 inches wide. Of course I do not have a wall in front of my face, so I guess I am going to have to do some trials in that spot to see how it feels.

In terms of space and stuff, our last RV was a sportsmobile van, the space comparison between the van and the 17b is different but it is pretty close to the same amount in volume. We need to figure out how to use it.

The big thing I want to accomplish is to get that single purpose stationary mattress out of the way. We use to have to setup a bed in the Van every night so going back to a 4 person dinette that converts to a bed won't be all that bad.

The investigation continues. Our escape is new to us, we plan to do our first excursion to the Olympic Peninsula this November. Usage will iron out all the wrinkles. But I have not ruled out the gaucho bed idea and have yet to discover why it is not more popular.

[dosby]

With our factory 17B with gaucho beds, we have no problems sleeping in the bunks
My son sleeps on the top one, I (6'1" but slender) sleep on the lower one. Takes some yoga to get into the lower one but still very doable. Width is not a problem, 26" is plenty.
The top one is less plush, ~3" compared to ~4" of the bottom one. It is also slightly shorter because of window coverings. Makes a difference for me but not for my son (6 y.o), he loves it up there.
After market gauchos could be another story though - depends on how you make it work. Vertical pipes might take some space. Ours is held by the brackets on the cabinet and shower wall.
Vertical space is not a concern, both lower and upper bunks worked for me as long as you don't try to sit up in the bed There is sufficient clearance for sleeping and turning.

[Pfeathers]

Originally Posted by dosby

With our factory 17B with gaucho beds, we have no problems sleeping in the bunks
My son sleeps on the top one, I (6'1" but slender) sleep on the lower one. Takes some yoga to get into the lower one but still very doable. Width is not a problem, 26" is plenty.
The top one is less plush, ~3" compared to ~4" of the bottom one. It is also slightly shorter because of window coverings. Makes a difference for me but not for my son (6 y.o), he loves it up there.
After market gauchos could be another story though - depends on how you make it work. Vertical pipes might take some space. Ours is held by the brackets on the cabinet and shower wall.
Vertical space is not a concern, both lower and upper bunks worked for me as long as you don't try to sit up in the bed There is sufficient clearance for sleeping and turning.

Thank you Dosby,
I have not seen the gaucho bed complete. I did see a video where Tammy described the trailer and in the later part there was a short thing on the gaucho but I have no comprehension of how it might work.

Dosby or someone, could you post or send me some pictures that describes the factory setup a little better?

[dosby]

Here is another discussion with the video link posted
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...-17b-9252.html

Attached some pics, too.
Actually, the width is 29", not 26", which is even better than sharing a 52" bed. That one has just 26" for each person. My wife shared that bed with our daughter and they are just fine.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Pfeathers

Thanks Doug2000 for the things to think about. I did not really consider the width to be in issue, I go tent camping a lot and sleep on a thermarest cot that is 26 inches wide. Of course I do not have a wall in front of my face, so I guess I am going to have to do some trials in that spot to see how it feels.

I believe Doug meant that the clearance for each bunk vertically would be 26" if measured between the bench and the cabinets.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by sunrisetrucker

Don't have any pictures but I've seen it done with using 1 1/4 inch PVC pipe to make a bed frame. That would also allow you to dismantle it when not in use.

Here's an example of a PVC bunk done in a 17...
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post204381

[Doug2000]

I was referring to the height from the bench to the bulkhead cabinet. If I recall there has about 26" height per bunk. It just wasn't enough to be feasible and comfortable.

I thought the width was 32" which was plenty.