Bed Frame Repair - Pulled Loose From Slideout

[CraigB in FL]

Went camping this weekend and when we put out the bedroom slide, the bed didn't move with it. Bed frame pulled completely away from the wall. Underbed storage has only the extra dining room chairs, the bedspread and pillow shams. We were able to remove everything from the platform so we could manually push the bed out, but will need to repair it before we can use it again.



Are there no studs in the wall? It looks like the frame is only screwed into the wall paneling. Suggestions for making a durable repair? Are there any wall anchors that won't just make a bigger hole in the paneling? I need to pull up the bottom of the storage area to be sure, but I think one of the rollers is frozen, possibly jammed with carpet fibers. Has anyone put down some sort of track for the rollers to ride on?

[Wisconsin Retiree]

Craig, I just recently noticed a similar issue...but it appears my storage lid closest to the wall pulled out as yours did. The screws were definitely not anchored into anything other than the wall board. Disheartening as to lack of quality. I have yet to address it for lack of time but it is on my to do list in the next couple weeks...

[Carl n Susan]

This is not an uncommmon problem. Do a Search on "bed wall" (or similar) to find other's experiences and repairs. Here is a start:
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=65828
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=88258
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=47271
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=78766
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=87317

[Wisconsin Retiree]

Thank you!

[LeftOverParts]

We had this happen on our last trip a couple weeks ago where we didn’t notice that a box slid in the gap when the slide was closed and we opened the slider pulling the bed frame away - we heard it wondering what the noise was but stopped too late. It was weakened from another time when we overloaded the underbed storage.

Our 2021 3231 seemed to have at least a plywood panel in the area where it connects so it wasn’t too hard to fix. I thought about using L brackets to reinforce the frame to the slide floor but a little concerned as the break from the wall seems to be a “safety” of sorts being the weakest link. If the bed frame is connected to the floor and it gets stressed in the same way with a box jam as ours did, the result could be worse - imo it could damage the slide mechanism or the housing (the box). (I’m a newbie so could be totally wrong about this.)

Maybe you can attach a stringer or plywood panel across where ever the studs are in your slide wall. And then attach the bed frame to it. Be careful you don’t make the mattress act “longer” if you add any supports - our mattress is net to dresser and the slide would “bulge” if the mattress was father from slide wall in the closed position.

One other watch out is even if you didn’t overeload your bed storage, the design where the bed frame is cantilevered can stress the wall when the slide is in (or partially open) if someone craws across the bed or travels with stuff on the bed. One solution is to add blocks and carpet squares or rollers under the bed frame to help support it. (I went with rollers). If this is done, the supports have to be attached where they won’t interfere with the rollers on the floor when the slide is opened.

[CraigB in FL]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin Retiree

Craig, I just recently noticed a similar issue...but it appears my storage lid closest to the wall pulled out as yours did. The screws were definitely not anchored into anything other than the wall board. Disheartening as to lack of quality. I have yet to address it for lack of time but it is on my to do list in the next couple weeks...

Chuck, my storage lid pulled out earlier this summer and I reattached it with plastic wall anchors. You can see that did me no good as it pulled out again.

[CraigB in FL]

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

This is not an uncommmon problem. Do a Search on "bed wall" (or similar) to find other's experiences and repairs. Here is a start:
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=65828
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=88258
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=47271
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=78766
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=87317

Thanks! I had found one of those. I guess I needed to change my search terms. Combining them, I csme up with some useful tips.

[CraigB in FL]

I disassembled the bed today and discovered one of the casters is broken.

In the threads suggested above, I found a possible, but not exact, replacement. I'll try to remember to post an update with whatever I end up using.

There are NO vertical studs in the outside wall and only one horizontal one, at the floor level. Based on the other threads, I think I will use an epoxy filler in the existing screw holes and redrill them for screwing the frame to the wall, gluing it at the same time. I'll add corner braces to the sides and cross brace to keep the frame together. Drive several screws down through the side walls of the frame into the moving floor, but short enough that they don't over penetrate the floor. I may need to add other corner braces to improve the frame's rigidity. I don't think I can use Daryles wheel mod in my storage area since it would require raising its entire floor a considerable amount and we store the extra chairs, comforter and pillow shams in there.

[rohrmann]

Our bed frame was pulling away from the wall. I got L brackets and better screws and resecured the bed frame to the wall. Instead of filling the holes, maybe use expanding hollow wall anchors in your existing holes, https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Find-Fas...38&sr=8-3&th=1
And install them with the tool that will properly expand them, https://www.amazon.com/Anndason-Sett...7PPL466Y&psc=1
This will provide much more strength to hold the bed frame to the wall.

[CraigB in FL]

Originally Posted by rohrmann

Our bed frame was pulling away from the wall. I got L brackets and better screws and resecured the bed frame to the wall. Instead of filling the holes, maybe use expanding hollow wall anchors in your existing holes, https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Find-Fas...38&sr=8-3&th=1
And install them with the tool that will properly expand them, https://www.amazon.com/Anndason-Sett...7PPL466Y&psc=1
This will provide much more strength to hold the bed frame to the wall.

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried moly bolts like those for my day/night shade cords behind the sofabed and they just made bigger holes when they, too pulled out. Although there I think it was due to the force of the sofabed knocking against the cord holders when it bounced, going down the highway. I solved that problem by securing the cord holders to metal studs around the window and blocking the sofabed to keep it away from the wall.

They might work in this case since there shouldn't be as much direct force applied against them, but I'm not keen on the thin paneling holding up.

[Wisconsin Retiree]

Well after pulling the inside panel up I too discovered the casters are collapsed and pushed up into the wood frame not even turning just dragging and pushing on the carpet. I am so glad I saw this post. I cannot believe the lack of quality in construction on something that is stressed every time it is operated or slept in. I guess I will be sleeping on the couch a night or 2 so I can reconstruct the framing better and replace those curved casters????

[Foldbak]

There has been a lot of discussion on this matter.
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=88258
Use the search bar for bed roller.

[firestation12]

Originally Posted by CraigB in FL

Went camping this weekend and when we put out the bedroom slide, the bed didn't move with it. Bed frame pulled completely away from the wall. Underbed storage has only the extra dining room chairs, the bedspread and pillow shams. We were able to remove everything from the platform so we could manually push the bed out, but will need to repair it before we can use it again.

Attachment 15574

Are there no studs in the wall? It looks like the frame is only screwed into the wall paneling. Suggestions for making a durable repair? Are there any wall anchors that won't just make a bigger hole in the paneling? I need to pull up the bottom of the storage area to be sure, but I think one of the rollers is frozen, possibly jammed with carpet fibers. Has anyone put down some sort of track for the rollers to ride on?

Glue and screw a 1”x 3” header board to the outside wall. Liquid nails and screws located wherever the is a vertical stud will make a permanent repair. 3/4” thickness of the header board shouldn’t make a difference in the length of the bed foundation.

[LeftOverParts]

Casters on carpet just seems to be asking for trouble with a lot of friction. You might consider adding a vinyl strip where the wheels run (or an all vinyl floor).

If you keep the carpet, another option is to potentially float the bed frame using those 6 x 6 furniture moving glides for carpet or something like them.

Or, as Foldbak's link shows, rollers attached to the floor. However, as mentioned previously, the rollers on the floor make it so the bed frame is cantilevered when the slide is closed which would stress the connection at the wall or at slide floor if L brackets are used. I added the same rollers at the end of the bed frame to eliminate the cantilever. So far, no impressions in the vinyl.

[CraigB in FL]

Originally Posted by firestation12

Liquid nails and screws located wherever the is a vertical stud will make a permanent repair.

As I and others have noted, there are no vertical studs in the wall.

[CraigB in FL]

Originally Posted by LeftOverParts

I added the same rollers at the end of the bed frame to eliminate the cantilever.

Where did you get the rollers? Do you have a part number?

[firestation12]

Originally Posted by CraigB in FL

As I and others have noted, there are no vertical studs in the wall.

Even that being the case, the surface area of a
1 X 3 X 60 adhered to the wall paneling (sans vertical studs) is still far superior to your original 4 screws that failed. Logic tells me that at some point there has to be a vertical frame component in that wall. Have you used a stud finder to explore the full width? A thermal imager can reveal an X-ray like view of the camper’s “skeleton”. Just my 2 cents, you get what you paid for when you ask for advice.

[firestation12]

Originally Posted by CraigB in FL

Where did you get the rollers? Do you have a part number?

Lippert makes a slide out roller that looks like what you are seeking. Available on Amazon.

[Carl n Susan]

Be careful on using permanent attachment things like Liquid Nails. At some point the slide may (will) have to be removed. The bed has to be detached to do so. Ensure you rebuild the frame such that it can be easily disassembled in the future.

[LeftOverParts]

Here's the link for the rollers I used.

https://www.amazon.com/Slide-Roller-...56&sr=8-8&th=1