Remove bed platform to access underneath 2007 Aspect 26A

[S.Rodimus]

How the heck do I get the two pieces of the bed platform apart so that I can much more easily view and access all the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC stuff underneath? All attachment screws are out, but that metal piece in between the two halves of the bed platform is like a mini I-beam, and there is no angle at which I can slide it out. See pics. Help?

[Eagle5]

I am guessing both panels must be tipped-up as an assembly until you have enough clearance to remove the smaller panel. Looks tough; better get an extra pair of hands in there.
Eagle5

[Morich]

I have no idea of how they put it together but might guess that it was done before some of the other parts were put in the way?
If it is really necessary to remove, I would not spend a great amount of time figuring but just move to get it out.

One way would be simple as cutting the plywood to a size which can be taken out.
Watch for what is underneath before cutting or adjust the saw to only saw just enough and finish the cut by hand? There may be something really important like a water tank very close underneath?
When done, then screw and glue a strip under the joint to put it back together.

Right way? Wrong way? Depends what you want but I usually have to figure how to get it done as being the priority!

[S.Rodimus]

Just a little more info for context so you can see how this thing is put together (see new photo).

I agree that it may have been installed before the wall near the foot of the bed area, thus "locking" it in. But surely it was meant to be removed, because why else have the I-beam seam in the middle? And also, yes -- there's lots of electrical, plumbing, and HVAC stuff under there - including our water tank, which isn't accessible anyway/anywhere else.

I can lift the whole platform up to get inside do what I need to do, but that requires someone else to hold the platform up while I work; or alternatively, I'll have to cut a 2x4 or something to jam in and hold it up. And there is an access panel on the wall under the foot of the bed area, but it's small and doesn't allow much (i.e. not really enough) wiggle room to get in there and work.

If the I-beam seam was just a couple inches to the right, there'd be no problem because I could just slide it out -- but it's trapped in there by that wall. Ugh.

This is so frustrating. Anyone know how to remove the I-beam in the middle seam so I can get the whole platform out - or have any other ideas of how to get it out that don't involve cutting the platform?

[Bones2003]

You might try to contact Winnebago Customer Service and ask them if there is a trick to removing that platform. I've asked them a couple of times over the years for advice on how to access things on my RVs (not the bed platform though). It may take them a few days to respond but they have always been helpful to me. However, it may depend on which service representative handles your question.

You say that you can lift the platform up. Are there screws that come up from the bottom of the metal I-beam that hold the wooden parts?

[S.Rodimus]

Originally Posted by Bones2003

You say that you can lift the platform up. Are there screws that come up from the bottom of the metal I-beam that hold the wooden parts?

Yes, there were screws on the underside holding the metal I-Beam to each half of the platform. I have removed all screws. The issue is that there just isn't enough space in the bedroom (vertically, horizontally, or otherwise) to angle the platform in any way to slide or wedge the I-Beam out. I am starting to think that we will have to remove the window valances for this -- but I'm not sure even that will give enough space.

I have sent a message to Winnebago. Hopefully they can help. If not, I imagine we'll just have to cut the platform up and re-install new slats or something.

[7997redtail]

Just so we will know when it comes to us

[S.Rodimus]

Originally Posted by 7997redtail

Just so we will know when it comes to us

I will. I hope Winnebago responds with a solution!

[Morich]

Do you feel you need the entire cover out of the way or what size hole do you feel needed?

This seems to be an operation which is fairly common in construction and repair, so perhaps some of the same ideas could help speed this along?
when there is a problem with some type equipment in a wall and access is needed, there are often on panels, etc. to remove, so they cut out a portion of the wall, floor or ceiling to get enough space to do the job.

First finding what is in the space and how to avoid creating a bigger problem is often the first step. That would seem to be easy enough if you only need to enlarge the current opening as you can look or feel before you cut.

Then if you set a saw to only cut to the depth of the particle board, you reduce the odds of hitting anything you may have missed!

Once the repair is done and you are ready to repair, I would think some form of adhesive like contact cement might work well to add the strips underneath to put the cutout section back in place.
If you want to expand the "comfort zone" on how that might hold up over time, adding screw or even bolts through the whole setup would assure it would never fail.
The bigger problem with particle board is that it tends to crumble if fasteners are used to close to the edges. Moving back several inches from the edges is one way to feel better about the repair.

I'm not understanding the reluctance to go with the normal routine methods and wanting to remove things that will be hard to do without damage that shows?
It's pretty much like repairing a hole in sheetrock except horizontal and different materials!

[S.Rodimus]

Originally Posted by Morich

I'm not understanding the reluctance to go with the normal routine methods and wanting to remove things that will be hard to do without damage that shows?

I'm not sure what you mean here. We aren't reluctant to do anything. There is a lot of plumbing, electrical, and HVAC stuff under the bed. There is a small access hole (as you can see in my photos) and a side access panel that allows a very small amount of work to be performed. That work would be SO. MUCH. easier done if the whole bed platform could be removed. And in fact, if (dare I say, when) our water tank or some of the plumbing near it needs to be replaced, this whole panel will absolutely have to be taken out. There is simply no way to do that work, ever, with any of this platform in place, as there would be literally no other way to reach the spot or to get the old tank out.

[S.Rodimus]

Originally Posted by Morich

Do you feel you need the entire cover out of the way or what size hole do you feel needed?

This seems to be an operation which is fairly common in construction and repair, so perhaps some of the same ideas could help speed this along?
when there is a problem with some type equipment in a wall and access is needed, there are often on panels, etc. to remove, so they cut out a portion of the wall, floor or ceiling to get enough space to do the job.

First finding what is in the space and how to avoid creating a bigger problem is often the first step. That would seem to be easy enough if you only need to enlarge the current opening as you can look or feel before you cut.

Then if you set a saw to only cut to the depth of the particle board, you reduce the odds of hitting anything you may have missed!

Once the repair is done and you are ready to repair, I would think some form of adhesive like contact cement might work well to add the strips underneath to put the cutout section back in place.
If you want to expand the "comfort zone" on how that might hold up over time, adding screw or even bolts through the whole setup would assure it would never fail.
The bigger problem with particle board is that it tends to crumble if fasteners are used to close to the edges. Moving back several inches from the edges is one way to feel better about the repair.

PS: It's not that we can't see what's under there. I can diagonally lift up the whole bed platform as one whole unit (as in raise the foot area while the head area stays down), and someone else can hold it as such while I work underneath. That's just awfully tiring and awkward. It seems to me this platform is clearly meant to be removed when needed. Why else would it have that seam in the middle, if not.

[Eagle5]

Originally Posted by S.Rodimus

... Why else would it have that seam in the middle, if not.

I believe standard plywood comes in 48" x 96" sheets, so it requires two separate pieces to cover 54" x 75"
Eagle5

[Morich]

Much of what we see done is something we may never know why!
The bigger question is what we do with what we find. We are certainly not going to send it back to be done differently, so what are the other options?
If you can see no way to remove it as the set of parts you find, my next move has to be looking for the next best option.
What we would have done or what we might have liked is not a factor any more. That train has left the station!
One of the problems with trying to find out why things like this were done is simply time. The folks who made those decisions are likely retired, dead, or certainly don't care!

[bigb]

Any chance you could pull up on just one half and gently wiggle it up and out of the channel? Even if you have to temporarily attach a handle? To reassemble you could rip off a small amount on the outer edge then fill the gap with a strip of wood when finished.

At this point I'd even be tempted to rip a narrow section from the edge, remove it and slide the 2 sections apart then put the strip back at re-assembly and press a suspended ceiling T bar into the gap, or even put it back together with a piano hinge for future ease of removal.

You could rip most of it with a skill saw and finish the edges with a multi tool.