Community Forums

Enokie · 12-01-2013, 07:45 PM

I want to remove one of the bunks and the dinette in my 5er. My neighbour said I couldn't do it because I would lose the integrity of the original build....

Some of you have made these changes, can anyone tell me if this is so? She said it would be off balance and they built it this way for a reason...

Input anyone, please..............Thanks!

justlkn · 12-01-2013, 07:54 PM

I have removed our dinette and placed the rear sleeper from the bunk house in its place. I then built a new bunk to replace the sleeper. I can see your neighbors point about weight changes but I wouldn't think it would be significant unless you removed every single item off of one side. I only added 25 lbs to one axle after moving all that stuff around. I think you would be safe in doing what you want to do

TXiceman · 12-01-2013, 08:37 PM

Pure BS IMHO.

Ken

**NLOVNIT** · 12-01-2013, 08:45 PM

It's your RV. Do whatever you want to with it to make it to your liking & comfort. You aren't going to impact the weight enough to make any difference. Oh, & bah humbug on your neighbor.

Lori-

BFlinn181 · 12-01-2013, 08:46 PM

Is your neighbor an engineer? I assume you are talking about an upper berth that's little more than a shelf with a mattress? Just watch your weights and I'm sure the RV will hold it's shape going down the road.

Enokie · 12-01-2013, 10:55 PM

Thanks to all, I didn't think it would make a big difference, but I am wondering if her thinking is that the bunk was part of the 'frame'. I want to put a small table and chairs, and remove the top bunk to make room for a sewing machine underneath, I was also thinking of just removing half the bunk adding a door and making more storage, or something... still weighing my options.

I will just carry on and 'make it my own' (thank you NLOVNIT

)
good thing I didn't mention removing the sofa and putting in a wooden futon
I have

many thanks and happy trails to all. E

Ray,IN · 12-02-2013, 07:04 PM

All the interior walls, cabinets,etc are built/installed, then the exterior walls are erected. The roof is placed after the walls are in place.
To me, this means, only interior walls have any bearing on structural integrity, and if one is removed, then replaced(in different spot) with another, no harm done. Trailers are not crash-tested anyway, ever seen pictures of a crashed/overturned RV trailer?

HicksRA · 12-02-2013, 07:17 PM

I'd suggest that you not seek advice from your neighbor....

Enokie · 12-02-2013, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HicksRA

I'd suggest that you not seek advice from your neighbor....

I didn't ,it was offered free of charge after I explained my plans....

wandering1 · 12-03-2013, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman

Pure BS IMHO.

Ken

X2 LOL

Cumminsfan · 12-03-2013, 10:27 AM

I really doubt there's load bearing walls in a TT. It's not like a house where you have trusses of different lengths. All the roof trusses are the same length in a TT. The ext walls are made as one piece. It's no more than a box on wheels. If you look at how they're made it's pretty much the same box with different interior design. Your 5'er is no different than one that doesn't have bunks or has a free standing dinette.
We removed the booth dinette in ours and put a smaller round drop leaf table in it's place. It was an option if I'd ordered the 5'er. Most RV's have optional seating, but are still constructed the same for either choice.

Racklefratz · 12-06-2013, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enokie

I want to remove one of the bunks and the dinette in my 5er. My neighbour said I couldn't do it because I would lose the integrity of the original build.... She said it would be off balance and they built it this way for a reason...

What is her basis for making these allegations? Is she an RV design engineer?

The first contention would only be true if those furniture items were "stressed" items, meaning, they are rigidly affixed to, and provide structural support to portions of the trailer frame. Somehow, I doubt a bunk or dinette would perform those functions, although I have not seen your configuration.

The second contention, I just don't accept. Given that the entire assortment of kitchen appliances are all installed on the same wall in our 5ver, and a few light-weight furniture items are on the other side, I simply don't think these things are "balanced" to that degree of accuracy.

My $ .02, FWIW.

Dog Folks · 12-06-2013, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enokie

I didn't ,it was offered free of charge after I explained my plans....

It was worth LESS than you paid for it! LOL

wa8yxm · 12-06-2013, 03:36 PM

It depends on how it was built.. Generally the shell is built, the body framed in and the bunk added.

But, I can see where it would be a part of the build.

So you need to be careful, If it is bolted in with a few flimsy brackets (corner braces type thing. and capable of being set aside, Go ahead and remove it. If it is strongly bolted, nailed, glued,, might not be a good idea.

Now the dinette.. If you have one, is never the kind of thing you can not remove.. It is an "option" in fact.