2351D bed improvement

Dogyard,

Thanks for the great information and suggestion.  The bed was so bad for us I needed to come up with a quick solution but I will keep that source in mind for any future needs.

Grandpa17

I have implemented my ideas for a better mattress in the 2351D and after spending a night on it my wife and I couldn’t be happier.  With the stock mattress and design we were both waking up around 5:30 - 6:00 am because we were so sore.  This morning we both slept in until 8:30 and for the first time in over a week didn’t have bad backaches.

The photos below show before and after.  The first photo shows how we have it during the day to give space in the bedroom plus the platform is a nice place to sit while putting on shocks and shoes.  The second photo shows the mattress partially folded.  The mattress folds up easy and the sheet can stay on.  When folded up it’s much more compact than the stock mattress.  The third photo shows a completely FLAT and very comfortable bed!   The last photo shows the stock mattress folded over with the slide in.

Originally i was planning to make a fully covered box platform but decided that the slatted support would look nicer and would be lighter.  It weighs less than 20 lbs.

Overall I think it’s a big improvement from the factory configuration.

And by the way, Happy New Year to anyone reading this! 

Can’t seem to get all of the photos to show... The before can be seen in a few posts prior to this one.

Another thing I didn’t care for with the stock mattress is that the bottom 8 inches of the mattress is unsupported as shown in the first photo.  The second photo shows my modification with the slide in.   I plan to put a suction hook on each shelf and hold the support structure with bungee cords.

Grandpa17

Nice mod on your bed. I am amazed at the talent PC owners show regarding wood mods. Your solution looks like it was made by the factory.  Great work!

Ron S

Thanks Ron!  You know what they say about necessity... We are extremely pleased with the comfort.  Two nights now without back aches!

Hi Again Grandpa17

I have a few questions.

In your latest pictures, I see two black items.  Is the one to the left, the sub woofer for the surround sound system?  If so, is that a fixed position?  What is the other black thing built into the storage compartment?  Is it your furnace?  If so, I thought Phoenix used a HWH/Furnace combo in all 2351Ds.

I see the bedroom TV.  Does it face 90 degrees to the bed or is it set at an angle?  Does it have an arm to aim it toward the bed.

Thanks!
Ron Dittmer

Ron,

Yes the left black object is the sub-woofer bolted to the floor with L brackets.  It hasn’t felt in the way at all.  The second black object is the fuse panel.  Yes, the 2351D uses a Truma Combi Eco Plus unit.  The “Plus” refers to propane plus 2 electric heating elements which can be used in combination with propane.  Using it set to gas plus electric the unit is extremely gas efficient.  Hot water capacity is usable, but limited.

And yes, the bedroom TV is mounted on a swing arm and can be pivoted almost 90 deg.  It locks for travel.  There is a DVD player in the adjoining cabinet.  A very nice setup.

Thank you!

Grandpa17,
thanks for the great pics and info. I will definitely keep this in mind. And when we do pick up our new unit I will ask them if they had any complaints or concerns about the bed.

thanks again

That appears to be a palatable solution  .

Hope your backs feel much better now. Enjoy !

Grandpa17,
thanks for the great pics and info. I will definitely keep this in mind. And when we do pick up our new unit I will ask them if they had any complaints or concerns about the bed.

thanks again

You’re welcome.  You know of at least one, right? 

That appears to be a palatable solution  .

Hope your backs feel much better now. Enjoy !

Thanks.   It is very comfortable now and has completely eliminated our back aches.

Hi, Grampa 17 -

My first time posting/asking questions so we’ll see how it goes...

Great post on your part as far as photos and explanation! In our situation it’s exactly what we need to know! My husband and I are seriously considering the 2351D. As a matter of fact, tomorrow may by our ‘D’ day, so to speak.😉

You mentioned that in your mod you were able to keep the sheet on the mattress when folding it up, as in photo #2. Am I correct in assuming that leaving the sheet on when folding it (as in photo#1) to bring the slide in is not possible? In other words, would all bedding have to come off to bring the slide in on travel days?

When we travel we move quite often so we were hoping to find a 25’ rig with a bed we didn’t have to make up every night and still have decent living space. From your experience, how do you feel this unit fits into that scenario overall?

Something else you said - you fold up the bed during the day “to give more space in the bedroom.” Is that because, if the bed is down/flat, the bathroom or back wall cabinets are difficult to access?

Assuming (correct me if I’m wrong) you and your wife both use the shower, may I get an opinion from each of you on the bathroom as far as shower size, as well as general roominess using the toilet and lavatory. My husband is 6’ 3”, 190#, and I am 5’ 7”, 120#. I’m sure I’d do okay in the shower, but concerned for hubby. The bathroom, overall, appears to be a little cramped...?

We rarely eat out when on the road, so a user-friendly galley is a must for us. Your thoughts welcome on that subject also.

Any, and all, observations, likes, dislikes you and your wife have on the 2351D would be appreciated.
Thanks for your help!
RMP’49

The kitchen in the 2350, 2351, 2351D, 2551, 2552 and 3100 are the same with the exception of the pantry. Some have a pull out pantry, some do not. Some pantries are next to the stovetop, some are next to the couch.

Recent model years have a flip up range top cover instead of lift out panels but the standard counter space is the same. We use the flip up counter by the door as well as the pull out cutting board on the right side. Our sink cover was cut in half so we leave half in place so we can access the water while having that extra extension of counter space. We cook whatever we want. If we need a lot of work space, we put up our table (we have couch-no dinette).

Disclaimer: we have backpacked in the past and cooked on a tiny one burner stove balanced on a rock. Your perceptions of space needed may differ.