Our 2008 12.37 bed reno ...

[jacbaz]

After seeing Expanda 12.37's bed renovation, we have done the same - our bed base has been built up and is now level (which includes a deeper storage box) and we picked up our new mattress from Beds Direct in Epping this morning. Michael at Beds Direct was a great help and turn around from ordering to picking up was 2 weeks!
The bed end folds up easily and there is slightly more storage area for the poles in front of the bed.
We should now have a very comfy nights sleep I'm sure! Thanks very much to David and Chris for sharing their mod!

 

[MolongMick]

That looks great.
Just another thing to put on my list of things to do to the van.
If you don't mind me asking, how much did the mattresss cost?

 

[jacbaz]

Hi Mick
Mattress was $500 but I think it will be well worth the cost. You can also get it with a pillow top but this adds about 3-4 cm to the thickness (doubled when folded) and an extra $200 approx - we have just reused the pillow top we bought at Deals Direct. I was a bit concerned that we may have had trouble fitting it all in when the bed gets folded - as it is, it folds up no worries with the pillow top on it. The mattress is low profile and has a 'box spring' system in it - if you can get to Epping to have a look, they show you exactly how they are made - hope this helps (just saw you're in NSW!!!)
Jacki

 

[MolongMick]

Hi Mick
Mattress was $500 but I think it will be well worth the cost. You can also get it with a pillow top but this adds about 3-4 cm to the thickness (doubled when folded) and an extra $200 approx - we have just reused the pillow top we bought at Deals Direct. I was a bit concerned that we may have had trouble fitting it all in when the bed gets folded - as it is, it folds up no worries with the pillow top on it. The mattress is low profile and has a 'box spring' system in it - if you can get to Epping to have a look, they show you exactly how they are made - hope this helps (just saw you're in NSW!!!)
Jacki

Thanks for that Jacki,
Might go and have a chat to the mattress company in Dubbo and see if they will do something similar.

 

[Brad]

Nice job.
Do you find any difference folding up now?

 

[ckcklopic]

Looks great.
Does the mattress now fold in half, rather than where the join is originally?

 

[jacbaz]

Absolutely no difference in folding up and the mattress is zippered right down the centre - if anything, we have even more storage area in front of the mattress. Beds direct showed us all the components used in making the mattress - it is theoretically now 2 individual innerspring mattresses joined in the centre ... hopefully makes for a great (comfy) nights sleep!
My brother has an earlier model expanda and seems to think his mattresses are all the one thickness ... Don't know why Jayco don't do this in the first place???

 

[Expanda 12.37]

Hi jacbaz

Nice to see a fellow 12.37 owner making the conversion and joining us with our sensible 'flat-bed centre-zip' bed design.
But having been at the RV & Camping Leisurefest in Bendigo today Jayco is obviously continuing their far from ideal multi-zipp sectioned mattresses in all the Expandas they had on display.
Perhaps we need to start a bed revamp revolution among Expanda owners!
Talking at the Beds Direct display stand, they are getting a few orders for caravan mattresses with centre zips so welcomed our feed-back about our Expanda 12.37 bed conversion.
David

 

[jacbaz]

Just spent 12 nights on the 'new' bed and must say it makes a huge difference - very comfortable indeed! Looking forward to the next trip away!!!

 

[Brad]

Good to hear jacbaz
Nothing worse while on hols to have a bad nights sleep.

 

[jacbaz]

It was extremely comfy ... Thanks Brad! The boiling hot night a couple of weeks ago was not felt by us ... all bed ends open with the nice ocean breeze coming through! (And no sore back in the morning!!!) Just counting down the days until Easter when we get a couple of weeks at Mallacoota.
Ps ... Pick up the new tow vehicle tomorrow - a 2008 Toyota hilux diesel dual cab (not a very 'girlie' car but I'm sure I'll get used to it!!!!)

 

[macca]

My wife drives a BT50, my mates cant believe it. Hilux is a great car. Dual Cabs are such good family cars.

 

[Brad]

Mmmm..... Mallacoota....
Don't forget those plastics for tackling those large flatheads.

 

[jacbaz]

They're always first packed ... I towed the van last year and Baz towed the boat (Quintrex coast runner) - economical due to the fact that we only took one trip but a long trip on your own- this year we'll go up in March and drop off the boat, tow the van up for Easter and then pick the boat up in May ... good excuse for a weekend (or 2) away !!! Each trip either side, we'll have the boat for fishing ... tough life!

 

[jacbaz]

Hi maccayak ... They are very easy to drive - I have a commodore wagon now which is only a touch shorter than the hilux anyway so shouldn't be a prob!

 

[Lara]

I got all excited when I saw Beds Direct were in Epping. Went to their website but soon realized they are Epping VIC, not Epping NSW

Has anyone used or recommend any Sydney based custom mattress companies?

 

[SP4RKI]

Hi all,
We just picked up our 2012 (2nd hand) 17.56-2 today!
Happily bought it from another forum member...... But, the first mod has to be the bed!
I can't believe that this is the best solution that Jayco can come up with for the mattress?
So, I'm with you Lara.... Anybody else got any mattress people they can recommend?
Jacbaz, did you do the mod yourself on the storage box to make it level?
If so, how difficult was it?
Cheers......

 

[jacbaz]

Hi Sp4rki - my hubby did the mod and it seemed very easy (to me) to do!!! We removed the tops from the storage boxes and the smaller back section. Baz then built a frame out of pine which dropped on top of the existing frame and was screwed into place from underneath. A couple of coats of varnish stain (before it was put into place) and then the tops were screwed back into place - job done! Hope this makes sense!

 

[leesy]

Hi Jacbaz,
what was the timewr dimensions? saves me having to take off the cover to measure, i will buy the wood and take it away on the long weekend and "get it sorted"! we have had our shitty mattress replaced under warranty which inprived things but we still want to get a better bed set up.
Thanks!

 

[jacbaz]

Hi Leesy
Ours is packed away at the moment so don't readily have the dimensions available ... Sorry