Sliding Mattresses

Cartledge
Cartledge Forum Participant Posts: 267
100 Comments
edited May 2022 in Caravans #1

Looking for some experiences with caravan mattresses on the move please, We have a trailer caravan with two single beds either side of the floor plan. The near side one is partially recessed into the shape of the end-bathroom, the offside one is open all along one side. 

This presents us with a problem and some advice based on personal experience would be useful please. The offside mattress and bedding is guaranteed to finish up in the floor after a few miles towing. This is irritating if you want a quick stop overnight and the bedding and mattress has to be lifted off the floor and the bed remade.

I also believe there may be safety issues in that a single Duvalay mattress, mattress topper, fitted sheet, duvet and pillow weigh a significant amount to be swanning around as an unsecured load in a moving caravan.

I have considered ideas such as restraining webbing straps, bungee cords and Velcro strips (which give problems if you want to turn the mattress). Anyone any suggestions, particularly those who have had a similar problem?

Many thanks.

Peter C.

Comments

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,044 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2022 #2

    Something is making things slide. Why not try some of that anti slip stuff that you can buy on a roll (open weave rubber type stuff, often used on tables) and put this between the base and the mattress? It might work. It might just be the weight of the duvet dragging it off, in which case don’t lay the duvet out, but roll it up and secure at one end when travelling. Only takes seconds to shake out on arrival. 

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2022 #3

    I’ve never experienced caravan mattresses moving in this manner but I’ve no experience of rear end single beds or of travelling with bedding in place.

    At the risk of stating the obvious and sounding less than polite, are your tyre pressures correct and have you got shock absorbers fitted? Have you perhaps too much weight on the nose resulting in a too light tail end? I ask because the symptoms of tail end movement suggest your van may be towing in a less than stable manner.

  • Cartledge
    Cartledge Forum Participant Posts: 267
    100 Comments
    edited May 2022 #4

    Thanks TW. TPs are correct, van is a Swift Elegance 565, 2021, less than a year old, serviced last month, so shockers are OK. NW is usually 80-90kg on a NW gauge and van seems very stable, not bouncing around or weaving and throwing the mattress off. Its also hefty at 1700kg. I’d feel it when driving having caravanned off and on since 1980. I’m satisfied that the outfit is safe and stable. It also has ATC. Oddly, I towed it a very few times last year with a BMW X3 with no problem, now towing with a 2022 Toyota Hilux, Invincible X where the suspension is noticeably firmer with rear leaf springs. Maybe that makes a difference. Nothing else in the van gets thrown around though.


    TTDA, I’ll try that, we’ve got similar stuff on our garden furniture to keep cushions in place. The duvet may not be a problem, it’s designed with single caravan beds in mind, i.e., with flaps on the edges of the duvet cover that tuck in down the sides to keep it in place. 

    I think in the end, it’ll be a couple of click-on webbing straps or hook-on bungee cords as the mattress does slide off very easily if pulled deliberately. but I thought it worth asking. 

     

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