Factory Rail Question

lapowers57

I have received a set of factory slats and have a question about them.  Since the Factory is closed for the week I will pose the question here.  I have a TAB Max S and I ordered a set of slats and rails from the factory.  I started marking up where I was going to place the slats and drill for the screws.   When I held the slats in place I noticed that they were at least 2 inches shorter then the length of the side settees so there is a good gap at either end.  For those who have bought rails from the factory, is this what you found?  I thought that the rails should have run the entire length.  I am now wondering if these are for a CS.

Mr_Mrs_Gnome

@lapowers57, Year of your S model and do you have any pics?

lapowers57

It is a 2016 Max S.  Two photos show the space if I center the rail and the bottom one shows the space if I push the rail all the way to the rear of the settee.  Since both ends of the rail are unfinished I am pretty sure it is not designed to fit with any spaces.

Sharon_is_SAM

This is a picture from Photomom's new T@B.  As long as the rails support the bed slats, do the rails really need to be the exact length of the side bench?  

lapowers57

Do they need to be?  No, but based on the quality of finish in a TAB I would expect them to and I feel the large space degrades the looks of the TAB.  Based on this picture they should go the full length.

Nomad

Well, you can't really tell from Photomom's pic if they do or not as the ends are under the slats - Hopefully she can enlighten us.

lapowers57

Her confirmation would be best. But I found some pictures posted by Michigan mike and they show the rails going the full length.  That still leaves the question of did they change the settee dimensions between the 2016 model and the 2017 model?  

dragonsdofly

Lapowers57 if this helps. Here are photos of my factory installed rails. Each unfinished end is butted against (drivers side) couch base and bathroom wall and (door side) couch base and settee end cap base. Each rail is 32 inches long. I have a 2017 max s sofitel. If the pics don't help maybe the measurements will.

Photomom

My rails are the same as in the Sofitel's pictures. One end butts up to the rear bench and the other butts up to the bathroom wall. I agree, you have the wrong ones.

Mr_Mrs_Gnome

Our '17 Outback S is the same. If you have more rails, you have more to stow, losing valuable stowage space. Holds up our fluffy bodies just fine. Anybody begins poking under my bed cushions to see if I have all my rails is gonna get the boot! 

lapowers57

Thanks for all the input, it looks like something isn't right.  I will call the factory next week and get things straightened out.

Ratkity

@dragonsdofly, in that last picture, is that a "stop" on the rail? Just curious since I did the mod long before the factory started doing it. BTW, I made my rails shorter so I could cut the corner out just like the old table was cut out over the propane/CO detector.

Photomom

@Ratkity the stops are to keep the first and last rails in place. Look at the picture someone posted of my trailer above, you can see the stops in action.

Ratkity

Thanks @Photomom! I didn't catch the "stop action" in the first pictures. Very innovative. I used industrial velcro to keep the first slat in position, which keeps all the rest from moving. I have 6" wood slats that touch one another - no spacing.

Photomom

We have been using the trailer in "twin bed mode" but I did put the rails in to check them out and even with the spacing the bed was pretty solid. With reasonably stiff boards (mine are common pine) it may not be necessary to have a solid platform of rails.

Ratkity

I certainly don't think a solid platform is needed either. That was just the finished board and thickness I could get at the box store at the time and I wasn't even thinking of keeping spaces between the slats - not sure why. Guess I was just following the pack who had done this before me! One board to slat them all! (plus one other board to rail them). *ominus LOTR music* 

Norbert1223

I purchased the slats and rails also and the rails  were slightly short so I left the space towards the rear cushions and no one would ever notice.  It was worth every penny of the $45 bucks (including shipping and hardware) and the ease of ordering on the phone and not having to deal with a lumber company and matching the wood.  

Sharon_is_SAM

I suspect it may be difficult to get an exact rail fit without going to the factory.  Smart to put the space in the rear where they are not visible.

pebblesporter

Yesterday I made two ledger boards and slats for my T@b.   Works like a charm!    Not having the table in there gives so much more room for getting around.   And since I am short, I don't have to make up the entire bed anyway---I just sleep across the back.   The bed slats will be for when a second person joins me.

Tommy

I made our own set of rails and slats - they work great and we are really happy with it. I didn't realize the end slat would need a stop until this last time out - when sleeping (two adults and a 85lb dog) we use up the whole bed and the slat closest to the bed scootched towards the front and left a big gap and the cushion dived in the gap and made for uncomfortable sleeping. I have since fixed it with a couple of scrap plastic thingies from my junk drawer gently screwed into the top of the rail. I only put the stops on the one end though - haven't seen a reason to need them on the front-most slat yet - maybe that will be next.

lapowers57

Been frustrated with this issue.  Couldn't call the factory the week of the Fourth because they were closed.  Left two messages this week without a return call.  I see Tearstock is this week so I am hoping this is the reason for no return call.  I have been calling parts since that is where I ordered from.  Is there a better department to call if I am asking about how a part should fit?

Verna

lapowers57 said:

Been frustrated with this issue.  Couldn't call the factory the week of the Fourth because they were closed.  Left two messages this week without a return call.  I see Tearstock is this week so I am hoping this is the reason for no return call.  I have been calling parts since that is where I ordered from.  Is there a better department to call if I am asking about how a part should fit?

Please leave a message for parts, with the exact length of rails that you are requesting. 

Ratkity

I have yet a 2nd crack in the plastic of my T@B and have to wait until Tearstock is over to get a response. I just need to be patient. I'm not traveling back to OH to get it fixed as it's only in the trim, but it is a frustrating issue. Hang in there with me. We'll get these things fixed eventually.

lapowers57

I have left a phone message and and email with a description of the issues  I only have two weeks until I leave on my next trip and was hoping to have this done by then.  We discovered on our first trip that having no table in the T@B makes it feel HUGE inside.  And dragging the big table it came with in and out is a real pain.

lapowers57

New rails are on the way at no charge and no need to return the old.  The only down side is I won't be able to get these in before we leave in a week and a half.  I know better then to start working on a project this close to the start of a trip.

Nomad

lapowers57 - Oh come on, live dangerously :-)

Sharon_is_SAM

Why not use the provided rail until the new ones come?