Air Mattress on fold out couch

Fordman · 08-30-2010, 08:30 PM

I am posting this thread to see if anyone else has been having problems with their air mattress on the fold out couch?

This is our first FR (came from Jayco) and so far we have not been very happy with the quality of the buy items FR uses in their units. We have only owned this unit for one year and we have had one little problem after another. The latest little problem we are having is the air mattress holding air. I cannot find a leak in the main body of the mattress and the only thing I can come up with is the cap area that you use to deflate has the problem (I think). I have added cork to the cap to make what I think is an air tight seal but even with the cork in the cap the mattress is still deflating.

The first 3 or 4 weekends of camping in 2009 it was holding air.

I wanted to see if anyone else is having this same type of problem?

These are the little types of problems we have been having, enough to drive you crazy chasing them.

Iggy · 08-30-2010, 08:50 PM

Hi and welcome to FRF,

NO I have not heard anyone having a leaking air mattress.

Your air mattress is a problem but you can't figure out where the leak is. Well then just buy another mattress and move on.
They are all made in Taiwan and what do you expect it lasts for 5 or 10 years? Hopefully you aren't here to bash.
We are here to help find solutions and if you are not not satistfied after having a trailer for 3 years maybe you should sell and find somehting better.

I'm not here to judge but help you decide what you want to hear.

Have a great day

grhodes50 · 08-30-2010, 09:25 PM

Mine developed a leak that I couldn't find, so I know how you feel. I was lucky that it was still under warranty, so they replaced it.
If I run across the same problem again I'll probably just go to wally world and buy one. The grandkids like to sleep on it when they camp with us.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

P.S. I just remembered someone posting about having to be real careful when you fold the couch up or it might pinch the air mattress creating a leak. It seems like another posted that they remove the mattress, fold it up and place it in the couch drawer.

LadyWindrider · 08-30-2010, 09:40 PM

There was thread several months ago on air mattress leaks, and if I remember correctly, most seemed to leaking because they got pinched when they were stored. The pinching was due to being in a hurry, and not getting the mattress folded/stuffed properly. Also could have been caused by net getting the mattress fully deflated.

powerboatr · 08-30-2010, 09:52 PM

ours isnt a FR bed. but is an air bed and yep it has no less than 4 patches on it now, it keeps splitting seams on the top cover... royal pita.
i am looking for a replacement that might actually last longer..
like a cheap one from wally world

NWJeeper · 08-30-2010, 10:06 PM

Our hide-a-bed didn't come with one so we bought the "cheap one from Wally world" I think it was a Coleman with a felt top on it. Was working fine until the DW loaned it to a friend to use camping and thier huge dog jumped on it and punctured it. They bought us a new one which is, so far, holding up just fine.

Windrider is correct there was a thread on it some time ago and the concensus was that they were getting pinched while folding up the couch (as I remember it). My advice would be to buy the cheapo one from Walmart and fold it up and put it in a cabinet like we do before you stow your couch. It's not worth your time to keep getting new ones from FR. It's one of those "choose your battles" things I think.

Welcome to the forum

tentcamper1 · 08-31-2010, 05:53 AM

our air mattress on the fold out couch did the same thing, it was a bad valve at the pump. I called Flair Manufacturing and they replaced it under warranty.

Fordman · 08-31-2010, 09:48 AM

Thank you everybody for the input...

I worked on it some more last night and I found the leak, it is in the rubber flap on the inside of the bed, it is not sealing all the way and so in turn it has a very small leak and it comes out through the cap. The cork is not creating a seal so I am going to call Flair and see what we can get done...

By the way: we never fold the bed into the couch because that just looked like a problem waiting to happen....

The_Stuff · 08-31-2010, 12:47 PM

makes me wonder if i should even use mine! it has that remote with the adjust firmness anytime thing. dont think thats a cheap replacement even from wally world!

Fordman · 08-31-2010, 07:52 PM

Talked to Flair today, the only fix they have is to purchase a new air mattress from them - so for 62.50 I can purchase their version 4. Oh yea you get another 1 year warranty with the new mattress. They told that they do not manufacture they mattress it is a buyout item for their couch's and because of that the warranty 12 months and not a day more.

The leaking flap and cap area must be a common problem because they told me to try putting glad wrap over the flap area and screw the cap back on and see if it stops the problem. Also, they are not recommending you store the mattress in the camper since the temps can very great and can cause problems to the mattress.

Like I told Flair I was not upset with the mattress when it work it was a very nice mattress, it is just upsetting you spend $30,000.00 plus for a trailer and after 4 uses it won’t hold air.

The_Stuff · 09-01-2010, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fordman

Like I told Flair I was not upset with the mattress when it work it was a very nice mattress, it is just upsetting you spend $30,000.00 plus for a trailer and after 4 uses it won’t hold air.

Amen to that!

jayrzr · 09-01-2010, 12:18 PM

same problem here on our new trailer. will probably throw it away and go buy a new one somewhere.

2Susan · 09-01-2010, 03:02 PM

I wonder if teflon tape over the cap threads would help any?

kappel15 · 09-01-2010, 09:38 PM

first time out of the chute, and our mattress had a leak in it. am getting a new one from fr under warranty.

dave_petersen · 06-28-2011, 09:57 AM

Same problem here. We have a Flagstaff 831KRSS which has two of these. The very first night after we purchased it, the kids were sleeping when it completely deflated. I had to keep getting up and inflate it every couple of hours. The second air mattress held that first year. Second year, we got the first air mattress replaced by the dealer and then the second mattress developed a leak. Since it was out of warranty, we purchased a cheap one from Walmart. I'm disappointed in the quality. It's not worth the $185 they want to charge for a replacement air mattress when I can get one from WalMart for $40. Also - the dealer advised us to just take it off the frame and store it under the sofa. That negates the design as it is meant to store attached to the frame and we lose valuable storage under the sofa. So - we'll keep buying our replacements at walmart and the next camper we buy will not have an air mattress and most likely won't be a Forest River.

kappel15 · 06-28-2011, 09:37 PM

i agree. Very poor design for a couch. A jackknife couch would of been alot better. Flip it out, and bed is ready. I see the newer model rockwoods, have at least one pocket door on the bath/bedroom side. Getting better. Don't have such a maze of doors then to use the bathroom.

VTX Al · 06-29-2011, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kappel15

i agree. Very poor design for a couch. A jackknife couch would of been alot better. Flip it out, and bed is ready. I see the newer model rockwoods, have at least one pocket door on the bath/bedroom side. Getting better. Don't have such a maze of doors then to use the bathroom.

I suspect that you have never tried to sleep on a jackknife sofa !! They are, without a shadow of a doubt, the most uncomfortable thing since a bed of rocks, for sleeping on. They are even terrible for sitting on. The airbed system is a big improvement in foldaway bed/couches. However, care must be taken to prevent puncturing the mattress when stowing it. We always use the attached storage bag when folding up the unit and have never had a problem. Sure, it takes a little longer to set-up and take down, but, IMHO the comfort far outwieghs this when compared to a jackknife sofabed.

...VTX-AL

cjones · 06-29-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VTX Al

I suspect that you have never tried to sleep on a jackknife sofa !! They are, without a shadow of a doubt, the most uncomfortable thing since a bed of rocks, for sleeping on. They are even terrible for sitting on. The airbed system is a big improvement in foldaway bed/couches. However, care must be taken to prevent puncturing the mattress when stowing it. We always use the attached storage bag when folding up the unit and have never had a problem. Sure, it takes a little longer to set-up and take down, but, IMHO the comfort far outwieghs this when compared to a jackknife sofabed.

...VTX-AL

You said it!!

kappel15 · 06-29-2011, 07:26 PM

i have to disagree. i have slept on a jacknife and it was very comfortable.

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