2019 Bambi 22FB dinette table doesn’t slide

[doughpat]

Hello streamers.
We are the new owners of a gently used 2019 Bambi 22FB Sport. We attempted to convert the dinette to the twin bed following the owners manual which references a supposed lever on the underside of the table top that allows the tabletop to slide on the telescoping pole.The two clamps for the two telescoping legs work perfectly to lower but unless it’s able to slide and rotate it doesn’t make a flush surface with surrounding surfaces and leaves large gaps. Is this a feature that is sometimes not included on certain models?

I’ve looked under the table and it appears to be screwed to the telescoping leg. The screws holding the tabletop to the leg go through an approx. 1 in slot but it is not able to slide within the slots.

[PKI]

Can you spin the top and improve the fit? The 23, table top sits on the seat surface. The bed surface is lumpy, but no gap.

My thought is that if the bed is to be used much, The table top should be modified to fit between the seats and be flush with the seat top. Cleats need to be added to the seat face to support the table securely.

Hope someone who knows responds. Pat

[doughpat]

The top can be spun though it doesn’t feel “good” if that makes sense. There’s 3” gaps on either side of the table when it is centered.

[PKI]

Something is not right. If no one clues you in, call the dealer or JC. Very odd. Is the gap that big when you spin the table 180? Pat

[Rg416]

Hi, there are two things going on here. The table can rotate AND the table can slide outward and back inward. This can help with comfort getting in and out from the seats. To do the slide, you have to release the small locking pin underneath the table surface. It should be on the bed side rear of the underside. Be sure to lock it again while towing so it’s not sliding in and out while underway.
This really has nothing to do with entering the sleeping arrangement. To do that, you need to telescope the table down using the two clamps on the table pedestal and pressing (hard) down on the table top to get it low. The design blunder is that it is supposed to sit on top of the bench platform and yes, it stands proud of the surface. I guess the idea is that once you put the cushions on, you wouldn’t notice the thickness of the tabletop. We did. I got some very dense foam exercise mats and cut pieces to fill in to be flush to the tabletop. It works well. I planned to carry them in the large closet if we ever need to have someone sleep at the dinette, but that hasn’t happened yet.
Hope this helps. Sounds like you are doing it right but expecting it to fit flush, which it should. But alas, it doesn’t. I’ll post pix of our fix.
Good luck with your new Airstream!
Rich

[Rg416]

[Rg416]

Not sure if those photos came in order but you get the idea.
We are too much the ‘Princess and the Pea’ not to feel that bump through the cushions. Ha
Rich

[Rg416]

At this link Patrick at Colonial demonstrates (at about 23:30 minutes) both the sliding of the table and telescoping the table down to the bed configuration. Note, that he is doing his shortcut to make it seem effortless. By rotating and sliding the table before he telescopes it down, he can get it tucked under the seat cushions without removing them. If you simply lean the cushions up, you can lower the table without twisting or sliding. In the underneath shot, you can see the D shaped latch that releases the table to be able to slide forward and back.
Rich

https://youtu.be/JHWhLR4-87g

[doughpat]

OK, I have looked in every possible angle and have absolutely no clue where this locking pin and sliding mechanism could be. I am on mobile, thousands of miles from my computer, so posting pictures might be a little bit tricky. Would you mind taking a picture of the underside of the table, highlighting where the mechanism should be?

Thank you for clarifying that the table will sit proud of the bench surface, that is a bit odd, and I think your solution is excellent and one that I will possibly mirror.

[doughpat]

Wow, uploading photos from my phone was easier than I thought. Here are the pictures.

As you can see, rotating the table without a way to slide it does not help. And the two views of the underside hopefully show you the lack of any kind of sliding mechanism, unless I am just completely barking up the wrong tree.

[MSL]

Looks to me like the previous owner removed the slide. The slide does creak a lot; actually, I think it's the locking pin that creaks on mine. See pics:

I'm actually considering trying to change the slide position and orientation on mine so that it can rotate and slide to obtain an orientation perpendicular to standard position, but tight against the back/center cushion of dinette. The factory alternate position(s) seem useless to me.

[doughpat]

Well, darn. That is weird. I suspect a bit of foul play here (long story but I think a dealer was pulling parts from this trailer as it was stored awaiting major repair).

I guess I’ll see about finding a replacement slide.

Now that I look at the table more carefully I see some screw holes that were clearly meant for the mechanism.

Your picture solved the mystery—thank you!

[Rg416]

Yes your table setup has been modified and no longer has the slide tracks or latch. The new position the table is mounted makes it unusable as a bed since it’s not properly supported by the benches. Your dealer should replace the table parts for you. Or at least order them.
Rich

[Davedog]

We have a 2018 22FB and we removed the slides on our dinette table. Ours creaked and groaned and made the table very shaky. Twice while towing, the slide separated and the table ended up on the floor. I removed the slides and mounted the table directly to the pedestal (careful to match the position of the pedestal/table to the locked slide position) with the thought this would be a temporary fix until we went in to the dealer for a couple of other issues and have them replace with a new slide. The table was MUCH more stable, still able to rotate 180 to allow for easy entry, and no flying tables while towing....we like it better and plan to not replace the slides.

Looks like your PO had the same issues/idea, but failed to match the mounting to the closed-slide position.