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Here I’ll show you the results of our Jayco Swan bed end fly modification.

We used the Supa Peg Jayco Bed Fly Conversion Kit (that you can get from eBay).

This mod is one of the 35 Most Popular Jayco Camper Trailer Modifications…

…and I totally get why!

But first:

What is the bed end fly modification?

Installing bed end flys on a Jayco camper trailer is considered a must

(for lots of reasons)

But… it means extra poles and extra guy ropes

This modification converts the bed fly into a free standing unit:

It clips it onto the van.

This is how Supa Peg show the before and after:

Jayco Camper Trailer - Bed Fly Conversion Kits by Supa Peg

(click here to see these kits from Supa Peg on eBay)

This is what it looks like:

Bed End Fly Modification on Jayco Swan Camper Trailer

Here’s an outline of how the poles now sit on our van:

Jayco Bed End Fly Modification - Outline of Pole Positions

So what are the reasons for doing the bed end fly modification?

The main benefits I’ve noticed (so far) by doing this modification include:

Less poles. There’s no longer any poles touching the ground… and the centre vertical pole is now trimmed down to only be about 20 cm long

No guy ropes. Because they’re a pain. And kids love tripping over them.

Less things to carry. Less poles and no guy ropes equals less bulk and weight (more wine carrying capacity)

Better use of the area under the bed. Less poles means it’s easier to do things like the Clothesline Modification for Jayco Camper Trailer [Using Bed Support Poles] (click the link to read our ‘how-to’)

Jayco camper trailer bed clothesline modification - hang between the support poles

Easier shelter during set-up. If you’re trying to set-up during rain, then having the frame set-up with no messing around is awesome.

Quicker and easier to set-up. Clip and connect. No messing around adjusting rope or pole length. It’s WAY quicker.

On that last point:

The only poles that we now need to adjust for travel are the ones that go from the corner of the van to the corners of the fly

[the spreader pole that goes cross-ways is rolled up with the fly during storage, and the others are short enough to stay at their correct length in our pole carriers]

What about wind?

Our Swan is set-up all of the time in our driveway as our iso-office.

In this time:

  • They’ve never popped off the poles, and
  • The bottoms don’t flap around

[there’s eyelets at the bottom we put a clipgate through]

You still can put guy ropes on if it’s super windy and you feel the need…

…at least now it’s an option, not mandatory for every occasion.

What’s the cheapest and easiest way to do the bed end fly modification?

When we bought our Jayco Swan, the modification was partially done.

So I went to Bunnings and BCF to buy the parts individually to finish it off…

…and just one pair of connectors costs $10+ dollars!

So the best way to do it is to just get one of these Jayco Bed Conversion Kits from Supa Peg via eBay

Jayco Camper Trailer Bed Fly Conversion Kit from Supa-Peg via eBay

(it comes with all of the 12 connectors you need for $30-$40 dollars)

It’s WAY cheaper than buying the parts individually!

Here’s the set up for our bed end fly modification:

Here’s how the side support poles are attached to the back of our Jayco Swan with silicon and tech-screw:

Attaching Bed End Fly Mod Poles to Back of Jayco Swan Camper Trailer

And the front using a bolt attached to the chassis (with wing-nuts on the bolt for securing the pole):

Attaching Bed End Fly Mod Poles to Front of Jayco Swan Camper Trailer

How is it attached at the front to the chassis?

At first we had a set-up using an M8 x 80mm bolt…

Bolt and Hole in Chassis to Attach Bed End Fly Modification to Front of Jayco Swan

…which was great when the pole was attached, but stuck out a bit when not in use:

Bolt Attached to Front of Chassis For Bed End Fly Modification

Full credit to a gentleman by the name of Steve Maybury because his better idea was to get:

  • M8 x 35 mm bolts
  • M8 couplers, and
  • Wing Screws (M8 x 25 mm)

Parts to Attach Jayco Camper Trailer Bed End Fly Modication at Front

Using the same 8mm diameter hole, the shorter bolt comes through, with the M8 Couplers screwed over the top:

Using M8 Couplers to Attach Jayco Bed End Fly Poles - One On

Using M8 Couplers to Attach Jayco Bed End Fly Poles

This makes a big difference because not only are they less sharp, but they only stick out a few mm:

M8 Couplers Only Stick Out 3 mm When Use For Bed End Fly Modifcation on Jayco Swan Camper Trailer

When the pole from the Bed End Flys are attached it looks like this:

Bed End Fly Modification Poles Attached Using M8 Couplers and WIng Screws

[the couplers create a spacer to keep the pole off the fibreglass hull]

In the end I actually opted to loctite the Wing Screw and one of the Couplers together (to screw onto the bolt as a unit):

Wing Screw and Coupler On Bed End Fly Modifcation Pole for Jayco Camper Trailer

Now there’s no sticking out from the hull, no Wing Screw to misplace, and it still easily fits in our pole holder.

How do the horizontal centre support poles attach to the roof?

The horizontal rafters that come off the roof attach with a bracket that sits just under the bag for the bed end fly:

Jayco Bag Awning Rafter Mounting Bracket for Bed End Fly Modification

[If you don’t have any of these spare, they’re called ‘Jayco Bag Awning Rafter Mounting Brackets’ and they’re about $7 here on ebay]

I shortened the centre vertical pole using a hacksaw. This now joins the spreader bar to the horizontal centre support pole, and creates a little frame:

Shortened Centre Support Pole Joining Horizontal Spreader Bar to Horizontal Centre Support Pole

Internal view:

Shortened Centre Support Pole Joining Horizontal Spreader Bar to Horizontal Centre Support Pole (Internal View)

Here’s the side support poles fitting into the spreader bar in each top corner of the fly:

Side Support Poles Inserting Into Spreader Bar in Jayco Bed End Fly Mod

Summary: Jayco Swan bed end fly modification

There’s plenty of reasons why bed end flys should be part of your routine every time you launch your Jayco camper trailer… but they can be a pain.

This modification is totally worth doing:

It makes setting up and packing up easier. It’s less to carry. There’s less trip hazards.

The cheapest and easiest way to do it is to get one of Supa Peg’s Jayco Bed Fly Conversion Kit here on eBay…

…you can’t buy the individual parts cheaper!

Comment below if you have any questionsf… otherwise check out our article the 35 Most Popular Jayco Camper Trailer Modifications