Traditional FlexFit Accessories Installation Guides

Choose an accessory to see its installation guide

Headboard brackets

Legs

Retainer bar

Mattress attachments (shark bites)

Bed straps

Swing away hinges

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Headboard Brackets

Parts

Channel connectors	Bracket channel and flange

 

Installation instructions will vary depending on your base type. Elevate the head of your base and look for the mounting holes circled in the images below. You will either have base type A or base type B.

Base Type A

1. Fully raise the head of your base.
2. Locate the two headboard bracket assembly mounting holes on the base frame.

   

3. Position the channel connector according to your bed size. For Full size beds, use inner mounting holes. For Twin XL, Queen, King, or California King size beds, use the outer mounting holes.

   

4. Attach the channel connector so that the flat side is flush against the base frame using two 1½-inch hex head bolts/nuts.

   

5. Using two 3-inch carriage bolts/nuts, attach one headboard bracket channel to the first channel connector. Hand-tighten bolts/nuts (loosely) to allow adjustment of the headboard bracket channels.

   

    

6. Attach one headboard bracket flange to one of the bracket channels with two 1-inch head bolts/nuts. Repeat on the other side to attach the second headboard bracket flange. Slide headboard bracket assemblies (in or out) to achieve a distance of 1½ to 2 inches between the edge of the adjustable base and the headboard bracket flange assemblies.

   

7. Firmly tighten the 3-inch carriage bolts on both headboard bracket channels.
8. Measure the distance (center-to-center) between the mounting slots of the headboard bracket flanges. If bracket flange adjustment is required to accommodate the headboard, remove the 1-inch hex head bolts and move flanges side-to-side to adjust. Reinstall bolts. Firmly tighten all headboard mounting bolts.

   

9. Securely install your headboard.
   • IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE: The bottom of the headboard cross member must be positioned so that there are no more than 3 inches between the headboard and the top of the mattress.
   • WARNING: Do not exceed 3 inches in order to avoid a person or pet being caught in the space (referenced below) while the bed is in motion. Failure to follow this instruction could result in serious personal injury or death.

Base Type B

1. Fully raise the head of the base.
2. Locate two headboard bracket assembly mounting holes on the adjustable base frame.

   

3. Position channel connector according to bed size. For Full (74" length) size beds, use inner mounting holes. For Twin XL, Queen, King or California King (80" length) size beds, use outer mounting holes.

   

4. Attach Channel Connector so that flat side is flush against the adjustable base frame. Attach channel connector to adjustable base frame using two 1½-inch hex head bolts/nuts.

   

5. Using two 3-inch carriage bolts/nuts, attach one headboard bracket channel to the first channel connector. Hand-tighten bolts/nuts (loosely) to allow adjustment of the headboard bracket channels.

   

6. Attach one headboard bracket flange to one of the bracket channels with two 1-inch head bolts/nuts. Repeat on the other side to attach the second headboard bracket flange. Slide headboard bracket assemblies (in or out) to achieve a distance of 1½ to 2 inches between the edge of the adjustable base and the headboard bracket flange assemblies.

   

7. Firmly tighten the 3-inch carriage bolts on both headboard bracket channels.
8. Measure the distance (center-to-center) between the mounting slots of the headboard bracket flanges. If bracket flange adjustment is required to accommodate the headboard, remove the 1-inch hex head bolts and move flanges side-to-side to adjust. Reinstall bolts. Firmly tighten all headboard mounting bolts.

   

9. Securely install your headboard.

   • IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE: The bottom of the headboard cross member must be positioned so that there are no more than 3 inches between the headboard and the top of the mattress.
   • WARNING: Do not exceed 3 inches in order to avoid a person or pet being caught in the space (referenced below) while the bed is in motion. Failure to follow this instruction could result in serious personal injury or death.

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Legs

Before you start

• We recommend two people for this process.
• King size leg kits come with eight legs. Queen and smaller kits come with four legs.
• If you have a King or California King bed, your base has bed straps attached to the inside legs. These keep each side from separating.

Instructions

1. Push your bed away from the wall.
2. Slightly lift the base near the first leg while the other person unscrews.
3. Kind and California King bases: Start at the inside legs. Remove and re-attach the bed straps as you work to swap out the old and new legs (shown below).
4. Unscrew and remove the original leg.
5. Screw in the new leg.
6. Repeat for each leg.

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Retainer Bar

Before you start

• We recommend two people for this process.
• This should take about 10 minutes to complete.
• Read the warning below if your mattress is attached to your base by magnets.

Instructions

1. Lift and hold the foot of the mattress while the other person works to install the retainer bar.
2. Feel with your hand near the end of the bed to locate the retainer holes through the fabric.

   

3. Use the white locator pins to poke holes in the fabric.
4. Completely push the locator pin into the base. Queen and smaller bases have 2 retainer holes. King bases have 4 retainer holes, 2 per side.
5. Push the ends of the retainer bar into the locator pins.

   

6. Pull the retainer bar down towards the foot of the bed to lock it into place.

   

   

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Mattress Attachments (Shark Bites)

Before you start

• Required tools: Utility knife, 7/16-inch socket, and ratchet/combination wrench.
• IMPORTANT: Wash hands before beginning installation. Residue on hands will easily transfer to cloth-covered bed components.
• Part 1 guides you through preparing the mattress cover to attach to the base. Part 2 guides you through installing the mattress attachments and re-assembling your mattress.

 

Part 1: Prepare the mattress cover

1. Unzip the Sleep Number mattress cover. The zipper is located at the head on most mattresses. Check the underside on the side of the bed if the zipper isn't at the head of the bed.
2. Set aside the top cover panel and foam parts.
3. Disconnect the hoses before removing the air chambers. Push in the tab and gently pull to disconnect. You can cap off the chambers with white closure caps to allow for shorter inflation time when you re-assemble the mattress.
4. If the mattress was already attached to a FlexFit base, use a 7/16-inch socket wrench to loosen the bolts and remove the circular disks. If this is a brand new base, identify and remove all four locator pins on the top of the FlexFit adjustable base. Bases sold before 2012 only have two, located at the head.
5. Install (4) hex head bolts in the threaded holes on the surface of the adjustable base.

   

   

6. Position the bottom panel of the Sleep Number mattress cover on top of the adjustable base, ensuring the head of the mattress cover is matched with the head of the FlexFit adjustable base. The head of the cover has slits for air hoses.
7. Invert the sides of the mattress cover and pull the sides down over the FlexFit adjustable base.
8. Cut small slits at each hex bolt location. Use a utility knife and make cuts no larger than 1/4-inch long.
9. Remove the mattress cover when finished making cuts at each hex bolt.
10. Remove hex the hex bolts and set aside.

Part 2: Install the mattress attachments

1. Place the four bottom attachment pieces between the FlexFit adjustable base and the bottom of the mattress cover.
2. Place the bottom of the mattress cover on the base. Align the mattress cover with the FlexFit adjustable base ensuring the head of the mattress is matched with the head of the base.
3. Place the four top attachment pieces over the four cuts and insert hex head bolts.
4. Tighten the four hex head bolts until snug using a 7/16-inch socket. Do not over-tighten.
5. Re-assemble the mattress per Sleep Number mattress assembly instructions found in your mattress manual.

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Bed Straps

Before you start

Applies to Traditional Precision Comfort, FlexFit, FlexFit +, and FlexFit 1, 2, and 3 models. Excludes 360 Smart FlexFit Adjustable Bases.

• Eastern, California King, Split and FlexTop King bases consist of two individual adjustable bases side by side.
• We recommend having two people for this process. One person to slightly lift the base and the other person to install the bed straps.
• Bed straps are used to connect each side of the base to prevent shifting apart.
• Kit includes 2 bed straps and 4 washers.

Instructions

1. Move the bed away from the wall so you can access the legs at the head of the bed.
2. Loosen the two inside legs at the head of the bed, turning counter-clockwise.
3. Slide the bed strap into place. The threaded portion of the inner legs goes through the outside holes of the bed strap.
4. Once the bed strap is installed tighten the inner legs.
5. Repeat this process for the foot of your bed.
6. Place a washer on the leg bolt and reattach the leg.
7. Add washers to the outside legs to level out the base. Unscrew each outside leg, one at a time. Place a washer on the leg. Screw the leg back into the base.

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Swing Away Hinges

Swing away hinges allow Split King and Split California King bases to easily swing apart for cleaning or making the bed. Hinges attach between the headboard and each side of the split base.

1. Remove bed straps from inner legs at head and foot.
2. Install headboard brackets to the outside frame rail of each base.
3. Insert nylon bushings into the round holes of swing hinge plate A and swing hinge plate B.
4. Attach swing hinge B to the headboard bracket by inserting a mounting bolt into the top and bottom holes of the hinge.
5. Apply wing nuts to both mounting bolts. Be sure to position the square hole of the hinge tab at the top.
6. Attach swing hinge A to the headboard using mounting hardware included with your headboard. Be sure to position the square hole of the hinge tab at the bottom.
7. Connect swing hinge A and B together by placing a bushing between the two top hinge tabs and the two bottom hinge tabs.
8. Align the square in the carriage bolt (located just under the head) with the square hole in the hinge tab.
9. Apply a wing nut to each bolt.
10. Repeat steps to install the swing-away hinge on the other side of the bed.

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