Barrel nuts busted for toddler bed side-rail.

Is this a 4-in1 convertible crib? The Toddler bed will need the bottom railing and a half rail to convert from a crib to a toddler bed. The half rail can also be removed to make the 4th conversion to a toddler bed with out railing. But to convert this specific bed you DO have to add the bottom rail that came with the bed at purchase.

It converts from a crib to a daybed, by taking the front sliding rail completely off. The rail will slide up out of the groove.

Hope this helps.

It is very simple to convert a crib to a toddlers bed. You just need to remove the side railings by folding them under the bed. It would be automatically converted to a bed that a toddler can use

Per the companies website (storkcraft.com) it doesn't look like the Ariel is a 3 in 1 but a 2 in 1. The manual is here
http://www.storkcraft.com/docs/all/04588-43.pdf
and it mentions converting to a twin bed, but not to a toddler bed.

Possibly put the mattress all the way down and remove the smaller side rail for a 3 sided toddler bed. Make sure the frame is sturdy enough without the 4th side.

Check this CPSC link.

Most if not all of the simplicity brand cribs have been recalled reguardless of whether they had wood or metal mattress supports.

There were 2 different recalls on the wood version but both were recalled for the drop-side issues.

This link specifically includes the Aspen 3 in 1 cribs and model #: 8740

We took ours to our local walmart last summer (we purchased it in a different state almost 8 years ago). I brought to cpsc report with me. They had not issue with the recalled information we has matching it to our crib. It did take the clerk a bit to find our crib in their system because it was older, but once she did we recieved a full refund, without a receipt.

As far as changing them to a toddler bed. When we converted ours to a toddler bed we simply removed the drop-side from the crib. The drop-side parts can be unscrewed from the side rails. Then we screwed the toddler rails to the bottom of the crib. Ours had screw holds for the toddler rails on the mattress support. If you do not have the holes for it, then you may have put the mattress support on backwards ie with the side that has the holes for the toddler bed rails on the backside of the crib.

PUT THE SIDE RAILS AS THE HEAD AND FOOT BOARD

Try calling the customer service number (212)-645-9033. I have not called them yet to get the conversion rails for our Delta Luv 5 in 1, but I'm hoping that they will know more than Babies R Us!!

I finally found my instructions!! It's actually really easy to convert to a toddler bed:
Step one: Take out four screws (two on each side) of the front railing and top bar. They are the screws holding the front railing and the top bar to the side of the crib and the dresser. 
Step two: Lower the mattress to the lowest setting. 
Step three: Place the toddler bed railing in place. It can go either way depending on which side of the crib your toddler sleeps. We put the taller part of the toddler railing closest to the dresser because that is where our son's head usually is. 
Step four: You'll need 4 1.5 inch hexagonal screws to screw in the toddler railing. After 2.5 years, I could only find two of them, so I used two 1.5 inch regular screws that came with the crib. On the taller part of the toddler railing -- the screws go into the 1st and the fifth holes. On the shorter side of the railing, the screws go into the 3rd and the 5th holes. 
That's it.. You've now got a toddler bed!

I have the opposite problem - I can put it together as a toddler bed. The trick with that is that you put one of the long screws through both the hole at the SHORT end of the toddler bed side AND the metal flange from the springs into that end of the crib. The other long screw goes through the raised end of the toddler side into the end of the crib - where the child's head would be.

Is there supposed to be a plastic piece at the top of both ends of the crib on the side that does NOT go up and down? I can't seem to figure out how to put the crib side on.

They do have answers on their website, you may want to check your printed or online crib instructions to remind yourself how you put the crib together, too.

I found the answers here:
http://www.pali-design.com/index.php?path=customer_services&template=faq&section=customer_services&subsection=faq&page=faq

i've pasted them below. You can make it a toddler bed without a side rail just by removing the movable side of your crib, and you can install the side rail instead of the movable side if you want it to look a little more finished and help keep your child from rolling out of the bed.

FAQ

How to convert a crib into a toddler bed
To convert a crib into a toddler bed you must loosen the two front gold bolts left and right side of the crib and remove the dropside (the front gate that goes up and down). After removing the dropside be very careful that you tighten back your two gold bolts.

How to install the streight rail (toddler rail)
To install a streight (toddler) rail loosen the two front gold bolts left and right side of the crib and remove the dropside, once you have removed the dropside replace with the streight rail. Always be very careful and make sure you tighten back your two gold bolts in the front.