Pretty much just asking people out there if anyone is planning on doing any mods over the winter to their trailers?
If so what are they??
I'm installing some cold cathode tube lights, installing a cd player and who knows what else.

Kent

Make new carpet piece. We don't glue our carpet down, we use lightweight (kind of throw rug) carpet, just cut to fit all nooks & crannies, sew pieces together (probably 2) and lay down. This way, we can pull out, hang on a line and beat it. Works well when you camp with a wet Labrador.

Install instant hot water heater if I get about $300 from Santa. Have my eye on the ventless RV instant marine Excel (on Ebay) that ignites with water flow turbine used to ignite (no batteries!)

Tables - Still working on the design of these

I just added a pull out table by the bed. We discovered early on that we sleep with our heads on the closet side and there was nowhere to set a tea or coffee while reading in bed, etc. Attached pics show new pull out table on the bottom of the closet door just above the right side of the microwave. Secures with a bolt for travel and also stabilizes the microwave during transit. First pic is in stored position and second pic is extended.

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Hi: Not sure I like anything that "comes out of the closet" but it looks neat... and best water heater I saw was an old small/tall elec. coffee urn with pour spout $5.00 garage sale buy...some disassembly and proper current bush required!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

Kent,

Where will you be installing your lights? Why will you be using these kind? I won't be doing anything until Spring but I'd like to use all LED lights when I redo the Playpac to save on battery drain so I was just wondering. I've decided to just gut and start over so I really pay attention to this part of the forum to see what you all are doing and why.

Cam

Since my Playpac is missing the water heater I'm especially interested in what you know about these. Tell me everything pleaseeeeeeeee.

Cam

........probably simple stuff like remove the aluminum mags and polish them back up. Will use stock old Mazda truck rims (also mags, but not subject to weather elements as much) to park on till the sun comes out again, LOL.

Pretty much in the same place where my 12 volt lights are now, and I'm going with these because they are very low amps to run and not directional light like LED's. If you check out this post you'll find out lots about them. http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.ph...hl=cold+cathode

We are trying to re-do the interior. Have made a permanent bed instead of the dinette combo.Got the new curtian rods up. The end ones are curved to fit the wall. Wife has finished the new curtians and matching sheets and pillow cases.Now i have to take out the gaucho/bunk and make a small dinette for that area. Cold weather is comming, the garage is not paved, heated or very comfortable this time of year, so some things will have to be put off until spring[How do you spell PROSCRASTINATE] Tried to keep going but just plain ran out of warm
. Now am building dulcimers and wood carving. Have you ever made a canjammer?....FUN!
Jim

+++++++++++++++++++++

Despite having a new trailer, I generally try to fit it out to suit my wishes. I plan to install at least one additional 12 volt outlet. I have purchased two cig. light type receptacles with covers that I can use through my inverter to power my satellite radio, charge rechargable batteries etc. My solar panels usually take care of the required electricity. I have a LCD TV, that I gather are actually 12 volt appliances that use 110 v AC to make 12 v DC. I should be able to adapt a cig lighter type plug to run off 12 volts, rather than use 12 v to 110 v via the inverter which then converts 110 v back to 12 v.

I'll be making doors for the kitchen cabinets to match the ones in the loft and chest of drawers I built. If I'm feeling ambitious I'll work on changing the dinette into a "U" shape and make a new dinette overhead cabinet. And I'm adding new BAL stabilizers that'll hopefully reduce or eliminate trailer rock when we're set up.

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It also seems prudent to do some reenforcement work on my (2005 Scamp 5th wheel) trailer axle mounts.

If you quit inviting the missus up to the loft the trailer rock may eliminate on it's own...

Sorry Peter, you were wide open on that one.
I remember the pics of your cabinet doors in your mod. Can't wait to see that done throughout, they were really cool.

Now you mention it, trailer rock doesn't seem to be much of a problem when I'm camping on my own . . . .

But these are actually just the rear stabilizers, not much help for movement up in the loft. Our 5er came "lifted" so the loft would fit over the side-rails of the previous owner's truck bed. Problem is the rear stabilizers that came with the trailer aren't quite long enough to reach the ground. If the ground is level I have to put a 4x4 wood chock down under each stabilizer leg to get them to touch down, more if the trailer is parked on a slope. The new 24" stabilizers should easily touch down without the chocks and make the back end of the trailer more stable, too.

--Peter

The continuing project of replacing all the cupboard doors with solid maple doors decorated with woodburning an painting.

The first mod is to make a piece that will fit over the little window over the stove and mount two 12 Volt exhaust fans. The actual design is still floating around in head, and constantly being modified. Once my head finishes all the design modifications I can start to work.

I am giving serious thought to cutting out the bottom half of the fiberglass closet in my Burro. I want to make the bed permanent for sleeping lengthwise instead of crosswise. (I'm 6'7")

The reason is it makes leg room for the curbside sleeping area. We find the closet is too small for storing anything but bedding anyway. Our current bed system, which I employed last year involving sliding platforms in the middle of the trailer, worked ok for us on the big trip but does become a tiresome set-up and leaves zero wiggle room for the porta potty.

Of course the best answer is finding a 16 or 17 footer, but we know that's just not gonna happen, unless we win the lottery or some kindly old billionaire takes pity on us. (I know you're out there.)

On our recent big western trip we stored stuff piled up to the right of the stove/sink on the front bench and had to be pulling out the porta potty for use during the night.

So if I do this major surgery I would also remove the long front cushion so the porta potty is now useable without pulling it out, and re-design the streetside corner to include a counter shelf extension with a nested, slide-out table over the porta potty. This gains me an added storage shelf and counter-table.

This is so drastic a solution I am taking my time about it. It would be my first ever totally unreverseable mod.

I dreamt, planned, drew it out, dreamt some more and still cringed when I cut the kitchen cabinets in half with the grinder to make room for our bathroom. So glad I mustered the courage. We love our full bathroom!

I don't know much about the RV instantaneous heaters and not sure if anyone on this forum has installed one. The particular model I have my eye on is a Marine version that does not require outside venting (although I would probably add a small one) because it has an oxygen depletion shut off AND it does not require small batteries for the electronic ignition because it has a turbine.

The simplest setup would be an electric instantaneous hot water heater, but we boondock and rely on our deep cycle battery and propane. An electric water heater would drain our battery quickly.

On another note, we have the Dot-Its LED lights over the sink, over the beds, in the closet...we love them!

OK, what is a canjammer? Anything fun I am interested in.

Thanks,

Susan

Would you be able to post any pics of the Mazda or Ford wheels that fit the Trillium? Thanks

Phil

I went to a junkyard and found that Ford Ranger steel wheels fit right on my 1300.
I am talking about the cheap ones.
Sorry for the bad picture but I think you can get the idea.

I just bought one from Excel last month. Mine runs on CNG, but there is a propane heater available
as well. Cost me $430 with shipping. It is the size of a small medicine cabinet. Has hookups for gas, in and out water, and no electrical hookups. The water flow runs an impeller, which produces enough power to ignite the gas. I have it installed in my sailboat. LOVE IT!!! Their website is: excelamerica.com. They sell on e-bay. I used a credit card through Paypal. No problems.
Gail

No Mods over the winter, but here are pics of what I have done so far........recovered cushions, painted furnace vent, new flooring. In the Spring will fix/paint the walls and do new curtains.

Nice job on the sewing stuff. Bet you got those goblets at Sears.

I'm looking to recover my 22 year old cushions to match my color scheme in my egg....can I ask where you found your cushion fabric?

Thanks,
Carol

I found the material on Ebay. The seller is FabricCarolina. They had a few different ones I liked. Check them out!

Thanks Gail, I'm putting that in my file. Have you used it a bunch? Do you vent it to the oustide?

Camilla

I re-upholstered my Casita last year. I recommend this place if you are looking for some cool retro material. I bought some curtain material from her and was very pleased. She's out of Toronto Canada.

http://www.tonicliving.com/index.asp

I live on my boat, and have used the new water heater for about a month. It is ventless, but my previous heater was vented. I just left the old vent cap in place. A vent wouldn't be needed on a trailer-check out the website for details.
Gail

We never use our cooktop because it heats up the camper too much. We bought a combination microwave/toaster oven and do all of our indoor cooking with it. We plan to remove the cooktop and add a new countertop. Then we will cut out the utensil drawer underneath to make room for a bigger refrigerator.

Sandra

Pat and I plan on installing a 42" LCDHD Sony Bravia and an entertainment center in our rig this winter and wire it all up with satellite receiver and Blueray DVD and disk players. We put an automatic sat dish on the roof last month (looks like a Weber Bar-B-Que).

All this in the hopes of going full time as soon as Pat also retires.


Paul

thanks for posting the pic - unfortunately, i don't recognize that wheel from any ford ranger I've seen. if anyone else has put aluminium wheels on a trillium please post a pic too, thanks

..as I stated earlier, I used the factory stock "sport rims" (neglected to add that part) from our now departed Mazda p/u on our Trillium. I then switched to American Racing Torque Thrust polished aluminum rims. I have paper pix (burried somewhere) of both, but nothing to speak off stashed away on my p.c. but here is one I just found with the A/R Torque Thrust Wheels on...

Doug,

I'm off topic here I know, but how did you get your egg to be so shiny? I think I can see myself!

What's your secret?

Well, the trailer IS painted ( for 2 or 3 years now), so I guess that helps. The color of choice is an 'In Your Face' commercial white paint used by the Ford Co.

I have yet to wax it, just wash it as often as I can and use ONLY better quality car wash soap rinsing quickly. The quick rinse process also helps (I think) cut the (already mild) car wash soap so that no residue can collect.

I guess thats about it ....

........OH!, and BTW Thanks for the compliment!!

Very interesting patterns!

Did they sew the cushion covers for you or did you just buy the fabric from them?

I'm looking to have some cushion covers made for me.

Thanks for the info.

Maggie

Hi Maggie,

I just bought my curtain fabric from them. I had a local upholsterer redo my cushions for me. Here's the only photo I have of my curtains and cushions.

brian.
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Groovy!

That wire that I think I see holding your stove cover in an open flat position: What is that attached to in the roof area? That is something that I would be interested in doing. Thanks for your help. Tom

That's my stove cover mod. I cut the chain off that held the cover up at a 90 degree angle so I could lay it flat and have more counter space. It's held there with a wire that clips into a key ring on the cover then goes up to an eye bolt in the upper cabinet. I placed it slightly out from a postion directly above. I used big flat fender washers inside the upper cabinet to disperse the weight although we really don't put much weight on it. When not in use we unclip the wire, close the cover, and store the wire in the upper cabinet. Total cost about $2.00.

keyring and clip on cover
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eyebolt in upper cabinet
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overall setup
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Yes a 9 foot high Scamp will fit through an 8 foot door. I have the Scamp in my heated shop By removing hubs and backing plates and setting on car dollies it came through the door so have started some major changes Raised the axel 1 inch And putting in laminated wood floor. Cut off rear bumper and extended it 1 foot for a storage compartment on the rear similar to a vintage car trunk It will be very lite all aluminium and sealed weather tight. Mostly for chairs and the like. Adding new larger tires and will be removing more fiberglass around the wheels and adding rubber flairs, to acomadate larger tires

I'll be replacing my entire floor with 3/4" cabinet grade plywood, sealing it, and replacing the carpet with something fresh & new.
All new interior doors & hardware
New wedgwood stove w/ cover
Adding shurflo faucet and electric pump
New hubcaps, new upholstery, new curtains, new interior lights

Also *hopefully* replacing my old, tired icebox with a 3 way fridge, if I can find the time and funds after completing all the other listed tasks.

Brian

Thanks for the come back and the pictures. I think I will try it out. Tom

Sounds like an ambitious plan! Don't forget to post pictures here; I'd like to see your floor replacement project.

Here are some pics of our counter extension. Dave used quilted "hot plate" material on the surface so hot pots won't cause any damage. It folds down for travel. Can be used as an eating table in bad weather. It comes in very handy.
Terry
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Where did you get that hotplate material? I really like that!

Camilla

Anyone looked into cosmolite yet for floor replacement? I guess is it fleetwood that is making a new superlight weight trailer out of it? I was reading about some new trailer somewhere getting ready to be put "out there" with this new product. I was just thinking it might be a good idea to use for a floor in our eggs.

cosmolite

Well, I just purchased a VuQube which is a neat little satellite dish in it's own little box. It's pretty automatic with just 3 simple steps and your up and running. None of this in and out of the trailer stuff and having to be level as level can be. I'm trying to talk a good friend into copying his pole and brackets for me which lock the dish to the pole and the pole to the trailer.

I'm contemplating making new cabinet doors. I'm just in the design mod right now, thinking about what material I might want and the finish.

Before we put our baby away for the winter we added a Bravetti Microwave/Convection Oven (Cdn Tire approx. $300) to our 17' Escape. Fits perfect on top of the wardrobe. Had Reece and his crew at Escape Trailers bolt it down for us. Large interior and wieghs less than 50 lbs! We also grabbed some of the magnetic tin jars at Cdn Tire people were talking about in another post when we got the oven. Works perfect attaching them to the range hood. Seem to hold on even over some rough roads. Currently working on building some dimmer switches into the interor lights. Trying to find a small SPDT center off switch to replace the ones that came with the lights. Failing that I'll drill a hole in the side and use a small varible resistance pot instead. Reece was nice enough to let me have one to play around with in case I really bugger the thing up. (LOL)

I finally saw your question on the hot plate material. Sorry for the delayed answer. I ordered it from a catalogue, like Harriet Carter, or Miles Kimball (1-800-546-2255). They come in 2 sizes and I think, stainless or cooper color. They're intended to sit beside your stove at home to save the counter top. My problem was I didn't have a counter in the UNIK , so Dave built a "box" around the hot pad and built the up or down extension beside the stove. He's great and so is the extension! I use it all the time. Cleans up so nicely. If you have any other questions, jsut let me know. Terry

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Hi! I'm in the process of panelling my 72 Boler with 3"x8' knotty pine wainscotting. About half done. Man, what a Blast!