I am in the process of modifying a 1975 Trillium 1300 and could use some assistnce

[Chris from Comox]

I am new to the site and everything I have quickly browsed has been very helpful.. I have started refurbishing our 1975 Trillim 1300 and am wondering if someone has advice or can direct me to info regarding the installation of shelving/cabinets above the windows.. I do abit of wood working and have access to tools and wood so most any suggestion is possible - just need some ideas in addition to my own ;-)

[papa-t]

Welcome to FGRV forum Chris. Maybe someone with a Trillium will jump in soon.

[David Tilston]

Welcome Chris! The windows have a plywood frame on the inside, under the Ensolite. The factory, fibreglass, rear shelf attaches to this frame on all three back windows, and the front shelf attaches to the front window frame.

[Randy C in Ontario]

Hey Chris,
Congrats on the Trillium! I'm new to this pretty much as well but will try to add some pis of the wood shelves that are above my front window on my 1977 1300. I've had some thoughts to maybe changing out the doors to lexan or something similar to reduce weight but as it is currently serving the purpose I'm in no hurry.

[Randy C in Ontario]

Here are some pics of the shelves above the front window on my 77 1300 ,mind you the upper bunk was missing when I bought it.
I can confirm attachment points next time I'm in the storage area.
Pictures taken as I made my way through the trailer on initial clean-up after purchase.

[David Tilston]

Nice job Randy!
Did you do the back as well?

[Randy C in Ontario]

The shelf was already installed Dave but the back has a wrap around fiberglass shelf with a curtain of sorts.

[Chris from Comox]

Dave..

Thanks for your comments - I sorta figured out the fact that the windows are surrounded by plywood when I took the windows out and replaced the plywood because some of them were rotted - I just wish that I had anticipated that I would be possibly connecting to them in the future - I would have placed the replacement pieces with more care ;-)

Randy..

The pics you have shared resemble the technique that I have been considering - I noted that the bottom of the cabinets are supported by a brace attached to the plywood under the ensolite at the sides of the windows.. In my version I am seriously considering gaining the needed structural support by securing the upper rails of the cabinets via the use of stainless nuts and bolts through the fiberglass ceiling.. May I ask if yours are also attached through the ceiling..

I am also considering not using doors but installing either a series of parallel vertical "shock cord" strands to hold goods in or an appropriate sized piece of "shock cord" mesh across each of the openings..

Any thoughts or comments on these creative solutions would be greatly appreciated "before" I drill through the hull ;-)

Chris..

[Randy C in Ontario]

Chris I'd pursue all options and avoid piercing the egg's shell at all costs; I know people drill through for solar panel brackets and such and maybe I'm being overly cautious as a new owner. I've read on the forum somewhere that using fiberglass to bond new parts is a way to add the structural integrity without compromising the shell.

[Chris from Comox]

Randy..

The reason I am considering putting a couple of holes through the fiberglass is that my unit currently has a strip of alluminum (that allows the "add-a-room" to be attached) and al the fastenig "snaps" bolted through the shell and if anything the strip of aluminum has increased the structural integrity rather than compromising it.. In addition, when I replaced the original 8"x8" roof vent with a larger 14"x14" vent and it's interior frame I noted a remarkale differenct in the structural integrity of the roof itself - the amount of roof flex greatly deminished ;-) Haing said this I will look through this site to familiarize myself wit all the attaching options ;-) Thaks again for you suggestions..

Chris..

[Victor Benz]

An option that I am considering for my own trailer to avoid putting more holes through the shell is to fiberglass3/4" x 3/4" strips to the trailer to act as anchors for the shelving. I would put them on the wall and the roof of the trailer. The shelving would be hollow core, designed to slip over these anchors, and screwed to these anchors.


Vic

[David Tilston]

How Trillium avoided drilling holes in the fibreglass was to glue wood blocks to the fibreglass, then screw into those. It should be possible to make a small incision in the Ensolite, then separate the Ensolite from the fibreglass, using a sharp putty knife. Then clean the fibreglass of all Ensolite and glue residue, right down to clean sanded fibreglass, then glue a piece of wood to the glass. I would actually use both glue, and a small strap of fibreglass at either end of the wood. Close up the Ensolite by gluing it to the wood. The incision should be oriented so that the shelf will cover it.

Lots more work then drilling through the glass though.

[Roger C H]

Here is what new Trilliums look like. Notice the two interior pictures and the shelving.

https://trilliumrv.files.wordpress.c...alesflyer2.pdf

I don't know what Trillium's situation is at the present time, but perhaps the "U" shelves would be available for purchase or from a Trillium being scrapped.

We love the shelves on our Trillium, they are so convienient. We do have to take breakable things down when traveling, however.

Welcome to FGRV and congratulations on your Trillium

[Island Claire]

Hi Chris, I made it out to the trailer today (Trilllium)and took a couple of shots of the shelving in ours, which came with the trailer. Hope it helps or provides some ideas. If you would like a closer look let me know and we will tell you next time we are up to Nanaimo, otherwise you check it on on our Boler gather weekend in June 26th - 28th at Living Forest.

The first one shows how it attaches to the kitchen cabinets and the next two shots are taken of the inside of the back shelving section. (sorry I should have turned the last one sideways - wood goes at the bottom)The very back and front cupboards have doors that slide side to side - 4 of them, and the sides shelves between the permanent cupboards and just shelves with a lip and if we hit a good bump things will fall off. The wooden shelf part is made of 1/4 inch wood "paneling". The little plywood block on the shelf is backing for mounting our window blinds, and the big block is a patch someone put in after removing speakers that someone else and put in.

[Chris from Comox]

David and Victor..
I like your suggestions and ideas - as my ensolite is intact and the number of "attachements" required is minimal and this sounds like too much of a task for the results desired ;-)

Roger..
Unfortunately I am unable to openn the link that you shared.. Thanks for your interest though..

Island Claire..
The images you have shared appear to show the aluminum pop-rivited through the fiberglass hull in a nu mber of the images - can you confirm that this isin fact true and if so have you had any leakage issues and can you provide an image of the outside of the shell where these pop-rivets went through so that I can have an idea of how they were sealed..

Thanks for your assistance everyone - I wish I had not waited so long to join the Fiberglass RV Forum ;-)

Chris..

[Island Claire]

Hi Chris,
I had a look. The rivets do go into the shell, but as they were done at the factory, it appears that they fiberglassed over them on the outside, as there is no sign of them on the outside.

[Chris from Comox]

Claire..

Thanks for having a look ;-)

My revised plan of attachemnt - at this moment anyway - is to bolt through the shell and seal it up in a manner similar to how one seals a roof vent in place with butyl putty tape and self leveling Dicor sealant..

I'll take pics along the way so that should someone in the furure ask a similar question to mine I will be able to provide advice on a technique that either worked or didn't work ;-)

Wish me luck ;-)

I have a buddy that is headed to the Living Forest event - who knows we might even meet up and I'll show you teh results of my mod..

Chris..

[David Tilston]

None of the rivets in Claire's photos go through the fibreglass. They only join aluminum to aluminum. The part that is pressed against the roof of the trailer is just touching the ensolite, it is not fastened to it. The only place that theses shelves attach are to the window frames, and at the kitchen cupboard, and closet. The front shelf attaches to the kitchen cupboard, window frame, and only one block mounted to the fibreglass near the door.

[Chris from Comox]

David..

Thanks for your insight.. My envisioned design has the shelves attached to the kitchen cabinet, the window frames and the closet - now you have me thinking - instead of enhancing the structural strength of these shelves/cupboards by bolting through the ceiling , I could reinforce the structures by attaching angle brackets that attach to the left and right sides of the window frames and the bottom of the shelves/cabinets.. The brackets don't have to be to massive - they just need to be the right size so as to not allow one to hit their head on the as they sit at the table ;-)

Thanks for your input..

Chris..