What "must have" modifications has everyone done to their trailer?

[Bonnie n Claude]

I would LOVE exterior cargo doors...but sadly can't afford it this year. For now I am trying to think of something I can put under the matress-dinette seat cushions so that when I lift it to access the storage boxes the dinette cushions (particularly the four centre pieces) don't separate as I don't want to have to move the 4" matress to readjust the cushions. Was thinking of cutting heavy cardboard or fiberboard the shape of the entire area and putting it along with all the foam bits and pieces inside a zippered matress cover. Anyone have other suggestions?

[Carol H]

I leave my bed made up and I have a memory foam topper on it so I store the lightest most infrequently used items in the rear hatches so I dont need to get into them to frequently. I put a couple of cube boxes containing items I use more frequently under the bed as they are easier to get at. I have found if I lift the cushion off the hatch section and leave the foam & sheets on it they do go back into place fairly easy without much adjustment needed. My cushions are still in good shape and fairly firm/rigid though. If they didnt then your idea of using fiberboard or perhaps a lighter foamboard might do it or you could add a little bit of velcro to the underside of the cushions and some to the table top they are resting on or perhaps even a none skid mat (used under rugs) under the cushions on the table portion might be enough to stop them from moving to much.

[Bonnie n Claude]

Thanks Carol, the velcro is a great idea as the bottom side of the cushions is vinyl. Think I'll do a test when the trailer 'comes home' (2 October). I know when we didn't have the foam matress, if I needed something under the benches and would try to lift one of the cushions, they centre ones--particularly the little ones--would pop out of place despite the new stiff foam. In the stick trailers the board under the bed lifts completely with hydraulic bed storage shocks. We certainly don't need that but would be great to have all the bits and pieces remain together.

[Jon Vermilye]

I also leave the rear bed made up, but have an exterior cargo door for the passenger side (the driver's side has all the utilities in it & isn't used for storage). I found the factory supplied cushions were too hard for sleeping (great for sitting) so I added a 2" memory foam topper. The problem with that was the bed ended up too high.

The final solution was to replace the standard cushions with a 2" thick gym mat, add a 7" to 2" raked topper to keep my stomach happy, and finally a 2" foam topper for comfort. Worked great over my last 138 day trip. The gym mats also solve the problem of getting into the seat hatches from above. All I do is roll back the mattress & fold back the gym matt enough to open the seat.

I also removed the table hardware from both the table & floor to make it easier to store under the bed. While I posted a link earlier in this thread, some photos of this & other modifications are at Trailer Modifications.

[Bonnie n Claude]

Do you keep your table in the down position in the road? When we went to Texas last fall, the table top wiggled a bit and marred the fiberglass surface of the lip. At the time we didn't have a matress/topper but all the cushions were in place and the bed made. Was thinking of running a small wire from the table top hinge to the floor bracket. Any other suggestions would be welcome as I really, really hate damaging the interior paint.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Bonnie and Claude

would try to lift one of the cushions, they centre ones--particularly the little ones--would pop out of place despite the new stiff foam. .

uhhhhh now I get it! the small end cushions on mine are attached to the longer one so they cant pop out

[Bonnie n Claude]

Maybe I can handstitch the long and short cushions together with fishing line (better than 'invisible' thread) just beneath the piping. Thanks, Carol. Wouldn't have thought of that!

[PaulOWindsor]

Bonnie & Claude : From the sound of it, you like the idea of having the stern dinette converted to a bed all of the time.

This is exactly how we have set up our Trillium 1500 as well...but of course, for resale purposes, we ordered the stern dinette & forward dinette version.

Anyway, when we were first setting up the trailer, we put a double mattress on top of the lowered stern dinette rather than using the seat cushions that would threaten to destroy our backs.

The obvious problem with this was that it was a pain in the a** to attempt to get anything out of the storage compartments under the seats of the stern dinette.

I felt there had to be a better way...and there was !!!

Thankfully, we have a mattress manufacturing company here in Windsor (Monarch Mattress) & they are used to doing custom jobs for boats & Rv's.

When I took this problem to them, they suggested to have a thick foam mattress built in three sections & joined by a "tufted top" so that the outer sections could be folded over to allow access to the storage beneath.

We had this built & have been very pleased with both the mattress & the access it allows.

Cheers, P.

[Bonnie n Claude]

Thanks Paul. That may be a good solution. I was hoping to cut the foam down the middle lengthwise so we could use it in the apartment when the six grandkids come for sleep-overs (two sets of bunk beds in our spare room still leave us two beds short ). May decide it's simpler to just go with your suggestion and buy two matresses to slide under the bunks as I'm past the point in my life where I want to wrestling anything.

[Rick G]

Originally Posted by Bonnie and Claude

Do you keep your table in the down position in the road? When we went to Texas last fall, the table top wiggled a bit and marred the fiberglass surface of the lip. At the time we didn't have a matress/topper but all the cushions were in place and the bed made. Was thinking of running a small wire from the table top hinge to the floor bracket. Any other suggestions would be welcome as I really, really hate damaging the interior paint.

We added a floor bracket to our front dinette, and attach the table leg to the bracket to hold it down. It prevents the table top from wiggling or even coming right off while driving. I have had it on there for over a year now and it works solidly.
You can see pictures of our setup at this thread (post #7): http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f55/noob-question-re-towing-w-table-up-47659.html
Rick G

[Bonnie n Claude]

Thanks, Rick. I have one of those butterfly screwy thingies but want to leave the table down and made up as a bed with the new foam topper I just bought. (Or am I missing something in the photo post #7?) I think maybe a small bit of copper wire threaded through the tabletop bracket and the floor bracket coupled with the added foam mattress weight may hold it. Just don't want the top (it's old and heavy) popping out while we travel over bumpy roads.