Trillium Dinette Modification

[Shangie]

Hello- Dave Tilston asked for a picture of the dinette modification that came with our 1977 Trillium 4500. Apparently they glued down a 1" piece of plywood to support the rv leg base.

We are converting this back to a full couch because it is a nice and deep 32" for lounging.

Thanks for all your great help on this forum Dave!!!!!

[David Tilston]

Looks like you got the picture posting thing figured out.

Not that it matters, but how Trillium did it was to hang a fibreglass sheet from the bottom of the plywood window frame. The table attaches to that and it has a leg.



Your plan of making a U-shaped dinette has inspired me. I may follow in your footsteps, maybe not. I really like the idea of more cupboard space across the back of the trailer. However, that far behind the axle, you wouldn't want to store much weight.

[Shangie]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

Looks like you got the picture posting thing figured out.

Not that it matters, but how Trillium did it was to hang a fibreglass sheet from the bottom of the plywood window frame. The table attaches to that and it has a leg.

Attachment 147984

Your plan of making a U-shaped dinette has inspired me. I may follow in your footsteps, maybe not. I really like the idea of more cupboard space across the back of the trailer. However, that far behind the axle, you wouldn't want to store much weight.

Yes, picture posting figured out.

We have the same attachments for the rear dinette which we will not be using due to modifying it into a u shaped sleeping/dinette combination. The upper cabinets, by their very design, cannot hold lots of weight. Am using ours for light items so I can reserve under bench storage for bulkier though not heavy items.

We lightened our load considerably by getting rid of the rear bed/table combination, losing the heavier furnace and half the battery weight or more with a lithium battery. Proper weight distribution is important and we don't want to tear out existing light duty compartments by overloading them or exceeding tongue weight limits (we set ours at 20 percent below manufacturer towing specs). We like the look for the overhead compartments simply for some decor factor but that is us. Some people like the open walls. We are not heavily decorated at home but we are cozy and walls having something on them is a familiarity we enjoy. To each their own. I do dine them to be more decorative and purposed to carry very light items.

We are excited about our modification plans because it allows us everything we want including the ability to slide a curtain across the rear bed/dinette area if someone needs porta potty use privacy. I saw a mod once on a small trailer where the owner created an enclosed porta potty area with a folding split door that allowed the area above the porta potty to become a sofa seat and thus integrated with the couch. Can't find it though. It was very clever. A fold up enclosure that broke down seems nifty but also like a lot of work.

I think toilet odors are a huge concern to me since I could hire out as a blood hound so long as I had my reading glasses. Let's face it, odors will have to dissipate in the trailer. That lack of an enclosed bathroom may end up being the reason we don't keep this trailer once we retire. We camp so little now it can be tolerated for the occasional weekend. But who knows what our future selves will think. Hubs does not have a keen sense of smell but has terrific eyesight even in the dark. He could walk me to the restroom if needed for those late night excursions.

Anyway will post pictures once we have more progress and let you know how the u-shape couch/bed situation works out.

[David Tilston]

While we carry a Port-A-Potty, we have never used it. Either we stop at a gas station, or we use the campground facilities. The Port-A-Potty is stored in the front dinette seat, nearest the door. We figure with just the two of us, the space at the trailer door, between the closet and the front dinette seat nearest the door is privacy enough.

There is a thread where someone used shower curtain rods in the trolly roof section to hold up a shower curtain and a tub section on the floor and showered in their Trillium 4500. Seems to me like the inside of the trailer would get damp.

The rear dinette back splash is part of the whole dinette structure. The front dinette back splash is a separate part. That way, when they screwed a piece of plywood down in the gap between the seats, to make it front gaucho, (couch / bunk bed) they could delete the back splash, which allows the couch back rest / upper bunk to fold down flat against the front wall. If they had just used a flat back spash, instead of one that looks designed for a 120VAC outlet, (that was never used) it could still work with the gaucho.