Mounting TV's and interesting installation

Topsail · 03-02-2020, 07:13 PM

A buddy recently bought a 2008 Itasca and the previous owner had mounted a larger TV in the bedroom using a standard bracket meant for home installation. I really like how he did the revision but it begs the question: Will the TV stay put using just the four screws holding the TV that are attached to the bracket?

Has anybody used a standard home type TV mount without problems after road use? I'd be a little concerned that the TV may work itself loose. I can't think it would hold up during a shock event, but maybe it would. Blue lock tight for the small screws would help but would this be good enough?

I may add that I like it, especially the hinged door that he built for this purpose.

Photo attached:

Topsail · 03-02-2020, 07:21 PM

Second picture

be happy · 03-03-2020, 04:55 AM

I like the set up, may have to do that in my 07 Meridian. Anyway the set up is only as strong as the wall material. On my past coach I put a swivel arm TV bracket up (home style) I had to make sure the screws that went into the wall were hitting something other than the wall board.

As for the TV coming loose from the bracket the answer is no that will not happen. I would be more concerned about he hinged door falling off. I would put some type of brace on the down side, as all the movement is on the small hinges.

**ThomB** · 03-03-2020, 06:26 AM

My bedroom tv was/is mounted with the standard 4 bolts. When I replaced it I used some standoff’s since the old and new plugs were not in the same location. That failed miserably. The standoff’s caused too much pressure to be placed on the plastic holding the bolts and it eventually gave way. When I replaced it I spread that over a greater area and it seems to have fixed the problem. I bet this will be fine.

**creativepart** · 03-03-2020, 12:37 PM

On my 2017 Adventurer the Bedroom TV is hard bolted to a very large metal plate that is then hard bolted to the cabinet from below. Behind the TV is a HUGE empty space. Wasted space it seems because you don't have any access to it.

I wanted to do something to that TV and found the only way to remove the TV was to find the large bolts that hold the metal mounting plate in place. That was the ONLY way to unbolt the TV from the mounting plate. Such a very stupid design. What were they thinking?

I found out how to remove the large metal mounting plate and that let me unbolt the TV. Though I wanted to do as the OP's image shows, at the time all I did was just put the plate back into place but before doing so I installed a standard fixed thin mounting bracket on the metal plate and the opposing slide mount on the back of the TV.

Now, I can lift the TV off the wall without having to remove the large metal plate from the cabinet.

So, to answer the OP's question. Yes, you can remount the TV and it will work fine traveling down the road. We've put about 15,000 miles on our RV since I did this work.

Here's the kind of fixed mount that I used.

https://www.amazon.com/OmniMount-OC4..._dp&th=1&psc=1

Topsail · 03-03-2020, 01:27 PM

Thanks folks for the comments. I changed both of our TV's a few months ago and the original mounts were just miserable. Sure, they will hold up a tank but cut your arms off trying to remove or install another TV.

I like the idea of a bigger TV so I may do something similar in the future.

SLOweather · 03-03-2020, 05:42 PM

I remounted the 32" TV in our Sunstar with a Harbor Freight full motion TV mount. The OEM fixed mount only allowed comfortable viewing from the couch, not the booth or front seats.

As some have learned, you need to reinforce the wall for something like this. I mounted an aluminum plate to the wall big enough to hit the previous mount's screw points, and then mounted the HF device to that. It's worked well for several thousand miles.

Quote:

Sure, they will hold up a tank but cut your arms off trying to remove or install another TV.

On this mount, the TV part simply hangs on the wall part, and then you add or tighten a couple of bolts to hold it in place. Very easy.

If you look at the specs, the mount is also oversized (37 to 80 inch TVs) for our 32, which helps..

Topsail · 03-03-2020, 07:23 PM

What seems to be a common thread that surprises me is the use of the standard mounts using the four small screws without problems. This is good to know. I understand about hard mounting the bracket to the wall or TV cabinet.

SLOweather · 03-04-2020, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topsail

What seems to be a common thread that surprises me is the use of the standard mounts using the four small screws without problems.

Well, our OEM 32" Vizio had some stress fractures in the plastic back when I removed it from the original mount. I think I glued it up somewhat with JB Quick 5 minute epoxy before remounting it. So far, so good...

BobC · 03-04-2020, 09:09 AM

Hopefully some owners of newer rigs will chime in. I'd be curious as to how the factory mounts TVs in, say, 2018 and newer MHs.

Personally, I'm a "belt and suspenders" type, so I'd find a way to secure the TV while on the road in order to reduce unnecessary stress on the mounting holes.

Topsail · 03-04-2020, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobC

Hopefully some owners of newer rigs will chime in. I'd be curious as to how the factory mounts TVs in, say, 2018 and newer MHs.

Personally, I'm a "belt and suspenders" type, so I'd find a way to secure the TV while on the road in order to reduce unnecessary stress on the mounting holes.

Bob, funny you should say that because I've thought to use some Velcro "suspenders".

HappiHenri · 03-08-2020, 04:16 PM

I changed both original CRT (boat anchors!) TVs in our 2005 Adventurer for much lighter & larger flat screen Samsung TVs. 32" in BR, and 40" in LR. Got large adjustable swing out mounting brackets. Each TV mounted to bracket using the 4 mounting holes on back of TV. Have worked perfectly for years. You do not need any special screws or lock tight for back of TV. If you are using the correct size mounting bolts / lock nuts / washers just having them snugged up properly is all you need.

If you have so much vibration that you are concerned about the TV mounting bolts coming loose then you've got some other, much more severe problems.

rhodesaz · 03-08-2020, 05:44 PM

I mounted a 24" TV in the bedroom of our 2013 Itasca using a wall mount.

Just found the wall stud. Worked just fine.

AFChap · 03-08-2020, 06:24 PM

My bedroom 32" TV mount looks pretty much like the picture the OP posted, but I did not use any mount … just put screws through the hinged plywood door into the TV. The plywood door rests on a wood ledge when closed. The front 32" Vizio was cracked in a half moon shape across the top of the back as described above when it quit after apx 5 years. That mount bounces a bit more than the plywood door in the bedroom … I probably should re-man the front TV to a similar design.

Radioflyer · 03-08-2020, 07:15 PM

Wish I had seen the home brew mount that has a secret 'safe'/ storage area behind the hinged TV.
In our 34y Journey I recently replace the OEM 24" Jensen TV. There was just enough room to put in a 32" in its place w/ 2" to spare. Since I needed to occasionally access the USB/ HDMI jacks at rear center behind TV, decided to use a traditional small swing arm TV mount... but there wasn't any good wall support where it needed to be. So I cut/ mounted a 1/2" thick plywood cut about 6" narrower than the TV and pushed tight into the rear corner (where I could directly screw into inside wall support structure. Found other inside wall supports structures (with magnet) and added more screws through the plywood into the vertical supports... all in all 16 screws. Since the plywood left edge was tight against the corner and its bottom resting on the raised cabinet housing the Jensen AM/FM radio, it took all of the torque off of the base plywood. The swing arm mounted securely to a 6" x 6" x 1.5" thick board with bolts and recessed back washers & nuts. Then with a bit of trial & error I was able to mark the 6 x 6 proper position with the TV mounted to the swing arm and and drill pilot holes/ screw in to the secure 1/2" plywood . Because original TV and my bigger replacement was mounted in the corner and the backing plywood 6" narrower than the TV... you can't see any of the plywood. The sound bar hides the lower exposed plywood.

madred · 03-10-2020, 08:39 AM

I have a 2005 Vectra that had a old tube type tv and I replaced it with a new flat screen but I used wood to build a box around the tv then put hinges so it could be opened, then built pull out shelves behind it. Now we put can good etc. behind the tv.

NeilV · 03-11-2020, 08:31 PM

Winnebago embeds steel mounting plates inside the walls where heavy objects are to be attached. A call or email to Winnebago tech support will usually get you a measured drawing sent to you via email showing where and how deep the reinforcements and structures are placed for safely mounting cabinets and TV's or for ensuring you don't pierce wiring, plumbing and so on in roofs, walls, floors, etc.

With a Winnebago its pretty easy since this engineering data is available even on most of the older models costing you just the time to make a phone call or send an email so guess work is not required.

eldermike · 03-20-2020, 08:15 AM

we have a 2019 Adventurer and the TV's are all solid fixed mounts. The one over the fireplace has a strange bracket that goes all the way across the back of TV. It's 2 pieces and you simply (funny thought because they are behind the TV) take out the top screws and the bottom pops out of a channel. How do I Know this? I put a sound bar and roku in the set but had to remove it to access the ports on the back of TV. The bracket covers the ports in vertical direction so you can't even see them with a mirror with the TV installed, but at least they are there.

My next project will be to remove the TV and modify the OEM bracket to use as the structural support for a swing out arm. It will have to modified so it will set back the distance used up by the swing arm bracket. That's the tricky part. There is room behind the TV to do this but the design has yet to be finished.

**creativepart** · 03-20-2020, 08:23 AM

You have to wonder what makes WBGO come up with these odd metal solid mounts for TVs?

eldermike · 03-20-2020, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creativepart

You have to wonder what makes WBGO come up with these odd metal solid mounts for TVs?

Personally as a design engineering manager for 45 years I would get really upset if my guys were designing brackets of any type. Brackets are a finished part of life, there is no need for another bracket design. Bracket designs all printed on paper would fill up all the space in the engineering department, manufacturing area and most of the parking lot.