Mods and Upgrades--Post 'em here!
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SLOweather
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Similarly, I installed a 2kW inverter behind a lower kitchen cabinet in our 2014 Sunstar,
I put up a back panel of 3/4" plywood secured to the wall with a dozen screws and a lot of Gorilla Glue.
Your cabinet likely weighs less, so you could get by with 1/4" ply, I bet.
I put up a back panel of 3/4" plywood secured to the wall with a dozen screws and a lot of Gorilla Glue.
Your cabinet likely weighs less, so you could get by with 1/4" ply, I bet.
Thundr56
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SLO - We have flip flopped on the cabinet, it’s on the back burner for now but that’s a good suggestion to beef up the wall a bit.
Curious about your inverter project. Did the 1k fail, or you just needed more juice?
SLOweather
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We purchased this Sunstar as a trade-in at a dealer back in September. It didn't have an inverter at the time.
25 years ago or more, I installed an 800 watt Trace inverter in our '88 Suncruiser. I just intercepted one outlet circuit at the converter panel and wired the inverter in-line. It would run the 13" tube TV, VCR, and other smallish loads (shaver, curling iron, hair dryer, kitchen appliances, etc) fine. (I labeled every inverter outlet with a rub-on letter "I" so we knew which outlets to use.
The Sunstar's house batteries were shot, so I negotiated $250 off the sale price and applied that to a 100 AH Battle Born Li battery and Victron battery monitor, and added the inverter. This time I built my own 3 breaker box, used the microwave breaker to feed the inverter, and powered both outlet circuits and the microwave off the inverter. I upsized the inverter to handle the microwave with other loads, and plan to add a second Battle Born battery next year.
I did a lot of study and dismantling to find the dead space behind that cabinet back. It's nicely located right next to the stairwell where the batteries are, and the wall where the fuse/breaker panel is.
John Locke
Let's kill some bugs!
2018 Vista 32YE Pantry install
The 32YE Vista with the 4 door refrigerator (the major of them have 4 doors) have an odd shaped cabinet to the right of the fridge, too deep to make good use of all the space conveniently. Since our old Fleetwood Pace Arrow had a slide out pantry, that's what my better half wanted in this space to store cans of food, making it easy to get too.
So with a lot of planning, measuring, and engineering, I figured out how to install this pantry with blind sliders that need to be aligned. It works great, but I now know why Winnebago didn't build the 32YE with a pantry at the factory. Took me about a week of spare time to complete.
For those crafty fabricators out there, the right wall of the cabinet required a 3/4" plywood sheet screwed to the stud where the original shelf was originally attached. This 3/4" plywood acts as a strong anchor for the pantry weight. There's a stud at the the top of the wall to screw the plywood to also. You can find it with a stud finder.
In addition to the 3/4 plywood, it needed another 3/4X4X27" spacer for each slide rail. I used 2 slide rails on the right, and one on the bottom, all of them 24" long, triple rail. The slide rails are 1/2" thick, so with the right side wall spacers (3/4" plywood + 3/4" X 4 runners for slide rails), this puts the pantry almost exactly in the middle of the cabinet, assuming a 5.5" wide shelf.
I'll let you figure out the slider alignment tricks. Too much to type.
The 32YE Vista with the 4 door refrigerator (the major of them have 4 doors) have an odd shaped cabinet to the right of the fridge, too deep to make good use of all the space conveniently. Since our old Fleetwood Pace Arrow had a slide out pantry, that's what my better half wanted in this space to store cans of food, making it easy to get too.
So with a lot of planning, measuring, and engineering, I figured out how to install this pantry with blind sliders that need to be aligned. It works great, but I now know why Winnebago didn't build the 32YE with a pantry at the factory. Took me about a week of spare time to complete.
For those crafty fabricators out there, the right wall of the cabinet required a 3/4" plywood sheet screwed to the stud where the original shelf was originally attached. This 3/4" plywood acts as a strong anchor for the pantry weight. There's a stud at the the top of the wall to screw the plywood to also. You can find it with a stud finder.
In addition to the 3/4 plywood, it needed another 3/4X4X27" spacer for each slide rail. I used 2 slide rails on the right, and one on the bottom, all of them 24" long, triple rail. The slide rails are 1/2" thick, so with the right side wall spacers (3/4" plywood + 3/4" X 4 runners for slide rails), this puts the pantry almost exactly in the middle of the cabinet, assuming a 5.5" wide shelf.
I'll let you figure out the slider alignment tricks. Too much to type.
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BCam
Senior Member
Nice work, John. I have a slide-out pantry in my 35U. I modified the cabinet holding it and the refrigerator to give me about 1.5" more "hallway" space for wheelchair access. This entailed re-installing and aligning the sliders. After several iterations they're still not perfect but I'm probably the only one who notices.
Oldchinahand
Senior Member
From one old "woodchuck" to another, Nice Job!
Fair Winds and Following Seas
Fair Winds and Following Seas
jerichorick
Senior Member
Job well done!
Looks great and will serve its purpose for DW. What a good hubby you are.
powercat_ras
Senior Member
Propane / 120 VAC Refrigerator on Inverter while traveling
Here is a mod I did so I could run my Norcold Propane / 120 VAC refrigerator off the inverter when traveling from place to place. It is a manual operated transfer switch to move the refrigerator outlet from it's own breaker fed circuit (normal) to another circuit in the RV that is fed by the inverter.
I have a 2 door Norcold and it's electric heater is 300 watts, the inverter draws around 30 amps DC when the fridge heater is running, which is supplied by the alternator when traveling with the switch set to "fridge on inverter" and the inverter turned on.
Be sure to put the manual toggle switch in a electrical box. In my Vista there was enough slack in the Romex going to the refrigerator outlet for this mod. I tied into a romex fed by inverter with the tap-in splice in an electrical box.
Be sure to use at least a 15 Amp DPDT toggle switch.
Here is a mod I did so I could run my Norcold Propane / 120 VAC refrigerator off the inverter when traveling from place to place. It is a manual operated transfer switch to move the refrigerator outlet from it's own breaker fed circuit (normal) to another circuit in the RV that is fed by the inverter.
I have a 2 door Norcold and it's electric heater is 300 watts, the inverter draws around 30 amps DC when the fridge heater is running, which is supplied by the alternator when traveling with the switch set to "fridge on inverter" and the inverter turned on.
Be sure to put the manual toggle switch in a electrical box. In my Vista there was enough slack in the Romex going to the refrigerator outlet for this mod. I tied into a romex fed by inverter with the tap-in splice in an electrical box.
Be sure to use at least a 15 Amp DPDT toggle switch.
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jerichorick
Senior Member
That works! Good mod. Saves propane and allows the tank to be off when traveling.Here is a mod I did so I could run my Norcold Propane / 120 VAC refrigerator off the inverter when traveling from place to place. It is a manual operated transfer switch to move the refrigerator outlet from it's own breaker fed circuit (normal) to another circuit in the RV that is fed by the inverter.
I have a 2 door Norcold and it's electric heater is 300 watts, the inverter draws around 30 amps DC when the fridge heater is running, which is supplied by the alternator when traveling with the switch set to "fridge on inverter" and the inverter turned on.
Be sure to put the manual toggle switch in a electrical box. In my Vista there was enough slack in the Romex going to the refrigerator outlet for this mod. I tied into a romex fed by inverter with the tap-in splice in an electrical box.
Be sure to use at least a 15 Amp DPDT toggle switch.
Oldchinahand
Senior Member
Wheel liner removal tool
When we bought our "new to us", we received the entire new owners packet, including the provided tools list and the (never used) tools. The kit did not list nor include a wheel liner removal tool. We talked to several folks, with the consensus being some sort of padded jaw water pump pliers. Unsatisfactory. Looked on line, and could only find 33mm removal tools. Need a 41mm.
Muddled through.
Prowling around a TA truck stop in west Texas a few weeks ago I found the perfect tool, unfortunately, 33mm. BUT, it looked like something easily replicated. So, arriving home, I did. The following pictures show the process.
All that's needed is one of the captured nut lug covers, a length of PVC pipe whose inside diameter is close to the flat to flat measurement of the lug nut cover, a heat gun, and a little grease for releasing agent.
Grease the outside of the lug nut cover. Slowly heat one end of the PVC pipe until it is soft. Press the softened PVC over the greased lug nut cover. With the lug nut cover still inside the pipe, dip it into water to cool. Extract the lug nut cover, you've got your tool. $18 @ TA. Close to free at home
.
Repeat on other end of pipe. No need, but painted mine black.
Fair Winds and Following Seas
When we bought our "new to us", we received the entire new owners packet, including the provided tools list and the (never used) tools. The kit did not list nor include a wheel liner removal tool. We talked to several folks, with the consensus being some sort of padded jaw water pump pliers. Unsatisfactory. Looked on line, and could only find 33mm removal tools. Need a 41mm.
Muddled through.
Prowling around a TA truck stop in west Texas a few weeks ago I found the perfect tool, unfortunately, 33mm. BUT, it looked like something easily replicated. So, arriving home, I did. The following pictures show the process.
All that's needed is one of the captured nut lug covers, a length of PVC pipe whose inside diameter is close to the flat to flat measurement of the lug nut cover, a heat gun, and a little grease for releasing agent.
Grease the outside of the lug nut cover. Slowly heat one end of the PVC pipe until it is soft. Press the softened PVC over the greased lug nut cover. With the lug nut cover still inside the pipe, dip it into water to cool. Extract the lug nut cover, you've got your tool. $18 @ TA. Close to free at home
.
Repeat on other end of pipe. No need, but painted mine black.
Fair Winds and Following Seas
chickenman05
Senior Member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2017
- Posts
- 121
Good info! Nice job - thanks for sharing!
gilbdc
New Member
Yes, this modification is what I am going to do to keep my drawers from opening on sharp right hand turns!
jerichorick
Senior Member
On this topic of mods and upgrades... For those of us with DP's, at some time in the life of the coach we will need to gain access to the engine from the top through the access panels in the closet (in my case) and the deck next to the bed (in my case). The closet has easy to open hatches on the floor. Between the closet and bed is another story.
I recently replaced my carpet. It was not as hard to do as I had anticipated, that is except for that deck between the closet and bed. The screws holding the deck cover in place were burred in the carpet and were impossible to find. I was only able to find each of them by cutting the carpet and removing it in sections. Not only that, 2 screws were behind trim panels! That was a challenge to squeeze my arm into the small opening I could force when the corner trim was removed to get to them.
When I had the deck cover re-carpeted I reattached it with only 2 screws and put washers under the screw heads. The carpet shag is significant enough to cover the screws but loose enough to be able to find them again. I put a screw in the original place on one of the trim pieces but it is simply resting in the original, oversized hole. It is stable enough not to move.
I see no advantage to the factory install of this cover. It has no where to go as I have attached it.
Happy trails,
Rick Y
I recently replaced my carpet. It was not as hard to do as I had anticipated, that is except for that deck between the closet and bed. The screws holding the deck cover in place were burred in the carpet and were impossible to find. I was only able to find each of them by cutting the carpet and removing it in sections. Not only that, 2 screws were behind trim panels! That was a challenge to squeeze my arm into the small opening I could force when the corner trim was removed to get to them.
When I had the deck cover re-carpeted I reattached it with only 2 screws and put washers under the screw heads. The carpet shag is significant enough to cover the screws but loose enough to be able to find them again. I put a screw in the original place on one of the trim pieces but it is simply resting in the original, oversized hole. It is stable enough not to move.
I see no advantage to the factory install of this cover. It has no where to go as I have attached it.
Happy trails,
Rick Y
John Locke
Let's kill some bugs!
32YE Vista Drawers for dinette and sofa space
The DW wanted more usable space that's easy to access, so I took a tip from another forum member (I forget who) and installed drawers for under the dinette seats and sofa space. Both of these areas offer storage areas, but they are not easy to access, so the drawers will really make things easier during travel to find what we're looking for.
IMO Winnebago should provide drawers like these as an option, but they don't. If you decide to do this upgrade on your own, pay attention to the true-ness of the cabinet structures. DO NOT assume things are square, because they aren't. The wall of the dinette seats and the sofa sides had to be compensated for, so things are square for the door fronts to work right, and.... so the sliders are exactly parallel to operate without binding.
The front of the sofa is also very weak. Even if you don't install drawers like me, you should consider bracing the front door frames as shown in one of my photos below, using two brackets attached to the crossbar tube. It's an easy fix to make it sturdy. While your at it, check the screws on the front top inside. There's only ONE SCREW that attached the sofa front to the sides. My screw wasn't long enough and the front was flopping around, not secure. I replaced the screw with a slightly longer wood screw to attached the front to the side. I put an extra screw in also, both sides, to attached better.
I ordered all 4 drawer boxes, and 4 maple door fronts from Cabinetdoorworld.com for $425. They did a perfect job, all the drawers were dead-nuts-on for measurements, great quality. There are 2 door fronts not shown in these photos, 12X12" ea, that will be used for a TV frame with two cubbies and amplified speakers. I'll show that project later when finished.
The sliders are heavy duty 36" sliders, available from Amazon for $80/pair-set
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073WMXM2Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The sofa sliders are heavy duty 30" sliders, bought elsewhere online.
The DW wanted more usable space that's easy to access, so I took a tip from another forum member (I forget who) and installed drawers for under the dinette seats and sofa space. Both of these areas offer storage areas, but they are not easy to access, so the drawers will really make things easier during travel to find what we're looking for.
IMO Winnebago should provide drawers like these as an option, but they don't. If you decide to do this upgrade on your own, pay attention to the true-ness of the cabinet structures. DO NOT assume things are square, because they aren't. The wall of the dinette seats and the sofa sides had to be compensated for, so things are square for the door fronts to work right, and.... so the sliders are exactly parallel to operate without binding.
The front of the sofa is also very weak. Even if you don't install drawers like me, you should consider bracing the front door frames as shown in one of my photos below, using two brackets attached to the crossbar tube. It's an easy fix to make it sturdy. While your at it, check the screws on the front top inside. There's only ONE SCREW that attached the sofa front to the sides. My screw wasn't long enough and the front was flopping around, not secure. I replaced the screw with a slightly longer wood screw to attached the front to the side. I put an extra screw in also, both sides, to attached better.
I ordered all 4 drawer boxes, and 4 maple door fronts from Cabinetdoorworld.com for $425. They did a perfect job, all the drawers were dead-nuts-on for measurements, great quality. There are 2 door fronts not shown in these photos, 12X12" ea, that will be used for a TV frame with two cubbies and amplified speakers. I'll show that project later when finished.
The sliders are heavy duty 36" sliders, available from Amazon for $80/pair-set
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073WMXM2Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The sofa sliders are heavy duty 30" sliders, bought elsewhere online.
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I just joined the forum 10 minutes ago in hopes of getting help for this project I will be buying myself into. Its called a 2013 25Q. This machine has had the RV portions of the interior stripped out and replaced to form a mobile meeting room. Project is to make it an RV again. I will strip out the mod, buy appliances and bath room fixtures then hire a local to build cabinets around all that. I would like to pick some knowledgeable folks brains as I have no clue how things like what supports the foot end of the slide out queen bed???
John Locke
Let's kill some bugs!
Vista 32YE TV upgrade
The original TV in our Vista 32YE was a 40" Insignia, a 1080 resolution TV, which worked fine but didn't suit my needs. While traveling I will be doing 4K video editing, so I needed a 4K TV for viewing. The other convenience I needed is perpendicular view from the dinette, so I needed an articulating arm to point the TV at the dinette table from where I'll be editing. I found a locking articulating arm for a 40" TV. My new Visio 4K TV is very light for the application, however it still needed some additional travel support to be rugged enough for mobile travel. To provide added stability in locked travel mode, I made a TV frame and included Velcro in two area on the back of the TV to secure the top of the TV from flopping around as much. After testing, the Velcro seems to work good to mitigate movement of the TV, actually giving the TV just enough support from sagging and flopping around, but not too much rigidity that could potentially damage the TV of time.
Since I was building a frame to provide added TV support, I decided to make use of the extra space below the TV to include some cubbies for storage of small items (spice rack near the table), Then, to enhance the superior TV video, I added built in speakers, using a small amp with equalization, along with speaker and sub outputs. I think I may have gone a little overboard, but it sounds really nice. 4X6 full range speakers and 4" subs fit nicely in the space available, barely. The amp sits behind the TV at the top right. Although the amp's control knobs are easily accessible, it's out of view.
It took a while to design the frame and cabinet, but the end result will be very practical for my mobile video editing needs. I think I'm done pimping my ride for a while.
Although we've taken a couple trips in the RV since we bought it, the RV will go into official road service on January 9th, the first day of retirement, Hah!
The original TV in our Vista 32YE was a 40" Insignia, a 1080 resolution TV, which worked fine but didn't suit my needs. While traveling I will be doing 4K video editing, so I needed a 4K TV for viewing. The other convenience I needed is perpendicular view from the dinette, so I needed an articulating arm to point the TV at the dinette table from where I'll be editing. I found a locking articulating arm for a 40" TV. My new Visio 4K TV is very light for the application, however it still needed some additional travel support to be rugged enough for mobile travel. To provide added stability in locked travel mode, I made a TV frame and included Velcro in two area on the back of the TV to secure the top of the TV from flopping around as much. After testing, the Velcro seems to work good to mitigate movement of the TV, actually giving the TV just enough support from sagging and flopping around, but not too much rigidity that could potentially damage the TV of time.
Since I was building a frame to provide added TV support, I decided to make use of the extra space below the TV to include some cubbies for storage of small items (spice rack near the table), Then, to enhance the superior TV video, I added built in speakers, using a small amp with equalization, along with speaker and sub outputs. I think I may have gone a little overboard, but it sounds really nice. 4X6 full range speakers and 4" subs fit nicely in the space available, barely. The amp sits behind the TV at the top right. Although the amp's control knobs are easily accessible, it's out of view.
It took a while to design the frame and cabinet, but the end result will be very practical for my mobile video editing needs. I think I'm done pimping my ride for a while.
Although we've taken a couple trips in the RV since we bought it, the RV will go into official road service on January 9th, the first day of retirement, Hah!
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SLOweather
Senior Member
RV LIFE Pro
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- Sep 4, 2018
- Posts
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Welcome. Please post some "before" pics so we can see what you are working with.
Unless I don't fully understand the situation, slide rooms are generally self supporting.
When it comes to new cabinetry, keep an eye on the weight. RV walls and cabinet partitions are made very lightweight compared to standard construction. Our 2 Itascas were/are mostly 1x2 or 1x2 framing, with thin 1/8" lauan plywood skins (like a door skin). The doors and drawer fronts are regular wood, but drawer boxes are lighter than household drawers.
Unless I don't fully understand the situation, slide rooms are generally self supporting.
When it comes to new cabinetry, keep an eye on the weight. RV walls and cabinet partitions are made very lightweight compared to standard construction. Our 2 Itascas were/are mostly 1x2 or 1x2 framing, with thin 1/8" lauan plywood skins (like a door skin). The doors and drawer fronts are regular wood, but drawer boxes are lighter than household drawers.
Dennis L-WO
Dennis L
Entry handle light
http://www.winnieowners.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=172288&stc=1&d=1570058392
Added Green LED to entry door grab bar.
http://www.winnieowners.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=172288&stc=1&d=1570058392
Added Green LED to entry door grab bar.
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