Can I keep old working oven, but ditch the stove top?

[kimberlysmoore]

We have a 1986 Toyota Sunrader 22.
I love it even though it has many annoying features.
One of the biggest problems is the 4 burner stove top. It takes up way too much counter space and it's not used in full.
I am wondering if theres a way to keep the oven and cut off 2 of the propane lines to 2 of the burners on the stove top, then put in a full counter top over the 2 unused burners or even take all 4 out and install a smaller 2 burner, attached to the propane already provided.
This would have to be answered by someone fairly experienced.. I understand it's a pretty vague question.. I am a total newbie. Please don't yell at me 🙂
It's just an idea in the making for now.

Over-all: Keep the rarely used oven, ditch the 4 burners for 2.
Pros: Counter space

[kimberlysmoore]

Thanks for the input

[BurbMan]

If you can see a way to split the cooktop away from the oven and safely reconnect the gas it might be do-able. What I would do is turn the oven on high and check the temps at the rangetop. The oven vents through the rangetop toward the back of the unit so you need to be sure the part you cover with countertop isn't subjected to high heat.

The current rangetop acts as a metal cover with airspace over the oven...if you replace a portion of that with a flammable material like a countertop you may be creating a fire hazard. We have a wooden cutting board that fits over our stovetop so we can use it as counter space when not cooking, and with the oven on and baking, we have to remove that cutting board because it gets too hot.

One solution might be some sheet metal or other fire protection over the portion of the oven that you are replacing with countertop.

Proceed with caution, nothing will ruin your vacation like a trailer fire....

[DrewE]

How does the oven get gas? On my RV range (and indeed most gas ranges I've seen), the incoming gas line connects to a manifold (via a regulator), and then the valves for the burners and the thermostatic valve for the oven all connect to the manifold. It almost sounds as though your unit has the stove top and the oven as two completely separate units with a tee or something in the incoming gas line...rather strange sounding to me, but I guess it's possible.

If they are actually two separate units, possibly assembled together with some screws or whatever, then it should be quite straightforward and safe to replace the stovetop with a smaller unit, assuming you can work out the physical mounting details.

Or maybe this isn't a gas oven at all, but an electrical convection or microwave or something? In that case, again they're basically separate and replacing the stovetop part should be fairly easy.

There are also combination microwave/(electric) convection ovens available, and it would be pretty straightforward to physically mount one below a cooktop, replacing the existing range entirely. Naturally an electric convection oven won't run without shore power or a generator.

[kimberlysmoore]

Thank you for all the responses. They are very appreciated. I was concerned about using 2 burners while half of the top was folded down. The instructions say "don't do that" and I can see why.
I'm not chastising anyone for doing it but I have a general understanding why it's not supposed to be done, especially on older vehicles that don't have the repressed fire systems.

That is why I was looking for alternatives. Plus we have a beautiful new counter top piece we wanted to use.
Most people who replace the stove top with a new 2 burner, also remove the oven so I couldn't find any instructions online on how to keep the oven, while replacing the top.
We love the oven, even though it's rarely used. We would like to keep it and all the cabinetry.
There is a line coming into the stove top and then those split out to the 4 burners.
I was wondering if it's a danger to use those lines, remove the current burners, replace the counter top over the entire stove top (new sink too) and install a 2 burner into the line coming in. Set into the countertop-essentially sitting in the old spot where the old burners used to be.
(gains: new counter top, space, new larger single sink (the one in there now has 2 tiny reservoirs)

[BurbMan]

I agree I would not disassemble a unit that was built as one like that. You;re not going to gain much going from 4 burners to 2, you would be better off getting the folding cover as was mentioned.

[dons2346]

You might want to take a look at what a stove can do here.
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28244948/gotomsg/28247237.cfm#28247237

[toedtoes]

If you don't have the hinged cover, I would simply get/make a metal cover for the side you don't want to use. That way, if you ever needed the other burners, you'd still have them. The metal cover will work great to set a hot pan, etc. on while you're cooking.

[Dutch_12078]

Our '86 Toyota Dolphin had a metal cover over the burners that we could use as work space. The cover was hinged in the middle so it could be folded back to only uncover the front two burners. We also had a sink cover that expanded the working area as well.