Top ten RV improvements

[Snowman9000]

I love to tinker and improve, so I got to thinking about a list of which changes were best. I'm not talking about replacing tires, batteries, or any other repairs or maintenance. Just improvements and how useful they have been to me. This is my top ten list for our Trail Lite B+ MH.

10. Oxygenics shower head: Decent help for using less water. Debatable.

9. Samlex inverter, pure sine wave, 150w with cig plug. Runs our low-draw Vizio TV, even including DISH receiver if need be. Recharges all our goodies. Also, I added a cig outlet by the TV, to power the inverter, because there was none.

8. Ultra Gauge (like a Scan Gauge). Fun to have but not essential. Gives MPG, RPMs (I have no tach), dozens of other gauges and reports, reads and clears codes, etc.

7. Hopkins rv levels on dash and inside drivers door. This is a set of two small curved levels with graduated marks. Read the numbers, try to find a level spot. If not, get out the lego blocks, pretty simple, and very useful.

6. Led lights in the house. From ebay. Use practically no juice.

5. Vizio tv, looks great, uses very little juice when on 12v.

4. Hunter digital thermostat. Comfy!

3. Removed jacknife sofa and replaced with built in "twin" bed. Not for everyone. But worked for us in a big way.

2. Bath door holder/ Cipa wide angle window lens. Made a small fixutre to hold the (rear) bath door open, allowing the driver to see the rear window from the inside mirror. Put a wide angle lens on the window, now it's like having a rear view camera. Very useful.

And finally, the number 1 improvement:
Extend-a-shower. I've put these on our last three RVs. They make a tight shower roomy.

[Big_Katuna]

People that think Ace tubular locks are secure crack me up. I can pick a barrel key lock in two minutes. Make a copy in five.

[Paul_61]

Just a few so far many more to come.
1- Awning tie down poles for electric awning
2- Progressive industries 30amp power monitor and surge suppressor
3- Tubular locks on outside storage
4- Bike rack on front of camper over gas tanks
5- Extra sissor jacks in middle by front axel
6- Moved water from internal to external
to come
plastic fence post for slinky storage under TT
plastic fence post for ladder storage under TT
plastic post for rug storage on rear bumper
Digital thermostat
shower head
Many more to come

[Cummins12V98]

Sleep Number Bed

TrailerAid Plus

GY H tires and 17" Alcoa Wheels

Extra pantry and linen shelving

[Tinyandthegang]

Added power leveling jacks
Threw away the bag of rags that Gulfstream called a mattress and replaced with a memory foam mattress
Installed plexiglass behind stove top
Added Maxx Air fans above bed and front room and Maxx Air cover over bath
Added an additional battery
Added an inverter to power tv and Direct TV box when without power and generator is off.
Winegard Carryout dish
Added shelves in cabinets
Added larger window that opens in kitchen
Built cabinet with table top to replace useless barrel chair by entry door
Removed window surrounds and added black out curtains
many more but this is 10

[tenbear]

SkiSmuggs wrote:

tenbear wrote:
Just put a drawer under the dinette seat. I think that will become one of our 10 best mods.

Is this as in 4 chairs dinette? Did you make or purchase?

Hi Eric,

This is a dinette with fixed seats that convert to a bed. For more details see this post. It was made from scratch.

Didn't see you this winter, were you skiing?

[alliemac9]

If I have to narrow it down...

1. Memory foam topper
2. "Cafe" dinette table (bought spare table and cut down to a two person table which opens the space up a lot - it's like adding a slide)
3. Sewer hose storage under coach (made from 6" PVC pipe)
4. Drinking water filter at kitchen sink
5. Vents: Maxx Air Fan in vent over bed; Camco vent covers on all others; Vortex fan upgrade in bathroom
5. LED lights throughout
6. Nightstand shelf in corner bed
7. Solar system (632W) with charging station (12V outlet strip installed in shallow cabinet during solar install; previously had no 12V outlets in coach)
8. Awning lock (peace of mind)
9. Standing desk (not that I want to work on vacation, but slick when needed)
10. Rear view camera (to see the toad)

Things I'm considering:
-air bags (our RV leans)
-upgraded (double pane) windows; particularly above bed

Did the Oxygenics, too, but installed before ever using the shower so I have no point of reference for how much better it is!

[SkiSmuggs]

tenbear wrote:
Just put a drawer under the dinette seat. I think that will become one of our 10 best mods.

Is this as in 4 chairs dinette? Did you make or purchase?

[tenbear]

Just put a drawer under the dinette seat. I think that will become one of our 10 best mods.

[timandsusan]

Here is my list--no order
1. Oxygenics shower head
2. 2 batteries
3. 2 new HD Televisions with new Dish 1000.2 antenna and 2 HD rcvrs
4. Morryde wet bolt kit
5. Morryde X-factor kit to stiffen frame
6. Tire monitors
7. Morryde King pin
8. Support for closet rod

[Romer1]

havasu wrote:
OK, here's mine - we don't boondock so solar/batteries/chargers are of no use or interest to me.

1. Throw away standard mattress and replace with Serta Pillowtop
2. Throw away sofa and replace with chair/ottoman
3. Install 3rd Portable AC (we spend a lot of time in the desert)
4. Install 40" LED TV on vertical lift mount
5. Add Yagi WiFi antenna to TV antenna mount
6. Outside Window Shades with bubble insulation that slips between glass and shade
7. Replace flexsteel swivel chair with Lay-z-boy electric recliner
8. WiFi router & NAS to connect all networked devices
9. Water Softener
10. Winegard Carryout Satellite for DISH

It's funny how everyone's 'priorities' are different 🙂

Would like some info on the TV lift mount.

[Harvey51]

Havasu, I'm interested in your wifi antenna. I actually bought one but never used it because we just use iPads now and have no way to use the antenna with them. Thinking about a wifi booster (range expander) but wondering how useful it would be.

[dieseltruckdriv]

Hmmm,
Oxygenics shower head,
Switched to all LEDS from China,
Installed Fantastic Vent in bathroom (exhaust only!),
Removed the short queen mattress and installed a home style full mattress,
MEMORY FOAM!!!!!!
12 volt meter so I can watch the batteries plugged in or not,
Small computer fans inside the fridge, keeps the beer much colder,
Computer fan outside the fridge for the really hot days,
Honeywell programmable thermostat, the same as the one at home,
Hopkins RV levels, I can read the side to side one from my rear view mirror,
LED LCD tv hooked up to the built in stereo/speakers,
Blacked out the bedroom so we can sleep late,
Much quieter Shurflo 4008 water pump, and we use the old one to pump water from our 6 gallon jugs into the tank,
Small marine style 6 led light for the bathroom so the bathroom can stay on lit all evening with very little power drain.

[bshpilot]

Outdoor ELECTRIC (12vdc / 120vac) Cooler !
TST - tire pressure & temperature monitoring !

[Big_Katuna]

Smart light for door light outside.
EZ Shades

[thylton]

Could you give more details on the outside window shades.
Thanks
thylton

havasu wrote:
OK, here's mine - we don't boondock so solar/batteries/chargers are of no use or interest to me.

1. Throw away standard mattress and replace with Serta Pillowtop
2. Throw away sofa and replace with chair/ottoman
3. Install 3rd Portable AC (we spend a lot of time in the desert)
4. Install 40" LED TV on vertical lift mount
5. Add Yagi WiFi antenna to TV antenna mount
6. Outside Window Shades with bubble insulation that slips between glass and shade
7. Replace flexsteel swivel chair with Lay-z-boy electric recliner
8. WiFi router & NAS to connect all networked devices
9. Water Softener
10. Winegard Carryout Satellite for DISH

It's funny how everyone's 'priorities' are different 🙂