How did you get your washing machine into your RV?

[bertschb]

My wife and I are going to get a washer and dryer for our new Grand Design 318RST 5th wheel. Camping World wants $300 to install them and I'd prefer to do this myself if possible. I have no problem cutting the hole in the side of the RV for the dryer vent and I think I can figure out how to muscle the 75lb dryer into place. But, I'm not sure how difficult it would be to get the 150lb washer in there. For those of you who have done this - how did you do it? How many people helped? Did you use ramps or lifting harnesses or?

[bertschb]

Thanks for all the great ideas folks! I went ahead and ordered the washer and dryer from Lowes. I'm going to pick them up with the 5th wheel in tow and see if I can get the Lowe's guys to load them into the 5th wheel for me. If that doesn't work, I'll go to plan B.

[Naio]

I vote for ramp and dolly. Why mess up your back?

[todd_j]

It was easy. All I did was say "Hey Susan get in here"

[ramgunner]

In our case, we have a Grand Design toy hauler.

I used a handtruck to bring them in up the ramp. The dryer was easy enough to carry from the garage up the stairs to the bedroom closet. It could easily be brought in the door by one person.

The washing machine was quite a bit heavier. Since my wife was almost 9 months pregnant and I didn't have anyone to help - I used a movers blanket under it, and pulled it along the floor to the stairs to the bedroom. Then I placed another movers blanket on the stairs, and leaned it over. I pushed it up the stairs, then pulled it on that movers blanket into the bedroom and walked it to the closet.

I have some details on the installation at http://www.momentumgunner.com/momentum_project.html

Start at 11-August-2015.

[Mile_High]

GramaofAAAA wrote:
We bought a new 5th wheel and were going to install it ourselves, but after 2nd thought....I called them and ask them to do it.

I install my 5th wheel by myself all the time! Just back up and snap it in! 🙂

[GramaofAAAA]

We bought a new 5th wheel and were going to install it ourselves, but after 2nd thought....I called them and ask them to do it. Bad back, neck and shoulders and it was just a smart move for us. And it was worth the install fees!

[Halmfamily]

My dealer installed ours but I have a sliding glass door they easily carried them through. If I were you I would put them in the back of my pick up truck, back up the truck to the door and carry them in. Shouldn't be much of a height difference from you tailgate to the door.

[rexlion]

I stepped through the doorway with my jug of soap, and the washer was in. But the dryer (clothes line) was an outdoor installation. 😉

[blangen]

When I bought our Splendide at Camping World, I told the manager that I'd buy if he would have some guys carry the old one out and the new one in and put it where the old one was. He said "no problem" and that's what happened. I had previously removed the old and left it in front of the closet where it was. I did my own "installation".

PS: In my rig, anyway, the biggest problem was not getting it up the stairs... it had to get between the L shaped kitchen peninsula and built-ins on the other side of the aisle. The only way that happened was two able-bodied fellas lifting above the countertop and around the corner before it could come down. There was simply no creative solution other than muscle.

[lakefinder]

Just used a small furniture moving strap on the bottom/back of the washer and muscled it in, one step at a time going "upstairs."

[ol_Bombero-JC]

bertschb wrote:


I'm just trying to picture carrying the washer up the steps into the RV by hand. Sounds like it can be done with two people without ramps or other ingenious devices so I'll give it a shot.

If *ONE* "old person" (70+) person "can do" - you can too!

Use an inexpensive hydraulic lift table to go from the ground up to the door of the RV (with the steps folded in).
Slide it from the table into the RV.

That "ingenious device" (lift table with wheels) is handy around your garage (etc) for lots of other chores.

You will need to "muscle" the w/d up the interior stairs with help.....

OR you could bring the table inside (in it's folded "down" position) - with a hunk of plywood to span the distance (over the stairs) from the table to the b/rm floor - which is/was no big deal...:W

BTW - however, sometimes having something installed is worth the cost,
and the asking (how much?) is free!

~

[laknox]

bertschb wrote:
My wife and I are going to get a washer and dryer for our new Grand Design 318RST 5th wheel. Camping World wants $300 to install them and I'd prefer to do this myself if possible. I have no problem cutting the hole in the side of the RV for the dryer vent and I think I can figure out how to muscle the 75lb dryer into place. But, I'm not sure how difficult it would be to get the 150lb washer in there. For those of you who have done this - how did you do it? How many people helped? Did you use ramps or lifting harnesses or?

Find a couple kids, preferably varsity linebackers, to horse it up and in for you. They'll be plenty strong and a lot more lean than linemen. 🙂

Lyle

[justme]

Who ever installs it, make certain that a drip pan with a drain and tie downs are installed. The factory usually does that, but dealers usually do not.

[Cummins12V98]

Mine looked like this when I first entered our factory ordered RV.

Seriously I would think Camping World is the last place I would buy anything like that let alone have them install anything.

Sounds like you are talking separate W/D. I would contact a local Appliance Dealer and price what they have to offer and have them do the install. You will get people that do this sort of thing every day.

These are Whirlpool apartment models and they work GREAT!