Mods to 377 RLBH?

[Magnolia Tom]

Whatever helps people find what they're looking for, I'm good with. If that means indexing or something else it's all good with me!


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[Magnolia Tom]

Now my latest "mod".

Darn dog tore up the screen while we were out on a hike on our last trip [emoji35]

So, I replaced the screen and added a metal screen door protector. Now that little chihuahua can try to scratch at the door all he wants. [emoji23]




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[Springhook]

On our last trip, my daughter suggested I add a handle or rope of some sort to be able to reach out and close the door when one is in the doorway or on the stairs and the door is open all the way. For some reason, we all reach for the clear little plastic slide. Any ideas?

[Magnolia Tom]

Originally Posted by Springhook

On our last trip, my daughter suggested I add a handle or rope of some sort to be able to reach out and close the door when one is in the doorway or on the stairs and the door is open all the way. For some reason, we all reach for the clear little plastic slide. Any ideas?

We have a handle on ours. Made by Camco. Got it at Wally World.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-42183-S.../dp/B0012GTVVA


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[Fire_Instructor]

Originally Posted by Magnolia Tom

Whatever helps people find what they're looking for, I'm good with. If that means indexing or something else it's all good with me!

I've already gone through 44 pages (440 entries), and have 29 "significant" mods indexed. I'll keep working on it, and share the final product with you.

[Magnolia Tom]

Originally Posted by Fire_Instructor

I've already gone through 44 pages (440 entries), and have 29 "significant" mods indexed. I'll keep working on it, and share the final product with you.

Wow, 29? That's a lot of mods! Thanks for tackling this project. Seems like it's turning into more than you bargained for [emoji3]


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[Springhook]

Thank you Sir!

[Dskyward]

Back in November, I saw Magnolia Tom install a cool articulating arm for the 48" HDTV to bring it out flush with fireplace so everyone can watch the whole screen anywhere on the couch and at the dinette. One problem, it would not retract down where it was, due to its 2" thick profile and therefore I have always removed it and placed on the sofa strapped down for transit. It was always a hassle setting up and taking down every camping trip, but worth having the tv a foot closer to the recliners.

So yesterday, I pulled everything out and looked at what it would take to move the jack stalk further back (like 3/4") if it would allow. Only 4 screws (2 up and 2 down) hold the jack stalk. Remove the wall cover skirt. Sure enough a 3/4 thick board is attached to a crappy 2x4 to the wall. Four 3" screws is all that held it to the wall. Be sure to mark the 2x4 edges with a pencil before removing the screws! Both blocks came out together with ease and neither was glued and separated the 6 staples easily. Only thing required is to notch the underside of the lid out for the lift track mechanism to travel. I used my oscillation cutting tool to cut through the aluminum hinge (not completely thru, just to the vinyl lip) and a wood chisel to smooth the new nylon roller 'ramp'. Just remember to cover the motor and gears with a rag to keep dust out.

I use a 38"x 3" tall Vizio sound bar from Walmart and wireless subwoofer that sits at lower left of the fireplace. It sounds awesome for only $148. I modified and beefed up the tv shelf to support the weight of the sound bar for transit, albeit back in Nov, it busted pretty good on one trip that had terrible road jolts...and the soundbar rode on the couch behind the tv under the back cushions. I've now beefed it up considerably with the scrap wood I carried on hand and placed many reinforcement screws and wood glued 3/4" scrap potluck, splint for the cracked shelf to make it 5x stout as before. The backplate is 1/2" plywood for added rigidity and required a pair of inch or 1 1/8" 1/4x20 screws that I recessed into the 1/2" and through the holes in the post.

One thing about bringing the screen a foot closer is the coax cable can become short. I used a right angle quick adapter to keep from bending sharp. I also broke the rca audio cable stud on one node when I pinched it in the tray mechanism recently, so I ordered a 10' replacement. the radio faceplate it's just snapped in and can be removed easily with a putty knife and then four screws removed the radio. Taped it to the original to feed it down inside the wall and discovered that it was a 12 foot cable instead. So I ordered from Amazon a 12 foot RCA audio cable, two 15' HDMI cables (Apple TV and BD player), and a longer 15 foot coaxial cable, and some more right angle coax screw adapters(one at each end). I always had to fool with two 6' HDMI cables dropped down from the shelf above the TV. Lots of hooking and unhooking.

So, with the 3" sound bar, I have the tv raised 3" higher on the jack stand and it will retract down to where about 1.5" or so of the tv sticks up above the surface keeping the lid from closing fully. The heavy lid will keep weight on the tv top and I plan to have a secure strap mechanism to keep it from bouncing up during travel. The sides of the tv rest firmly on the curves I padded with adhesive black felt. I feel I t should ride as secure as before as these tv's are advertised to take shock very well.

So 3/4" is all that's needed for this articulating arm mod for motorized function like factory, and no more tv removal! Sound bar optional, yet definitely a plus!

[Magnolia Tom]

Awesome job Darin. However, I cannot take credit for the articulating arm mod. I did do the sound bar mod [emoji3]
I may look into doing this. The view from the couch stinks (so I'm told by my kids [emoji23])


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[UpstateNYer]

Originally Posted by Magnolia Tom

Awesome job Darin. However, I cannot take credit for the articulating arm mod. I did do the sound bar mod [emoji3]
I may look into doing this. The view from the couch stinks (so I'm told by my kids [emoji23])


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I did this mod and posted here last year. In my case though camper is parked on a seasonal site so it doesn't move(at least until we retire) So no worries about TV having to retract. It does make the screen much more viewable from anywhere in living room/kitchen area..

[Dskyward]

Originally Posted by UpstateNYer

I did this mod and posted here last year. In my case though camper is parked on a seasonal site so it doesn't move(at least until we retire) So no worries about TV having to retract. It does make the screen much more viewable from anywhere in living room/kitchen area..

Hi UpstateNYer, Ahhh post #328! My apologies...just looked it up. Thanks is due to you starting this idea. I'm so glad you chimed in on my memory lapse. I remember seeing two, and Tom's posted pictures. It certainly got my attention with picture cut-off. Then a few days ago, the DW said the TV will stay at a local friend's house for our 2 week journey as a party of 5 to WY for the solar eclipse. We have two others (master and bunk room), but I really like my living room tv. Rather than dealing with the removal/setup cycle each day, I got on my mind horse and did some investigating and found the 3/4" space that was needed.

Tomorrow, my longer cables come in from Amazon and i'll get them installed so that no more cables extend down from upper cabinet. I'm a happy camper once again.

[UpstateNYer]

Originally Posted by Dskyward

Hi UpstateNYer, Ahhh post #328! My apologies...just looked it up. Thanks is due to you starting this idea. I'm so glad you chimed in on my memory lapse. I remember seeing two, and Tom's posted pictures. It certainly got my attention with picture cut-off. Then a few days ago, the DW said the TV will stay at a local friend's house for our 2 week journey as a party of 5 to WY for the solar eclipse. We have two others (master and bunk room), but I really like my living room tv. Rather than dealing with the removal/setup cycle each day, I got on my mind horse and did some investigating and found the 3/4" space that was needed.

Tomorrow, my longer cables come in from Amazon and i'll get them installed so that no more cables extend down from upper cabinet. I'm a happy camper once again.

No worries!

Definately will look into being able to make it retract, as you have done, in the future. Thank you for sharing!!

Now to get working on the awesome AC mod

[Dskyward]

Originally Posted by Fire_Instructor

I've already gone through 44 pages (440 entries), and have 29 "significant" mods indexed. I'll keep working on it, and share the final product with you.

Thanks very much Fire Instructor for indexing. I need to practice to be more short winded. Call me detail Darin.

[bdreinv]

Is it possible to get to the main AC diverter?I bet if the master was not right why would the main?

[Magnolia Tom]

Originally Posted by bdreinv

Is it possible to get to the main AC diverter?I bet if the master was not right why would the main?

You can only access the main unit from the roof. Prior to the vent mod, I climbed up there to check things out. I removed the plastic cover to expose the squirrel cage and diverter. All seemed ok but access to everything was tight. I then unscrewed 4 lag screws and the unit was off. I taped anything and everything I could. Just an exercise in futility as none of it helped. I'm pretty sure that since the main whisper quiet AC has return air vents on the ceiling, the diverter/separator will not be (or at least should not) a problem.


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[Dskyward]

Here lately, I've been in a mod mood. Today, I added an electrical outlet on the left side of the master dresser. The DW wanted a shortcut to plug in our oscillating tower fan in the corner and still open the closet storage door and that it be out of the way with no cords on the floor or blocking drawers.

There are two options here; tap into one of the floor romax wires, or try to use the existing outlet below the tv. I decided to pry open the rv plug. It has instructions on the backplate. (4 grey tabs, two on each side must be pushed in) and this exposed a simple wedge blade system for all 3 terminals. There is actually room for 3 leads per terminal. Only 14/2 Romax will fit, so off to Lowe's for a 15' roll for $6.97, shallow box 1.25, black outlet 2.25, black plate .39. The shallow box did not have the tightening ears, so I bought a regular one 2.65 and used only the screws/ears. I used a medium flat bit screwdriver to push the existing wires down into the brass wedge as far as they will go. But first, be sure to turn off the breaker! I think it was the second 15a breaker from the left side of the breaker box. Use a multi tester to verify your connection before installing the rv plug back in the hole. Keep all 3 wires coming into rv box same direction. I first connected from the bottom and was too tough to get it back into the hole.

Cover the greased drawer guides before sawing the hole or else you'll have a sticky sawdust kling mess. I also stuffed an old rag to keep air from the basement from coming in.

[Magnolia Tom]

Darin

Funny, had the same conversation with DW about fan/cord placement last week on our trip out west! Great job.


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[enmity02]

Has anyone thought about mounting a sound bar above the fireplace? I picked up a Yamaha YS-107 sounds incredible with out needing a subwoofer. Was either looking at some of the mods to mount under the TV, suspend from the upper cabinet or to mount above the fireplace.

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[Dskyward]

Originally Posted by Magnolia Tom

Darin

Funny, had the same conversation with DW about fan/cord placement last week on our trip out west! Great job.


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Thanks, Tom. About 3 hrs work, with study. Aint that funny? We think alike sometimes. I think Jayco could put one more there for the cause in the future.

[Dskyward]

Originally Posted by enmity02

Has anyone thought about mounting a sound bar above the fireplace? I picked up a Yamaha YS-107 sounds incredible with out needing a subwoofer. Was either looking at some of the mods to mount under the TV, suspend from the upper cabinet or to mount above the fireplace.

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Hi enmity02, I certainly think it could be done. You'd need an enclosure box to keep the back side away from the fireplace. However, the sound location may be too low for some tastes. The advantage is with an articulating arm mount, and removal of the 3/4" board in front of the 2x4, the motorized jack can be moved back exactly 3/4" allowing full submersion of the whole mount into the cubby. But I wanted the soundbar height on the counter, and raised the tv up 3". It'll still go down into the cubby with only 1.5" sticking up. I'll first try a pool noodle across top of tv to dampen lid road hops.