Adding something that I didn’t even know I needed

[MrJackSprat]

Replied to a another post earlier and RaceChaser0 made the comment "Now you have me thinking of adding something that I didn’t even know I needed". With that said, I thought I would start a thread about all the little tweaks that you have made to your coach since it was purchased - helping others with those... adding something that I didn’t even know I needed.

Here is a list of our completed items... most are minor but warranted.

• Replaced Outside Speaker & Awning Light switches with lighted ones. This way you will always know when they were on/off.
• Added automatic LED light strip to pantry. And the Lord said, let there be...
• Swapped doors in bedroom so they open same way. Photos from our 2015, but also did this in our 2018.
• Hinged the wood access panels under the dinette cushions for easier access.
• Installed inline signal meter for King Jack antenna.
• Mounted Bose Soundbar to front TV (under). Then re-mounted front Blu-ray player above TV so out of the way.
• Installed bedroom side panels to bedroom valances.
• Upgraded door speakers in the Ford cab. Wow what a difference. Great Youtube video here how to do it.
• Added shutoff valves to freshwater overflow hoses. Stops siphon leak of full tank when traveling.
• Mounted plastic straps (with snap) to wall behind driver's seat to hold ladder when not in use.
• Added additional shelf inside bathroom medicine cabinet. Now 3 shelves for stuff.
• Mounted inside handle to screen door.
• Added heavy duty child latches to both drawers under dinette. We store heavy items in there and always popped open when traveling.
• Installed way beefier Hellwig Sway Bar to front suspension.
• 'Cut the wire' on front TV outlet so TV can be used (via inverter) when traveling.
• Upgraded all the cabinet pulls throughout coach with better ones. The early generation pulls on the 2018s were not nice.
• Raised hand-towel holder ring, so hand-towel doesn't rest on the counter.

Here is a list of to-dos and honey-dos...

• Lower doors on bathroom medicine cabinet for wife. Being 5'3", she cant see full face when doing morning routine.
• Install hinged shelf in outside compartment under bed creating 2 levels of storage.
• Upgrade to larger AGM (no maintenance) battery possibly needing a fabrication change to existing battery compartment slide tray mechanism.
• And finally whatever else I read in this thread that I didn’t even know I needed!

Chime in (with pics if you got-em) with your MODs or upgrades... inquiring minds want to know!

[Jopopsy]

Hey thanks for helping me spend more of my money .....

So for the KingJack signal meter, did you just install it between the TV and the wall plate in the coach? So you would still turn the amplifier on, the amplified signal flows through the meter, and then to the TV?

I like the idea of having a meter ...

[MrJackSprat]

Jopopsy, read here about installing.

[katiedog]

WE have the KingJack Signal system
Big help for finding channels.
But. be sure to turn it off after setting antena.
I will run down the 9 Volt battery quickly.

[koko]

Musts:
Added Sumo Springs and Hellwig Sway Bar - made a world of difference in the wind.
Changed out our braking system for our tow to Stealth Brake Buddy.
Sirius SM radio.
Phone Partner.
Hook-ups were already there to add 20" TV/DVD combo in bedroom.
Oxygenics shower head.
Equalizer Auto Leveling System.

Fun:
Added mosaic back splash behind kitchen stove and bathroom sink.

Our motorhome was so well equipped that we haven't had to make too many mods.

[cabinetmaker]

I cut the 30 amp cord in the storage compartment to just long enough to reach out the door so I could install a new end. Then I added a inline surge protector. Put a new end on the main cord.

Now I can roll the cord up and store it easily in any compartment plus my surge protector is protected inside a locked compartment out of sight.

I just unroll my 30amp cord, poke the end up into the power compartment and plug it to the end of the surge protector which stays plugged to the now short coach cord.

I got this idea from someone here on the forum. This was not difficult and makes storage of the cord so much easier. Plus my surge protector / power management is locked up out of sight and weather.

[blujay40]

That's one of the downsides of these forums and boards as far as I am concerned.

You can be happily camping for years, blissful in your ignorance and then someone has a mod or product that you never thought you could use or want.

Your eyes open a little wider as you read the posts and realize THAT is a GREAT IDEA! Or worse yet, the DW gets online and there goes the upgrade budget!

Forget about all the "targeted ads" on websites, it's the user groups that will get you every time!

Now I really need to get back to my Amazon wish list!

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by cabinetmaker

I got this idea from someone here on the forum. This was not difficult and makes storage of the cord so much easier. Plus my surge protector / power management is locked up out of sight and weather.

That very well could have been me. I did a mod like this for my Autoformer and I put my Progressive EMS in the compartment.

[Jopopsy]

As to mods I'm a big fan of the LevelMate Pro add-on.

https://logicbluetech.com/

[Siamese]

We got our new 26BH in 2017, and because we did so much reading online, including this forum, and watching youtube videos, we knew up front what modifications and equipment we needed. Our online study was so effective, there hasn't been a single surprise item. I keep track of our mods in my trailer log...here it is.


Modifications and Additions

Replaced 12v battery with pair of 6v's, and had heavy duty angle iron welded to top of a frame to hold them.

Installed scratching post on wall in front bedroom

Installed television/mount/signal strength meter

Installed medicine cabinet in bathroom.

Replaced Dicor roof sealant with Eternabond tape on metal to rubber joint at front, around skylight, bathroom fan, refrigerator exhaust, and TV antenna.

Installed Maxxair II vent cover over bathroom fan.

Installed lights under kitchen cabinets.

Replaced some of the substandard ceiling lights with Lumitronix LED fixtures with warm light output.

Cut away front panel of sofa for food storage in plastic bin

Installed curtain track and curtain outside of bathroom

Installed towel rack in bathroom (opposite toilet)

Installed paper towel holder over bathroom sink

Removed the refrigerator and divider from rear storage area

Installed rope at foot of queen bed as a lifting aid when accessing storage

Installed Progressive Dynamics convertor/charger

Installed pet door and walled off portion of under-bed storage for litter area

Installed double, bronze colored clothing hooks in bedrooms, kitchen, and by front door.

Removed the upper bunk

Installed shelves in bunk area

Installed 90 degree elbows on city water and black tank flush inlets

Removed most of the exterior decals. Removed residual glue with Goof Off, cleaned with car detergent, and re-waxed areas where the decals were.

[cabinetmaker]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

That very well could have been me. I did a mod like this for my Autoformer and I put my Progressive EMS in the compartment.

Yes, I do believe it was you! Sorry I couldn’t remember without looking it up but that was a great idea and I appreciate your sharing.

Someone else did something similar but actually installed a receptacle on the outside next to the compartment where the cord hookup is so they could use a detachable cord. Totally eliminates going up inside that small compartment. I would do that but talked myself out of cutting a hole in the side of my Motorhome.

[Jaytalk]

Originally Posted by cabinetmaker

I cut the 30 amp cord in the storage compartment to just long enough to reach out the door so I could install a new end. Then I added a inline surge protector. Put a new end on the main cord.

Now I can roll the cord up and store it easily in any compartment plus my surge protector is protected inside a locked compartment out of sight.

I just unroll my 30amp cord, poke the end up into the power compartment and plug it to the end of the surge protector which stays plugged to the now short coach cord.

I got this idea from someone here on the forum. This was not difficult and makes storage of the cord so much easier. Plus my surge protector / power management is locked up out of sight and weather.

Why couldn't you have just rolled up the original 30 amp cord in the locked compartment, attach the surge protector to the original cord and then connected it to the extension cord inside your locked compartment?

[cabinetmaker]

Originally Posted by Jaytalk

Why couldn't you have just rolled up the original 30 amp cord in the locked compartment, attach the surge protector to the original cord and then connected it to the extension cord inside your locked compartment?

Jaytalk, the main 30amp service cord is permanently connected inside that little compartment on the drivers side below the front slideout.

There is a small hole in the bottom of that compartment you are supposed to fish the cord in and out of when hooking to campsite electrical. Fishing that cord in and out of this small space can be a challenge and cause mumbling of never before heard language!

After I cut the cord maybe 3 feet long from where it attached inside and put new cord plug ends on both those ends I can now store the long portion of this cord in another compartment and when ready to hookup to campsite just poke the correct end up inside that small original compartment and plug to the orther new end I installed. What I did was buy a inline surge protector and which comes with plugs also on each end so I put it inline between those two new plug ends I installed after cutting the cord.

This should not be attempted unless you have a understanding of electricity and how to work with color coded wiring. The new plug ends can be purchased at any rv store but must be wired correctly or bad things can happen.

[MrJackSprat]

Originally Posted by Jaytalk

Why couldn't you have just rolled up the original 30 amp cord in the locked compartment, attach the surge protector to the original cord and then connected it to the extension cord inside your locked compartment?

Also note that leaving cord coiled up inside coach compartment while connected to shore power can create heat buildup especially when using AC(s) or other power hungry appliances. Best to completely extend extension cord(s) outside of coach to dissipate heat even if you only need 5' to electrical box.

[whporwil]

The title of this post is about things we don't need. So I thought I'd tell you what my wife did to our Seneca. She put a door bell on it, what's even funner is people are using it.

[Greyhawk01]

The light up awning light switch is a great idea. I dont know how may time I’ve opened up that awning and the lights were on.

[billbeyer]

Where can you find lighted switches?

[MrJackSprat]

Originally Posted by billbeyer

Where can you find lighted switches?

You can find them most anywhere in the internet - check here.

When we visited Middlebury last year we drove up into Michigan to Bontrager's RV Surplus (½ hour north) and bought them for $2 ea. I really great place with tons of surplus/older Jayco stuff; flooring, bolts of fabric, plastic trim, decor hardware, rims, stoves...

[Shakedown St.]

Originally Posted by koko

Musts:
Added Sumo Springs and Hellwig Sway Bar - made a world of difference in the wind.
Changed out our braking system for our tow to Stealth Brake Buddy.
Sirius SM radio.
Phone Partner.
Hook-ups were already there to add 20" TV/DVD combo in bedroom.
Oxygenics shower head.
Equalizer Auto Leveling System.

Fun:
Added mosaic back splash behind kitchen stove and bathroom sink.

Our motorhome was so well equipped that we haven't had to make too many mods.

For the mosaic back splash, did you use the peel and stick type? Did you remove the wall covering to apply, or apply directly over the wall covering? If directly over, any problems with adherence? Thanks!

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by billbeyer

Where can you find lighted switches?

Technically they're called pilot switches and can be obtained almost anywhere that carries light switches such as Home Depot, Lowes, your favorite hardware store, or Amazon.