Have You Done Any Mods?

Originally posted by Ardi Stephen, Thanks for posting the photos.  I'm looking forward to seeing the under-bed mods (or maybe you did and I couldn't tell what I was looking at!).

Sure. The ones that show the water heater and furnace on the left show the first under-bed mod. The ones that show the back of an outlet on the left and the storage area door are the second under-bed mod. The ones with the fabric are the left side of the dinette. Then there are four which show modifications to the cabinet under the stove to move the partitions and eliminate wasted space.

We are very close to buying a 179, and I wish I'd measured the height and width of the space under the bed when we looked at it on a trip a few days ago.  Since there isn't a 179 anywhere near us, would you mind posting those dimensions here when you have a chance?  Thanks!

The space in the center is approximately 32 1/2" X 28 1/2" X 14 1/2". Of that, I too 15" to make a 15 X 28 1/2 X 14 1/2" bin, leaving about 17" open for the furnace.

Edit:  The added wall to make my first under-bed mod does not seem to impact the furnace operation in the least. There is still lots of clearance around the front of the unit for air circulation. My fan also helps as it moves the hot air from under the bed and circulates it more effectively than the furnace's built-in fan.

2nd Edit:

I added two pictures to show the battery lock-down brackets I made to help prevent my batteries from being taken. Admittedly, they won't stop someone who is determined, but they will slow him down. They are made of anodized aluminum purchased at my local Lowes. Bending them was tricky since I don't have a metal brake. I used a vise and rubber mallet for bending. It may not be elegant, but it does work, and the cost was minimal.

Stephen,

Thanks for posting the photos.  I'm looking forward to seeing the under-bed mods (or maybe you did and I couldn't tell what I was looking at!). 

We are very close to buying a 179, and I wish I'd measured the height and width of the space under the bed when we looked at it on a trip a few days ago.  Since there isn't a 179 anywhere near us, would you mind posting those dimensions here when you have a chance?  Thanks!

Well, I had mentioned a couple of mods. Since then, I have done a whole set of them and have the pictures to prove it! I will be adding more, but you should be able to see them by using this link:

Edit: All pictures are now in my ouR escaPOD mods. the link is below in my signature.

Pictures show the following mods:

1. shelf bracket (back and top views used to mount the shelf above the bed in our R-Pod 179.

2. Completed shelf showing how it sits on the bracket. The bolt goes through a hole in the end, locking the shelf into place. With our cross-country trip, the shelf rode just fine. The brackets are currently held in place with the L-brackets and heavy duty command strips. One of these days, I will probably change the command strips to moly bolts.

3. Vinyl post (5") cut and strapped in place to hold folding ladder. Since the R-Pod did not have full-width storage, this was needed since I could not fold the ladder lengthwise to fit in the stock storage area. I also put a cap on the end to keep the ladder from damaging the wall. I am trying to figure out the best way to cap the other end. It will probably involve a Velcro (or equivalent) strap.

4. 1" Foam Insulation panels (from Home Depot) cut to fit and wedged in above the stowage compartment.

5. Moved panel from under-bed stowage area, replaced with new panel and constructed frame to make a usable stowage cabinet under the bed that would be separate from the furnace. Added quarter-round molding to cover rough edge from breaking the panel loose. It does not quite match, but under there, who will notice.

6. Constructed frame and panels to convert wasted space on right-side next to closet into usable storage space.

7. Added angle molding to edge of bed platform to cover raw edges (and to keep me from getting more splinters from it).

8. Added pull-ring to back side of bed platform to help lift it. I had previously put hinges between the two platform pieces. I had to trim the edges a bit to clear the window hardware, but now I can get to the water pump easier if needed.

9. Added 12 Volt circulating fan to help move the heat from the furnace out to the rest of the R-Pod. It really does make a difference!. This one can run from the 12 volt outlet I installed, or from 8 D-Cell batteries.

10. Built framework and box to convert wasted space in dinette end nearest refrigerator into usable space. It isn't big, but every little bit helps.

11. Modified partitions underneath stove on bottom and top to reclaim some wasted space.

12. (not shown) Added layer of 1/4" plywood and bracing to repair cabinet shelf to right of sink which cracked when we hit a large bump and the electric pressure cooker that was on it bounced a little too hard for the flimsy plywood that was there originally. It is still there, just reinforced.

13. (not shown) Added insect screening to refrigerator vents to keep nesting insects (mud daubers, etc.) out. We found out about that when our new trailer had a refrigerator problem (we only had it a week) and when we took it back to the dealer, mud daubers were the problem. They tried to suggest that it could have happened after we picked it up, but this was December, not July, so I don't buy it.

14. Constructed battery lockdowns to make it more difficult for someone to walk off with our batteries. Works well now that I finished tweaking it.

15. This is a fit and finish issue. I saw that the stove had four holes for screws to attach it to the counter. These were not installed and I noticed that the stove was not staying in place properly. It now is screwed down as it should be.

Other fit and finish issues were the failure of the factory to properly tighten the drain fixtures for the kitchen sink. This led to the sink leaking water and damaging two cookbooks which were in the drawer below. I went through after finding that and made sure all the rest of the plumbing (at least what I could reach) was tight.

The last one I will mention is the panel under the refrigerator. What genius thought that three screws into soft aluminum framing were adequate to hold the panel? It now has anchors in the aluminum frame and decorative caps to cover the fender washer and screw heads. These should not loosen as we travel. If they do, I will try something else. Any suggestions?

That is enough for now. I may think of more modifications to make.

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