ouR escaPOD mods

Thanks

Time for another mod, this one inspired by Vann (Thanks Vann!):

I saw this mod and had to do it. The location of the water pump in the 179 is not the most practical. In fact, it is strange that the pump is located where it is when there is more than enough room between the furnace and water heater for it. I thought of how to do it and then decided to go for it. First up was to disconnect the tubes from the pump. That was the easy part. Next was disconnecting the wires--also easy--just cut them. Removing the four screws that were holding it to the floor was not hard either. Then came the fun part. The tubes were under the water heater and there was not sufficient clearance to slide the tubes under the heater with the fittings attached. Bright idea #1: cut the fittings off the tubes so they will slide under the water heater. Not so great consequence: how to reattach them. To be covered later.

Now that everything was removed from the previous location, it was not hard to figure out where to put the pump so it would have the intake and output threads exposed for reattaching the tubing. Reattaching the wires was simple as it was just using a couple of new insulated compression fittings to crimp over the wires like they were before. The fun part was about to begin.

I went to my local big-box hardware stores to look at tools. Both Lowe's and HD wanted over $60 for a tool to use with the cinch rings. Okay, how about I go online? I found an IWISS PEX Crimping Tool for $19.99 that was essentially the same thing the local stores carried. I figured it would be hard to justify spending over $60 on a tool that was not going to be needed very often, if at all, after this job is done. $20 was a better choice. I did go down to the store and bought 1/2" rings in anticipation of the tool's arrival. The tool arrived and I went to slide the ring on the tubing only to find out that the 1/2" rings sold at the BB stores were 17.5 mm and the ones that were used by Forest River were 18.5 mm! Back to the BB stores only to find out that neither of them carried 18.5 mm rings. Trips to the Town & Country hardware store was even more disappointing. I even checked the local mom and pop hardware store in town with no better results. Amazon to the rescue! I ordered 

an Swpeet 120Pcs 8 Sizes 304 Stainless Steel Single Ear Hose Clamps assortment. That arrived today and I was able to reattach the fittings to the tubes and complete the connections to the pump.

Next was adding water to the tank both to test the fittings for leaks and to dewinterize the system. I turned the pump on and no leaks. The tank and water lines are in the process of being sanitized. In the morning, I will empty the chlorine water and fill it with some baking soda to remove the residual antifreeze taste and odor.

Sound is not much different than before. It seems to be a good move to do this and it will set things up for a future modification. But for now, it is time for some pictures.

Originally posted by Ben Herman Can't see your photos unfortunately!

Try again. I host my own photos and I had the computer shut down for a bit of maintenance. You should be able to see them now.

This is the other modification inspired by Vann. 

One thing the RP179 lacks is full-width storage. When my wife and I visited Vann, he showed me not only the water pump move he had done, but the modification he had made to take advantage of the water pump no longer being in the way. He had made his storage full-width. Thanks to his example, I have now done the same.

I built a frame to go across in front of the water heater, just in front of the gas line going through the floor. This was attached to the side wall, floor, and to the plywood that was dividing the storage area after marking and cutting out the wood to make an opening. I then put a piece of thin lauan plywood to divide the storage area from the water heater area.  I had treated the plywood with a couple of coats of clear polyurethane since it did not have the finish of the other wood lining the storage area. Since I no longer need to use my access hatch to get to where  the water pump used to be, I fastened it down and put another piece of hinge in place to stabilize the bed top when I lift the part needed to get to the utilities section. The only part remaining  to be done is to make a better prop rod for when Iift the bed to get in to the storage areas and utilities.

Now for the pictures:

The long black bag is an Aldi version of a Clam. It would not have fit the bed of the Frontier because that is only 5' . It also would not have fit the previous storage. It needed the full-width storage. It fits the new full-width storage just fine. I could possibly have made the storage a bit larger, but I had already converted some of the under-bed open space to a storage bin that gets used for linens that fit the dinette area bed, so I did not want to lose that. This is adequate for our needs.