Here are a handful of minor modifications I’ve done to make life easier with our 173:

-        Added a 3” memory foam pad on the opened sofa, for a more comfortable semi-permanent full-size bed.

-        Cut the bottom shelf off a 3-shelf chrome bathroom shelving unit to serve as a work surface over our stove burners. I cut each of the four legs with a hack saw to about 4” long so that the wire shelf clears the burners by a little less than an inch. The wire work surface can just be tilted upward and out of the way against the wall to use both burners. If only one burner is needed, it can be positioned perpendicular to the wall to still provide a work surface over the other burner. It can also be used as a bread toaster, over low flame.

-        It turned out (pure luck) that the other 2 shelves fit perfectly in our space above the refrigerator. In fact, the fit is so perfect that I had to assemble those shelves within the space. They cannot come out of (or go into) the space fully assembled.

-        Chalk-marked the screen skirt of our r-dome for a cut-out at the step, and to cut it into 2 sections: one section for either side of the wheel well. Then I took it to a canvas shop to have them make the cuts and hem them, then add valcro strips at the end of each section so that they can be re-joined at the wheel. It makes installation of the skirt easier, and allows us to use the pull-out step with the screen in place.

-        Slid 3 large black plastic tubs (originally intended for mixing concrete, I think) under the sofa/bed for easier access and use of that large storage area. The two outside corners of the two outer tubs had to be trimmed to perfectly fit the space. I also hinged the end of a 2”x2”x10” board to the flap under the sofa to hold it up when accessing the tubs.

-        Added mud flaps.

If there’s any interest, or need, I’ll try to take pictures to show what I’ve tried to describe.

Sam

Sorry for the 3-month delay; but here are some pictures to go with some of the modifications to our 173 that I described in my original post:

-        Added a 3” memory foam pad on the opened sofa, for a more comfortable semi-permanent full-size bed.

-        Cut the bottom shelf off a 3-shelf chrome bathroom shelving unit to serve as a work surface over our stove burners.

 

I cut each of the four legs with a hack saw to about 4” long so that the wire shelf clears the burners by a little less than an inch.The wire work surface can just be tilted upward and out of the way against the wall to use both burners. If only one burner is needed, it can be positioned perpendicular to the wall to still provide a work surface over the other burner. It can also be used as a bread toaster, over low flame.

It turned out (pure luck) that the other 2 shelves fit perfectly in our space above the refrigerator. In fact, the fit is so perfect that I had to assemble those shelves within the space. They cannot come out of (or go into) the space fully assembled.

- Chalk-marked the screen skirt of our r-dome for a cut-out at the step, and to cut it into 2 sections: one section for either side of the wheel well.

Then I took it to a canvas shop to have them make the cuts, hem them, and add valcro strips at the end of each section so that they can be re-joined at the wheel.

 

It makes installation of the skirt easier, and allows us to use the pull-out step with the screen in place.

 

The two sections valcro back together behind the tire.