I now can use the hanging closet for coats and such and all our fold able clothes go in the drawers. This mod should work on most Rpod models with a front queen bed, the drawer would just have to be reconfigured for the space available.
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9426&title=all-my-180-mods-johnsu - All my 180 mods

Also when i had the tools out and extra wood i did the kitchen drawer mod, who designs this stuff?

Old vs new

Les,

https://www.amazon.com/Telescopic-Telescoping-Ladder-Extension-Generic/dp/9996981126/ref=lp_553480_1_4?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1479608446&sr=1-4 - This is the ladder we got for our camper.  Very light, and extends only 3 feet when you need it, or any length up to its max 12.5 feet.  

Your welcome! Feel free to ask me anything about how i and why i did anything for the mod. 

If i had it to do over i might have made the drawers shorter so the front storage area could also be taller inside. And maybe not run the new bottom ply all the way to the wall on the left for easier access to the heaters and pump. But I felt too big is better than too small!

In April we are going out to the east coast on a 1 month drive around the country and if i learned anything about the 180 on our shorter trips it was the lack of clothes storage, the lone small wardrobe just didn't cut it. I'm having almost as much fun modding as I am podding.

Rgds John

Thanks! I'm hoping to get over there, I here it's beautiful ! I am going to N. Tonawanda Because That's where the relatives are, Conceived there but born in California. Haven't been back in 35 years!

Looking forward to seeing your mod with the drawers! I'll add a few pictures of how i supported the opening under the drawers with angle iron behind the lower face frame when I get a picture this weekend,  If you have any questions when you do the mod, just ask!

Here's a video I took but it wouldn't download correctly the first time. 

http://goo.gl/photos/T77PrwwVDVdpwEd97 - http://goo.gl/photos/T77PrwwVDVdpwEd97

 I feel like I'm just fixing design flaws with the mods I've done. Having a ball playing with it!

Good luck!!

Rgds John

Thanks for the inspiration.... we moved to the Rpod from a 25' Class C and it is the 2# bag and 10# of stuff.  Very drastic cutting required on our part but we'll get 'er done.

I do have a couple of questions.  

After the modification:

How do you get to the water pump to winterize the unit?

How do you access the hot water heater by-pass valves?

Do you use the storage in the "boxes" over the water heater and furnace?

So looking forward to seeing your mod!

 Hope this helps; 

1. The green arrow is where I would stop the lower plywood. This added 1x2  is where the drawer box sits. I ran the plywood all the way to the wall and then went back and cut it out for better access when the top plywood is off. You could skinny up the drawers to make this opening larger for better access A few Inches would make it easier to get to the valves from the top after taking off the top plywood.

2. The red arrow is the area I cut the lower plywood out for access. I do not use this as storage because I could not figure out any reasonable way to access it.

3. The yellow arrows point to the panels that i can unscrew and gain access to the pump and the back of the water heater valves if i need to through the storage compartment. It's tight, but i can fit back there with a little magic.

4. The blue arrow is an area i left open that I can reach in and turn valves on the back of the water heater (orange arrow), after climbing in the storage door.

5. Purple arrow... I have no idea what this pipe is used for, Please let me know!

I maybe would have made the drawers not as deep, (i went 4' for max space) so the front storage could be taller and when the top plywood is off there is even better access from the top for the pump and valves.

Also once the top plywood  is off the drawer box just unscrews and lifts out and I can remove the lower plywood for full access. 

Living on the coast in central California means It never freezes here, I wasn't even thinking about winterizing, Good call!

Rgds Joihn

 

One thing I did was to cut the paneling in front of the water heater.  I mounted hinges on the right side of the panel I cut and thumb latches to hold it closed.  With this I have lie on the floor but I can open the hatch and work the valves on the water heater... Can't figure out how to get to the water pump, however.

We are leaving for Plam Springs next week so your mod and others that I can figure out will have to wait until we get home.

One question please.  Does your battery charger (which on my unit is breaker #7) create noise on the AM radio?  With the charger on the AM radio us useless and the CD is very distorted.  Turn the charger off and all is well.  Any thoughts?  [I also get some noise on breaker #3 but not as bad]

I think the hose marked with the purple arrow is the suction to the water pump for sucking in the RV antifreeze (if you want to go that way).  

Where you left the opening so you can go in through the outside door and crawl in I do not need because ot the door I cut in on the panel below your orange arrow.  Door is about 12" X 12" so plenty of room.

I just read a post on the suction hose, another mystery solved!

When I bring the unit to the house for loading it up I'll take a picture of the door and send it to  you.

I also installed two vent panels from under the bed to the storage area.  In our cold weather here IF the area under the bed is unheated there is a tendency for condensate to be under and around the mattress.

The grill allows warm air to circulate.  In our last rig we also put foam around the mattress for condensation at the ends and side of the bed but until we try it we won't know if that will be necessary.  I hope with the foam insulation they talk about it will not be required..... we'll see.

Bill 

I think you have a problem with your battery. I have two with a 4 way switch ( off-bat1-bat2-both) either battery lasts 2 days dry camping with no furnace use. I don't trust the led meter, So I put in a meter on the same switch as the porch light,( Ebay $6), Looks like this;

I have heard of this problem, But I think either your battery is bad/not charging when plugged in or you have a vampire somewhere. You sure EVERYTHING is off? You could search the forum or post a new topic because some guys here have seen it ALL! I think I'll be in Anza Borego next weekend maybe we'll bump into you!

Since I KNOW I have a problem I will start chasing "phantom" loads when I bring it to the house tomorrow.  I do know from the radio noise being generated by the charger is a good place to start.

Later

I have been trying to get photos of my modifications but getting ready for leaving on our trip and taking the rpod back and forth to the dealer to get stuff fixed, and this an off the show room floor new unit.

When, and if, we make it to Palm Springs for our 3 week stay I'll get the picture taken an post them.

  Your jeep looks like it maxes out a 4500 lbs towing capacity which includes all the weight in the vehicle. So every lb is important. I tow with an 11,200 lb towing capacity truck so didn't really consider weight. I Bought the pod because it was the smallest thing that had all we need for comfort, (less is more, my wife said). The mod let me triple my clothes storage and i now use the hanging closet to hang stuff!!

 My 180 has a dry weight of 2853 and I weighed it last week fully loaded for 5 nights of camping with a full load of fresh water (Dry camping at Joshua Tree) and it came in at 3,493. Which means with water, i'm hauling 640 lbs of extra weight in and on the trailer.   Minus water,  that's 390 lbs of gear and mods.   The sticker on the trailer says I could go to 926 of cargo for a total of 3779 lbs.

 

I really like this idea and may go back and play with this, It would leave better access to pumps, heaters, and such, and could make the front storage area taller. Since it all just unscrews it wouldn't be to much work. Thanks for the input!!

Rgds John

Angle iron mod pics This one opens up the under bed storage and supports the drawer sides.

 

And the latest goofy mod, Wife said I'm nuts... til she saw it!

And Joshua Tree last Thursday , 76 degrees and beautiful!!

First when we started using the shower, water started running out from under the shower stall.  First thought it was just not closing the shower curtain properly WRONG.  Every time you took a shower it felt like you were on a trampoline.  I finally took the inspection plate off and the plumbing had been damaged by trying to flex rigid piping.  That took bringing in a repair man to replace all the shower drain plumbing AND installing some braces to prevent flexing the shower base.  The repair man also took the bottom shower curtain guide off and properly installed caulking.... Under the track - not on the top like the factory install.

Let's see what else... Oh yes the battery charger is generating so much noise that the AM radio reception is not possible.  It will have to be replaced totally.

Also there is a constant DC load of about 3/4 amp ALL THE TIME.  The ONLY way to stop it is to disconnect the battery.  You charge the battery, turn off the charger, and next morning the battery is dead.  Going to make boon-docking or staying at Camp Walmart very difficult.

The door on the bathroom cabinet sounds like a rusty iron gate when opening or closing.  

Few other things also.   Bottom line is that it is now back at the dealer to fix these items.  If past service is any idea of what to expect - but this is not a Forest River problem.

Couple all of the above with Palm Springs weather of freezing nights, cold days, and heavy rain and that didn't help either.

Oh well maybe be better next trip.

Couple of good things was that we were able to hook up with a Forest River person who pulled all the stops to start getting the things fixed AND the trailer did pull like a dream.  Most of the time didn't even know it was back there.

That's it for now.  When I get the Rpod back I'll continue with the mods and take and post pictures of what I have already done.

Later

Sorry to here about the maiden voyage from hell!. But it sound like your still in good spirits !

I turned off the breaker to the charger and sure enough the AM radio works much better.

I find it odd that this could be an issue in 2017 . 

That 3/4 amp draw, how did you figure that out? some type of tester? I would try pulling different fuses til the culprit turned  up, and then have a talk with it.  Keep me up to date.

We were in Anza Borrego and Joshua Tree Mid December and it was beautiful day and night 72/60,  I think we got lucky! This story could have been in the camping adventures forum.

rgds John 

Here is how I measured ALL AC and DC currents in the rig.

AC is simple.  I just used a Fluke clamp on amp-meter at each breaker.  

For DC measurement I used a Fluke 87 (most all decent VOM meters can do this... I just happen to have lots of Fluke equipment).  What you do is pull a fuse from the 12V fuse panel and then insert the meter probes into the socket the fuse came out of.  This makes the VOM a "fuse" to complete the circuit except now you can actually measure how much DC current is flowing through the meter.

When all of the fused circuits are measured then one thing you must do.  With all of the DC fuses removed, go to the battery itself and disconnect one of the wires to the battery and then use the Amp-meter and measure the current.  I found that I had almost 3/4 amp current......WITH ALL FUSES REMOVED.  This is called "phantom" load and apparently Forest River has chosen to connect things directly to the battery without mentioning it anywhere.  Some of the load I cannot figure out.  It just taps off the +batt lead and goes under the floor and where it goes I have no idea.  

For this reason it requires either to remove a battery lead when parking the unit for any length of time or as I did install a switch AT THE BATTERY to make it easier.  In my case I brought the 180 home from the dealer and parked it for 3 days in our RV storage area until I brought it over to the house to start loading it for the trip.  First thing... DEAD BATTERY 8.7volts.  Charged the battery all day and over night while I was loading the trailer.  Battery would only take a partial charge because of the deep discharge but would come up to 11.6 volts.  Disconnected the power for the night, made sure everything was turned off and next morning.... DEAD BATTERY.  

This is what got me started trying to figure out what was going on and thus far is still a problem.  We'll see what the dealer does.  I suspect they will have it for a month or so....

This explain things for you or do you need more?  Collectively maybe we owners can solve the problem.

The smaller set of wires goes to the Zamp plug on the side of the pod at the back. You May have a very small short in this wire, Just disconnect it. Thanks for the tutorial, I have a nice Klein unit that should do the trick. I am going to play with it and learn something new!

Since i don't plan on using the zamp port for solar, ( I would just do something near the front), I disconnected it from the batteries, and re powered it (with a fuse) when i  put in the battery switch. It comes out behind the rear panel that comes off with 2 screws that covers the back of the taillight in the exterior storage compartment  and goes up to the Zamp port. I cut the wire in the storage compartment,  and have a set of switches that power under pod led lights and an led light wall mount landscape light that i just stick to the storage door magnet and plug into the Zamp port for an outdoor step light.

 Here's a pic

http://goo.gl/photos/8TJpCdgCmUwuCZWG7 - http://goo.gl/photos/8TJpCdgCmUwuCZWG7

( not sure yet how to use the new pic insert)

George

SLO is great - my folks live there so it's on my circuit.

Westy

These drawers are a great idea and they look fantastic!  I would appreciate more info / plans.

Our TV is a 2014 Honda Ridgeline and although it has 600lb hitch capacity, I am conscious about overall weight.  How much weight do you think your mod added?

We are new to RPod and were discussing ways to increase storage during our maiden outing last weekend.  We found 10" X 24" wire racks with folding legs at WalMart that fit perfectly in the shelves above the dinette and added 2X shelf space to the "pantry".

Welcome to the pod world!, We came through Memphis Last week! Just got home today, 25 days SLO to DC and back.

The drawers more than doubled the clothes storage in the 180, I'm assuming you have a 180?

I weighed the mod when I took it out before our trip, Total was 43lbs. You don't need the lower plywood that I put down, It just seemed like the right thing to do but wasn't necessary. Tongue weight should not be more than 10% of a loaded single axle trailer of this size I'm told. 

 We did the trip with a twin bed set up but are in the process of re modding to convert it so it can be turned back into a queen at night. http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9426&PID=88875 - Link to twin bed mod   I really like the floor space it gives but like I told Westy, My wife  (Apparently) needs space for snow angels while sleeping. 

I'm happy to give any answers to questions you may have and there are more pictures I could post if you need.

rgds John