Safe Travel RV: Upgrades, Tips & Tricks
Safe Travel RV: Upgrades, Tips & Tricks
Hello, my name is Alan, better know as "Big Al"
In 2017, I became nationally certified as a RV inspector through NRVIA, National RV Inspection Association. I have had many types of RV's over 14 years. My goal on this channel is to show you what I have learned, how to improve your RV lifestyle and most important, how to enjoy using your RV to the fullest!
I will cover everything from suspension upgrades, common troubleshooting and how to make repairs, outdoor cooking and equipment, trip planning and annual upkeep and inspection on your RV.
So go ahead and subscribe and lets get going!
Пікірлер
Great Video! How do you know how deep to cut with the Dremel tool to make sure you don't go to far down?
You can feel it pop through the plywood but if there’s a vapor barrier, you may cut it. no biggie, just seal it back with waterproof tape
We actually had this planned before we saw the video with the same Cusinart , we did buy a similar top. However I pulled out a Dometic oven and will need to lower the base about 2 1/4 inches to get it to fit with the 4 inch gas top. Not sure if the sliding shelf is needed but we did buy one.
Dang...the Hellwig is about $500.
10:30 I never got the new stabilizer bar, I just got the upgraded polyurethane bushings. The rubber ones were dry and shredded.
Yah, I have a 1987 Ford E350, and my RV doesn't have that trap door inside. 😭😭
What did you use to secure the metal discs to your roof?
They come with a 3M adhesive. Surface preparation is the key. Clean, sand, clean with rubbing alcohol. apply firm pressure then add weights for 24hr per instructions. i just held pressure for about 3 minutes. no problems after 4,500 miles.
@@SafeTravelRV Thanks!
Awesome video! I bought a 2006 Pleasure Way Excel on a Ford E350 chassis and it was a real boat in the curves or making a turn, scary in fact. I put Wheel Adapter wheel extenders and a Road Master sway bar on the rear ( there was no sway bar in rear originally ) and it made a lot of difference. Only problem now is the steering works you to death. I want to do what you have done in your video. Thanks for the great information.
love it! But it is pronounced quee-zen-art
how did you find this worked out for your power consumption? Is this only able to be used while plugged in or do you have a battery system and converter that can handle the power draw?
As everyone’s 12v power supply varies, it’s hard to answer exactly . On my Class C with 2 -100amp lithium batteries and an alternator that charges those batteries, i leave it on all the time. The video talks about power consumption near the beginning. you can search how to determine battery consumption based on watts per hour. Just remember that lead acid batteries and AGM batteries should only be discharged to 50%. Lithium more like 15%. So a 100 amp lead acid battery has only 50 amps of useable power.
Safe Travel RV: Upgrades, Tips & Tricks, You're the best! I subscribed because I love your content!
Some time has passed since you made the repair and I’m wondering if the “open door theory” still stands? Most people close the door when it rains!
Great video thanks for sharing
Need more shots of install
Exactly what I was looking for. My wife and I recently inherited my parent’s older camper and we have found some areas of concern.
I'm planning to do the same install on the roof of my Airstream Interstate 19 using the TRIO Flatmount Standard Gen 3. I was wondering how you protect the exposed ethernet cable end after removing the Gen 3 dish. Do you use some kind of weatherproof connector? If so, can you provide me a link? TIA
Hi, i will always have my cable connected when traveling. If I take it off, i simply put it into a baggie and zip tie. There are several types of waterproof RJ45 connectors out there. I would get one and seal the other end with silicone.
Great video. Exactly what I needed as we have found some water damage in two places. Thanks.
I just returned from our 1st trip on our 2023 E450 28ft coach. Luckily, it was only about 400 miles as the ride was horrible and scary AF on the highway as we also flat towed our F150. Needles to say, that was how I ended up here. I will be doing these upgrades as soon as I can. Hopefully, before our next trip. Any other suspension upgrade necessary?
Hmmm, on that new of a coach, it shouldn’t have been a white knuckle drive! Can you elaborate on the specifics? My first thoughts are tire pressures and weight distribution issues.
@@SafeTravelRV it was unstable with very soft suspension when trucks passed by, driving into gas stations, while at the camp ground, etc. I feel the sturdier shocks and sway bar should help alot
What are your air bags set at? 75-80 psi is typical. check pressure before each trip as they can bleed down.
Have you looked at the sway bar they installed? maybe only need shocks, sumo’s and steering stabilizer
I followed your lead and got my 2023 class c motorhome suspension upgraded. I had Performance Ford Truck Country in Woods Cross, UT install the equipment. That consisted of Koni FSD shocks, Hellwig sway bars, Sumo springs and a roadmaster reflex steering stabilizer. Parts were $2,700 and install w/ an alignment was $1,100. It was 3.5 hours of labor. My coach drives fantastic now. The new shocks soak up the bumps much better and no more swaying coming out of parking lots or driveways. Also the steering stabilizer tightened up the steering and it tracks straight down the highway now. I would recommend these upgrades to anybody with a class c E-450 chassis motorhome. The way it drives down the road is dramatically improved!
Great info. Thanks
Coolest.thing.EVER! TYSM! 💓
Good information and nice detailed repair instructions. The jerky camera work made me a little dizzy.😵💫
Pizza cooks well in a small oven. I use a pizza stone.
Gas…nope
I don’t see how you connected the wires?
i just ran it under the headliner trim down beside window trim and under dash to cigarette adapter
Excellent video! 👍 I'm about to do the same upgrades to my 2023 Thor Quantum 31ft on a Ford E450 chassis. Going to have Ford trucks do the whole thing at once and then give it an alignment at the end. I hope I'm as happy with the new suspension upgrades as you are.....will let you know! 🙂
Get a pizza stone and place it on the metal tray over the burner in the oven. Make sure the holes around the edges of the tray are not covered. Had a problem with some things cooking unevenly or flat out burning, until I put a pizza stone in. Works great now. Also cheaper than replacing your oven, if you're on a budget.
I repaired half a trailer with this laminated foam floor. You can never get the floor back to support a person without adding metal cross beams.
Do you think it’s worth putting a hellwig sway bar on the rear?
If you are having issues back there then go for it. my class c is 28’ and the factory one is working fine.
Make sure the ground wire is grounded
Skip the sliding rack and keep the oven in place while cooking. Easy. The top of the cavity is a heat resistant cook top.
Hi, thanks for your comment. Please keep in mind that every air fryer oven manufacture has minimum requirements top, bottom and sides to combustible's. My oven cavity did not meet those requirements therefore I had to install the sliding tray to use when cooking.
@@SafeTravelRV I’m using a Ninja SP101, the one that flips up for easy cleaning. It’s exceptionally popular for good reason. With the oven gone, it has plenty of vertical space to put pans or cutting boards and there is about 1 inch of clearance on either side of the unit. After baking for 25 minutes, the inside panels of the cavity were barely warm to the touch. You are right, it depends on the unit, but even if another unit was half as insulated as my ninja, I feel confident it’s likely to be fine. YMMV
This is extremely helpful & well done! Thank you for sharing :)
Great Job!!!!
Hi Kevin, I am also replacing my Voyager camera, and I am following your advice. I've purchased the Erapta. I have it all wired, but I and going to see if I can reuse my backup camera wiring since I can't re-run it through my RV. The wiring is through my roof, and completely sealed. I am hoping to buy an adapter to convert the Voyagers plug to the style used by the Erapta. But I am not having luck determining what style either on is. Let alone where I could by an adapter. Any recommedations? I could cut the ends off of splice on new ones from the Erapta system., but I hate to do since there is a lot of shielding it appears on some of the strands. Unless it is my only option.
Try RVS, rearviewsafety.com or RVcams.com, Tim is great with problem solving!
I was looking for a new range/stove, glad I watched this video. I had no idea the ovens had those issues with burning stuff.
Hello sir. Thank you for information about the upgraded to your rv. I try to search for the front sway bar but did not have any luck of whom would sell it. Can you please let me know where did you buy the hellwig front sway bar from. Thank you in advance.
Sorry for the delay, I had comment notifications off. Try etrailer.com, TruckSpring.com, CarParts.com
Nice. But I just bought a 21" GE profile drop in range. I hear they work great. Will find out soon
hello, i have bought a reverse camera for my car and it has a logo pop up mode, but i cut the wire to make it shorter and reconnected the wiring, it was one red cable and one yellow, i connected the uncovered wire, and that thin layer of that steel like paper covering but isnt giving any signal, is any chance that the camera is shorted out or something else?, what is the uncovered wire and that steel like protection even for and what happen if the wires makes contact with other wires, im worried i've shorted the car camera, how can i test the camera?
Make sure the thinground wire is grounded..
I've got the same oven, none of my food burns in there. Sounds like a skill issue
On a different note, I notice the driver seat, is that the factory one or did you upgrade it? The one that comes with mine, after a few hundred miles you can feel very uncomfortable. Wondering if upgraded where did you get it from? Thank you in advance.
Hi Alex, I felt the same way and set out trying to find a better captain’s chair for the E450 cutaway chassis. A friend of mine had purchased a Coach House on the E450 with those chairs and when I saw them, I had to have them. After contacting Coach House, I was told those were custom made for them. Long story short, the person at Coach House didn’t want to share his sources and it was a challenge to get him to send me a set. My biggest concern was how the chair would mount to the seat base. It was not an easy task and I was fortunate to have a friend who does metal fabrication. In the end, I do like them but I wouldn’t go through the hassle again. For those wanting to upgrade, I would suggest having them upgraded by a custom auto upholstery shop to your specifications. I would also add the power adjustable base to the passenger side to. Good luck and let me know which way you went.
Al - Great video! We’re upgrading to bigger camper and I HATE the idea of a traditional oven. But I have one problem: I cannot locate the black “grip premium” liner you show at the end. Is that a Con-tac product?
Home Depot in the carpet section. Shelf liner.
Really did not see how you do it. Just talking
Great video. But let me add a piece of advice to the readers- Dremel is not your only option with these tools. Every tool manufacturer makes a multi-tool (or oscillating saw) as well as an angle grinder or what is referred to here as a Rotozip.
I used a Rotozip. What part of the video are you referring to? Thanks !
@@SafeTravelRV You used a Dremel oscillating saw to cut out the subfloor. Just want DIY'ers to know they don't have to look specifically for this brand. Every leading tool mfg makes a multi-tool (or oscillating saw).
Great video. Thanks ❤
Hope it was helpful! Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't already!!
how u doing?- that's epic . take care~
I would like to remove my oven and make it a large storage area for pots and pans. I would also like to remove the microwave and replace it with a convection one. Can you do a video on this?
How close are you to the Atlanta area?! We could do yours and video it! If you can find a convection MW that would fit your current opening , it would be pretty straightforward. The extra countertop space where the stove will be removed would be a great additional work surface and that would certainly require some custom work .
Safetravelrv, where are you located in the Atlanta area? Do you do modifications ?
Don’t forget the electric smoker! I have a tabletop version and it’s my go to cooker. (PitBoss)
I plan to do a very similar upgrade - do you think the original Furrion oven/stove could be taken apart and the original stove top be used? THANKS
Hi, my first thought is that it would be more trouble than it’s worth. You would have to separate the gas lines supplying the cooktop and oven, probably do some sheet metal work and add a heat shield. The replacement I recommended drops right in!
How much air do you have in the air bags when traveling and pulling a toad?
Hi Tammy, I don’t tow but carry about 150lbs of bikes on the back. I keep pressure between 75-80 psi and from what I have read, that’s what many other set their pressure to also.
I would sure appreciate more info for the dually valve kit. Manufacturer, part number, etc. I have a class C Ford E450. Thank you and great video!
Thanks Perry for your reply. I generally do not list part numbers because these valve stems are specific to your chassis, wheel size and wheel type. Do a search for Always Shiny Wheels & RV, get the item number and then use that number to search for best prices. Always Shiny has good prices. Big Al
Where to purchase the valve extenders and tire monitoring system?
Buy truck wheels.com or do a search for best price. There are many good TPMS systems out there. I’ve always used TireMinder.com.