Community Forums

Nxkharra · 04-20-2013, 01:04 PM

I have purchased a safe that could be screwed to rv for extra safety (if there is such a thing). I am hoping i could install in my closet which is one of my slide outs. I am concerned that i pock a hole in the wall of the RV.
Could you please let me know if there is a good way to do this.
I also have a storage under the bed and screw it to the wall of the storage but it is a thin plywood.

BFlinn181 · 04-20-2013, 01:55 PM

The best place would be where you can secure it to the floor of the RV. Check to see how thick the floor is in the slide and that will tell you if it can be mounted there. I would fasten it through the safe's floor, not into a sidewall. No fear of poking a hole in the wall that way.

woodfoot · 04-20-2013, 02:58 PM

You might consider what is called an elevator bolt, it's similar to a carriage bolt, except it has a flat head instead of a rounded head over the typlcal squared head. It will be flush with bottom of slide when tight.

Jeff and Cheryl · 04-20-2013, 03:10 PM

Something else to consider, weight of the safe. A friend installed a gun safe in his 5'r, under the bed. had to move it to rear of rig as the weight of safe put him overweight on his hitch. If your safe weighs more than a few pounds putting it in a slide might cause problems.

Ernie Ekberg · 04-20-2013, 03:44 PM

If you have thru bolts on your slide for your seatbelt, take one of those out and get a couple just like it. Usually the heads of those bolts are rounded just enough so they don't ineterfere with your slide seal

Dunner · 04-20-2013, 03:47 PM

How about installing it in the floor of a closet. Should be a solid floor to bolt it to.

Nxkharra · 04-20-2013, 04:46 PM

I am planning to install in in the floor of the closet which is the slide out. Agree that it seems solid. It is carpeted so i am not sure there is wood in there.

Dunner · 04-20-2013, 05:13 PM

Knock on it or use a magnet to see if it is steel. Maybe even a tiny drill bit to see how thick it is. Make sure there are no fluid tanks or wiring under it. Maybe a stud finder. Two to four lag bolts into wood should deter any would be thieves. They like to hit and run. That should slow them down enough to thieve someplace else.

Ernie Ekberg · 04-20-2013, 05:22 PM

Most slides that I have been involved with have a structure of aluminum square tubing with either the vacubond system or 3/8 plywood over a thin micron of metal. Below that is the tubing and the lower "roof" of the slide is more smooth metal.

ga traveler · 04-20-2013, 05:37 PM

I installed mine under the bed. I used bolts and locking nuts. The bolt head is in the safe, so if the bad guys try to remove the locking nuts, they will just spin and not come off. I drilled through the floor and installed the nuts in the basement.

Sweetbriar · 04-21-2013, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dunner

They like to hit and run. That should slow them down enough to thieve someplace else.

Spot on. You can't stop a determined thief but if you slow them down enough they will move on. Bolted to the floor, which is usually 1/2 to 3/4 ply, of the coach should be enough. If you want to take it even further add a plate of 1/8 or 1/4 aluminum to the underside of the floor.

Nxkharra · 04-21-2013, 06:02 AM

Is there anyway i could determine the thickness of the floor without taking the carpet off. I was thinking of drawing a long thin nail to a stop but still worried about pocking hole to the bottom of the slide out where the closet is.