Community Forums

TTMartin · 06-22-2016, 04:23 PM

I have a 2002 Trail-Lite Bantam B19. I want to mount a 32" flat screen TV above the emergency exit window / dinette. Total weight of the TV and bracket will be about 15 to 18 lbs. Since this was an outside wall, I was considering just drilling all the way through to the outside, and putting a lag bolt, washer, 3M 5200 on the outside and nuts on the inside.

Another option would be to bond (liquid nails/3M 5200) a piece of luan plywood to the inside of the wall to reinforce it in the area of the bracket and mount it then with pop rivets or wood screws.

The mounting bracket is about 8" X 8" and has holes for up to 6 bolts/screws/rivets.

I'd appreciate your feedback.

Cover Dog · 06-22-2016, 05:21 PM

www.gostikproducts.com

I used their tv mount last year on our fifth wheel. Never worried about it failing. Move tv anywhere you want . No drilling/holes move from rv to rv.

Skip426 · 06-22-2016, 05:26 PM

Welcome to iRV2.

Drilling through the wall could effect re-sale value .

The window should have framing up each side , I think you should consider a board to span across the framing and mounting the bracket to the board.
Hardwood 1X6 will support the weight without warping
If you check your sales brochures I think you'll find there is aluminum frame work that will accept , self tapping screws to support the board.

TTMartin · 06-22-2016, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cover Dog

GOstik Products, Suction Cup Accessory Mounts, Apollo Beach FL

I used their tv mount last year on our fifth wheel. Never worried about it failing. Move tv anywhere you want .

Thanks for the reply, that looks like a neat product.

I guess I wasn't clear on my post, I want the TV inside the RV above the dinette, but, am concerned about the interior wall board holding the weight.

alvo · 06-22-2016, 05:42 PM

Just for clarification since I'm confused reading what you want, you're mounting the television on the outside of your trailer or the inside? You specified "outside wall", but they're all outside walls, aren't they?

alvo · 06-22-2016, 05:45 PM

I guess you were typing as i was.

If the wall construction is luan (1/8" thick wood product), you could easily install a standard wall mount for your set with appropriate molly or toggle bolts. 20 pounds isn't a lot of weight and the wall construction will easily support that amount.

TTMartin · 06-22-2016, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip426

Welcome to iRV2.

Drilling through the wall could effect re-sale value .

The window should have framing up each side , I think you should consider a board to span across the framing and mounting the bracket to the board.
Hardwood 1X6 will support the weight without warping

If you check your sales brochures I think you'll find there is aluminum frame work that will accept , self tapping screws to support the board.

Thanks I'll try and work out something one the inside only. I got goofy results with the stud finder.

I really wish I had all those wonderful sales brochures that show the bare aluminum frame. But, with R-Vision Trail-lite now defunct all those kind of things seem to have disappeared from the internet.

I did find YouTube video where someone had tore up the floor of a Trail-lite, it had almost no aluminum framing, instead was almost entirely structural insulated panels (luan bonded to both faces of structural foam board). At first I did buy a very wide (but heavy mount), that may reach from where the stud finder gave readings. I just don't want drill a bunch of holes that miss their mark.

TTMartin · 06-22-2016, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alvo

I guess you were typing as i was.

If the wall construction is luan (1/8" thick wood product), you could easily install a standard wall mount for your set with appropriate molly or toggle bolts. 20 pounds isn't a lot of weight and the wall construction will easily support that amount.

I'm really not sure what the interior wall board is actually made of. I'm hoping someone with a Trail-lite can give some insight on that. Or I guess I can poke around inside some cabinets and see if I can figure it out.

I do know that Trail-lite trailers are supposed to be aluminum framed and laminated fiberglass construction, for the exterior of the walls. I'm not sure what's on the interior surface.

alvo · 06-23-2016, 03:05 PM

It's a hard, rigid surface, isn't it? You could pull out one of the wall outlets and see what the wall edge looks like.

TTMartin · 06-24-2016, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alvo

I guess you were typing as i was.

If the wall construction is luan (1/8" thick wood product), you could easily install a standard wall mount for your set with appropriate molly or toggle bolts. 20 pounds isn't a lot of weight and the wall construction will easily support that amount.

I got over to check the trailer today, it is 1/8 plywood paneling. I also did some more checking with the stud finder. There are no vertical studs in the area, but, there is a horizontal support that runs along the top of the window, and at the top of the trailer.

I'm planning on gluing another piece of thin plywood on top of the existing wall board, and then screwing it to the horizontal beams at the top of the trailer, and above the window.

I'll then drill through both the original and added layer and attach the bracket with molly bolts.

I know 20 lbs static weight isn't that much, but, with the dynamic forces inside a moving trailer, I feel more comfortable erring on the side of caution. The extra layer of luan won't add hardly any weight, and for me it will add a lot of piece of mind.

Thanks for all of your input on this matter.

alvo · 06-25-2016, 02:04 PM

There are Hollow Door Anchors available that work really well in Luan panels.

EZDZIT · 06-27-2016, 06:40 PM

I don't know, of course, what the viewing angles of your TV will be but sometimes in a RV they are pretty extreme.
Therefore, I suggest that while selecting your new TV watch how the picture quality changes when viewed from an off-center position. For example, we have a Toshiba in our s&b living room that can be viewed from several different seating positions around the room. The picture quality remains good. While I slightly prefer the color quality of the Samsung in my home office, it must be viewed almost head-on before the picture quality starts to drop off.
IMHO. Just sayin'.