Fleetwood Mods and Upgrades--Post 'em here!

[Crgtcg]

We've owned our Fleetwood SW for a year now and we love it! But we did have a mishap last year I would like for everyone to know about. First of all, we have owned and lived in several 5th wheels, this is our first motorhome. Last year we took the grandkids and dogs on a long weekend to the lake. We were taking a cloverleaf loop to get on the interstate in when the full sized refrigerator fell out onto the theater seat. We were so fortunate that the kids wanted to sit at the table and draw while traveling. It would have at least broke legs if not more, don't want to dwell on that! So thankful the dogs hadn't decided to sit there either.

The refrigerator is equipped with front rollers that partially sit on a cheap landing. Even though we were traveling at safe speed, when the coach took the hard turn of the cloverleaf loop the momentum caused the fridge to shift slightly and the entire bottom landing collapsed allowing the top security bar to not function and the fridge tipped fots across.

After we got home, I called fleetwood and informed them about what happened. Never got a phone call back and they just didn't seem to care. I also informed the dealer what had taken place, no concern there either.

So husband fixed it so he would know it was done right! So thankful this turned out ok for us but new motorhome buyers please check this in your brand new rig. That is a huge refrigerator to fall on someone. Will attach pics as soon as I figure out how.

[Bigd9]

Boy that had to be scary! Hard to imagine someone can make something that, have it fail, and not be concerned. Glad no one or pet was hurt. Your experience is prompting me to go look at my refrigerator and make sure it is secure.

[Tajfish]

Crgctg thanks for the heads up. The tie down straps just moved way up the list on that fridge. [emoji736]

[Curtis in TX]

Once had our microwave/ convection/ vent a hood fall out onto the floor going down a highway in Arkansas. The road was Arkansas normal, as in a bumpy roller coaster speed bump, pot hole riddled interstate.

I made angle iron bracket and popped in riivnuts into the microwave body to bolt it down so that would never happen again.

For the price you pay for an RV you'd think they would put some effort into factoring more than static frameworks. After my remodel is completed I'll have a rolling battleship.

Glad no one was hurt....

[RRR]

Originally Posted by Crgtcg

We've owned our Fleetwood SW for a year now and we love it! But we did have a mishap last year I would like for everyone to know about. First of all, we have owned and lived in several 5th wheels, this is our first motorhome. Last year we took the grandkids and dogs on a long weekend to the lake. We were taking a cloverleaf loop to get on the interstate in when the full sized refrigerator fell out onto the theater seat. We were so fortunate that the kids wanted to sit at the table and draw while traveling. It would have at least broke legs if not more, don't want to dwell on that! So thankful the dogs hadn't decided to sit there either.

The refrigerator is equipped with front rollers that partially sit on a cheap landing. Even though we were traveling at safe speed, when the coach took the hard turn of the cloverleaf loop the momentum caused the fridge to shift slightly and the entire bottom landing collapsed allowing the top security bar to not function and the fridge tipped fots across.

After we got home, I called fleetwood and informed them about what happened. Never got a phone call back and they just didn't seem to care. I also informed the dealer what had taken place, no concern there either.

So husband fixed it so he would know it was done right! So thankful this turned out ok for us but new motorhome buyers please check this in your brand new rig. That is a huge refrigerator to fall on someone. Will attach pics as soon as I figure out how.

There is another member here that had a similar problem. IIRC his is a the same year and model of mine. Somehow he he convinced FW to pay for his repair.

I looked for his post but can't find it now. Hope he sees this and weighs in.

How the morons at FW think a 300 pound object with wheels can be secured with two screws into particleboard and a pipe strap is byond me.

[RRR]

Originally Posted by Curtis in TX

Once had our microwave/ convection/ vent a hood fall out onto the floor going down a highway in Arkansas. The road was Arkansas normal, as in a bumpy roller coaster speed bump, pot hole riddled interstate.

I made angle iron bracket and popped in riivnuts into the microwave body to bolt it down so that would never happen again.

For the price you pay for an RV you'd think they would put some effort into factoring more than static frameworks. After my remodel is completed I'll have a rolling battleship.

Glad no one was hurt....

Ours sales rep saw ours bouncing around during the test drive and was "repaired" by the dealer.

About two years later I noticed it was hanging about an inch low on one side when we stopped to eat. We we about 40 miles from home and the wife kept an eye on it.

Again, FW assembly monkeys run self-taping screws in till they strip.

Like you said rivnuts, Locktite and some work and it isn't going anywhere.

[chiefM]

I finished installing the new kitchen faucet, a few new rubber washers and no more leaking joints. While at Home Depot I picked up some stuff to do another quick upgrade before we head out on vacation in 4 weeks. I'll post some pics of that when I start on it sometime this week.

[Pinkertonk]

Originally Posted by fjk73

that is genius! would you mind sharing the process on swapping out the old oven to the dishwasher? looks like the dimensions are the same? what model did you buy?

many thanks

I did a similar thing. The DW is a Fischer & Paykel that came from a 2019 Discovery. The width is the same but obviously you'll have to do some framing. We removed the gas top also and installed a built in induction cooktop and a huge drawer. The Corian countertop is not hard to work with but my seams are not invisible but are only visible when we have the butcher block cover off the cooktop.

I did run new 120V power lines and used 'duplex' breakers in the breaker box.

[Curtis in TX]

Originally Posted by RRR

Ours sales rep saw ours bouncing around during the test drive and was "repaired" by the dealer.

About two years later I noticed it was hanging about an inch low on one side when we stopped to eat. We we about 40 miles from home and the wife kept an eye on it.

Again, FW assembly monkeys run self-taping screws in till they strip.

Like you said rivnuts, Locktite and some work and it isn't going anywhere.

Yea, I hate sheet metal screws.
I had a friends Pop Up in my shop this weekend so we could modify some things an fix a few issues. Would you believe the entry steps were installed with self tapping screws. And none were the same size. I drilled the holes out and installed the steps to the frame with 3/8th, grade 5 bolts and plenty of washers.
Then we rewired his Roof Top Air Conditioner and put it and the gas fired heater on one of the new programmable thermostats. Now it shuts off and starts at a cerain set temp, and if he has WIFI in his campsite he can turn it on and cool or heat the camper from his phone before he gets back to it.
I may upgrade my roof top AC to a nice set of thermostats like that. After I put in the mini split cassette units, of course. May as well, I've rewired everything else. Got tired of raising my hands up to turn on lights and stuff. So I've put Marine grade switches, like the use in high end yatches on the walls.

Even put in a Master switch so I can turrn off all the lights at once, rather than hitting each switch one at a time. Nice to be able to kill them as I leave. And I wired in one next to the door so I don't have to try and find the master switch in the dark when I go to go in.
Plus the master switch is where I can operarate it from the movie recliners while sitting in front of the pop up big screen TV. Sadly I still have to get up to get to the pop corn machine!

OH well. I've got a nice 2 seat movie theater in my Coach. Surround sound and all.
It's where I go to watch movies when we are home too. Wife is happy I'm not rocking the house with my shoot em up movies on high volume.

[chiefM]

Took off the old mirror and redid the kitchen backsplash in weathered quartz. With the new faucet the whole kitchen has been transformed.

[Nathan951]

Originally Posted by chiefM

Took off the old mirror and redid the kitchen backsplash in weathered quartz. With the new faucet the whole kitchen has been transformed.

Nice upgrade!!

[Alan24601]

So the bedroom slide room was making noises and jerking as we tried to extend it so using a bunch of caution we retracted it the bit it was out and waited until I could look at the mechanism. Now if this isn’t a run on sentence what is?
Opened the bed and removed more stuff than I knew and removed the cover to reveal the slide motor. At first everything looked good but when I grabbed the motor it literally came away from the gear set and I was holding it. Talk about a shock! Ordered a new one for a mere $879. That sucks.
It was suggested that the mounting bolts come loose over time and it should be a maintenance item. Not sure but looks like a difficult access project to install the new one. Hard to believe that tiny gear moves the entire bedroom slide.

.

[Curtis in TX]

Well that certainly hoovers!

And not cheap either! Good catch though.
Hope it's not as big a pita to change as it looks.

I've got an interesting mod I'll show after the parts get here. Building up a working mock up now. Will build the real thing when I put down the flooring.

[Frank Miller]

In our 2011 Fleetwood Discovery 40X, it had always been difficult to see or reach anything in the back of the kitchen sink cabinet “cave” and there was a lot of wasted space.



It was difficult to keep tall objects from falling over (and sometimes leaking) as we traveled.

Part of the reason for the wasted space was a built-in shelf assembly that had an almost useless wire rack and a top shelf that stuff would slide off of anytime we moved the coach.



We wanted a place to store the sink covers, microwave shelves, plates for the electric griddle, sink drain pad and other flat objects that don’t stack well.

We decided to dismantle the built-in shelf assembly and use the parts to hold flat objects vertical and provide a way to support a sliding drawer.



For now we are using the wire basket from the built-in to help organize the drawer space. It is now much easier to reach the back of the storage area without having to get down on our hands and knees and move a bunch of stuff! This is a BIG improvement over what we had been dealing with.



We then decided to add a drawer front with handle and put a white plastic liner in the drawer to make cleaning up any spills easier.