Community Forums

SpaceNorman · 04-12-2017, 09:11 PM

Anybody ever install a TV lift cabinet in their coach?

We've got our main 42" TV mounted on the midship wall that extends from the curbside of the coach. Salon seating includes a 75 inch sofa in the curbside slideout and a 68 inch J lounger sofa in the roadside wall slide - directly across from the 75 inch sofa. The driver and passenger captain chairs become part of the salon seating when rotated 180 degrees. The dining table (and the computer desk that is part of it) in the curbside slide - directly in front of the main TV.

My DW's favorite seat when watching TV is to sit sideways on the 75 inch sofa. Unfortunately, this puts me directly in her line of sight when I'm sitting at my favorite seat in front of the computers.

We're toying with the idea of moving the J lounger away from the wall - just far enough to stick a television lift mechanism behind it and putting a large screen TV on it. When deployed - it would rise up from behind the J Lounger - and easily viewed straight on from the 75 inch sofa as well as from the passenger seat. It would also be easily seen from my "computer desk" if I turn around.

Has anybody added a TV lift? Any suggestions on sourcing such a device? We're located in the Metro Detroit Area. Does anybody have a line on any companies that might specialize in that sort of modification? We're not that far from Indiana .. so traveling isn't completely out of the question.

95B20V5 · 04-12-2017, 09:29 PM

This should be easy to do as I have one in the exact same setup except it drops down from there into the exterior curbside front slide to the outside from behind a jlounge. I am in a 2008 Monaco Dynasty Renaissance IV 43ft.

Sneelock · 04-12-2017, 10:16 PM

This may or may not be helpful since my coach is probably not configured the same as yours but as to the question about the tv lift - yes, I installed one this winter.

For me it was a usability issue for the limited living space. To begin with, my coach is only 36', and it has a side entry door rather than bus configuration. A common theme I've noticed on older coaches like mine (in the sub 40' range) is the 'living room' area, more or less directly behind the cockpit area, with a fold-out or jack knife couch on one side and maybe a recliner and fold-out table on the other. The tv seems to be almost universally mounted in the center of the overhead console.

That always seemed strange and uncomfortable to me. The obvious location for the tv in my coach (and many others I've seen) is opposite the couch. One problem is that almost all coaches also have a large window along the wall in this section of the coach.

I decided to build a custom cabinet to mount the tv on a lift so it would be at a comfortable viewing height and angle without interfering with the window.

I removed the fold-down table that was mounted directly behind the passenger seat to figure out exactly how much space I had to work with. Since I had about 60" of space I decided to design a multi-purpose cabinet that would accommodate the tv lift, an electric fireplace, and also function as a small work station using the pivoted passenger seat. The fireplace was just a cheapo we picked up at Costco for $99 and is mostly for atmosphere although it is capable of putting out 1400 watts - just enough to keep the chill off in the evening.

The lift I used is a 12 volt Mor-ryde product, check their website, I think they have two or three different types or sizes. I needed one no more than 24" tall when down so the top of the cabinet would be below window level. It was able to handle our Samsung 32" Smartv. Depending on where you plan to mount your lift you need to keep that collapsed height in mind. BTW, the lift I got was fairly inexpensive, only $220 or so. Looking around a lot of them are more like $6-700 or more.

Here's the part I think you'll like: remember back in the 80's when everyone had those huge oak entertainment centers in their living rooms? Good ones cost a grand or more back then but now they're albatrosses like the 32" tube tvs everyone seemed to have just before flat panels finally became affordable. Anyway, I had one of those old entertainment centers taking up space in storage. I dismantled it and salvaged all the solid oak out of it that I could and used that to build the cabinet for my coach.

We just got back from a six week cruise around the Southwest and everything worked out great, we're really happy with it.

RKins · 04-13-2017, 03:42 AM

Sneelok that looks fabulous - great job. What was the bare minimum depth you needed to house the TV and the lift? I would like to squeeze a lift/tv behind my love seat that is behind the co-pilot chair, under the window and in front of the mid entry door.

spsm · 04-13-2017, 04:06 AM

Sneelok ...nice work.....put me on your waiting list. lol

MSHappyCampers · 04-13-2017, 09:12 AM

Norman, this is what I did. Maybe it will give you some ideas!

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f258/the-...ne-136185.html

twojayhawks · 04-13-2017, 09:54 AM

Newmar has been doing the main TV on a lift for years now ours is a 46". Since it's just the two of us we did away with the love seat that would normally be in front of the TV on the lift. Here is our set up if you would like more design ideas. Good luck!

Sneelock · 04-13-2017, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RKins

Sneelok that looks fabulous - great job. What was the bare minimum depth you needed to house the TV and the lift? I would like to squeeze a lift/tv behind my love seat that is behind the co-pilot chair, under the window and in front of the mid entry door.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spsm

Sneelok ...nice work.....put me on your waiting list. lol

Thanks for the nice comments. Regarding dimensions, this cabinet's overall depth is 13", 8" of which are used to house the tv. The lift is furred out from the wall 1 1/4" however, and there's another 1 1/2"+ between the face of the tv screen and the interior panel that separates the tv compartment from the fireplace compartment. In terms of absolute bare minimums, this lift has 2 1/2" depth and the tv another 2 1/2" depth. Allowing minimum space from face of screen to anything that might touch it I'd say 5 1/2" but you'll have to check the specs on any lift and tv that you're considering (or have).

SpaceNorman: apologies for the unintended thread hijack.