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[ron.dittmer]

Here are some things I have done to our 2007 PC-2350 to make it more "friendly".


1) Improving Space Efficiency In Front Cabinets
I have the cherry finish option.  I found close matching pre-finished shelving at Home Depot.
The top shelf holds our huge white binder having everything pertaining to the RV, from product/owners manuals to vehicle registration and insurance.  The shelf also stores our big Rand McNally Road Atlas.


Over The Passenger - Added one shelf to store our widescreen laptop computer.  Also added a power strip underneath it with outlets at various orientations to accomodate all our different charging power supplys.  The laptop, camera, cell phone, video camera, & two-way radios, all plug in at the same time.  All charger cradles will be staged, with their cords tie wrapped, ready to activate at the flip of a switch when we are driving, plugged in, or when the generator is running.



2) Two Gallon Water Pressure Tank
It improves the performance of the fresh water pump.  Water pressure and temperature is now consistent when dry camping, especially benefitial when showering.  The pump also cycles on and off nicely at comfortable intervals.  No more quick on/off groaning from the pump, extending the life of the pump.  Write-up with pictures available.  Provide your email address.
Cost Of Project $50


Given it's location in the outdoor storage compartment, I made an enclousure to protect everything.



3) Slide-Out Bedroom Tray
It mounts under an overhanging cabinet at the foot of our bed, utilized as a shelf.  When we don't want it, we slide it under the cabinet and it's gone.
Cost Of Project $20



4) Entry Door Limiter
This limits the swing of the entry door.  On a strong windy day, the door can easily get ripped out of your hand, swing 180 degrees around, and crash into the side of the RV.  When my awning poles are attached to the side of the RV, this prevents the door from hitting an awning pole.  The limiter is engauged and disengauged in seconds with the door open or closed, is not visible when not needed, and is self storing.  It also never gets in the way when entering or exiting the RV.  The rope does stretch a little, so it has a very nice "soft stop" feel.  Flange weld nuts are perfect to hook the rope on.
Cost Of Project $5


Flanged Weld Nuts work great for hooking the rope on and off from.



5) Window Shade String Reinforcements
I reinforced the shade tensioners that hold the shade strings at the bottom.  No more issues with those things pulling out of the wall when bumped hard, and bumping them is very easy by the dinette and bed.  The solution looks nice too.  Write-up, pictures & drill template available.  Provide your email address.
Cost Of Project $3 per window



6) Foam Rubber, Drawer & Cabinet Liners
Wow, what a difference this made with rattles in the RV.  We bought solid foam rubber drawer liner material on a roll from a home improvement center.  Everything stays put better, and rattles much less.
Cost was $7 for a nice size roll.  A few rolls were needed.



7) Wall Clock With Indoor & Outdoor Thermometer
You hang the clock on the wall, wrap a wireless electronic box in a rag, and place it in the spare tire mounting tube.  The rag keeps the electronic box from rattling, and is very handy when changing a tire.  The clock displays a lot of information including indoor & outdoor temperatures, and indoor relative humidity.  It is also an alarm clock.  Mounted it to the left of the entry door, it forces us to get out of bed to turn it off.
Cost was about $30



8) Tow Our Jeep Liberty
With a Unified Tow Brake, our Liberty is very easy and safe to tow.



9) Suspension Improvements On Our 2007 Ford E350 Chassis
Having all this work done by a truck suspension shop was a costly $3900, but I cannot emphasis enough, how this has improved the handling, comfort, and safety of the motor home by leaps and bounds.  Our PC-2350 now handles like an SUV...not an RV.  No more wandering, boat rocking, swaying, or wrestling when trucks go by or with cross-winds or on uneven road surfaces.....you know....those highways with the groves from heavy truck traffic.  My wife can sit at the dinette, and her coffee will stay put on the table.  You can also nap in the rear bed without getting tossed around.  Mountian roads are taken with the greatest of confidence, even when towing the Jeep Liberty.  The RV stays planted on the road in a hard turn, with the brakes able to do their job well.  This package also eliminates any need for stabilizer jacks when parked.

If you are mechanically inclined, you can install some of this yourself and save big money.  I bought Roadmaster sway bars, but I have since learned that another company Helwig, makes a much lower cost product that is also easier to install.

- Replaced the smaller stock front sway bar with heavy duty Roadmaster version


- Added a rear heavy duty Roadmaster sway bar as there was none on the 2007 E350 chassis to begin with
- Added a rear Henderson trac bar (the blue thing) to eliminate rear tail wagging (Both In Same Picture)

The landscape timbers are simply being stored under the RV.  Just ignore them.

- Replaced the stock shocks with Koni-RV adjustables, set to the stiffest setting

- Replaced the stock steering stabilizer with a heavy duty version by Safe-T-Plus


- Got A Wheel Alignment Done  The shop had to use off-set bushings to get the camber set correctly, as it was off more than one inch.


10) Replaced Generic Plastic Bathroom Faucet With A Nice Pivoting One
When you need the sink clear, simply swivel the faucet aside like a kitchen faucet.  The reach is also much longer than the original, so washing up does not involve pressing hands against the side of the sink bowl.



11) Drop In Sink Screen & Rubber Stopper
No more lost items down the drain.  The screen is sold at all home improvement centers and hardware stores.  I think it is called a 1 inch drain basket.  It simply drops in and lifts out.



12) Folding Shower Stool
Works great, is very strong, and folds up very thin.
Cost Of Stool $15 at Bed Bath & Beyond


Here is where we store the shower stool so the shower pan has room for our collapsible laundry hamper.



13) My Wife Irene's Handy Work With Curtians & Pillows
The original curtians were a lighter green, not matching the green vinyl trim.  The new curtians match perfect, and adding matching pillows too.


Our rig had no sink window curtians so Irene made a set for it too.



14) Self-Storing Dish Rack, Fit's Perfectly!



15) Towel Rack Over Toilet In Bathroom
The picture shows only one towel in each, but we fold-n-roll and stand up all needed towels to fit during trips.  The upper for me, the lower for my wife.



16) Nicely Stored 2' x 4' Folding Table With 4 Height Settings
Made by Lifetime, this height adjustable folding table stores perfectly in the rear storage compartment.
To Get Manufacture Specs. Click Here http://www.lifetime.com/tableschairs/default.aspx
Then click on Fold In Half and select 4' Adjustable.

Stores Easily Inside Rear Compartment


Shown Set At It's Highest Setting
Highest - nice for a cooking work surface
Middle setting - nice for eating at with regular lawn chairs
Lowest setting - nice with low lounge chairs



17) Adding A Splash Shield For The Battery Compartment, Protection From Tires
Write-Up With Many Pictures, Click Here-----> http://www.flickr.com/photos/37432012@N08/sets/72157622075091526/
BEFORE


AFTER



18) Installed a 19" Widescreen TV/DVD Combo In Bedroom Area
The TV overhangs the cabinet on the isle side, but is flush with the cabinet door.  It does not interfere much when getting in and out of bed.  Well worth it to us.  Widescreen DVD movies are enjoyed in bed.  This TV uses much less inverted power than the main TV with sound system.
No concern of draining the batteries when watching TV in bed.



19) Replacing Ford Single CD Radio With Ford 6-CD Radio
Used ones are sold cheap on eBay.  I paid $70 with shipping.  Fairly easy to swap radios.  If you are going to do it, first remove your old radio so you can compare connectors while internet shopping.  There are a few different connector designs that look similar and you'll need the one that matches your Ford chassis.



20) Replacing Barrel Chair With A 3rd Captain Seat
Replaces the barrel chair in minutes.  Much more comfortable and more safe than the original barrel chair.



21) Wired Backup Lights To Switch By License Plate For After Dark Dingy Tow Hookup & Unhooking



22) Relocated Backup Monitor To The Mirror Position & Added Scanguage-II
Now I don't hit my head on the monitor anymore, and it is so much easier to glance at.
Universal bracket kit part number is 250-8088 at T&A Service and Supply 800-658-3423  $48 plus shipping



23) Replacing The 5 small Galley Cabinet Drawers With 3 Huge Capacity Heavy Duty Drawers
Currently In Process Here


24) Upgrading Rear Suspension With Sulastic Shackles For Smoother Ride
Stay Tuned.  We will have this done in the spring/summer of 2013.

[charpdotirv]

Those are great improvements. Please send me more info on the Entry Door limiter, Window shade string reinforcements, water pressure tank and thow in the front cabinet idea.
We have already moved the little stool into the bath room.
When the weather breaks I'll show you how we stopped the door from swinging shut when the wind blows.
Irv Charpiot charp_di@swbell.net

[aimee]

My hat is definitely off to the Missus for those curtains. They really are lovely! 

[aimee]

Can you describe how you remove the existing one? <snip> Does the TV slip upward out of its rack. Or is it necessary to remove panels in order to get to the mount behind? George

George, you could definitely call Phoenix 574.266.2020 and ask them. They would know for sure how it's mounted and how to best remove it.

[ron.dittmer]

Bobbie,

I believe the finished wall board is the same, both inside and outside.  I predrilled holes and used simple wood screws.

When drilling holes, be sure they are the proper size.  Too big, and the screws strip.  Too small can be bad too.  With this wall board, if you force a wood screw into a hole too small, you can damage the wallboard.  The area around the screw will crumble.  Pick a drill size to match the inside diameter of the threads on the screws.

The wall board is only 1/8" thick which is not thick at all.  But don't be concerned.  If done right, there is a lot of strength to mount things like towel bars and racks without concern of it pulling off the wall.

Of coarse everything has it's limits too.  Shade string tensioners are noted for pulling screws right out from the wall when bumped real hard.

[markbrumbaugh]

Nice job Ron.

[ron.dittmer]

Now that our camping season is over, I can't think of anything more my 2350 could use except for one thing.....a propane tank shield.  I looked at it briefly, and it appears there is no simple implementation.  Over the winter, I will give it a closer look.  It might be a project never done.

Anyone here add a propane tank shield to protect it from the dual tires behind it?

[ron.dittmer]

Ron.  Could you give us purchase info on the hose and reel you use in the rear compartment? Tom

Tom,

I bought that "flat white hose on the blue reel" at a Wal-Mart we parked at over-night.  I don't recall the cost, but I did recall it was clearence priced.

It stores thinly, taking little space.  I wouldn't recommend it as a primary hose because it is a bit of a hassle to work it in and out from the reel all the time.  I have a standard white RV hose for that.  The one in the reel comes out when the other isn't long enough.

Come to think of it, I should have bought two of them.  Keep one in the reel and one loose for every day use.  I think the flat hose would store better without the reel than a standard hose.