What TM projects do you have planned this year?

We have threads about where folks are going and what folks do to stay entertained after dark - so I thought it would be good to see what upgrades/projects are planned for this season for your TM. I know I've gotten some good ideas from things others have done. It might be good to include why you are doing the project you are doing and the year and model of your TM - olders models may need "enhancements" that newer models already have.

Here are my project plans:

1. Make a parking place for my TM. I cannot store my trailer permanently at home, and I cannot leave it on the street more than 24 hours. But I CAN park it long term on my property. I need a place off-street to leave it for multiple days so I can work on projects and for preparing for a trip. I've got to raise some ground next to the drive way to create a level parking spot. This could also be construed as yard work.
2. Add a shower wand hanger and curtain to line the walls of the shower. I like the mod that was made using a clear shower curtain attached to the back and side walls - giving more space in the shower. Can't remember who did it, but the curtain has a world map on it!
3. Using an idea I got from markandanne and from the Elkmont - I want to mount a grill/mesh under the tongue to provide a little storage behind the battery box. I plan to carry leveling blocks in this area to get them out of the back of the TV.

Last year's projects, for any who are interested, were to add a battery cut-off switch and install a cable to the aux plug of the radio to accept an iPOD.

I'll be anxious to see the ingenuity of you TM owners to make your trailers more liveable, convenient, and reliable.

Alan

[ShrimpBurrito]

I too want to get a mesh of some sort welded to the underside of the tongue. I want to carry blocks there as well, but I also plan to mount a 5-pound propane tank there as well. The tricky part of finding a holder for the tank. I'm also in the process of building some shelves for the wardrobe and the triangular cabinet to the right of the A/C.

I also want to get something installed to protect the rear plumbing in case of a blowout, and I want to install a cell phone antenna to the TV antenna mast.

Alan - you may not actually have to do yard work! I park our TM on our driveway, which has a significant incline. To prevent it from knocking on my neighbor's door across the street, I built 2 very large wheel chocks comprised of a 6x6 & a 6x8 stacked on top of each other (bolted & glued together), and cut to the shape of the wheel. There is NO WAY the TM is going to go over the chocks since they are about 11 inches tall. In front of the chocks sits a 10-foot 6x6 that spans the entire width of the trailer. I drilled two 1/2" holes in our 5"-thick concrete driveway and in the 6x6, and I drive foot-long 1/2" bolts through the 6x6 and into the driveway. That way the chocks will never slide. It has even survived a 3.5 earthquake! See attached pic.

BTW, you can get the World Map shower curtain at Target.
http://http://www.target.com/Home-World-Map-Shower-Curtain/dp/B001C4CK4C

Dave

Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito

I also want to get something installed to protect the rear plumbing in case of a blowout,
Alan - you may not actually have to do yard work!
BTW, you can get the World Map shower curtain at Target.
http://http://www.target.com/Home-World-Map-Shower-Curtain/dp/B001C4CK4C

Dave

I thought it was you who did the shower curtain, but in the middle of a post, I couldn't go back and look without losing what I was doing. At least I don't know how. Thanks for the link to Target - my wife liked the world map idea as well.

Actually, my levelling project is a side to side issue. I have adequate space to park the TM between the driveway and the fence, but the ground slopes down (about 2 feet left to right) from the drive to the fence line for adequate drainage. The slope is too much for me to open the TM, otherwise if I just wanted to park it would not be an issue. Parking in the drive is not a good option since we park our cars in the garage. Basically I have to move the landscaping rocks out of the way, add adequate sand to create the height to level the TM and still have good drainage, then recover with rocks.

Protecting the sewer drains from blowout debris is also a project I forgot about. I found some heavy duty truck mud flaps at a trailer supply store that I think I can just rivet on the frame support right behind the wheel.

Already my thread has paid dividends!
Alan

My big project is not exactly a TM project. We keep the TM in the garage. The ATV trailer is in the side yard.

To get the ATV trailer in the side yard I have to push it back from the sidewalk by hand, because I only have one inch of clearance on each side. I will not use my truck with that tight of a tolerance.

Right now I have to put one tire in the dirt/mud now empty and dead flower bed and the other wheel on the lawn for part of the way.

I need something that will not be muddy. I do not want ugly concrete or anything else solid. I have considered gold fine or granite fine, but DW says that is ugly.

I am presently considering using manufactured paving stones. Sorta like artificial flagstone. I would first install about 4 inches of base rock, followed by one inch of sand with the pavers on top. The gap between the stones would be filled with topsoil and then plant dichondra or baby tears etc.

I will never drive the truck on it, but the big ATV weighs about 800 pounds. I'm not sure what the weight of the empty trailer is. The ATVs go in first, then the empty trailer behind it.

I should climb under the TM and see what needs to happen regarding rust on the frame.

I might add an accessible aux jack to the current radio. I don't have an MP3 player, but my kids do, and they are a little tired of the Beatles CDs that I keep playing. I have no idea why they feel that way.

I should try to figure out how to repair the formica on the edge.

I would like to add a sprayer to the kitchen sink, so that DW and DD can shampoo their hair when we can not afford the water for daily showers. The easiest solution might be to replace the faucet with one that has a built in sprayer.

The stove top grate no longer is locked in place. I liked it best when the rear two legs were locked in but the front two were free. This kept the grate from bouncing off but still allowed lifting the front part way for cleaning.

Electric start for the oven would mean that DW no longer calls me in to light the oven pilot.

Lid on the toilet is cracked and should be replaced.

Add an LED night light to the existing bathroom fluorescent. That should be low enough in power consumption that I can leave it on all night, but bright enough to be able to see what needs to be seen.

The infamous "shorten" the shower curtain mod.

That list is long enough that I probably won't finish it all. I have no doubt that something more important will show up when I least expect it.

[countrygirl]

Last year we camped at Silver River State Park. The camp site was a pull off/over cresent shape. Apparently this was the first time we had the TM with the majority of the windows getting a lot of direct sun light...and it was really hot in the camper even with turning the ac back on after we returned from an outing.

At work we have roller shades in one building that really are just very heavy screens on a roller and they do an amazing job of keeping the building cooler with no glare....and yet you can see out through the windows very well. So last year I made trips to ACE, Lowe's and and Home Depot both on line and in person looking for a roll of heavy screen and could not locate it. Truth is...I once had some of this type screen that I bought on a roll 36 inch wide...but cut it into long strips when I attempted to make a screen door....and no I can't remember where I got it! (I did make the screen door and it worked okay but I hated it so I bought a D and S screen door) I did look on line at J.C. Penney's and they had these roller shades but they were pricey. I did order a roller shade that was on clearance....for 10.00 and free shipping and it is suppose to reduce glare/heat something like 90 per cent... it is made out of some type of thin blue plastic type stuff. So my wild idea is to cut it to the size of a window...and then attempt to attach it above the window with some of those plastic framing strips that I just bought at Ace hardware last week. Don't laugh ...it just might work.

Last month I was reading one of those on line RV magazines and I found the coolest products for doing the same thing. One week I found an ad for a way to attach the same type of sun/heat blocking screen to the outside of the camper...and the next week I read another online RV magazine ad for an option to attach this same type of screen to the inside of the camper. Both of these options were so simple it was scary...and someone it going to get rich.

BTW my windows in the TM came with the factory tint.

[ShrimpBurrito]

Originally Posted by countrygirl

At work we have roller shades in one building that really are just very heavy screens on a roller and they do an amazing job of keeping the building cooler with no glare....and yet you can see out through the windows very well.

That stuff is called "shade cloth", or at least that matches your description, and can be found at landscaping supply houses. You buy it according to how might light absorption you want, i.e. 50%, 70%, etc.

Dave

Originally Posted by PopBeavers

I am presently considering using manufactured paving stones. Sorta like artificial flagstone. I would first install about 4 inches of base rock, followed by one inch of sand with the pavers on top. The gap between the stones would be filled with topsoil and then plant dichondra or baby tears etc.

I used to keep my boat on a concrete pad on the side of the house but had to back it and the truck over my lawn which made both ruts and a mess, especially if the lawn was wet. My solution was to use those cement decorative blocks which I sunk into the grass so that the top was just flush with the lawn surface. Over time the lawn grew over the blocks but they provided a firm enough surface underneath that I could back the boat over them without damaging the lawn. You could hardly tell that they were there.

[countrygirl]

Thanks Dave...I will look there for it.

I also want to get something installed to protect the rear plumbing in case of a blowout, and I want to install a cell phone antenna to the TV antenna mast.

Dave,

Would a antenna actually boost the reception on a cell phone? And if so where do you get them?

Mike Anderson

[Bill]

Mike -

The TM has a metal skin, so a cell phone's performance inside is reduced, to say the least. An outside antenna would certainly help. And a good antenna, with a cable that is not too long, would improve performance above what you get outside.

However, your cell phone must be equipped with an external antenna connector, and I didn't realize that very many were. I have no confidence whatever on those proximity couplers that you just put near the phone.

Bill