swapping reclining loveseat into dinette or sofa slide

[porscha356]

Hello Forum,

Anyone out there swap out the slide area of an SL or dinette with recliners or a reclining loveseat? Is the heater a problem? Can it be relocated?
How about the height of the furniture and if it comes apart to be positioned through the door?
Lots of questions..........

Thanks all for answers or suggestions.

 

[Larryjb-HILO]

Welcome!

Any of what you are condering is possible depending on how handy you are. You could even delete the furnace and use a propane catalytic heater (Heater Buddy or Wave). If you elect to keep the furnace you would want to redesign an enclosure.

On for height, I have seen one discussion somewhere on the forums about replacement recliners and how to get them to fit when the trailer is closed.

 

[Bill]

Larry is right. Apparently if you shop carefully, you can buy furniture that is the same height as the current OEM chair. I don't know how much leeway there is in the height, if any. And remember that the floor of the slideout steps up, so any furniture that rides on the slide when the camper is folded down must be shorter than the chair, which doesn't ride well on the slide. Also, be aware of weight. The OEM chair is purposely made to be quite light. Recliners, and especially a reclining love seat, will have a steel frame that can be enormously heavy. Having just moved a reclining sofa, I am sensitive to this.

As for getting the furniture into the camper, it doesn't need to come in through the door. Instead you can raise the front shell, but don't pull out the slide. Get someone to climb over the front wall into the trailer, and someone else to pass the furniture in over the front A-frame of the camper.

You can use this same approach to put someone in the trailer with a measuring tape and a flashlight, then close the camper down with him/her inside, to get a measurement of actual allowable height inside the camper.

Bill

 

[porscha356]

Thanks folks.

That's good information Larry. The heater I wondered about, as I did not have any idea of what the plumbing looked like. I also had considered a catalytic as a replacement............. Handy I am, but in fact do not own a TM yet!
Regarding the weight of the love seat. Bill, are you concerned with me getting a hernia putting it in the trailer or the affect on the slide from the increased weight?

Bob
Sebastopol, Ca

 

[Larryjb-HILO]

As for the weight conderation that Bill mentioned, do consider the construction of the floor. It is strong for what it is designed for. Would it be strong enough for a piece of furniture that will give you a hernia? How heavy can you go? I don't know, and wouldn't want to find out the hard way. You could ask on the forum here if someone in your area has a TM recliner to try out. You may be able to then post a want ad here if you like it.

The floor is a layer of styrofoam and plywood, framed with 2×2 (I think) around the perimeter, all sandwiched between 2 sheets of plywood. The cross bracing of the main frame under the TM provides the "joist" support.

It sounds like you would have a lot of fun with a TM!

 

[Bill]

Regarding the weight of the love seat. Bill, are you concerned with me getting a hernia putting it in the trailer or the affect on the slide from the increased weight?

Actually, Bob, I was considering both. But my real worry was what it will do to the total weight of the trailer. The "dry weight" of the trailer is fairly low (depending on what model you get), but the SLs are the heaviest of the models in each line. In addition, once you add factory options (like the air conditioner and the awning), and then add maybe 200-300 pounds of "stuff" (food, water, clothing, cooking utensils, bedding, tools, folding chairs, battery, water and sewer hoses, and all the rest that is necessary for TMing), you are perilously close to the ratings of the trailer. And if you then throw in 200 pounds of love seat, you could go over the edge.

Like Larry, I would consider the strength of the floor, particularly the floor of the slideout. Many years ago, we had a discussion about the slideout floor beginning to sag, just under the normal load. TM strengthened it sometime after 2002, but I don't know precisely when (probably after 2004). If you get an older TM, and add a couple hundred pounds of love seat, you could encounter this problem. I would think you could stiffen the floor with a sheet of 1/2" plywood under the love seat, though. More weight, of course.

Take a look at http://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=340

And don't forget that with the love seat up front, much of the weight will come down on the hitch.

I don't mean to say that your proposed project can't be done. The ratings on the trailer have changed a bit over the years, so you can fold that in. And fortunately, since you haven't bought a TM, you have time to consider it all - that's unusual. A lot of it will come down to the capabilities of your tow vehicle, too. What do you plan to tow it with? What is the tow rating on your vehicle, and what is the hitch rating?

Bill

 

[bheisser]

etrailer has some nice furnitire,, i swapped mine out,, not a love seat, but better than what was there

 

[bheisser]

you could also get two lazy boys like this,,put the furnace between them in a table

 

[Lesherp]

This is a timely post for us. We have been brainstorming on how to get more comfortable seating and better visibility out the windows. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated!

We replaced the chair that came with the TM with a Lazy Boy but found it sat even lower than the couch providing almost no view of the outside. I have considered having the couch somehow modified with the foam upgraded and reupholstered to improve comfort and raise the seating. The design of the couch complicates modifications though. Also under consideration is just adding cushions placed on the couch so you would sit up higher and see if this makes the couch more or less comfortable. I have also thought it might be possible to make some kind of removable stilts for chairs that would make them high enough to see out the windows.

We don’t need the couch as a bed and would gladly give up this ability for comfortable seating and the ability to see out the windows. We recently got a Mr. Heater and don’t see us using the heater much anymore.

Bob (bheisser) your replacement couch looks promising. I have looked at etrailers site and am unsure what you purchased (a link would be appreciated). I don’t see anything with armrests.

Would you consider it comfortable or just better than what was there?
How difficult was the instillation?
Did you purchase a stand along couch or just the seat and back and use existing TM storage box to put it on?
Were you able to keep the storage under the couch?
We have fold out tables in front of the couch. Did you have to remove them to make this fit?

 

[porscha356]

Thanks all for responding!

I can't seem to open your links, even though I am signed in...... Am I missing something here?

Bill, thanks for your concern about my hernia. I've already had two but I hear the 3rd time is a real charm!
Regarding the TM though, I plan to purchase a later model, preferably after 2009, so the strengthened axle and larger wheel would be part of the package.
My tow vehicle is a 2006 Dodge diesel with quad cab so a little extra weight would not be a problem.

I could add bracing on the slide, maybe some ply or joisting. I would need to eyeball it to come up with some sort of solution. A wise man once told me "everything is adjustable".........

I'm looking forward to the actual use of a TM but there seems to be a real dearth of 2720 SL's out here in sunny California. In fact, the whole West Coast, out to the Rockies, is lacking in prospects. There are not many units coming on the market built from 2009 up to 2013, which I chalk up to the recession in those years and people not buying.

If anyone knows of a clean, well kept 2720SL for sale, please let me know. Have Dodge will travel.........

Regards all,

Bob

 

[Shane826]

Was it Padgett or Bruce Perens selling their 2720? That’s the one to buy...Is it still for sale?

 

[Bill]

Thanks all for responding!

I can't seem to open your links, even though I am signed in...... Am I missing something here?

You may have forgotten that the Forum offers a one-time 30-day free membership, during which you are carried as a Trial Member. When that expires, you can upgrade to Site Sponsor for $12 a year, or you can allow your membership to lapse, dropping you to Registered Guest level. If you choose not to upgrade, the Forum doesn't hassle you with spammy pleas for your money.

Registered Guests have access to only a small portion of the Forum, but not to any of the deeper technical content. Since you registered 5 years ago, and never upgraded, you are now carried as a Registered Guest. That's why you can't follow the links.

Incidentally, the $12 Sponsor fee goes to pay the expenses of the Forum. Unlike most other on-line forums, you will notice that this Forum allows no ads. So we all try to carry our own weight.

Bill

 

[bheisser]

Bob (bheisser) your replacement couch looks promising. I have looked at etrailers site and am unsure what you purchased (a link would be appreciated). I don’t see anything with armrests.

I COVERED THE EXISTING WITH MATERIAL FROM PAT CATANS FABRIC,,I ALSO COVERED THE BASE, HAD TO TAKE BASE APART

Would you consider it comfortable or just better than what was there?
BETTER THAN WHAT WAS THERE, MY WIFE SAYS IT IS COMFORTABLE,, I AM USSUALLY OUTSIDE
How difficult was the instillation?
I AM PRETTY HANDY INSTALLED ON EXISTING HARDWARE SO I HAD To REMOVE THE OLD COUCH, REMOVE ANGLE IRON AND USE A CUTOFF TOOL TO CUT OFF THE RAISED WELDS FOR THE EXISTING COUCH, PUT ANGLE IRON BACK, THEN SET THE COUCH IN PLACE AND MARK HOLES,, DRILL HOLES (YOU WILL NEED A GOOD BIT)
RECOVERED FABRIC...
PROBABLY TOOK M.E 6-8 HOURS TOTAL
Did you purchase a stand along couch I or just the seat and b,ack and use existing TM storage box to put it on? EXISTING, BUT IT MAY BE EASIER TO BUY THE LEG KIT AND JUST REMOVE THE FACIA PIECE WHEN U WANT TO USE THE FURNACE
Were you able to keep the storage under the couch?
YES, BUT IT IS A LITTLE TIGHTER TO GET STUFF IN AND OUT
We have fold out tables in front of the couch. Did you have to remove them to make this fit?[/QUOTE]
YES IT WOULD BE HARD TO PUT THEM BACK IN, THE COUCH COME OUT TO FAR

https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Furniture/Thomas-Payne/195-000013.html

 

[RottieMom-TMO]

Bob, I have a 2013 2720SL that I'm going to put up for sale as soon as I can get it out of the garage and take some pics to post. I purchased it new and it's in very good shape. I just haven't had time to use it, so I've decided to sell it.

 

[porscha356]

Hello All,

Shane86: I did contact Mr. Padgett back on April 3rd. This was my second correspondence with him. He initially had a question which I answered in response, but he never responded back again. I just assumed the TM was sold.

Bill: sorry but I joined 5 years ago and forgot about membership fees. I'll get on that.......

Bheisser: Thanks for the info. Looks like you are on the right track.

Thanks All,

Bob

 

[Lesherp]

Bob,

Thanks for the information. I am even more interested now. Hoping you wouldn’t mind answering a few more questions.

We usually spend little time in the TM when we are camping but went to the beach during a stretch of nice weather this winter. Having hours between darkness and bedtime emphasized that the couch is functional but not exceptionally comfortable. I don’t know how much better it was when new but ours has always felt soft to me and I noticed the foam is flaking so suspect age is a factor. I was considering having it reupholstered and maybe somehow upgraded to improve comfort. I am a little concerned that I would be trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, hence my interest in this repayment couch.

Did you replace it as an upgrade or because the original was needing replaced? From your comment about the comfort of the new couch I was uncertain if you and your wife think this is a significant upgrade from what you had.

Like you I am fairly handy and can figure out how to do most things. I am wondering exactly why you didn’t think the couch would fit with the original armrests reupholstered and tables left in. I have the TM in the garage and can’t look at it but eyeballing yours it looks to me like it should work. We have only used the tables a handful of times but they can be useful.

It looked like you reupholstered the front of the couch where the furnace vents. I think it looks good and was wondering why you bothered with the facica piece? People reviewing the couch complained that the couch with legs was not stable so I think I would prefer using the existing box like you did.

Thanks again for the help.

Roger

 

[countrygirl32082]

etrailer has some nice furnitire,, i swapped mine out,, not a love seat, but better than what was there

WOW! I love this!!