Expanding Front Storage on 5.0

[Jeremy Kessenich]

Others certainly came before me and using their posts gave me the incentive to take this project on. I wanted to share a tip that make this so much easier. After I made the new supports over the landing gear, I used a hot glue gun and cardboard drywall shims to make templates of the vertical and floor pieces. Placed them on plywood and traced the perimeter and cut them out on a table saw. I've never made templates this way before and I can't imagine doing it by measuring. I hope this tip helps someone else.

[HABBERDABBER]

Boat builders have used similar techniques forever. Few straight, square surfaces on most boats.

Freedom from the tyranny of the right angle!

There are numerous other methods to define unusual shapes and create patterns.

Modern methods use laser measuring gear to define 3 dimensional spaces, download it, and 3D print a duplicate or create a pattern.

I'm still working in the "stick and rock" technology realm.

[splitting_lanes]

Nice work. I wonder if Strongback chairs will fit into it after modifications. We have to carry ours in the back seat of the truck because they are too long to fit in the front storage of the 5.0, and I think too wide to fit into the inside storage.

If you have any more pictures, please post them. I’m curious about the landing gear, etc..

[Jeremy Kessenich]

Are you interested in what they are? They are electric tongue jacks, just mounted inside the 5.0.

[splitting_lanes]

Yeah, curious how they are mounted and supported. The ones I have are covered, so it would be nice to see what’s under the covers.

How did you mount the new interior panels?

[Jeremy Kessenich]

Here ya go

[GeorgeB]

Nice work, great idea. It would be interesting to know how much more room have created.

[Jeremy Kessenich]

It went from about 38" wide to about 73" wide.

[splitting_lanes]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Kessenich

It went from about 38" wide to about 73" wide.

Thanks for the pictures and measurements. Nice increase in size!

[AuthorSP]

Great post. We just got home with ours and today I opened one of those panels. I'd like to the do the same, but I am wondering about the wire. Did you have to do anything with the wire to the jacks? Ours looks like it will get in the way (too high/short) of putting in a floor there.

[Jeremy Kessenich]

In the first picture at the top of the thread, on the wall that's behind the steps you can see some diagonal black 2" wide tape. Behind that tape I cut out a channel for the wires for the passenger side jack. I could have extended it, I have connectors I could have used to do it, just chose not to. For all the wiring on the drivers side I moved a bus bar, that's it, as I didn't build out to the outside as far as I did on the passenger side so I didn't have to extend any wiring there either. Does that help?

[AuthorSP]

It does, thanks!

[SageRpod]

Thanks for sharing this. It will most likely be our next mod.

[Carmel Clown]

Wondering about the jack. After your mod can the jack be accessed for maintenance or replacing?

[Jeremy Kessenich]

Yes, I choose to let the floor extensions just float but there's no reason I couldn't secure them with a couple screws. If you look at the very first picture there is a rectangle left open in the new "framing" of the floor for this reason. I didn't know how the jacks are replaced so I left room so they can be lifted upwards to the bottom of the bed area with nothing in the way.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by Carmel Clown

Wondering about the jack. After your mod can the jack be accessed for maintenance or replacing?

Note too that Jeremy's mod did not alter the removable jack-access panels at each side of the propane tank compartment below his expanded storage compartment.

Between those propane compartment access panels and retaining the removable storage compartment floor-panels as Jeremy described above, IMO this mod has no downside consequence insofar as jack maintenance access.

In fact, having done similar, I can see no downside consequence of any sort relating to this mod.

[Shearwater]

Inspired by this mod, I removed my panels today to see what the framing looked like. Can you talk about how you secured the framing on the front side of the space that is just insulation over fiberglass? Living in a condo, I don't have access to a workshop so all of this measuring and cutting will be done in the field. My thinking is to just make a triangular extension of the space...longer in the rear and joining the existing framing in the front. Basically making it a trapezoidal space. It will still let me fit some longer stuff and allow access to the jacks.

[Jeremy Kessenich]

Actually, I didn't using any framing on the front side at all. Perhaps not a very elegant solution is the thin panels that were the left and right side were just the right size to cover the foil bubble wrap. I used some of the left over silicone caulk I bought for installing the heat pump on the roof to hold the panels to the bubble wrap. It's nearly a perfect fit. I have some concerns that perhaps this isn't the best solution but it's what I came up with at the time. There is a bit of curve to the fiberglass there so if you go this route you will need to have them pressed in place with something while the caulk cures. I used a bag of topsoil set on the shelf and leaning against the front wall on the inside. If that is as clear as mud I can post a picture of it in place. I didn't need to trim or cut panels. Like I said, it's nearly a perfect fit.

[Jeremy Kessenich]

In looking back at the first pic I posted you can see one of the old panels in place on the front. If you would like a better picture I would be happy to post one if you would find it helpful. I did it to more protect the bubble wrap than to protect the fiberglass. If an event caused something heavy stored in the compartment to damage the fiberglass I'm guessing I'd probably have larger issues to worry about.

[Shearwater]

Thanks Jeremy, this helps. I'm going to cantilever some 2x2 furring strips to support the new extended flooring and add a vertical post on the front corner of each side.