I have been able to do a few modifications to our new 19 since we picked it up at the end of April. However it will take some time before I am able to sit down and write each one up. Here are a few pictures of what has been done so far. Anyone that will be at the Rally in a few days is welcome to stop by and take a sneak peak. We will be displaying one of two signs that will indicate if we are available to show what has been done or not.
The seating area has a 5 inch lift with shoe/full storage below, magazine rack in the back, table that slides front to back for access and mode of use, microwave door relocated to seat end and a seat back along the wall. Small removable sliding seat still to be made. There is a 12 volt night fan that fits in the window above the bed, flush mount SS microwave, and so far 2 marine hatches installed outside. The under bed bins provide a total of 8 cubic feet of slide out storage and can be made by anyone, with or without door fronts attached.
Hope to see everyone at the Rally...weather forecast is for sunny and hot.
Ed and Marilyn
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So many modifications...so little time.
Quick answer...they could for the average user with hinged doors however mine slide on old aluminum track lighting rail that I buy from Restore for $1 per eight foot length. Just pull out the stuff inside. The bins have a factory ridge in the bottom that they slide on.
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So many modifications...so little time.
Like your updated Gen 2 version of the night fan. Better suited to the Gen 2 window that doesn't have a direct in path for air. We've been using them for years on our boat. Most folks seem to like larger fans blasting away but we've found, even in the sweltering tropics, that the gentle breeze goes a long way in making the heat tolerable for sleeping. Our hanging night fan also rocks gently back and forth making an oscillating breeze.
I'm glad yet another person has gone for the slide out bins under the bed. I've been showing them to my wife for ages but she'd rather have her individual containers and kneel down to pull them out. But this time, when I showed her yours, she said "maybe". There's hope yet.
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19' and 2016 GMC Yukon SLT SUV.
Posts: 504
I love all your mods, especially the under bed bins. I am not going to the rally this year. Would you please provide the name and the source of getting the bins. What is the track size of the aluminum track lighting rails? I would like to go to HD or Lowes to look for them. Thank you for sharing.
Most folks seem to like larger fans blasting away but we've found, even in the sweltering tropics, that the gentle breeze goes a long way in making the heat tolerable for sleeping. Our hanging night fan also rocks gently back and forth making an oscillating breeze...
Ron
LOL...The sweltering tropics! Is that any place below Colorado after June 1?! Getting that way here in central TX.....way too early!
I love all your mods, especially the under bed bins. I am not going to the rally this year. Would you please provide the name and the source of getting the bins. What is the track size of the aluminum track lighting rails? I would like to go to HD or Lowes to look for them. Thank you for sharing.
Tonny LR
There are some real crap bins out there for near the same price as the good strong and straight ones. The whole design relies heavily on the crate being straight. Here in Canada I found Home Depot to have the best.
The rails could simply be strips of wood or don’t use them at all. If you do slide them on the floor you might want to remove the metal edge as it does scrap the bins as they slide over.
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So many modifications...so little time.
LOL...The sweltering tropics! Is that any place below Colorado after June 1?! Getting that way here in central TX.....way too early!
I was thinking more North Africa in the summer, the Caribbean and South Pacific but up here it rains buckets outdoors, but from what I hear in the Southern US it rains indoors from the heat and humidity.
Glad to hear that HD carries those bins. Maybe I should get a few for test fitting. When she sees how well they work how could she say no.
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19' and 2016 GMC Yukon SLT SUV.
Posts: 504
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eggscape
There are some real crap bins out there for near the same price as the good strong and straight ones. The whole design relies heavily on the crate being straight. Here in Canada I found Home Depot to have the best.
The rails could simply be strips of wood or don’t use them at all. If you do slide them on the floor you might want to remove the metal edge as it does scrap the bins as they slide over.
Eggescape,
Thank you for your reply. I will follow your lead and search for the right material. I am looking forward to reading your write up for the other mods after the Escape Rally.
I don’t want people going to more work than is required to make the under bed bins. I kept it simple so everyone could make them and used tie straps the secure them together. (See red dots) Not required but you can also use a location slug/block and or a second tie strap across the first.
Good luck
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So many modifications...so little time.
When I used three in a row like that I secured them together with those thick colorful twist ties @12 in long. . That way I could pack in the house and just carry the bins out. The twist ties stayed on the middle bin so I could attach that one front and back to the other two. I also put double stick-on felt circles at the corners to keep the bins from dragging on the floor. Lastly, I put a lightweight flex cutting board at the bottom of each bin to keep things cleaner.
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--Time and trouble will tame an advanced young woman, but an advanced older woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force. --Dorothy Sayers
THE SHORT STORY...I screwed in my winterizing tee valve I got from Amazon directly into the threads on the bottom of the fresh water tank. Quick, easy and works great.
THE DETAILS...over the next few months I will be posting many of my modifications. I have purposely waited to write up the mods giving us time to make sure they actually work. (I think I will do future modification posts in this format so people can do a quick read and if they are interested continue on with the details.)
Now for the details of this common tee valve install. Most of the time people install this valve inside the trailer on the pump input line so that they can use it to suck antifreeze into the complete water system. I was not looking forward to lifting the mattress and hatch in order to install the brass tee valve inline. Once installed, next year would not be as bad with the ability to feed the new antifreeze tube into a workable position.
However, I was under the trailer after blowing the lines with the supplied air adapter supplied by ETI and noticed water still in the supply line. This made sense as the pump blocks the air from blowing the input line clear. The pump also did not allow the water to just drip/drain back into the water tank that had been empty for 2 months. I undid the water line at the elbow that enters the tank and water poured out. Picture attached. I can only assume that if I had simply gone into the trailer and turned on a tap that this water would have been sucked clear.
I was thinking...what happens if each year I forget to clear this line? Yes, installing the tee valve by the pump would antifreeze that section, but what about the lower section where the elbow is. I then saw that the water tank had the same thread as the brass tee valve. Minutes later, it was installed with the thread seal tape provided. Quick and easy.
I got the kit from Amazon.ca and l also see it is available at Canadian Tire. U.S. Escape owners will find it cheaper everywhere. It comes with a brass end cap so you can remove the antifreeze hose and keep the threads clean.
I always carry an empty collapsible water container with us in case we run out of water. Getting more water is not usually a problem. Getting it into the water tank via funnel and a flexing container is a trick. I think next time I will just put it on the ground and use the antifreeze tube.
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So many modifications...so little time.
I do not see any of this because of the foam spray option I always have. However I assume this line would drain itself into the fresh tank when you open the white drain to drain the fresh tank. Also, by depressing the city water valve and relieving the pressure there should eliminate most of the water in that line downward. I'm not aware of anyone having that line freeze in any of the Escapes so something must be allowing that water to escape. But if it makes your winterizing easier, then go for it....nice job, well done.
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Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
We are picking our 21' up in three weeks. We really like the way you installed the microwave. When you have time, could you provide a written summary of how you did that? Thanks!
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Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ...
THE SHORT STORY...I screwed in my winterizing tee valve I got from Amazon directly into the threads on the bottom of the fresh water tank. Quick, easy and works great.
THE DETAILS...over the next few months I will be posting many of my modifications. I have purposely waited to write up the mods giving us time to make sure they actually work. (I think I will do future modification posts in this format so people can do a quick read and if they are interested continue on with the details.)
Now for the details of this common tee valve install. Most of the time people install this valve inside the trailer on the pump input line so that they can use it to suck antifreeze into the complete water system. I was not looking forward to lifting the mattress and hatch in order to install the brass tee valve inline. Once installed, next year would not be as bad with the ability to feed the new antifreeze tube into a workable position.
However, I was under the trailer after blowing the lines with the supplied air adapter supplied by ETI and noticed water still in the supply line. This made sense as the pump blocks the air from blowing the input line clear. The pump also did not allow the water to just drip/drain back into the water tank that had been empty for 2 months. I undid the water line at the elbow that enters the tank and water poured out. Picture attached. I can only assume that if I had simply gone into the trailer and turned on a tap that this water would have been sucked clear.
I was thinking...what happens if each year I forget to clear this line? Yes, installing the tee valve by the pump would antifreeze that section, but what about the lower section where the elbow is. I then saw that the water tank had the same thread as the brass tee valve. Minutes later, it was installed with the thread seal tape provided. Quick and easy.
I got the kit from Amazon.ca and l also see it is available at Canadian Tire. U.S. Escape owners will find it cheaper everywhere. It comes with a brass end cap so you can remove the antifreeze hose and keep the threads clean.
I always carry an empty collapsible water container with us in case we run out of water. Getting more water is not usually a problem. Getting it into the water tank via funnel and a flexing container is a trick. I think next time I will just put it on the ground and use the antifreeze tube.
Wow nice install but WHY I winterized my camper in about 15 min. 1.Drain water heater. 2. Run pump until water is drained out of tank. 3.Pour in 1 gal potable water antifreeze into tank using small section of hose and funnel. 4. Bypass water heater. 5. run hot and cold at each tap (don't forget toilet and outside shower) until you see pink come out. 6. Put antifreeze in sink traps....never mind...already done with what comes out of the taps! 7. Remove screen and push button on city water inlet until pink comes out 8. dry off because you stood directly in front of city water inlet when pushing button! 9. pour a little antifreeze in shower drain. 10. enjoy your favorite adult beverage you are done!
In spring I fill tank a bit and drain plumbing of the pink stuff...it usually takes a few drains and flushes...once pink is gone I partially fill tank, add 1/4 cup of chlorine, fill tank and let it set for a day or so, drain tank, fill with fresh water and you are good to go....no antifreeze taste, no fuss , no muss....
Have fun, go camping!
I always carry an empty collapsible water container with us in case we run out of water. Getting more water is not usually a problem. Getting it into the water tank via funnel and a flexing container is a trick. I think next time I will just put it on the ground and use the antifreeze tube.
I think this is the best feature. When stationary for an extending time without city water hookup we use 5-7gallon containers and a Wayne PC-2 transfer pump to refill the fresh water tank. Your design would allow you to simply place the container on the ground and use the onboard pump to draw from the container. This essentially becomes equivalent to Oliver's rear water inlet feature, but without the ability to fill the onboard tank with the onboard pump. Nice work.
But this time, when I showed her yours, she said "maybe". There's hope yet. 
I winterized my camper in about 15 min. 1.Drain water heater. 2. Run pump until water is drained out of tank. 3.Pour in 1 gal potable water antifreeze into tank using small section of hose and funnel. 4. Bypass water heater. 5. run hot and cold at each tap (don't forget toilet and outside shower) until you see pink come out. 6. Put antifreeze in sink traps....never mind...already done with what comes out of the taps! 7. Remove screen and push button on city water inlet until pink comes out 8. dry off because you stood directly in front of city water inlet when pushing button! 9. pour a little antifreeze in shower drain. 10. enjoy your favorite adult beverage you are done!
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