Raised Dinette Floor & pedestal in a 21

[LeonW]

When we brought the Skylark back to ETI for a new fridge we also had a couple of other things done by ETI.

First, Lindy decided that she was REALLY in love with a foot-flush toilet. So we swapped out the standard toilet for a foot flush model. I can't tell the difference, but she if very happy with the change. It cost us about $225 to make the switch, so my suggestion is that if you think you might want the foot-flush toilet, be sure and get it on your build sheet.

Second, we had ETI build a raised floor for the dinette (see photo). We did this because I have been suffering from sciatic pain for the past year, and the distance between the top of the cushion to the floor was a bit too long for me to sit comfortably. The end of the cushion hit the back of my leg at just the right spot that it irritated the nerve back there. I had been using a stool underneath the table, but that wasn't comfortable either.

The week before we left for Osoyoos I made a rash decision that as long as we were raising the floor we ought to move to a hydraulic pedestal, and have it installed at the same time. The only color we could get on short notice was black, which was fine with me since I prefer black to chrome.

We left the trailer at ETI for a couple of days while this work was being done, and when we returned (at about 4:15 PM), Reace gave us a choice between having the table installed flush with the wall (Iike it is now) or about 3" out from the wall so that it could be lowered into the bed position. We were all tired, and frankly it wasn't our best decision making moment, but we ended up having the table installed flush with the wall since we don't have any need to make it into a bed in the short term.

Eventually I would like to build a new top for the table that folds up, kind of like the tables on the TVG trains in France so that we could have a small table sometimes, and a larger table when we have guests or when we just want the space. But that project is going to have to wait until Lindy and I come to an agreement about what the top of the table should look like. She wants to keep the formica covering, and I would prefer a hardwood table with a lot of polyurethene on the top.

In spite of the fact that we can't lower the table into the bed position currently, we are still very pleased that we have a single pedestal which is adjustable. We can change the table height so that it is lower when we are working on our computers, and a bit higher for dining. I believe it is much easier to enter and exit the dining area with a single pedestal. It just seems my legs go in and out easier. The pedestal is definitely much more stable than the two poles. Lastly, Murphy-the-Dog seems happier with the pedestal. His bed fits nicely behind the pedestal, and he seems to be able to go back there without getting in the way of our feet.

I am 5'8" tall and Lindy is 5' even. For those of you who are cyclists, I ride a 54cm frame. Given our height, we are so happy we raised the floor. We also stuck a couple of large pool noodles (thanks Earline). behind the cushion backs. The net result is that sitting at the dinette is much more comfortable for both of us.

[LeonW]

doh! here's the photo. It doesn't appear to me that one is able to add a photo when editing a post.

[Jubal]

If you are pleased with the hydraulic pedestal, please provide the manufacture and model number. Thank you, Bob

[sallemann]

Good info.

So if you get a raised platform dinette area, the benches are not also raised? Somehow I was under the impression that they would be higher too. I like the height of your benches compared to the floor... looks like a comfortable height.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by LeonW

doh! here's the photo. It doesn't appear to me that one is able to add a photo when editing a post.

Hi: LeonW... On Edit... click "Go advanced" then you can add a pic.
So now your trailer sleeps 4...2 at a time!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[LeonW]

Originally Posted by Jubal

If you are pleased with the hydraulic pedestal, please provide the manufacture and model number. Thank you, Bob

We got this one We have been very pleased with it. When I called JMS Online Marine, the fellow I spoke to waived the shipping charge since I was a new customer. He also looked up the shipping time and said I didn't need two day shipping since the transit time from Detroit to St. Paul was only two days, even with standard shipping. I thought it was great customer service.

[LeonW]

Originally Posted by sallemann

Good info.

So if you get a raised platform dinette area, the benches are not also raised? Somehow I was under the impression that they would be higher too. I like the height of your benches compared to the floor... looks like a comfortable height.

We didn't get the benches raised -- they are just fine and we can see out the windows with no problems. We just got the floor raised. You an only raise the floor so much, limited by the height of the power center. It is also limited by how low the pedestal will go. In our case, 3.5 inches was the right height.

[LeonW]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: LeonW... On Edit... click "Go advanced" then you can add a pic.
So now your trailer sleeps 4...2 at a time!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Thanks Alf. I didn't see that, and now it looks like I can't edit the post anymore. But no big deal. Learn something every day...

[oldclimber]

Great job!

[float5]

Originally Posted by sallemann

Good info.

So if you get a raised platform dinette area, the benches are not also raised? Somehow I was under the impression that they would be higher too. I like the height of your benches compared to the floor... looks like a comfortable height.

You cannot raise the benches on a 21'.


Leon, I don't know about this table. What is the advantage you have if you do not install it such that it can be lowered for the bed? That is the table that came with the trailer, right?

[captmath]

I got the hydraulic pedestal because the double pedestal that comes stock makes it difficult to use the back bench or check the fuses since it interferes with the converter door. It lowers straight down to make the bed. It is a bit difficult to squeeze in to sit, but the table rotates which makes it easy to get in. I need to add a couple of spacers to raise the table when we get home because the seats in the TA are a bit higher from the floor than the classic. Not urgent and it is the perfect height for the computer.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Jubal

If you are pleased with the hydraulic pedestal, please provide the manufacture and model number. Thank you, Bob

Bob, we have the same one as Leon, but in silver. Here's the thread on it:

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8...mods-5691.html

And the product link. You can choose either color:

http://m.overtons.com/modperl/produc...destal&i=94059

[LeonW]

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

You cannot raise the benches on a 21'.


Leon, I don't know about this table. What is the advantage you have if you do not install it such that it can be lowered for the bed? That is the table that came with the trailer, right?

It is still the trailer that came with the trailer, but it won't be that way forever. But even if I never get the table changed, I still like the single pedestal table for the reasons listed in my first post:

1. We can set the table height to what ever is most appropriate for what we are doing. I like the table to be lower if I am using the keyboard a lot. I like it higher for dining.
2. It is easier to get in and out of the dinette with a single pedestal as opposed to two poles. I didn't anticipate that, but since you don't have a front pole it is easier to swing your legs around.
3. Murphy-The-Dog doesn't get in the way of feet as much
4. The table is more stable. No worries about it flying off the posts on a rough road.

I do plan to replace the table some day, but since we we were redoing the floor now, I thought it was the perfect time to replace the pedestal.

[Jubal]

Robert and LeonW thank you for the info. We have the standard dinette in the 19. Our primary purpose for the pedestal would be the ease of dropping the table for a second bed. If the table is extended out 3" from the wall so it drops down onto the supports, the access distance to the table on the street side is reduced even with some rotation of the table. Am trying to talk the wife (economic adviser) in purchasing the Dicor Cosmo table pedestal with table slide.
https://dicorproducts.com/catalog/ta...able-pedestal/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHB5jptTgSg

The cost is still $380. A bit more but can be slid back against the wall when used as a table and slid further to the side for better access to the seats.

[rbryan4]

Bob, I really wanted the Dicor. I even emailed them and asked where I could get one. I was told to contact an RV dealer in my area. Please.

I messed around a bit with the sliders on the bottom of the table and moved them more toward the back of the table by about 2". This resulted in a table where you could fit along the back (you really couldn't with the factory 2 pole) AND plenty of clearance to slip in on either side, by sliding and rotating.

[Jubal]

Thankyou for your interest in our cosmo table. The cosmo table system is made up oftwo separate items. The cosmo table pedestal is our part# IP-15300 and is$245.00.
The4 way table slide is our part# IP-153481 and is $135.00. You may purchase oneor both of these items directly from Dicor with either a visa or master cardcredit card.
Pleaselet me know if you have any questions.

Thankyou.

JeffSibrt


JeffSibrt
AccountManager
2965 LaVanture Place
Elkhart IN 45614
Phone574-264-2699 ext 137
Fax574-293-2017
www.dicor.com

[rbryan4]

Hmmm. Guess it depends on who handles your email. Don't care for that, but a 4 way slide capability is, as Donna likes to say, "neato".

[stephen99]

Originally Posted by LeonW

When we brought the Skylark back to ETI for a new fridge we also had a couple of other things done by ETI.

First, Lindy decided that she was REALLY in love with a foot-flush toilet. So we swapped out the standard toilet for a foot flush model. I can't tell the difference, but she if very happy with the change. It cost us about $225 to make the switch, so my suggestion is that if you think you might want the foot-flush toilet, be sure and get it on your build sheet.

Second, we had ETI build a raised floor for the dinette (see photo). We did this because I have been suffering from sciatic pain for the past year, and the distance between the top of the cushion to the floor was a bit too long for me to sit comfortably. The end of the cushion hit the back of my leg at just the right spot that it irritated the nerve back there. I had been using a stool underneath the table, but that wasn't comfortable either.

The week before we left for Osoyoos I made a rash decision that as long as we were raising the floor we ought to move to a hydraulic pedestal, and have it installed at the same time. The only color we could get on short notice was black, which was fine with me since I prefer black to chrome.

We left the trailer at ETI for a couple of days while this work was being done, and when we returned (at about 4:15 PM), Reace gave us a choice between having the table installed flush with the wall (Iike it is now) or about 3" out from the wall so that it could be lowered into the bed position. We were all tired, and frankly it wasn't our best decision making moment, but we ended up having the table installed flush with the wall since we don't have any need to make it into a bed in the short term.

Eventually I would like to build a new top for the table that folds up, kind of like the tables on the TVG trains in France so that we could have a small table sometimes, and a larger table when we have guests or when we just want the space. But that project is going to have to wait until Lindy and I come to an agreement about what the top of the table should look like. She wants to keep the formica covering, and I would prefer a hardwood table with a lot of polyurethene on the top.

In spite of the fact that we can't lower the table into the bed position currently, we are still very pleased that we have a single pedestal which is adjustable. We can change the table height so that it is lower when we are working on our computers, and a bit higher for dining. I believe it is much easier to enter and exit the dining area with a single pedestal. It just seems my legs go in and out easier. The pedestal is definitely much more stable than the two poles. Lastly, Murphy-the-Dog seems happier with the pedestal. His bed fits nicely behind the pedestal, and he seems to be able to go back there without getting in the way of our feet.

I am 5'8" tall and Lindy is 5' even. For those of you who are cyclists, I ride a 54cm frame. Given our height, we are so happy we raised the floor. We also stuck a couple of large pool noodles (thanks Earline). behind the cushion backs. The net result is that sitting at the dinette is much more comfortable for both of us.

So if you install the Springfield pedestal on a raised floor it cannot go low enough to be made into a bed? That complicates things.

[LeonW]

The problem is not the raised floor, but the curve at the back of the trailer. If the rear of the table is flush with the rear wall, then the table won't lower all the way. If you want the table to go all the way down, the rear edge of the table needs to be a couple of inches in front of the rear wall. We chose to leave the table right up against the rear wall, and as a result it can't be lowered. this wouldn't be a problem with a u shaped dinette, or if you had a able that life's forward a bit. Hope that helps. Let me know if I am not clear

[stephen99]

Originally Posted by LeonW

The problem is not the raised floor, but the curve at the back of the trailer. If the rear of the table is flush with the rear wall, then the table won't lower all the way. If you want the table to go all the way down, the rear edge of the table needs to be a couple of inches in front of the rear wall. We chose to leave the table right up against the rear wall, and as a result it can't be lowered. this wouldn't be a problem with a u shaped dinette, or if you had a able that life's forward a bit. Hope that helps. Let me know if I am not clear

Thanks for the reply, Leon. So you are saying if I have a Springfield pedestal mounted on a raised floor and the table is a bit away from the rear wall then the pedestal will not have a problem retracting enough for the table to reach the bed level? That is my hope.