Springfield table mount questions on flat floor of E19

[Suregrip391]

Hi Group!
I’m working on a 2017 E19 that never had the table mounted in the small dinette area, it has the raised benches which is great for looking out the window but the floor is flat, it does not have a raised floor.

I purchased a Springfield table mount for the table and now am thinking of installing it. Can anyone recommend the proper hardware for this? I’ve read some posts about using screws, some about nutserts (which I’ve never worked with).

My concerns:

Being strong enough to stay in place without ripping out

Hitting anything below the floor if that’s even possible (hidden wires, etc)

Poking through the bottom of the fiberglass shell

What do you think? Curious to get ideas from those that have specific knowledge of the 19, flat floor and what to use. Thanks!

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

I installed a springfield on my flat floor 2014 E21(c). I used some fairly large and short stainless flathead wood screws, I think they were #16 x 1", I pilot drilled the holes about 5/8" deep. because the flathead of these screws is nearly 1/4" thick, the 1" screws do not stick down too far. These have held up nicely for like 5 years now, and many 10s of 1000s of miles of bad roads

Note you need a riser for the table top, standard 2x4's on edge works nicely and brings the table to just the right height, such that when the springfield column is fully compressed, the table top is flush with the bench tops, so can act as a nice solid bed support.

oh yeah, I also used a dicor 2-way slider under the table.

 

[Suregrip391]

Were the 2x4’s needed because the benches are raised? They bring the table top up 3.5” to match the increased height of the raised bench?

 

[HABBERDABBER]

I mounted mine using I believe 5/8" course thread wood screws. With a marked (masking tape for depth) , undersized drill bit the holes were drilled. I reinforced the holes with some 2 part epoxy and screwed the base in place. No issue in 4 years of use.

The strongest attachment would be drilling through the flooring plywood base, a thru hole past the fiberglass body to the exterior, large rubber and stainless steel backing washers and machine screws and nylock nuts, with the exterior hardware covered in a non-silicone caulk. There already are underbody holes, nobody would see the hardware and if done well, it would not add a water leak path to the interior.

 

[Durango1]

I just raised my table with the Springfield mount and benches 5 1/4" in my 2022 E-19. (I'll post a photo of the finished project with open shoe storage, etc later today.)

Yes, it appeared the factory embedded six tee-nuts during manufacture to hold the Springfield table. Personally, I would be very wary of drilling into the floor. You could run cross-bracing from the screwed down bench supports and then add a secondary floor which when combined with my existing tee-nuts gave me a very solid table mount.

My concern with raised benches and a standard height floor is will your legs uncomfortably dangle? I know I actually lowered the distance from bench to raised floor by 1" in my project...

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

Were the 2x4’s needed because the benches are raised? They bring the table top up 3.5” to match the increased height of the raised bench?

exactly. and brings the table up to the height of the original mount (mine came with the table on a two pole mount).

I just raised my table with the Springfield mount and benches 5 1/4" in my 2022 E-19. (I'll post a photo of the finished project with open shoe storage, etc later today.)

Yes, it appeared the factory embedded six tee-nuts during manufacture to hold the Springfield table. Personally, I would be very wary of drilling into the floor. You could run cross-bracing from the screwed down bench supports and then add a secondary floor which when combined with my existing tee-nuts gave me a very solid table mount.

My concern with raised benches and a standard height floor is will your legs uncomfortably dangle? I know I actually lowered the distance from bench to raised floor by 1" in my project...

my wife has very short legs, and needs a 3 or 4 inch step, footrest. I'm ok without one.

 

[Durango1]

I just raised my table with the Springfield mount and benches 5 1/4" in my 2022 E-19. (I'll post a photo of the finished project with open shoe storage, etc later today.)

Yes, it appeared the factory embedded six tee-nuts during manufacture to hold the Springfield table. Personally, I would be very wary of drilling into the floor. You could run cross-bracing from the screwed down bench supports and then add a secondary floor which when combined with my existing tee-nuts gave me a very solid table mount.

My concern with raised benches and a standard height floor is will your legs uncomfortably dangle? I know I actually lowered the distance from bench to raised floor by 1" in my project...

Here is a (tardy) photo of my 5" raising of the floor, the Springfield pedestal and the two benches. (There is a 4" deep removable piece of 1/4" plywood under each seat for magazines, books, etc.)

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

Here is a (tardy) photo of my 5" raising of the floor, the Springfield pedestal and the two benches. (There is a 4" deep removable piece of 1/4" plywood under each seat for magazines, books, etc.) View attachment 494515

Does the springfield go low enough for the table top to sit on the rails to form a aux bed ?

 

[Ron in BC]

Of the several ways to attach a table base through bolting is the strongest and completely unnecessary. I use threaded nutserts because I'm used to using them and the larger diameter threads are stronger than large screws but they're not really required for this application. As previously noted larger diameter screws #10 or #12 will hold just fine.

The key item is the length of the screw. It shouldn't project past the base more than 5/8" if you don't want to puncture the f.g.

The issue of raised floors or benches is a separate issue and depends on the trailer type and users physical situation. On our 19 I raised the seats 2 1/2" because we hated the sitting down in the hole feeling created by to high window placement due to the bunk option. Personal preference and no need for us to also have a raised floor.

Different solutions for different folks.

Ron

 

[Durango1]

Does the springfield go low enough for the table top to sit on the rails to form a aux bed ?

According to my calculations, John, it will. But I haven't got around yet to lowering it. (We seldom if ever have a guest with us camping.)

 

[Ron in BC]

Here's what a Springfield pedestal does on a 21C. Used in stock configuration it goes down just fine. Not sure what it would do with an after market 4 way slide added.

Ron

 

[Durango1]

According to my calculations, John, it will. But I haven't got around yet to lowering it. (We seldom if ever have a guest with us camping.)

Here is a photo of my lowered all the way down table. It still is 3/4" higher than the benches. (Caused by me lowering the standard floor to bench height by 1", no doubt.)

But hey, if our (very occasional) overnight guest can't deal with 3/4" difference they can stay at the nearest Holiday Inn Express!

 

[HABBERDABBER]

Just some notions.

You could shave 1/4" off the height by fabbing a 1/2" thick hardwood veneered plywood top.
I'd also add some longitudinal "cleats" or "runners" along the bench edges to support the sides of the table. You could move the ones already in place higher. It could get a bit wobbly supported only by the center post in the sleep position.

You could also rise your bench seat height with some 3/4"closed cell foam pads cut to size to equalize heights.

But I agree, 3/4" difference don't mean jack.
.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

The Dicor 4-way slider is actually lower profile than that stack you have on there. here's a view of it without the table attached but sitting on a couple 4x4s (3.5" x 3.5" actual)...

 

[Suregrip391]

Thanks for all the tips and pics everyone. I’ll have to decide what to do here.

 

[sofmerc]

where can these table slides be sourced? I just need a 2 way, but not having much luck finding them

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

Dicor got gobbled by one of the conglomerates, and there stuff is only available on the wholesale market in Europe last I heard. Someone did a group purchase on here a bunch of years back, and it turned into a big pain, although it finally came through. When I google them now, they are part of AirXCel, and the DIcor brand is just being used for sealants, like roof coatings etc.