Convenience Modifications to Unity

[Gamma1966]

I recently added a power port with dual USB charging ports to my 2014 Unity MB on the wall behind the my wife's leisure lounge chair. She likes to sit in her chair and work on her phone and tablet, with the power charging cords stretched across the isle to the opposite wall were the entertainment center is located. I was able to connect the 12 V wiring for the new power port into the power switch for reclining the lounge chair. I purchased the power port at Walmart for about $9 and some 18 Gauge wire.

 

[SSTraveler]

I put up these urban shelves, https://www.amazon.com/Urban-Shelf-...F8&qid=1475755238&sr=8-1&keywords=Urban+shelf, so we would have a place to put our CPAPs. They fold flat so no interference with slide movement. Then you just pull the top half down for a shelf. Very sturdy and easily holds CPAP systems. I put one on the wall of the sink cabinet and one on the outside of the u-lounge wall, the side by the drivers seat.

Added these shoe holders, http://www.ebay.com/itm/Plastic-Sho...oe-Shelf-Holder-/222061045473?var=&hash=item0. They just stick on. I cut some in half with heavy duty scissors so I could maximize space utilization. It seems you can't have enough shoes.

 

[alichty]

Last spring I posted some convenience modifications I made to the top two drawers in my 2014 TB galley:

http://www.sprinter-source.com/forum/showpost.php?p=448502&postcount=77

I liked the idea of the double decker drawers for the lower two deep drawers and decided to make up a new set of inserts for this. I used 3/8" Baltic Birch plywood again to match the LTV drawers, This is one of the inserts out of the drawer:



The drawer itself in this case has an insert that helps keep thing from rattling around and leaves me a space up front for hanging hooks. I added a small clear cabinet door stop in the back to keep the insert from banging against the back of the drawer:



And the drawer with the insert sitting in place:



I made up two of these so the bottom two drawers match with this configuration.

 

[Eugene Rider]

I decided to rework parts of the galley starting with the drawers. I may do a lot more with these yet but for starters I made up some dividers for the top drawer using 3/8" Baltic plywood which appears to be an exact match for what LTV used to begin with:

View attachment 75479

The second focus was to make up a proper knife block that would be easy to work with on the road so I decided to make the second drawer into a cutlery tray:

View attachment 75480

In this case I used solid maple stock that is fastened down to a piece of 1/2" MDF. Each of the knife slots has a 3/8" diameter hole about 1/4" deep drilled into the side near the handle end and 3/8" rare earth magnets are epoxied in to insure that the knives do not move during travel. I keep my knives pretty sharp and this is a much better way for them to travel without harming the edge.

The lower drawers are nice and deep but that typically means a deeper pile to dig through to find what you want. I tried an experiment for the first deep drawer that seems to be working pretty well - n this case I took a couple of expanding rods and ran them the length of the drawer so I could stack two drawer bins inside:

View attachment 75481

bottom layer:

View attachment 75482

I plan on trying to make a new double tier drawer this summer in my woodshop to completely replace the LTV drawer with one that has two levels along the lines of this except without all of the small dividers:

http://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/0401b540034bf558_4-5722/contemporary-kitchen-drawer-organizers.jpg

Sounds great, would you make two pretty please. I want a set.

 

[Suza]

Our dealership where we purchased our MB Sprinter told us when they gave us our 2 sets of Sprinter keys, if we lose them, we will need to purchase a replacement through an authorized MB dealership. Approx $400.00!! J&B

I can't imagine $400 for a key. These are not Smart Keys, but a key fob with a folding key attached. It would be worth asking MB if you can get just a key without the fob (like the valet keys that used to come with some cars), or a key that just opens the door, for a spare.

 

[Suza]

I got mine at an Ace Hardware.

Yes, they have a good assortment of key blanks. Some places that make keys do not have the blanks for RV compartment locks. You might have to shop around to find one.

 

[Suza]

One of the changes for 2017 is redesigned valances. I couldn't find any photos or videos of them but here's the link to the 2017 update brochure:
http://leisurevans.com/downloads/pdf/2017_Product_Updates.pdf

On page 2 it says, "Redesigned valances w/ privacy clips (incl. U24FX)." If you're getting a 2016, maybe you should wait and see what the new ones look like. Ideally, they won't have the vertical pieces and they'll be able to retrofit them on your TB.

Just took delivery of our 2017 TB and the "Redesigned valances w/ privacy clips (incl. U24FX)." are on the TB. The side valances on the sleeping area windows have been eliminated and replaced with simple clips that keep the shade snug against the wall and out of the way while the bed is in use. This change will facilitate our plan to use the twin beds as lounges during the day

Thank you, LTV

 

[Suza]

Added another shelf to the fridge. Used the 12" wide wire shelving from Lowes. Width is 17.75". My cut was a little snug so it fits in nicely. I left the lip up to help hold stuff on the shelf. I'm guessing some of the other plastic shelves might go. I like this better and it will clean up easily...

This is the perfect solution to a poorly designed refrigerator interior. What was Dometic thinking?

I am definitely going to make this mod.

Thanks

 

[Suza]

Last spring I posted some convenience modifications I made to the top two drawers in my 2014 TB galley:

http://www.sprinter-source.com/forum/showpost.php?p=448502&postcount=77

I liked the idea of the double decker drawers for the lower two deep drawers and decided to make up a new set of inserts for this. I used 3/8" Baltic Birch plywood again to match the LTV drawers, This is one of the inserts out of the drawer:

View attachment 79860

The drawer itself in this case has an insert that helps keep thing from rattling around and leaves me a space up front for hanging hooks. I added a small clear cabinet door stop in the back to keep the insert from banging against the back of the drawer:

View attachment 79862

And the drawer with the insert sitting in place:

View attachment 79863

I made up two of these so the bottom two drawers match with this configuration.

Do you know the brand of the black tray shown in the bottom of the drawer, or where you purchased it? Looks like it is a perfect fit.

 

[alichty]

Do you know the brand of the black tray shown in the bottom of the drawer, or where you purchased it? Looks like it is a perfect fit.

Those came from Bed Bath and Beyond. The company name is MadeSmart and the size for those drawers is 15"x6"x2".

 

[Suza]

Those came from Bed Bath and Beyond. The company name is MadeSmart and the size for those drawers is 15"x6"x2".

Thanks! All the trays I have are too narrow to fit the drawer snuggly. I will look around and see if I can find them locally; if not will order some from BB&B

 

[Klipstr]

This is the perfect solution to a poorly designed refrigerator interior. What was Dometic thinking?

I am definitely going to make this mod.

Thanks

I made another shelf as an option that is narrower. That way tall stuff can still set on the shelf below. We are actually using that daily. Same shelf material but cut at the cross member to make it shallower. I brought both shelves along if I want to swap.

 

[Incredulocious]

I've made a handful of convenience mods so far on my 2016 Unity TB:

1) Moved storage of the table from under the twin beds to behind the driver's seat.
2) Replaced bathroom towel hanger that dangled into sink.
3) Fixed trash can cubbyhole (more volume, easier lid lift).
4) Added skylight cover in shower for heat insulation.
5) Added some full-powered USB ports (over lounge area, replaced in bedroom, extra in dash).
6) Added access to an out-of-sight but easily accessible litter box for my cats.

Pictures and more details here:
http://crimdom.net/rv-upgrades-and-customizations/

 

[hotfudge]

I relocated the fire extinquisher/bracket to the opposite side of the entry stair well....directly across from its present location. It now rests nicely on the stair well lip and is no longer a bumping hazard when entering/exiting the MH. I covered up the old screw holes by moving the Exit/yellow warning labels down a bit.

 

[Hdroadking]

I've made a handful of convenience mods so far on my 2016 Unity TB:

1) Moved storage of the table from under the twin beds to behind the driver's seat.
2) Replaced bathroom towel hanger that dangled into sink.
3) Fixed trash can cubbyhole (more volume, easier lid lift).
4) Added skylight cover in shower for heat insulation.
5) Added some full-powered USB ports (over lounge area, replaced in bedroom, extra in dash).
6) Added access to an out-of-sight but easily accessible litter box for my cats.

Pictures and more details here:
http://crimdom.net/rv-upgrades-and-customizations/

Very nice blog, thanks

 

[Suza]

I relocated the fire extinquisher/bracket to the opposite side of the entry stair well....directly across from its present location. It now rests nicely on the stair well lip and is no longer a bumping hazard when entering/exiting the MH. I covered up the old screw holes by moving the Exit/yellow warning labels down a bit.

What model of Unity? Please share pics

 

[Suza]

Very nice blog, thanks

Thanks for sharing the details of your mods on the blog.

We, too, have a TB, but are planning to use just the twins as we don't want the hassle of converting the beds at night. The twin beds are a great place to lounge during the day, for reading, and watching TV. The pillows (see pic) turn the beds into comfortable chaise lounges. The lumbar (small rectangular) pillows are also great for the bench seats in the dinette and some of the larger pillows can be used to stuff in the galley cupboards to keep cargo from rattling while under way. At night we stow the pillows in the cab seats.

You mentioned the possibility of using a 1 or 2" memory foam topper. For the king bed, this would work well, but only if you plan to keep the bed in king mode all the time; not sure where you would store the topper when not in use. If you think the mattresses are hard to maneuver, try a king size memory foam pad

I find the LTV mattress comfortable, but a bit too firm for me, so I ordered a 2" memory foam topper for my twin bed from Costco (about $65) Found one that did not come with a cover (which adds to the cost) since it had to be trimmed to fit the narrower width of the mattresses (easy to trim with an electric carving knife). For a cover I ordered quilted mattress protectors in bunk bed size. These fit perfectly, if you ignore the fact that it's not a smooth fit on the curved corner. The combination of the topper and the mattress protector makes a very comfortable - not too firm, not too soft - bed.

I did not get a topper for my husband's bed as he is 6'2 and sleeps mostly on his back. Thus, there is no toe room to spare between the mattress and the bottom of the wardrobe cabinet. Honestly, I don't know how he sleeps with his feet pointing straight up

 

[Tannys]

I got this idea from JoePhoenix in another thread and installed my version today. It is a lot easier to open and shut the door (especially in windy conditions) now. I used a piece of nylon strap material that I had around and purchased two black finish washers at the hardware store to make it look good. We can still close the slider on the screen door without issue. This is a simple, low cost improvement that we are really going to like a lot.

 

[Suza]

I got this idea from JoePhoenix in another thread and installed my version today. It is a lot easier to open and shut the door (especially in windy conditions) now. I used a piece of nylon strap material that I had around and purchased two black finish washers at the hardware store to make it look good. We can still close the slider on the screen door without issue. This is a simple, low cost improvement that we are really going to like a lot.

I find, if you stand on the inside step well when opening/closing the door, it is much easier.

 

[Tannys]

We never cared for the towel ring in our 2016 Unity TB bath. The hand towels were always hanging in the sink which was annoying. Today I installed a new towel bar which we like a lot. The mounting bracket is slightly larger than the one on the wall, but it was easy to install the new bracket using the same screws and holes. We like having the hand towel up higher and away from the sink.