Hey Folks! Welcome to another RV lifie-focused video from your friends at RV Miles. So many of you are bringing home new RVs and getting ready for the camping season, so we thought it was time to share what we believe are the SIX UPGRADES you should make asap. If you can already tell your mattress is going to be an issue, then our timing is perfect. Check out https:RVMattress.com/RVMILES and use promo code RVMILES to save 20% off your purchase. We've also got a complete list of camping/RV items in our Amazon store at Amazon.com/shop/rvmiles. We'll see you on the next video! - Jason and Abby
My wife was a fashion major and knows how to sew. She brought her sewing machine on our last 10 day trip and after the kids went to bed she replaced all of the cheap fabric window treatments with nicer thicker fabric to upgrade the look and provide better shade
DELETE the standard suspension components and upgrade to Lippert Road Armor Suspension Equalizers, brass bushings (instead of nylon) and wet bolts (with Zerk Fittings). I just ordered my upgrade kit off Amazon for just over $500 and it WILL make a great improvement on the RV's suspension and how it handles over bumpy uneven roads. It will also reduce or eliminate 'chucking'. You can even add shocks if you wanna go all the way. Also ordered a great mattress topper (but will eventually get a Select Comfort RV mattress)....we've upgraded the shower as well. Upgrading the TV that came with the RV ("Connex")...just so many things. Added slide out toppers. We're also going to upgrade the CHINA BOMBS to Goodyear Endurance. I installed a Tyremate TPMS but when we upgrade the tires I get a more integrated system. I installed my own Rearview/Backup camera system as well (FURRION 7" 3 camera system)....just lots of things to do....
We did the tires and fire extinguishers 3 weeks after we took delivery. We find the standard battery to be OK since we don't boondock, just installed the 3rd in 8 years. We added a jack and lug wrench (note: bolts on the spare may not be the same as on the axles). Obtained the "build sheet" from axle serial numbers and carry a set of proper bearings, races, and seals. Took every thing apart that I could and stuffed steel wool in the cracks and wire/pipe openings to restrict critter movement. Every year at spring opening: Spray the upholstery with protectant, Spray the underside seams with bug spray, lube the shackles, stabilizers, and slide out mechanism, sanetize the water system.
All great recommendations. I did them all after buying a 55 year old vintage Greyhound bus conversion that had been sitting in a barn for 10 years. I started by replacing he 31 year old tires! Then it was the start batteries. Then fire extinguishers. Once it was safe to drive I went to the big city mattress shopping. Ended up with a Purple 3. OMG it is so incredibly comfortable! Eventually I replaced the POS original shower head with an Oxygenic one. In
I too have done many of the upgrades you mentioned. Great info. My Arctic Fox came with Fantastic Fans, however I upgraded the bedroom fan to a top shelf model with remote. Comes in handy, no more kneeling on the bed. Took the cheaper FF and changed out the cheap fart fan in the bathroom. Very much appreciated. Also, installing 12V strip LED lighting inside the cabinets and closets is very inexpensive and easy to do.
Showerhead - check Mattress - check Vent fan - check Batteries - check Tires - check Fire extinguisher - excellent suggestion!!! The only thing I would add is when upgrading tires, strongly consider adding TPMS - the piece of mind a good system (TST) provides is worth it!
when thinking about upgrading tires, I read that a lot of folks will upgrade to truck rims and truck rated tires to handle the highway speeds and long distances. Thank you two for being an ultra-valuable resource and producing outstanding video content.
I heard what your saying but the main thing I took out of this was how nice Abbey's hair looks. I put a 100Ah LiFePO4 in Airstream interstate and a DC to DC charger with MPPT. Also added a 2K invertor. The PO put a 120VAC frig in it so I needed it for off grid without using the generator. You guys doa great job, thanks for the info.
Good tips. Let's talk tires. Had china bombs on my 32 foot trailer. Was into my 3rd yr of travel and they looked fine (no cracks or anything). We were 50 miles from our campground and WHAM! Front right blowout. Took out all the trim on that side. AAA came out and changed the tire and we were on the way, 20 miles from the campground WHAM! Rear left blowout and lost the trim on that side too. Had to wait for AAA tire truck to bring a replacement tire (our spare was being used for the first blowout). Upon returning home my good insurance took care of all of the damages and I went with a full set of Goodyear Endurance. They even tow better! PLUS, I am now a proud member of the two-spare club (one on camper and one tire/rim riding in back of truck)! Happy travels y'all! PS, changed out that mattress too!
I hope you guys didn’t get kicked out of the campground where you had the mattress delivered 😉. A couple of days ago I saw the video where y’all were “invited” to leave for receiving a package. We slept one night on our rv bed and that morning we went and bought a real pillow top mattress. That was a game changer. I enjoy your content! Keep up the great information!!!
Good stuff guys, as usual! About the lithium batteries, though, they simply aren’t that expensive any more. Look at the SOK brand- their 206 amp-hour (2560 watt-hour), self-heated, Bluetooth battery is $1200. There are a number of other brands in this price range as well. What will cost more, though, is the likelihood of having to install a different converter-charger in your RV that can effectively charge these batteries, if your rig originally came with a lead-acid battery. That can turn into an expensive rabbit-hole if you aren’t careful! I wholeheartedly agree with the changes you’ve made being great ideas.
Most newer RVs have a smart inverter that can tell changes in battery type and charge capacity. Older models, not so much. Knowing which one you have can be a life saver!
Great list! Went to a local foam shop & they made us a custom multilayer foam mattress cut to our exact specifications (for a corner bed setup). Expensive but 100% worth it.
We just bought a 99 Class A, 34 foot. I negotiated 4 (of 6) new tires with the deal. Waiting for a new mattress, our oxygenics shower head, and some little odds and ends. One thing we just did was change out every little incandescent bulb to a new LED. Replaced all 20 of them for $16. They won’t get nearly as hot, and use 10 times less energy to run. I’m checking the fire extinguishers, and upgrading the fan for sure after this video. Next on our list is a rechargeable Li Iron Battery that we can recharge with a folding solar panel, a car battery, or a standard plug. Included a 30 amp plug so we can plug right into the existing wiring, and my husband can run his cpap all night in places where generators aren’t permitted. Thanks!!
Hi guys! I already upgraded / replaced all things on your short list…including ditching the AGM batteries to Lithium Phosphate. One thing that I would add to that list is to install a “soft-start” module for the HVAC. (Why in this day and age manufacturers still use high voltage capacitors doesn’t make sense…and they’re not that expensive)
@@bobbygray7813 To put it into perspective, $300 expense in relationship to the total cost of a new(er) motorhome (around $100K+) or even a new AC unit…is pretty minor. Yeah, I just shelled out $309 for a Micro-Air soft start…that hurt, but was a necessary expense. Some parks have only 20 amp service. C’mon, it’s the 21st century. I bet some manufacturers (Dometic or Coleman) has already figured out an inexpensive way to engineer ACs for soft starting.
In our first travel trailer, we used a mattress topper to be more comfortable. For our new/current Solitude- we immediately changed mattress out to a serta bed in a box from Sam's. SOOO much nicer camping!! We also installed an inline surge protector/readout system. Not really an upgrade, but a must have when you've invested a lot of money in an RV!
@@cannonsluxuryart2281 Surge Guard 35550 Hardwire Model - 50 Amp. Display unit is - Surge Guard 40300 Optional Remote LCD Display for Hardwire Model 35530. And we got a plug analyzer to check power before plugging in.- CARMTEK RV Circuit Analyzer 50 Amp - RV Circuit Tester with Smart Diagnostic Chart and Indicator Lights - ETL Listed 50 Amp Circuit Analyzer for RV. Hope this helps!
All good suggestions. We are weekend warriors now on our 5th Travel Trailer since the 80's. Have done or have all of the Upgrades you mentioned in our 2019 Rockwood. But the one I particularly like is trading up to a 100amp hour Lifepo4 battery. The lighter weight and extended battery life has been well worth it. Now if we do an overnight rest stop I don't have to worry about killing the battery because we ran the vent fan or furnace.
We have a 2020 Jayco 21' SLX Baja edition. Overall quality is good EXCEPT the front bed. I am a big, 6'+ at 225, my wife is not petite. When we laid down on the factory mattress not only was it too thin but the wood platform was just 3/16" plywood and our weight made the bed sag in the middle. I did not want to end up in the basement some night! Solution was to upgrade the platform to 3/4" plywood and the mattress to 5" thick quality foam. This upgrade increased the front weight and forced us to reduce the amount of weight carried in the "under the bed" storage area. Overall a great improvement and now we just carry less stuff in the RV
I switch RV's way too often (like I do cars) and the very first thing I do is change out the cheapo mattress with a good memory foam one. The second thing I do is change out the cheapo scissor jacks with good quality ones....Good video ya'll put together...Makes me think about the other things.
Totally agree with the mattress changing out. We went with a Nectar full queen and just extended the bed 6”. What a difference from the mattress topper that we originally had.
Completely agree. After about 2 trips in our Class C Winnebago, we knew we could not get a restful vacation on the standard rv mattress. Already having a sleep number bed at home we turned to sleep number again. They were great in helping us determine and order the right sized mattress to fit our RV and now we both sleep great which is not easy when the wife likes to sleep at 100 and I prefer 45.
The fire extinguisher upgrade to bigger ABC is a great idea. I would suggest as a kitchen fire survivor that you NOT put a fire extinguisher under the sink. The cook top is most usual place for a kitchen fire. The sink especially in an RV is too close to the cooktop to safely get to the fire extinguisher. I would suggest that is be locate one close to the stove, but not too close where a fire on the cooktop would prevent you from getting to the closest extinguisher.
I would install a substantial solar package, and with that, I would replace (if necessary) the wiring that runs to the charge controller, inverter etc. This would be done to reduce fire hazards.
I upgraded my camper’s tires. We will upgrade the mattress with a higher quality, smaller matress. We have a King but need to go down to a queen. That leaves room on each side or our slideout to make more storage room, especially for a CPAP and pottable power pack.
We have two ABC 5LB extinguishers plus the little one supplied. We ordered a new memory foam mattress but were shocked the supplied mattress was really comfortable. Battiers we changed ours to Sun Power AGM because we do not do enough dry camping for Lithium and the 220APH, at 50% discharge supplied by the four Sun Power AGMs gives us plenty of power even with a residential frig. This upgrade does not apply to you being a 5th wheel but for our Class A, LED headlights are a must.
Yep, month after purchase mattress out new memory foam, replaced batteries with interstate, shower head and hose junk replaced with stainless flex and a top of the line shower head
Bought out TT new in 2017 and in 2020, I replaced the China bombs with Goodyear Endurance. GY Endurance pull with ease and are very high quality. I went to Ace Hardware and replaced the shower head. I put thick Walmart memory foam on top of the original rock hard mattress. Love your channel!
Added extra fire extinguishers the day we took delivery and drove it home. A fire extinguisher every few feet from the front to the back. Use them to fight your way out not put the fire out.
I would also upgrade the suspension on your travel trailer. The factory shackles are a 1/4 inch thick with plastic bushings, you can upgrade to 1/2 inch shackles with wet bolts and brass bushings. Also upgrade the Equalizer for a better ride and much safer than the factory garbage on most trailers.
Off topic for this Video. But there is a new overnite RV parking sites being developed/proposed off of the I 65/US 50 interchange at Seymour, IN. according to an article in the Seymour Tribune newspaper a couple of days ago. It is to be 100% FHU, fully paved level pull thru sites, paved streets and pretty much just for a one nite stay as you travel north/ south on I 65 or east/ west on US 50. There are no annemities, site are by reservations online, payed by CC. You will be sent an E mail with your site # and the code to the gate. This is an unmaned park except may be a grounds keeper. If this is successful the developers propose building another one north of Indy along I 65. They are marketing this as an alternative to truck stops and rest areas. Proposed rates were not stated, but I would assume much cheaper than a traditional campground.
When going to Lithium or AGM batteries you normally (at least 90% of the time) need a serious upgrade to your converter charger. Even on mid level and upper end units the converters are not recommended for AGM and certainly not Lithium battery application. A good 4 or 5 stage converter can run several hundred dollars, been there done that!
Great list, we have changed our mattress. tires and one I would add to the list, suspension. We have a 2021 Avenger 27DBS 7000 highway miles on it. I wanted to upgrade to the Moryde suspension package. When I did I found the plastic bushings were shot and the thin shackles were oblonged where the bolts go through.
Great video. Just bought an 'entry level' travel trailer today, and I expect we'll do many of these upgrades, starting with the tires. On our B+ motorhome, we got new tires, upgraded the fans, added a topper, put in a lithium iron phosphate bank (SOKs) and associated electronics, added solar, threw out the 3-way fridge (literally) and replaced with a Danfoss compressor AC/DC fridge (huge upgrade IMO).
Our 3 way fridge caught fire or rather got so hot it burned a board behind and it was smoking out the vent on our first trip. They put new wood in the back and a tar substance or paper tar? My issue was why it got hot enough to do that? It also doesnt get that cold. I expect it to at least when stopped at site to cool more. I will look up that Danfos. Thanks.
A Hengs Vortex 2 is a no fuss replacement that is also much cheaper. I just did this on our TT, the hardest part was getting the junk fan motor off - drilled the rivets out so added a few minutes. No need to mess with the seals on the roof made this a simple upgrade. Yes the MaxxAir and Fantastic are better - but also more expensive and a little more work to install. I can 100% support the Goodyear Endurance tires. I replace the Goodyears on my old trailer with the Endurance (a newer version of what was on originally, but I can't remember the name). An excellent tire. They are the next thing going on the new trailer. We did the mattress upgrade too. The OG lasted about a month and it started killing our backs. Upgrade to a high quality foam (RV King) and couldn't be happier.
Great list! We added better railing for both our inside and outside stairs and added a surge protector...Watchdog... Will be either switching out the Easy Bake stove for a model with 4 burners and a larger oven or adding a toaster oven. Thanks for your great content!
My wife & I enjoy your videos. Thx. One item you didn't mention is the thermostat for the AC/Furnace. One of the first things I have changed to a digital model on my last 2 new Forest River RV's. I'm surprised that they still come with the old "slide" setting type. Even on our new 2022 Micro-lite. Digital the way to go.
Regarding the quality and safety of trailer tires, I agree 100%. I replace my tires including the spare every 4 years regardles of the wear condition. I am in to my 2nd set of Carlisle load range D tires. I also recommend that the valve stems be replaced with high pressure stems (rated up to 100 psi). Not the standard 65 psi stems.
I haven't grabbed the fire extinguishers yet but the tires, mattress, shower head, and lithium batteries were all ordered day one. Those items are consistently recommended by most everyone. We haven't slept on the mattress (Brooklyn Signature) as it took a little while to receive but we're definitely looking forward to it.
I changed my locks immediately! I’ve heard stories of how the cheaper units use the same locks that are keyed to same key that can open 75% of other camper’s storage and doors. Does “CH751” sound familiar?
I have found that most storage cabinets are deep and dark. Rather than using a flashlight or wiring lights in, I use Glowright battery powered LED strips are great for these areas. They attach with a pressure sensitive metal strip where the light has a magnet to hold it in place. It can easily be pulled off the magnet and redirected. They havce several settings for motion detecting on/off, on with a switch and colors and intensities of light. They do not use replaceable batteries. Rather they recharge using a standard USB cable (included).
Showerhead - my shower is too small to even bother Mattress - check. Ours came with a full size mattress, the queen fits well and gives us more room to sleep. An RV queen would make it easier to get in the door of the bedroom, but it's not that big a deal for us, we just crawl onto the bed from the door. Vent fan - check. Love my two vent fans which can cool the RV quickly after the sun goes down and it gets cool outside. Batteries - check. I didn't go with lithium, but did upgrade from a group 24 to two group 30. Much better. That original one was stupid small, could not even run the furnace overnight. Tires - strongly suggest a TPMS system with display in the truck. You really want to know about low pressure before the tire blows out and rips the side of your trailer apart. Fire extinguisher - Got one in the kitchen and one in the rear cargo compartment, as that's the closest I can get it to where the furnace, refrigerator and water heater. If your RV is older, with incandescent lights. replace them with LED. You can get packs of 10-20 bulbs for under $20 and just replace them in all fixtures. If you don't mind spending more, you can get 5 packs of dimmable and color changing fixtures for $40-$80. Just buy at the A something store online, not the overpriced RV stores.
Great video and unfortunately, I did several of your upgrades (mattress, shower head, fire extinguisher, and tires). Now my travel trailer is more reliable and a lot more comfortable. I also have an ABC Fire extinguisher in my truck! When I bought my 2019 Flagstaff Super-Lite, they gave me a cheap bbq that attached to the outside of my rig......I threw that away and purchased a small Blackstone Flattop grill..........I love to BBQ and purchased a 20' quick connect gas hose that connects directly to my trailer (underneath) and can safely BBQ anywhere outdoors.
2 things. I’ve watched thousands or RV videos. I have Never heard of PSI ratings on rims or that you shouldn’t travel with water in your tank. Thank you for talking about VERY VERY important issues in your videos.
I replaced my mattress with a full thickness memory foam mattress. It’s so much more comfortable. I just got a new travel trailer (geo-pro 19FBS) and I saved my mattress to transfer into it. I also just got an oxygenics shower head because my shower has a lot less pressure than my rpod shower head did when on city water.
Super video and SPOT ON! We've got a pretty high end toy hauler and we've done most of these upgrades except the mattress. I'll get that taken care of today. Thanks for sharing. Stay safe!
You guys have a great channel! I routinely watch your videos and I always find them professional and informative. Thanks for taking the time to make and share them with us.
Planning to exchange the mattress before our first trip :) Hubby being a long haul truck for nearly 30 years, pre-trip is word. Fall 24 Mi snowbirds :)
Great list, already upgraded all of those. Might need more fire extinguisher. Inverter + Large batteries + Solar instead of Generator. Ceramic Toilet + Bidet. Toilet-Paper is such a headache in a RV. Why even bother when you can clean with water :P
Thank You Yes the bed was the first thing. Mine has a microwave/ convection oven ha ha ha. The Convection only has a few presets and I don’t need or use them. It shuts off at 15 minutes when you try using it to temperature so it’s only a a microwave. So I invested in the Ninja oven that folds up agents the wall when not in use and folds down to use. It works beautifully. Bakes broils and makes toast. Excellent use of space and excellent food come from it. Next addition 200 watts solar one extra battery becomes that’s all that fits in the step. Will replace the Sink and faucet next. I did improve the door INSOLATION by purchasing a spring rod and hanging a light weight blanket that covers the space. It a neutral color that blends in easily. During the day it drapes on a cor but. So it looks like it belongs. I will get the upgrade shower head. I have done a lot more added lights and storage drawers and crown molding and high grade paints and they look beautiful as everyone is surprised and I get amazing complements I worked meticulously it took quite a long time but I’ve upgraded the entire thing it looks much nicer than it did when I bought it and what’s the difference really between an expensive RV and a not so expensive RV when you buy them new it’s a quality of the furnishings the wall treatments the lights the comforts. So it looks amazing. And functions much better as well.
my Jayco 224bh came with the goodyear tires. thank you Jayco. we did add a mattress topper. the battery upgrade for the 4 or 5 times a year we camp, seems to steep for now. if it could run the A/C i would do it.
I've done the mattress and fire extinguishers. Planning on tire up grading. Didn't think about shower head or power fans but now you've got me thinking about it. Good info keep it coming. Thanks
First thing was mattress, didn’t take it out of the wrapper and sold it. Replaced tires after three years with Endurance, and suspension bolts to wet lube.
I have been working on replacing all of the lightbulbs to LED in the coach there are 54 of the small light fixtures. I also found a company who manufactures LED light frames to replace ceiling mounted fluorescent fixtures with LED this should bring a considerable boost to the battery life. Thomyt
Great info yes we did it all. $50,000 trailer the mattress was like a sheet of plywood , the battery lol I never got it out of the dealer and it was dead. We got AGM works great. Tires lol we have had 3 sets in 150,000 km yeah we got new set now. Awesome video very cool 🛠️🇨🇦🛠️🇨🇦
We upgraded to golf cart batteries. Pretty expensive at $200 each, but supposed to be much longer lasting. We purchased a slightly used but heavily upgraded camper last year, a 2018 Palomino Columbus 1492 366RL, with both upgrade packages available for that year, so we had little else to upgrade. However our rig came without slide out toppers, so we'd like to get those at some point.
We did add a Mattress topper did not know how to get a good replacement mattress ! Thank you for your information we are Professional snowbirds 3/4 months a year Ed & Donna 😎
Great points! Didn't know the extenguishers were only BC. We'll be replacing those very soon! Thanks for the awesome videos you two post. Abbie, love the hair you are rockin!
All great suggestions. All the RV'S I looked at were junk. So I built my own rv from a 2021 Ford E350 cutaway van. .900 amp hours of lithium batteries .1,200 watts of solar panels .2 large fire extinguishers .A 10" thick extra long 80" twin mattress. 👍
Great video and we agree with all your suggestions. We have 4ea 105ah lithiums while pricey .. like you said .. likely a one time purchase. They’re lighter, no maintenance, and you can safely discharge them with no worries about damaging them. Additionally, they charge faster and no off gassing. As you can see I like our lithium investment.
My wife and I are planning to retire into an RV soon, so your tips will come in very handy. For every one of your six tips, you state that the hack is for people who use their rigs frequently. We will be living in ours, so I think that counts, Eh?
Awesome video. Just bought a new travel trailer and added memory foam to the existing mattress. Works beautifully for now. Maybe new mattress later on after settle with cost of new trailer. Fire extinguishers are top priority before the season begins. Going to check out tires and then battery. Thank you so much for your suggestions!
Very welcome! Our mattress topper gave us a good six months before breaking down. Hoping the same for you. Thankfully, if you do go with RVMattress.com the 20% off code has no expiration date and will be there when you need it. Congrats on the new trailer and happy camping!
All tires sold in the USA have to meet Federal DOT standards, regardless of where they are made. If the tires are not adequate for the RV, that’s on the RV manufacturer. If the tires are not properly inflated, that’s on the RV owner.
"Pressure" really isn't what makes shower good or bad, beyond simply having enough. Think about it this way: I can spray you with a power washer with enough pressure to cut skin, but it won't wash a wide area or really move that much water over a particular area. Flow rate is more important for showers. That is, how many GPM can the shower deliver. Of course, a high flow shower isn't necessarily good when you are dealing with holding tanks. That said, your recommended shower head could be great.
The ink markings on stove keeps wearing off on ours. Just keep in mind folks once you own an RV you will need to be handy to fix this and that. Your trailer flexes as it goes down the road and things tend to wear. Fix the rust and keep an eye on your hanger brackets that hold the leaf springs. The welds tend to break. Its best if you beef it up by re-enforcing it to the frame. Also check the belly of your trailer for loose bolts.
I know this is RV but popped up from our searches. As we age thinking better to get a driving RV than a trailer but... Our wolf pup came with a mattress basically a few cheap springs and cardboard? We refused it, left it there for them to trash. We needed one 5" shorter. Looked all over at camping mattresses. Though we'd just take out the small hollow headboard thing or just let it bend up at one end. Then went to a discount bed place. They had real brands. Prices were great. We started asking about the camping size and the lady said, oh we can send it out to be cut down. Only $80 added to the price of our great Simmons. So I think the lower discount store knows the repair people because they probably take seconds and send things out to get fixed. And you couldnt even tell it was cut. They open up and resize the material and binding. There was also a mattress maker that sold their own beds when my kid was young. They let my kids peek in factory door to watch. Super cheap, super great beds. If you find one of those im sure you can order exact size. ok Just info. Wolf pup is crap though. Best thing is the all enclosed floor, then they build on top. No critters but thoings falling off from day one. All outside trim, decals, inside wall vinyl. I was thinking to get those vaccume hinges as all open up and no way to stay up. But I think Im just going to change hinges to the side. Right now its a bathroom at end of our acre lot when sewing in my workshop and I store extra upcycle clothing that I remake. We made a real RV trailer spot for it in the yard. At prices of new I think its still better to upgrade more. We did only pay $12,000 but is there no expectation of quality unless you pay the price of a house?!
Hello there, I m relatively new to full time rving with my tiny Jayco 145. I have, over the last few months done most of the upgrades you suggested except the six pack of fire extinguishers, not enough wall space! I am going to look for a fire blanket for stove fires. One thing that also felt was important was I upgraded from one propane tank to two. That way I shouldn't run out in the middle of cook dinner or making coffee!
Thanks for the ideas. In my Casita, I previously completed several of the upgrades. Have been considering the Oxygenix shower head for years. May just try it now.
We replaced our bathroom fan and install covers on the roof on both fans. Replaced vent stack covers. Placed all lights inside with led ones and changed from gold to satin nickel colors. Most outside lights replaced, a few more to go. Installed 4 exterior cameras and monitor. New radio. New CB. 2 new flatscreen TV’s. Residential Refrigerator. New large kitchen sink and faucet. New shower and vanity faucets. New shower head. Took out rocker and put in chair and ottoman. New fire extinguishers throughout. New blinds and curtains. Washing machine. Ring alarm system. RV GPS. Berkey. Tire Minder. Surge guard. Wheel covers. New ladder on rear. Cover for skylight to make room darkening. Still need to replace awning, damaged the original. I want to replace gas stove/oven with an induction cooktop. Have 4 lion energy lithium batteries but need the other components and solar panels. We have a 2000 Winnebago Journey diesel pusher, so it needed lots of updates. Still a work in progress. Oh yeah, and the exhaust system as someone stole ours. Probably for the catalytic converter but it didn’t even have one.
If you buy a used RV, be sure to check the dates on the tires as they can still have tread and be too old to drive on. This happens often when they are not regularly used. We changed the tires and upgraded the shower head to the exact one shown.
We changed all of these on our first travel trailer, and a fair number on our first gas Class A. Now in a DP…we are actually sleeping well - wait for it - on the OEM mattress! Still thinking about batteries, but we’re going to see how we get on with 8 agm’s, 1100 watts of solar, and the on-board generator. A battery upgrade would require a controller upgrade as well. 🙄
If your batteries are in a vented enclosure or on the outside (travel trailers). Dual 6 volts is the way to go, only slightly more $ than a 12 volt with more than double the power. Just add distilled water periodically and they will last for years.
I'm looking at getting a used class C from a individual The Price is Right what should I look for most of all besides the obvious leaks wear and tear and tires and so on what do you recommend I watch out for
I love this video. Great information. I know how bad rv mattresses could be. They definitely are not comfortable. Even real home beds are getting that way. The rv mattress looks comfortable Jason and Abby. I might get one. Thank you for this video. Hope you have a great weekend and a Happy Easter! 🐇🐰🐣
Another great video! We did the mattress swap before we even took delivery of our current rig. Lesson learned from the one before it. Definitely planning on a battery swap in the near future too.
Any recommendation for a good travel trailer cover? I have to store mine outside under trees in a wet climate. Also, I need a slide out topper, recommendation. Are they hard to diy install?
Hey Folks! Welcome to another RV lifie-focused video from your friends at RV Miles. So many of you are bringing home new RVs and getting ready for the camping season, so we thought it was time to share what we believe are the SIX UPGRADES you should make asap. If you can already tell your mattress is going to be an issue, then our timing is perfect. Check out https:RVMattress.com/RVMILES and use promo code RVMILES to save 20% off your purchase. We've also got a complete list of camping/RV items in our Amazon store at Amazon.com/shop/rvmiles. We'll see you on the next video! - Jason and Abby
My wife was a fashion major and knows how to sew. She brought her sewing machine on our last 10 day trip and after the kids went to bed she replaced all of the cheap fabric window treatments with nicer thicker fabric to upgrade the look and provide better shade
I just used spray paint.
Lol... ^
DELETE the standard suspension components and upgrade to Lippert Road Armor Suspension Equalizers, brass bushings (instead of nylon) and wet bolts (with Zerk Fittings). I just ordered my upgrade kit off Amazon for just over $500 and it WILL make a great improvement on the RV's suspension and how it handles over bumpy uneven roads. It will also reduce or eliminate 'chucking'. You can even add shocks if you wanna go all the way. Also ordered a great mattress topper (but will eventually get a Select Comfort RV mattress)....we've upgraded the shower as well. Upgrading the TV that came with the RV ("Connex")...just so many things. Added slide out toppers. We're also going to upgrade the CHINA BOMBS to Goodyear Endurance. I installed a Tyremate TPMS but when we upgrade the tires I get a more integrated system. I installed my own Rearview/Backup camera system as well (FURRION 7" 3 camera system)....just lots of things to do....
You’ve been busy. 🙌🏽
@@RVMiles LOL, yes. We upgraded our smaller RV to one with slides and a bunkhouse for our granddaughters (4 yr old toddlers).
We did the tires and fire extinguishers 3 weeks after we took delivery. We find the standard battery to be OK since we don't boondock, just installed the 3rd in 8 years.
We added a jack and lug wrench (note: bolts on the spare may not be the same as on the axles).
Obtained the "build sheet" from axle serial numbers and carry a set of proper bearings, races, and seals.
Took every thing apart that I could and stuffed steel wool in the cracks and wire/pipe openings to restrict critter movement.
Every year at spring opening: Spray the upholstery with protectant, Spray the underside seams with bug spray, lube the shackles, stabilizers, and slide out mechanism, sanetize the water system.
Nice list!! Seems no matter what it is. . .more maintenance. . .less problems!
All great recommendations. I did them all after buying a 55 year old vintage Greyhound bus conversion that had been sitting in a barn for 10 years. I started by replacing he 31 year old tires! Then it was the start batteries. Then fire extinguishers. Once it was safe to drive I went to the big city mattress shopping. Ended up with a Purple 3. OMG it is so incredibly comfortable! Eventually I replaced the POS original shower head with an Oxygenic one. In
Ohhh! I bet that Greyhound is beautiful! Dang!!
I too have done many of the upgrades you mentioned. Great info. My Arctic Fox came with Fantastic Fans, however I upgraded the bedroom fan to a top shelf model with remote. Comes in handy, no more kneeling on the bed. Took the cheaper FF and changed out the cheap fart fan in the bathroom. Very much appreciated. Also, installing 12V strip LED lighting inside the cabinets and closets is very inexpensive and easy to do.
Showerhead - check
Mattress - check
Vent fan - check
Batteries - check
Tires - check
Fire extinguisher - excellent suggestion!!!
The only thing I would add is when upgrading tires, strongly consider adding TPMS - the piece of mind a good system (TST) provides is worth it!
when thinking about upgrading tires, I read that a lot of folks will upgrade to truck rims and truck rated tires to handle the highway speeds and long distances. Thank you two for being an ultra-valuable resource and producing outstanding video content.
Sink faucets. Toilet. Adding shut off valves to sink toilet plumbing etc.
I heard what your saying but the main thing I took out of this was how nice Abbey's hair looks.
I put a 100Ah LiFePO4 in Airstream interstate and a DC to DC charger with MPPT. Also added a 2K invertor. The PO put a 120VAC frig in it so I needed it for off grid without using the generator.
You guys doa great job, thanks for the info.
I too felt my hair was really on point in this video. 🙌🏽 Thanks for noticing, watching and sharing your battery set-up. -Abby
Good tips. Let's talk tires. Had china bombs on my 32 foot trailer. Was into my 3rd yr of travel and they looked fine (no cracks or anything). We were 50 miles from our campground and WHAM! Front right blowout. Took out all the trim on that side. AAA came out and changed the tire and we were on the way, 20 miles from the campground WHAM! Rear left blowout and lost the trim on that side too. Had to wait for AAA tire truck to bring a replacement tire (our spare was being used for the first blowout). Upon returning home my good insurance took care of all of the damages and I went with a full set of Goodyear Endurance. They even tow better! PLUS, I am now a proud member of the two-spare club (one on camper and one tire/rim riding in back of truck)! Happy travels y'all! PS, changed out that mattress too!
I hope you guys didn’t get kicked out of the campground where you had the mattress delivered 😉. A couple of days ago I saw the video where y’all were “invited” to leave for receiving a package. We slept one night on our rv bed and that morning we went and bought a real pillow top mattress. That was a game changer. I enjoy your content! Keep up the great information!!!
Good stuff guys, as usual! About the lithium batteries, though, they simply aren’t that expensive any more. Look at the SOK brand- their 206 amp-hour (2560 watt-hour), self-heated, Bluetooth battery is $1200. There are a number of other brands in this price range as well. What will cost more, though, is the likelihood of having to install a different converter-charger in your RV that can effectively charge these batteries, if your rig originally came with a lead-acid battery. That can turn into an expensive rabbit-hole if you aren’t careful!
I wholeheartedly agree with the changes you’ve made being great ideas.
When changing to lithiums, be aware that you may require a new converter/charger that has a lithium charge setting.
Most newer RVs have a smart inverter that can tell changes in battery type and charge capacity. Older models, not so much. Knowing which one you have can be a life saver!
Great list! Went to a local foam shop & they made us a custom multilayer foam mattress cut to our exact specifications (for a corner bed setup). Expensive but 100% worth it.
Very cool!
We just bought Serta 3" mattress pads. Got them on sale. Great for any bed!
We just bought a 99 Class A, 34 foot. I negotiated 4 (of 6) new tires with the deal. Waiting for a new mattress, our oxygenics shower head, and some little odds and ends. One thing we just did was change out every little incandescent bulb to a new LED. Replaced all 20 of them for $16. They won’t get nearly as hot, and use 10 times less energy to run.
I’m checking the fire extinguishers, and upgrading the fan for sure after this video. Next on our list is a rechargeable Li Iron Battery that we can recharge with a folding solar panel, a car battery, or a standard plug. Included a 30 amp plug so we can plug right into the existing wiring, and my husband can run his cpap all night in places where generators aren’t permitted. Thanks!!
Hi guys!
I already upgraded / replaced all things on your short list…including ditching the AGM batteries to Lithium Phosphate.
One thing that I would add to that list is to install a “soft-start” module for the HVAC. (Why in this day and age manufacturers still use high voltage capacitors doesn’t make sense…and they’re not that expensive)
Not expensive? I'm seeing $300 each
@@bobbygray7813 To put it into perspective, $300 expense in relationship to the total cost of a new(er) motorhome (around $100K+) or even a new AC unit…is pretty minor.
Yeah, I just shelled out $309 for a Micro-Air soft start…that hurt, but was a necessary expense. Some parks have only 20 amp service.
C’mon, it’s the 21st century. I bet some manufacturers (Dometic or Coleman) has already figured out an inexpensive way to engineer ACs for soft starting.
Why would they reduce the sale of AC units, most Rv owners have no idea what a soft start is, it’s all about the money
In our first travel trailer, we used a mattress topper to be more comfortable. For our new/current Solitude- we immediately changed mattress out to a serta bed in a box from Sam's. SOOO much nicer camping!! We also installed an inline surge protector/readout system. Not really an upgrade, but a must have when you've invested a lot of money in an RV!
What surger / reader did you buy?
@@cannonsluxuryart2281 Surge Guard 35550 Hardwire Model - 50 Amp. Display unit is - Surge Guard 40300 Optional Remote LCD Display for Hardwire Model 35530. And we got a plug analyzer to check power before plugging in.- CARMTEK RV Circuit Analyzer 50 Amp - RV Circuit Tester with Smart Diagnostic Chart and Indicator Lights - ETL Listed 50 Amp Circuit Analyzer for RV. Hope this helps!
All good suggestions. We are weekend warriors now on our 5th Travel Trailer since the 80's. Have done or have all of the Upgrades you mentioned in our 2019 Rockwood. But the one I particularly like is trading up to a 100amp hour Lifepo4 battery. The lighter weight and extended battery life has been well worth it. Now if we do an overnight rest stop I don't have to worry about killing the battery because we ran the vent fan or furnace.
We have a 2020 Jayco 21' SLX Baja edition. Overall quality is good EXCEPT the front bed. I am a big, 6'+ at 225, my wife is not petite. When we laid down on the factory mattress not only was it too thin but the wood platform was just 3/16" plywood and our weight made the bed sag in the middle. I did not want to end up in the basement some night! Solution was to upgrade the platform to 3/4" plywood and the mattress to 5" thick quality foam. This upgrade increased the front weight and forced us to reduce the amount of weight carried in the "under the bed" storage area. Overall a great improvement and now we just carry less stuff in the RV
I switch RV's way too often (like I do cars) and the very first thing I do is change out the cheapo mattress with a good memory foam one. The second thing I do is change out the cheapo scissor jacks with good quality ones....Good video ya'll put together...Makes me think about the other things.
Totally agree with the mattress changing out. We went with a Nectar full queen and just extended the bed 6”. What a difference from the mattress topper that we originally had.
Completely agree. After about 2 trips in our Class C Winnebago, we knew we could not get a restful vacation on the standard rv mattress. Already having a sleep number bed at home we turned to sleep number again. They were great in helping us determine and order the right sized mattress to fit our RV and now we both sleep great which is not easy when the wife likes to sleep at 100 and I prefer 45.
The fire extinguisher upgrade to bigger ABC is a great idea. I would suggest as a kitchen fire survivor that you NOT put a fire extinguisher under the sink. The cook top is most usual place for a kitchen fire. The sink especially in an RV is too close to the cooktop to safely get to the fire extinguisher. I would suggest that is be locate one close to the stove, but not too close where a fire on the cooktop would prevent you from getting to the closest extinguisher.
Thanks for sharing your insight!
I would install a substantial solar package, and with that, I would replace (if necessary) the wiring that runs to the charge controller, inverter etc. This would be done to reduce fire hazards.
I upgraded my camper’s tires. We will upgrade the mattress with a higher quality, smaller matress. We have a King but need to go down to a queen. That leaves room on each side or our slideout to make more storage room, especially for a CPAP and pottable power pack.
We have two ABC 5LB extinguishers plus the little one supplied. We ordered a new memory foam mattress but were shocked the supplied mattress was really comfortable. Battiers we changed ours to Sun Power AGM because we do not do enough dry camping for Lithium and the 220APH, at 50% discharge supplied by the four Sun Power AGMs gives us plenty of power even with a residential frig. This upgrade does not apply to you being a 5th wheel but for our Class A, LED headlights are a must.
Yep, month after purchase mattress out new memory foam, replaced batteries with interstate, shower head and hose junk replaced with stainless flex and a top of the line shower head
Bought out TT new in 2017 and in 2020, I replaced the China bombs with Goodyear Endurance. GY Endurance pull with ease and are very high quality. I went to Ace Hardware and replaced the shower head. I put thick Walmart memory foam on top of the original rock hard mattress. Love your channel!
Added extra fire extinguishers the day we took delivery and drove it home. A fire extinguisher every few feet from the front to the back. Use them to fight your way out not put the fire out.
I would also upgrade the suspension on your travel trailer. The factory shackles are a 1/4 inch thick with plastic bushings, you can upgrade to 1/2 inch shackles with wet bolts and brass bushings.
Also upgrade the Equalizer for a better ride and much safer than the factory garbage on most trailers.
Off topic for this Video. But there is a new overnite RV parking sites being developed/proposed off of the I 65/US 50 interchange at Seymour, IN. according to an article in the Seymour Tribune newspaper a couple of days ago. It is to be 100% FHU, fully paved level pull thru sites, paved streets and pretty much just for a one nite stay as you travel north/ south on I 65 or east/ west on US 50. There are no annemities, site are by reservations online, payed by CC. You will be sent an E mail with your site # and the code to the gate. This is an unmaned park except may be a grounds keeper. If this is successful the developers propose building another one north of Indy along I 65. They are marketing this as an alternative to truck stops and rest areas. Proposed rates were not stated, but I would assume much cheaper than a traditional campground.
You are absolutely right. The Brooklyn Bedding Wanderlust Mattress is awesome. I bought ours directly from Brooklyn Bedding. Great Mattress.
When going to Lithium or AGM batteries you normally (at least 90% of the time) need a serious upgrade to your converter charger. Even on mid level and upper end units the converters are not recommended for AGM and certainly not Lithium battery application. A good 4 or 5 stage converter can run several hundred dollars, been there done that!
Great list, we have changed our mattress. tires and one I would add to the list, suspension. We have a 2021 Avenger 27DBS 7000 highway miles on it. I wanted to upgrade to the Moryde suspension package. When I did I found the plastic bushings were shot and the thin shackles were oblonged where the bolts go through.
Great video. Just bought an 'entry level' travel trailer today, and I expect we'll do many of these upgrades, starting with the tires. On our B+ motorhome, we got new tires, upgraded the fans, added a topper, put in a lithium iron phosphate bank (SOKs) and associated electronics, added solar, threw out the 3-way fridge (literally) and replaced with a Danfoss compressor AC/DC fridge (huge upgrade IMO).
Our 3 way fridge caught fire or rather got so hot it burned a board behind and it was smoking out the vent on our first trip. They put new wood in the back and a tar substance or paper tar? My issue was why it got hot enough to do that? It also doesnt get that cold. I expect it to at least when stopped at site to cool more. I will look up that Danfos. Thanks.
A Hengs Vortex 2 is a no fuss replacement that is also much cheaper. I just did this on our TT, the hardest part was getting the junk fan motor off - drilled the rivets out so added a few minutes. No need to mess with the seals on the roof made this a simple upgrade. Yes the MaxxAir and Fantastic are better - but also more expensive and a little more work to install.
I can 100% support the Goodyear Endurance tires. I replace the Goodyears on my old trailer with the Endurance (a newer version of what was on originally, but I can't remember the name). An excellent tire. They are the next thing going on the new trailer.
We did the mattress upgrade too. The OG lasted about a month and it started killing our backs. Upgrade to a high quality foam (RV King) and couldn't be happier.
Great list! We added better railing for both our inside and outside stairs and added a surge protector...Watchdog... Will be either switching out the Easy Bake stove for a model with 4 burners and a larger oven or adding a toaster oven. Thanks for your great content!
My wife & I enjoy your videos. Thx. One item you didn't mention is the thermostat for the AC/Furnace. One of the first things I have changed to a digital model on my last 2 new Forest River RV's. I'm surprised that they still come with the old "slide" setting type. Even on our new 2022 Micro-lite. Digital the way to go.
Regarding the quality and safety of trailer tires, I agree 100%. I replace my tires including the spare every 4 years regardles of the wear condition. I am in to my 2nd set of Carlisle load range D tires. I also recommend that the valve stems be replaced with high pressure stems (rated up to 100 psi). Not the standard 65 psi stems.
Yes, we purchased a new memory foam 10" mattress. Also got 2 clip-on fans from Walmart. I will be adding those extra fire extinguishers. Thanks!
I haven't grabbed the fire extinguishers yet but the tires, mattress, shower head, and lithium batteries were all ordered day one. Those items are consistently recommended by most everyone. We haven't slept on the mattress (Brooklyn Signature) as it took a little while to receive but we're definitely looking forward to it.
I changed my locks immediately! I’ve heard stories of how the cheaper units use the same locks that are keyed to same key that can open 75% of other camper’s storage and doors. Does “CH751” sound familiar?
I have found that most storage cabinets are deep and dark. Rather than using a flashlight or wiring lights in, I use Glowright battery powered LED strips are great for these areas. They attach with a pressure sensitive metal strip where the light has a magnet to hold it in place. It can easily be pulled off the magnet and redirected. They havce several settings for motion detecting on/off, on with a switch and colors and intensities of light. They do not use replaceable batteries. Rather they recharge using a standard USB cable (included).
Showerhead - my shower is too small to even bother
Mattress - check. Ours came with a full size mattress, the queen fits well and gives us more room to sleep. An RV queen would make it easier to get in the door of the bedroom, but it's not that big a deal for us, we just crawl onto the bed from the door.
Vent fan - check. Love my two vent fans which can cool the RV quickly after the sun goes down and it gets cool outside.
Batteries - check. I didn't go with lithium, but did upgrade from a group 24 to two group 30. Much better. That original one was stupid small, could not even run the furnace overnight.
Tires - strongly suggest a TPMS system with display in the truck. You really want to know about low pressure before the tire blows out and rips the side of your trailer apart.
Fire extinguisher - Got one in the kitchen and one in the rear cargo compartment, as that's the closest I can get it to where the furnace, refrigerator and water heater.
If your RV is older, with incandescent lights. replace them with LED. You can get packs of 10-20 bulbs for under $20 and just replace them in all fixtures. If you don't mind spending more, you can get 5 packs of dimmable and color changing fixtures for $40-$80. Just buy at the A something store online, not the overpriced RV stores.
Great video and unfortunately, I did several of your upgrades (mattress, shower head, fire extinguisher, and tires). Now my travel trailer is more reliable and a lot more comfortable. I also have an ABC Fire extinguisher in my truck! When I bought my 2019 Flagstaff Super-Lite, they gave me a cheap bbq that attached to the outside of my rig......I threw that away and purchased a small Blackstone Flattop grill..........I love to BBQ and purchased a 20' quick connect gas hose that connects directly to my trailer (underneath) and can safely BBQ anywhere outdoors.
2 things.
I’ve watched thousands or RV videos. I have Never heard of PSI ratings on rims or that you shouldn’t travel with water in your tank. Thank you for talking about VERY VERY important issues in your videos.
You’re welcome. So glad to hear what we do is useful to the community.
I replaced my mattress with a full thickness memory foam mattress. It’s so much more comfortable. I just got a new travel trailer (geo-pro 19FBS) and I saved my mattress to transfer into it. I also just got an oxygenics shower head because my shower has a lot less pressure than my rpod shower head did when on city water.
Super video and SPOT ON! We've got a pretty high end toy hauler and we've done most of these upgrades except the mattress. I'll get that taken care of today. Thanks for sharing. Stay safe!
I've had great success with the Maxxis 8008 tire. Up to Alaska & back....no worries.
Nice suggestions for RV mods. We've incorporated a few in our trailer.
You guys have a great channel! I routinely watch your videos and I always find them professional and informative. Thanks for taking the time to make and share them with us.
Thanks so much for watching and for your comment. We appreciate it! -A
Planning to exchange the mattress before our first trip :) Hubby being a long haul truck for nearly 30 years, pre-trip is word. Fall 24 Mi snowbirds :)
Smart plan!
Great list, already upgraded all of those. Might need more fire extinguisher. Inverter + Large batteries + Solar instead of Generator. Ceramic Toilet + Bidet. Toilet-Paper is such a headache in a RV. Why even bother when you can clean with water :P
Can you link the bidet? I use way too much toilet paper at home and away.
Never occurred to me to replace that fire extinguisher. I’ll do that, thank you! I also didn’t know about the different kinds.
Thank You
Yes the bed was the first thing. Mine has a microwave/ convection oven ha ha ha. The Convection only has a few presets and I don’t need or use them. It shuts off at 15 minutes when you try using it to temperature so it’s only a a microwave. So I invested in the Ninja oven that folds up agents the wall when not in use and folds down to use. It works beautifully. Bakes broils and makes toast. Excellent use of space and excellent food come from it.
Next addition 200 watts solar one extra battery becomes that’s all that fits in the step.
Will replace the Sink and faucet next. I did improve the door INSOLATION by purchasing a spring rod and hanging a light weight blanket that covers the space. It a neutral color that blends in easily. During the day it drapes on a cor but. So it looks like it belongs. I will get the upgrade shower head. I have done a lot more added lights and storage drawers and crown molding and high grade paints and they look beautiful as everyone is surprised and I get amazing complements I worked meticulously it took quite a long time but I’ve upgraded the entire thing it looks much nicer than it did when I bought it and what’s the difference really between an expensive RV and a not so expensive RV when you buy them new it’s a quality of the furnishings the wall treatments the lights the comforts. So it looks amazing. And functions much better as well.
my Jayco 224bh came with the goodyear tires. thank you Jayco. we did add a mattress topper. the battery upgrade for the 4 or 5 times a year we camp, seems to steep for now. if it could run the A/C i would do it.
I've done the mattress and fire extinguishers. Planning on tire up grading. Didn't think about shower head or power fans but now you've got me thinking about it. Good info keep it coming. Thanks
First thing was mattress, didn’t take it out of the wrapper and sold it. Replaced tires after three years with Endurance, and suspension bolts to wet lube.
I have been working on replacing all of the lightbulbs to LED in the coach there are 54 of the small light fixtures. I also found a company who manufactures LED light frames to replace ceiling mounted fluorescent fixtures with LED this should bring a considerable boost to the battery life. Thomyt
Care to share that manufacturers info for light fixtures…we have old camper. Thank you😉
Great info yes we did it all. $50,000 trailer the mattress was like a sheet of plywood , the battery lol I never got it out of the dealer and it was dead. We got AGM works great. Tires lol we have had 3 sets in 150,000 km yeah we got new set now. Awesome video very cool 🛠️🇨🇦🛠️🇨🇦
Thanks for the video. Just bought my first trailer, and I cannot wait for it to be ready to pick up.
We upgraded to golf cart batteries. Pretty expensive at $200 each, but supposed to be much longer lasting. We purchased a slightly used but heavily upgraded camper last year, a 2018 Palomino Columbus 1492 366RL, with both upgrade packages available for that year, so we had little else to upgrade. However our rig came without slide out toppers, so we'd like to get those at some point.
Great show and I love that you did fire extinguishers first. Safety first.
Very important item that is often overlooked.
We did add a Mattress topper did not know how to get a good replacement mattress ! Thank you for your information we are Professional snowbirds 3/4 months a year Ed & Donna 😎
Great points! Didn't know the extenguishers were only BC. We'll be replacing those very soon! Thanks for the awesome videos you two post. Abbie, love the hair you are rockin!
All great suggestions.
All the RV'S I looked at were junk.
So I built my own rv from a 2021 Ford E350 cutaway van.
.900 amp hours of lithium batteries
.1,200 watts of solar panels
.2 large fire extinguishers
.A 10" thick extra long 80" twin mattress.
👍
Great video and we agree with all your suggestions. We have 4ea 105ah lithiums while pricey .. like you said .. likely a one time purchase. They’re lighter, no maintenance, and you can safely discharge them with no worries about damaging them. Additionally, they charge faster and no off gassing. As you can see I like our lithium investment.
Not all chargers that are standard in RV's will correctly charge Lithium, very important
My wife and I are planning to retire into an RV soon, so your tips will come in very handy. For every one of your six tips, you state that the hack is for people who use their rigs frequently. We will be living in ours, so I think that counts, Eh?
Awesome video. Just bought a new travel trailer and added memory foam to the existing mattress. Works beautifully for now. Maybe new mattress later on after settle with cost of new trailer. Fire extinguishers are top priority before the season begins. Going to check out tires and then battery. Thank you so much for your suggestions!
Very welcome! Our mattress topper gave us a good six months before breaking down. Hoping the same for you. Thankfully, if you do go with RVMattress.com the 20% off code has no expiration date and will be there when you need it. Congrats on the new trailer and happy camping!
First year we swapped out the Mattress, tires, and vents. We also put up a nice sticker mosaic backsplash around the stove top
I d suggest adding the faucets to the list too. Mine has just cheapo plastic ones.
All tires sold in the USA have to meet Federal DOT standards, regardless of where they are made. If the tires are not adequate for the RV, that’s on the RV manufacturer. If the tires are not properly inflated, that’s on the RV owner.
"Pressure" really isn't what makes shower good or bad, beyond simply having enough. Think about it this way: I can spray you with a power washer with enough pressure to cut skin, but it won't wash a wide area or really move that much water over a particular area. Flow rate is more important for showers. That is, how many GPM can the shower deliver. Of course, a high flow shower isn't necessarily good when you are dealing with holding tanks. That said, your recommended shower head could be great.
The ink markings on stove keeps wearing off on ours. Just keep in mind folks once you own an RV you will need to be handy to fix this and that. Your trailer flexes as it goes down the road and things tend to wear. Fix the rust and keep an eye on your hanger brackets that hold the leaf springs. The welds tend to break. Its best if you beef it up by re-enforcing it to the frame. Also check the belly of your trailer for loose bolts.
I know this is RV but popped up from our searches. As we age thinking better to get a driving RV than a trailer but...
Our wolf pup came with a mattress basically a few cheap springs and cardboard? We refused it, left it there for them to trash. We needed one 5" shorter. Looked all over at camping mattresses. Though we'd just take out the small hollow headboard thing or just let it bend up at one end. Then went to a discount bed place. They had real brands. Prices were great. We started asking about the camping size and the lady said, oh we can send it out to be cut down. Only $80 added to the price of our great Simmons. So I think the lower discount store knows the repair people because they probably take seconds and send things out to get fixed. And you couldnt even tell it was cut. They open up and resize the material and binding. There was also a mattress maker that sold their own beds when my kid was young. They let my kids peek in factory door to watch. Super cheap, super great beds. If you find one of those im sure you can order exact size. ok Just info. Wolf pup is crap though. Best thing is the all enclosed floor, then they build on top. No critters but thoings falling off from day one. All outside trim, decals, inside wall vinyl. I was thinking to get those vaccume hinges as all open up and no way to stay up. But I think Im just going to change hinges to the side. Right now its a bathroom at end of our acre lot when sewing in my workshop and I store extra upcycle clothing that I remake. We made a real RV trailer spot for it in the yard. At prices of new I think its still better to upgrade more. We did only pay $12,000 but is there no expectation of quality unless you pay the price of a house?!
We upgrade to a Brooklyn bedding mattress, best mattress by far! Pricey but worth it.
You two are a pleasure to listen to.
That's very kind of you to say! Thank you!
Hello there,
I m relatively new to full time rving with my tiny Jayco 145. I have, over the last few months done most of the upgrades you suggested except the six pack of fire extinguishers, not enough wall space! I am going to look for a fire blanket for stove fires.
One thing that also felt was important was I upgraded from one propane tank to two. That way I shouldn't run out in the middle of cook dinner or making coffee!
Having that second propane tank is incredibly helpful.
Thanks for the ideas. In my Casita, I previously completed several of the upgrades. Have been considering the Oxygenix shower head for years. May just try it now.
We replaced our bathroom fan and install covers on the roof on both fans. Replaced vent stack covers. Placed all lights inside with led ones and changed from gold to satin nickel colors. Most outside lights replaced, a few more to go. Installed 4 exterior cameras and monitor. New radio. New CB. 2 new flatscreen TV’s. Residential Refrigerator. New large kitchen sink and faucet. New shower and vanity faucets. New shower head. Took out rocker and put in chair and ottoman. New fire extinguishers throughout. New blinds and curtains. Washing machine. Ring alarm system. RV GPS. Berkey. Tire Minder. Surge guard. Wheel covers. New ladder on rear. Cover for skylight to make room darkening.
Still need to replace awning, damaged the original. I want to replace gas stove/oven with an induction cooktop. Have 4 lion energy lithium batteries but need the other components and solar panels.
We have a 2000 Winnebago Journey diesel pusher, so it needed lots of updates. Still a work in progress.
Oh yeah, and the exhaust system as someone stole ours. Probably for the catalytic converter but it didn’t even have one.
#1 tires, #2 mattress, #3 on demand water heator!
If you buy a used RV, be sure to check the dates on the tires as they can still have tread and be too old to drive on. This happens often when they are not regularly used. We changed the tires and upgraded the shower head to the exact one shown.
We changed all of these on our first travel trailer, and a fair number on our first gas Class A. Now in a DP…we are actually sleeping well - wait for it - on the OEM mattress! Still thinking about batteries, but we’re going to see how we get on with 8 agm’s, 1100 watts of solar, and the on-board generator. A battery upgrade would require a controller upgrade as well. 🙄
If your batteries are in a vented enclosure or on the outside (travel trailers). Dual 6 volts is the way to go, only slightly more $ than a 12 volt with more than double the power. Just add distilled water periodically and they will last for years.
Good suggestions for newbies. I didn’t know about the fire extinguisher
It’s a pretty commonly overlooked item but it is so important.
Thanks for the great information.
Great list. Well done.
Thanks!
Good sleep is a must. But safety is number 1.
This was a really well put together video, definitely gonna watch some more.of your channel. Great work
Appreciate that. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on other videos.
Thanks for these Great Upgrade Tips & especially the Valuable info on Upgrading a Mattress & Lithium Batteries #RVMiles
You’re very welcome! When you spend a 1/3 of your life in bed a good mattress is a must.
Great up grades..Thank you
Thanks for watching! - Abby
I'm looking at getting a used class C from a individual The Price is Right what should I look for most of all besides the obvious leaks wear and tear and tires and so on what do you recommend I watch out for
I love this video. Great information. I know how bad rv mattresses could be. They definitely are not comfortable. Even real home beds are getting that way. The rv mattress looks comfortable Jason and Abby. I might get one. Thank you for this video. Hope you have a great weekend and a Happy Easter! 🐇🐰🐣
We went with a sleep number bed for the rv and oh what a difference it makes. Never gave the fire extinguisher a thought, so thank you.
Glad you found a good mattress. It makes all the difference in the world.
Allswell hybrid queen mattresses at Walmart are beyond amazing, come compressed and are only $230.
Great Video, always love the info that you guys share. You are the best!
Another great video! We did the mattress swap before we even took delivery of our current rig. Lesson learned from the one before it. Definitely planning on a battery swap in the near future too.
Any recommendation for a good travel trailer cover? I have to store mine outside under trees in a wet climate. Also, I need a slide out topper, recommendation. Are they hard to diy install?