Aluminum Camper Forum

Will do.  I posted a lot of pictures for a dinette table modification at "My dinette table is less wobbly", but I didn't see much of a response.  I guess that I put in too many pictures.  When I get around to it, I put in some (but not alot) of pictures for some of the other things that were done in our CL 14DBS.  Things are a bit busy now with the holiday weekend.  I hope that everyone gets a chance to enjoy it!

We have a CL 14DBS with a small wobbly dinette table.  I was hoping to do something that would make the table more sturdy, while allowing us to insert a table "leaf" to have a little more space when we needed it.  To do this, I started by mounting a bracket onto the side of the slideout (Fig 1).  I was careful to find the location of the aluminum tubes inside the wall.  I made the bracket out of sheet PVC (NOTE:  burning PVC can emit dioxin, a poisonous gas... see caveat in this post).  The bracket has holes in the front that contain ¾" aluminum tubes that will be used to sturdy the table.  I covered the top with laminate that I had left over from work that I had done on countertops in the kitchen of our house, so that it could operate as a place to put your coffee when the table is removed (Fig 2).

Underneath the tabletop, I mounted a thick piece of material with aluminum tubes going through it (Fig 3).  When seated on the pole in the dinette, these tubes line up with the tubes in the mounting bracket (Fig 4).  I made inserts (Fig 5) that slide inside the aluminum tubes to hold the table top aligned with the mounting bracket (Fig 6).  The inserts were made from copper ½" pipe with nylon washers on the tip.  When they are inserted, the table does not wobble or tilt forward or backward, since the copper tubes slide smoothly/snuggly into the aluminum pipes.  This keeps the table sturdy!  When I'm not using these inserts, I keep them stored in the frame of the dinette bench (Fig 7).

I made a table extension (Fig eight) that slides into the front side of the table (Fig 9).  Figures 10 and 11 show what it looks like with the extension in place.  The extension is a little narrower than the table so that it will fit between the benches when the dinette is used as an extra bed. 

When the extension is not being used, it can be slid underneath the table.  I made grooves in the bottom of the extension (Fig 12) to allow it to be stored underneath the table without interfering with the large aluminum flange used to mount the tabletop to the pole.  To store the extension, flip it upside down and slide it into the aluminum poles underneath the table (Fig 13).  The copper pipes go through the aluminum tubing underneath the table, and into the aluminum bracket that was mounted to the wall.  This keeps the table sturdy.  Figures 14 and 15 show the table with the extension stored.

Thanks!  Paul had asked about the bracket that I made for the table, so I'll describe that in a new post.

I tried to access the motor, and was not able to do so easily.  I was was happy to just lube the parts that needed it using the recommendations earlier in this post.  Many thanks to those that contributed.  I finally finished my bookshelf without any issues despite multiple slideout openings/closings... I put pictures in a recent post here.

Thank you both for the comments.  I've been trying to find extra space in a number of places.  I've managed to make a closet in the bathroom, cubbyholes above the dinette window, shelves in the wardrobe, drawers under the sink and over the frig.  I've also made an extension to the dinette table that made the table less wobbly.  We got the camper in 2014, but I think that I've spent more time in it doing projects than actually camping.  My wife calls it my "happy place".

I have a 2014 CL 14DBS.  My wife and I really enjoy it, but at times it can be lacking for storage space.  At such times, stuff ends up on the dining table and interferes with meals.  We keep a small garbage can underneath the table, and this reduces the amount of leg space.

Whenever I opened the slideout, I noticed a big blank wall that had nothing on it but an AC outlet and an access door for the slideout controller.  I guessed that I would be able to make use of the space inside this all to make a bookshelf, with space for a small trash can and hamper.  I didn't know it at the time, but this would also allow me to add a flexible LED light and USB charger port.

I mentioned this project in a previous post asking about how to maintain slideouts.  I figured that I would be operating the slideout multiple times in order to finish the project, and did not want to wear anything out.  I posted the "before" picture in that post, but will include it here as well.

I made the bookshelf out of sheet PVC.  I was able to get scrap from a friend who does a lot of trim work on houses.  CAVEAT:  PVC contains chlorine, which creates dioxin (a poisonous gas) if it burns.  I did some research and decided that my bookshelf project was safe enough for me, given my situation.  Being in an all-aluminum camper certainly helped.  Nonetheless, I encourage others to do their own research if they consider sheet PVC for such a project. 

The plumbing for the shower ran through the wall.  Wiring for the slideout controller and bathroom lighting ran through the wall as well.  I had to make space for these (as well as the aluminum structural tubing inside the wall) by making the center section not as deep as the side sections.  To do this, I cut a lot of PVC panels and glued them together with crazy glue.

The shelf allows me to store a number of things that would otherwise be clutter.  I even have room to store my DVD collection, binoculars, remotes, trash, and dirty laundry (which would otherwise be in a laundry bag on the floor).  I was able to move the slideout controller to a more visible location (it had fallen down inside the paneling).  I was also able to tap off the power to the bathroom light switch (behind the wall) so that I could add a flexible LED light and USB charger.  The flexible light is great because I can position it so that the LED portion does not interfere with the slideout as it slides back in.

The trash bin and hamper are held in place with rotatable "paws" so that they can't rattle out of place while the slideout is slid in and the trailer is moving.  Although the bins stand out from the bookshelf a bit, then do not interfere with the slideout as it slides back in.  I plan to put the books et al into the hamper for storage while moving.

In order to make space for the trash bin and hamper, I had to remove one piece of the brown molding that framed the slideout.  I think I like the black aluminum frame better. 

The paneling is held in place with screws and double-sided tape.  The tape was used to hold the trim to the paneling, and wherever paneling made contact with the aluminum.  I got the impression that the tape was used to hold the paneling and trim in place while they applied the screws through the trim.  I removed the screws and trim, and then used a putty knife to gently pry the paneling away from the aluminum.

In my CL 14DBS, the slide-out wall is adjacent to the bathroom.  When I removed the paneling, I was able to see the plumbing for the shower, the slide-out controller (which had since fallen from its intended place and was now lost behind the paneling), as well as the wiring for the slide-out controller, the bathroom light, the AC outlet (on the bottom of the wall), the license plate light, the cable TV cable, and the main AC cable (service for the entire trailer).

I've attached a picture.

I'm now finished with the bookshelf and am currently working on a trash bin and hamper that will fit in the area.  Once I finish them I will post pictures of that as well.

Thanks.  I did the tracks (top and bottom on both sides) as shown in the MyRVWorks video.  I also did the "gibs" and couplers as shown in the early Schwintek video. I did the gibs (top and bottom both sides, and inside and out).  I did the couplers (both sides, inside and out, top only since there isn't one at the bottom).  The diagram at https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws.com/assemblies/slideouts/ccd-0002715.pdf shows the gib and the coupler.  It was hard to do any lubricating from the inside.

While peeling back the flaps to do the lube, I discovered more dead stinkbugs from a trip that I took three years ago.  Those guys got everywhere!

Thanks.  I've ordered the lube as well.  Do you just lube the gib (as in the Schwintek video)?  Or do you also lube the track and ceramic wheel (as in the MyRVWorks video)? 

Thanks for the link!  It provides a good amount of detail.  "Darren" in the video points out that Schwintek does not recommend lubrication (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7dyXFg9GbU).  Schwintek apparently did recommend lubrication back in 2015 for particular situations to "reduce noise while in transit" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0my90W3AKM), but has since removed the link from their website. 

I have a 2014 14DBS.  The slide out work fine, but I haven't done anything to maintain it.  Should I be spraying the tracks with a lubricant?  Should I be spraying the seals with a conditioner?  Any other words of wisdom? 

I've removed the paneling between the slide out and the bathroom, and am making a bookcase to store DVDs and the like.  I've been activating the slide out mechanism a lot while working on the bookcase.

Oh, and is "slide out" one word or two? I've heard the term "popout" used, and I wasn't sure which word to search on.

A good amount of discussion has been occurring with CharlieM at Coupler Replacement Side Bolts

Now that I finally have the hitch coupler installed it seemed appropriate to wrap things up here.  I think that the hitch coupler may have cracked since the bolts were put in at an angle (see first picture).  Since the holes went entirely through the frame, I didn't have much choice other than to put them back in at the same angles. (Yes, Charlie... this may be a good reason to put in those extra side bolts!)

CharlieM said that he got his foamy tape at an auto parts store.  I went to one and found "nitrile camper tape".  It was a little wider and thicker, but seemed to be made of the same material (see second picture). 

I've attached a picture of the final install as well (third picture).

Yes... I agree that it is a small risk.  I also agree that it's not likely that I'll be able to "fix" the coupler once it shows signs of fatigue.  If the problem comes back, I'll install a new coupler with the additional horizontal bolts.  Thanks again.

I should have thought of going to an auto parts store!  After reading this post, I went to an Advance Auto and bought "nitrile camper tape".  It was a little wider and thicker that what was originally used, but I used a C-clamp to compress the foam a bit while I drilled the holes.

I finished drilling the holes for vertical bolts.  At this time, I think that I will refrain from drilling the holes for the horizontal bolts that you (Charlie) used.  This may be a good idea, but at this time I'm leery of drilling additional holes in the frame.  If I have problems again in the future, it is a comforting thought that I can use this approach.

I hope to finish tomorrow or Monday.  I'll post pictures when it's done.  I'll probably post them in my original post to close it out.

Thanks for the help, Charlie!

Charlie,
Thanks for sharing!  Merlin had mentioned that you had put bolts on the side, but I had imagined that they were further back, near where the vertical bolts were.  I like that since the holes are closer to the front, you only had to drill half-way through the aluminum frame, and that you could reach inside and insert to get to the end of the bolt that was inside the frame. 

Thanks for the detail that you provided in the MSWord document as well.  You didn't mention any spongey tape in it, so I assume that you did not have any in your original install, and/or that you did not care to replace it.  It looks like the coupler is zinc-coated... if you got it from LL, then I take it that they think that it is okay to mount a zinc-coated coupler directly onto an aluminum frame.  If I'm missing something, please say so.  Thanks again!