Camper Frustration

[handicap18]

Well a little frustration. We bought a 2001 30' travel trailer back in September. It came with a 13" TV and VCR. Well who uses VCR's anymore and oh yeah, its an analog TV and won't work with any cable set up now anyway.

Over the winter I bought a 29" flat screen LED TV and we were given a small DVD player. So I figured I'd just take out the 13" TV and install a swivel arm on the wall the TV was against for the new TV. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA I swear the camper was build AROUND this TV. The TV is kitty corner above the dinette and the VCR was attached under it hanging from the platform the TV is in.

Well I couldn't get the plug through the small hole the wire goes through so I just cut it. No big deal.

The opening for the TV is 18" x 18". The outlet for the TV and the VCR is behind the TV as is the cable hookup. The TV has an L bracket on each side of it and is fastened to the platform it sits on. It doesn't go all the way through the platform. The screws are small and there are 4 of them on each side and there is ZERO possibility of me getting any kind of screwdriver in there to unscrew them. I tried a bendable attachment for my cordless drill but I couldn't get that and my hand in at the same time to get it on a screw. So unless I literally ripped the TV out it staying.

So I got an 18" x 18" 3/4 piece of plywood to cover the opening and got a flat screen wall bracket to attach to that so the TV will hang on that.

Well, the bracket that attaches to the TV covers 4 of the inputs on the back that I need for the DVD player and also the HDMI input. So I had to cut off the corner of the backer on both parts and make a hole in the plywood so there is enough room for the wires to stick out enough with out bending them and they'll break.

Oh then the FUN part. I had to plug in an extension cord to the outlet behind the TV so I could plug in the TV and DVD player. Being 6' tall my arm is long enough to get back to the outlet, but also being 250lbs my arm is just about to big to literally squeeze behind it. It took me half an hour to get the stupid thing plugged in. That was 3 hours ago and my arm still hurts. Thus I am convinced they built the trailer around the TV. I can't for the life of me figure out how they got the TV plugged in and fastened down without having built the wall around it.

I'll finish hanging the new TV tomorrow. The DVD player is smaller than the VCR so I have to take it down and put up a small 2x4 piece then attach the DVD player to that otherwise we won't be able to put a DVD into the tray when it opens.

Here is what it looked like before I started (actually just after I started because I had already removed the VCR).

The bracket covering the inputs:

After I cut a piece of the bracket off:

Once I'm done it will have 3 HDMI inputs plus the progressive scan input for the DVD player. I'll be able to hook up my iPhone or iPad to one of the HDMI inputs and play what ever is on it. I put a lot of the kids movies on the iPad. I also have SlingBox. So no matter where in the world I am I can watch my downstairs TV on my iPhone or iPad. When we go camping in New Jersey and if it rains we can watch our TV rather than trying to figure out the local cable channels IF the campground has Cable TV. If they have Wi-Fi than I'll use the iPad. If not then I can use my iPhone. The movies also keep the kids occupied for a few hours in the morning if DW and I want to sleep in. Though I probably won't, I can hook up the Playstation 3 via one of the HDMI cords. Or one day down the road get a Blu-Ray player, though having the iPad is just as good. I currently have 12 full HD movies on it.

 

[tiggerdad]

I have to laugh at this one...sorry.

My father bought a camper 2 years older than yours. Judging by the picture, same layout, but tv was already gone.

What we did was cut a piece of oak plyboard and rounded the edges and painted it to match the wall. We mounted it to the wall above and left of thermostat. Got a 27" flatscreen I think it was, and a mounting bracket. We attached the bracket to the plyboard and presto...we had your problem with the hookups being covered.

Had to do the same thing you did and cut out a piece of plate. We put the dvd player in the spot where yhe tv was at. It was high enough the people sitting down would not hit their head.

 

[2goofycampers]

I too laughed at the line,,,,,,,,,, the camper was built around the TV. Good idea working around it. I have a feeling we would have taken it out little piece by little piece.

 

[chanson2]

Hi - sorry to hijack your thread, but can I ask what you paid for your camper? We have a nice 2001 30ft Trail Harbor we are thinking of selling - just wondering what other 2001 trailers have sold for! If you don't mind sharing, that is...

 

[handicap18]

Hi - sorry to hijack your thread, but can I ask what you paid for your camper? We have a nice 2001 30ft Trail Harbor we are thinking of selling - just wondering what other 2001 trailers have sold for! If you don't mind sharing, that is...

For a 2001 it depends on the make, model and condition oh and what part of the country.

For ours in some parts of the country it was selling last year for $7000+. I saw one listed for $7500 in the Midwest. I paid $5500. I believe brand new in '01 it was $13000+ depending on options. You'll get less as a trade in. I don't know what Trail Harbors go for. Check RV Trader and other online selling places to a good idea.

 

[handicap18]

I'm just about finished with the TV takeover. Just need to organize the wires, other wise it is done. Unfortunately I put a good scratch on the TV screen. I think I did it when I was plugging the wires into the back. I think I put the TV down on the dinette table and didn't clear it off of the screws and other crap. DOH!! Oh well. it is what it is.

Here it is with the plywood installed, bracket on and cuts made to both:

and here it is with the TV installed. Took me a while to get it on the wall bracket. The Component wires stuck out a little to far and I didn't make the cuts higher enough, so I had to do some forcing and ended up losing the HDMI wire that goes to the back. I wasn't about to take the thing off after how long it took me to get it on just for that one wire, so I have 2 HDMI inputs instead of 3. (the other 2 are on the side).

You can see the small DVD player underneath. I do have to take that down and add a 12" or so piece of 2x4 so we have enough room to open the tray and put a DVD in or take it out. I'm thinking that maybe I should have plugged the power cord for the camper in so I could check to make sure everything is plugged in and working properly before I screwed everything down.