The cup holders that are built in to our coach are a little small for some of our water bottles and travel mugs, so we added extended cup holders to enable fitting larger bottles:
modifications
Enhancements and repairs to our coach.
A bubble level helps us check when leveling our coach
Our coach has built-in hydraulic and air leveling systems, with a display that shows the level:
We pretty much always use hydraulic leveling, as it is more stable. In theory we just use Auto mode and it works… but sometimes on a rather unlevel site we have to switch to Manual to convince it to actually be level:
A useful addition to help check how level it is is a bubble level that shows two dimensions at once:
We put it on the floor to help see how level the coach is, and guide adjustments to get it level.
Fridge latch repair
Our coach has a residential-sized fridge/freezer:
In order to keep the doors closed as we drive down the road, they have catches and latches, that require a somewhat firm tug to open. Here’s the catch above the right door:
The latch on that door had a crack in it, which didn’t prevent it from working, but it was more rough than usual:
So I bought some replacement catches and latches, and replaced it. You can see the broken one at the bottom, and a new replacement above it:
Now the door opens much more smoothly. An easy fix.
Hat hooks
A minor addition to our coach is some hooks by the door for our hats. They are Command metal hooks, that use a convenient self-adhesive to mount without damage to the coach:
Open Roads fuel discount card
Our coach has a 150 gallon diesel tank, and gets about 7 miles per gallon, so we can use a fair bit of fuel in our travels.
We are glad that there is an option to save a bit of money: the Open Roads fuel discount card.
This service offers significant discounts off diesel fuel at select fuel stops, and enables paying at the pump, instead of having to go in to authorize the purchase (except in Oregon and Nevada).
It also includes an app that helps us find the discounted locations, and compare prices:
The detail page has additional information:
As a recent example, we filled about 76 gallons of diesel (half our tank capacity; we usually fill when it gets about halfway). The pump price was $376.66:
But we saved $92.82 on that fuel up, so “only” paid $293.77:
To learn more about Open Roads, take a look at this blog post and video on the Our Journey in Miles blog. They have a spreadsheet to help track the savings, too.
We don’t have a referral code or anything, so if you join, you could use theirs, or could enter “Jennifer Sinclair” as the referrer to give us credit.
Engine compartment door stop replacement
One weak point in our coach is the door stop of the rear engine compartment. Twice I’ve had it break.
Here’s the rear door:
It is held closed with a couple of latches, that hook onto door stops like this (the left one):
Twice the right-hand one has broken off:
So I ordered some replacements from Tiffin, part number 5116094 (“REAR ENGINE DOOR STOP BRE 2016”):
I didn’t have any of the weather stripping padding, so I used some self-adhesive cupboard bumpers instead, which works fine:
I now have a couple more spare, so if it breaks again, I’ll be ready!
Phone holders
While driving our coach, we refer to maps on our iPhones, in addition to the built-in one.
To position the phones conveniently, we use phone holders from Amazon.
Jenn’s phone usually shows Apple Maps directions, in a holder suction-cupped onto the panel to the right of the AC controls:
My phone is usually showing either the RV Life GPS or Google Maps, while my Mac shows the Google Maps route. My phone holder is suctioned to a plate that is stuck on the edge of the pull-out passenger workstation:
It is easy to adjust them to the desired angle, or rotate them out of the way when not driving.
Ceiling fan motor replacement again
Last year I replaced the motor in the bedroom ceiling fan. Well, it started squeaking again, so I replaced it a second time. I guess this will be a regular thing.
My previous post on this replacement missed a few steps, so I took more pictures this time, so others can use it as a step-by-step guide.
The first step, of course, is to order the replacement motor from the Tiffin Parts Store. It is part number 5011771, “CEILING FAN MOTOR ONLY”, currently about $89 plus shipping. You’ll also need some connectors; I previously used wire nuts, but have since discovered a better technology, Wago lever connectors, available from Amazon.
Here’s the ceiling fan:
To begin, unscrew this nut:
Then remove this retaining clip and washer (which was one of the most difficult parts of the process for me), allowing the fan blades to drop off:
The removed nut, retaining clip, and washer:
Next unscrew the three screws near the ceiling to remove the housing:
With the cover removed, you can cut the wires from the motor (leaving them as long as possible), you don’t need to cut the wires coming from the ceiling, as they go to the direction switch on the cover. In my case, I had orange wire nuts from the previous replacement, so I just undid those.
Then unscrew the motor from the ceiling; remove three screws, plus loosen the fourth for the retaining wire:
The motor removed:
The retaining wire from the motor can then be attached to the ceiling, holding it up there, and the electrical wires connected.
As mentioned, this time I used Wago lever connectors to hook up the motor; they are much easier and more reliable; you just lift the lever, poke in the wire, and close the lever to secure the wire. Here you can see the white wires connected, and one black wire connected, with the lever open for the second one:
Once the wires are connected, the motor can be mounted to the ceiling. Like last time, I used a couple of washers to space it away from the ceiling to line up the cover holes correctly:
Another angle showing the Wago connectors:
Then screw the cover back into place:
Add the blades, the washer, and the retaining clip:
And finally the nut:
Done! Pretty easy. I’ll look forward to doing this again in about a year!
How we work full-time in our coach
While traveling around the US in our motorhome, we are continuing to work — we are still over a decade away from retirement age.
This has some challenges, but our jobs make it feasible, since we can both work remotely. I am a self-employed macOS and iOS app developer (Dejal), and Jenn is a technical writer for a big corporation that has a lot of remote employees — something that is more and more popular nowadays, especially since the pandemic.
I recently wrote about our workspaces. My lap desk:
And Jenn’s height-adjustable desk:
Another critical component in our ability to work as we travel is internet connectivity. We couldn’t do our work without reliable internet access; I need it to upload app builds, look up documentation, and communicate with my clients and customers; Jenn needs it to attend meetings and update her documents.
Since it is so important, we have as many options as possible. Including T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon cellular connections, two AT&T iPhones (that we can tether to if nothing else works), plus Jenn has an iPhone on Verizon from her job, and we have Starlink satellite internet for when there’s no cellular coverage. And if all else fails, we can connect to campground Wi-Fi, which can be a bit hit-or-miss in quality and availability.
The somewhat messy internet cupboard, with a modem for AT&T and Verizon, mi-fi unit for T-Mobile, and other devices:
The Starlink dish:
When choosing RV parks, we always look at reviews and information to ensure there is internet connectivity; the Starlink dish gives us more options, but if we ended up in a cellular dead spot with too many trees blocking the dish and no Wi-Fi, we’d have to move.
Other than our workstations and internet, we just need the time to work. So we plan our travel days around that; we typically move between RV parks on Sundays, so travel days don’t interfere with Jenn’s workdays, and stay at each location for a week or two, working during the week, and exploring on weekends, and sometimes locally in evenings.
This works well for us, enabling us to continue to work while slowly exploring the country.
Jenn’s movable height-adjustable desk
Last week I wrote about my lap desk. This week, Jenn’s solution.
When we first bought our coach, our first signficant modification was to remove the existing couches. And not long after, we added a desk for Jenn, along with adjustable arms for a laptop and monitor.
She used that for several months, but ultimately decided she didn’t need the big second screen, and didn’t like the desk situation (in particular the slope of the slide-out carpet with the chair), so we replaced the desk with some storage cabinets.
Nowadays, she works at the dining table, using an adjustable standing desk riser, which lets her either stand or sit on a stool. And as with my setup, she also has a SideTrak Swivel 12.5” display that can be attached magnetically, giving her more screen space.
Here’s her setup in sitting position; with her laptop on a riser stand on top of the adjustable desk, in turn on the dining table, with a stool:
And with a quick toggle, the desk can be raised up to standing height, with a standing mat:
A closer look at siting height:
And standing height:
A peek underneath, showing the simple spring-based raising mechanism:
There is room behind the desk for us to eat lunch at the table, and at the end of the day, she can easily move the desk off the dining table to give more room for dinner.
This setup isn’t perfect, but it works well enough for her at present. Who knows, we might make further adjustments in the future.