2017 Sport 22 - Some possible changes

[ohmman]

Today I spent a little time vetting out a plan for extending the dinette bed on our 22' Sport (more on that in a future post). While I was in the AS, I started looking at the generous "variances" that were given to mechanical and electrical runs. I realize GVWR is a limitation, but in some cases, more storage would be welcome. One of the areas that I found to be very poorly utilized was the space where the "magazine rack" in the bathroom sits. This is a cutout in a piece of MDF with a plastic backer. The backer is, at most, 4" deep. Looking through from under the sink, I see the following space behind that backer:



That's 3-4x the space that we're given. One could relatively easily design and 3D print a new backer that would allow the toilet paper roll to be mounted in this space, and still allow space for toiletries. We're very fortunate in the 22' Sport to have such a great bathroom, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be better. I plan to look into expanding this space. Has anyone else taken a look or done anything here?

[Piggy Bank]

We removed the large and in the way standard TP roll holder under the sink.
This is your first goal-easy and takes 2 minutes.

(I can't take credit for this idea. Frank and Mike's)

Under the sink is HUGE with that out of the way!


We went more low-tech in our overall solution. I use a loose roll of RV TP, and squish it a bit to flatten. Then I put in into the current bin. I also keep in there a couple of rolled up washcloths, extra small trash can liner and toddler diaper (we don't #2 in the AS, this can be used to line the dry toilet bowl and then disposed of in the campground dumpster in the event of thunder storms or other unplanned needs. Sorry if that is too much information), and I keep a bottle of hydrogen peroxide there for emergency first aid use.

So now under the sink in the bathroom I can fit 4 rolled clean standard bath towels (big fluffy lands' end towels) , and a first aid kit in a school plastic pencil box. On the bottom of the cabinet I have taken my preferred AS bin --a freezer door ice cube holder from big lots--and trimmed away the sides. It fits perfectly on the cabinet floor and holds 2 regular shampoos, hair brush, soap dish, deodorant, folding hair dryer, etc.

Then I got a very handy plastic handled tote from container store that I keep on the floor inside the actual shower. In it, we keep the tumbler, soap dispenser, and toothbrush/toothpaste holder that live on the countertop when we are in camp. I also have a small countertop swing lid trash can for used #1 TP. (We only flush liquids to make cleanup more pleasant.)

BUT-this tote (solid bottom, flexible sides, ventilated, handles) is awesome for using the campground showers. It can sit on a wet floor and keep the contents out of the puddles. It holds clean clothes, towel, toiletries, etc. and has handles so it's easy to transport.

Pretty easy to take out of the AS shower and set on the counter if using the shower.

I use 2 more of those ice cube bins, 1 on the floor on each side of the toilet. Makes for a great his/hers spot for a dopp kit, jewelry, etc, and they have a solid bottom so no leaks for any toiletries.

I added on a fancy-pants chrome stick on hook from Amazon for the hand towel under the mirror, and added some white command hooks inside the shower for hanging up towels to dry.

We find this has worked really well for us. Hope you get some good ideas.
Show us some pictures if you decide to modify the bin.

Regarding that, did you know you can download the full pdf parts diagram for your trailer on the airstream website and it has basic cad-type elevation drawings of everything? You might find this helpful in your planning.

[twbucksr]

We part time in our 22FB (3-5 days per week). We too have removed our TP holder and just set the roll on the ledge next to the toilet. We keep a couple of spare bath towels rolled up, standing on end, on the same ledge on both sides of the toilet. We hang our wet towels in the shower on the string. The mag rack holds my wife's hair drier. Our toiletries sit in our kits on the counter. Spare TP, black & grey tank drop ins are in the cabinet on the floor. Drain and flush the black tank once a week.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[hollihansen]

Has anyone removed the actual tabletop off the base? I am trying to take the whole base out and replace it with a fold-up base and leg so i can free up that area for just more room and a spot to put the dog bed. I want to use that same table top but the sliding mechanism is not easy to figure out; there must be some sort of release on the sliders that i can't see. You look under there and see the aluminum plate that covers us the slider tracks. There are nut heads but you have to be able to get to the screw heads on the other side to take them off. Otherwise they just spin. Even if i take the whole table and base out, i am still stuck trying to get the table top off the sliding mechanism and base leg. This is for the 22FB 2016 sport.

[Llittle54]

Open the big cam latches you can easily see and push down with ALL your weight. Mine were surprisingly hard!

[ohmman]

By the way, I did see the responses here and haven't ignored them. I kept thinking I would have photos of my mods in the next "day or two" and have been waiting to post. I should have a decent response, um.. in the next day or two.

[hollihansen]

Originally Posted by hollihansen

Has anyone removed the actual tabletop off the base? I am trying to take the whole base out and replace it with a fold-up base and leg so i can free up that area for just more room and a spot to put the dog bed. I want to use that same table top but the sliding mechanism is not easy to figure out; there must be some sort of release on the sliders that i can't see. You look under there and see the aluminum plate that covers us the slider tracks. There are nut heads but you have to be able to get to the screw heads on the other side to take them off. Otherwise they just spin. Even if i take the whole table and base out, i am still stuck trying to get the table top off the sliding mechanism and base leg. This is for the 22FB 2016 sport.

To add to this, my goal is to take off the top that will slide back and forth when you free the latch underneath the table top. I can't figure out how to free it off those sliders which remind me a lot of the slide extenders you see on the bottom of shelves and drawers/sliding baskets. I will try to take a picture of it next time we go to check on the trailer. Just soooo darn cold here in MI today. brrrrrrr

[ohmman]

I haven't been thrilled with the stock LEDs that come in the Sport. These are a different fixture than in the other Airstream lines, they're a cheap double-LED fixture with soldered LED boards. The color temperature is somewhere north of 4000K, bordering on hospital blue. Plenty of threads here complaining about it.

I considered gels, but they limit the output of the lights. I didn't want to dim the interior, I just wanted the color changed. So I found these lights on Amazon. I received one today and looked to install it.

The mounting holes, not surprisingly, do not line up with the existing holes on the Sport's lights. However, the fixture does cover those holes if you want to make new ones. I did not want to drill new holes unnecessarily, and was intrigued when I found that the LED boards on the new fixture were the same size as the boards on the stock fixture. I decided I'd just switch the housing. It was an easy enough job with three caveats:

1. I needed to use a Dremel to shave some of the plastic from the stock housing because the boards are thicker and don't slide all the way into the form. Very easy, though.
2. The switch on the new fixture, while more robust looking than the stock switch, came apart when I was prying it out. I had to reassemble it and will be more careful on my other fixtures.
3. The switch also doesn't go from OFF to 2 to 1 light. Instead, OFF is in the middle, so the reveal of "OFF" on the switch isn't exactly correct. Not a big deal for me.

I'm happy with the results. I plan to replace the other light in the main/dinette area and the bedroom light overhead. I do not plan to replace the light over the sink, the reading lights in the bedroom, or the bathroom fixture, as I think those work well as bright task lights. However, at $10, I ordered an extra light just in case I change my mind.

Photos attached.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by hollihansen

To add to this, my goal is to take off the top that will slide back and forth when you free the latch underneath the table top. I can't figure out how to free it off those sliders which remind me a lot of the slide extenders you see on the bottom of shelves and drawers/sliding baskets. I will try to take a picture of it next time we go to check on the trailer. Just soooo darn cold here in MI today. brrrrrrr

There are several phillips screws holding the bracket to the underside of the table. Simply unscrew them, and the top will come off.

[ohmman]

I have successfully changed out the remainder of the "dome" lights in our AS with the replacements. In all cases, I kept the existing housings and basically just changed the "bulbs" and switch from the $10 replacements. That amounts to a $5 bulb change - not bad. I'm really happy with the change and have added rope lighting above the overhead cabinets in the galley. I am considering adding a wall mounted light above the dinette as well - just to help with indoor games and reading.

Next week I will be buying some plywood to build an extension for our dinette bed. I am bumping it out 14", which happens to be the height of the bolster at the back of the dinette. That will allow me to use that bolster and one more custom made cushion to build a bed that's 52" wide instead of 38" wide. That's the difference between a twin and an almost-full size bed (full size is 54").

I plan to build removable legs for the plywood extension and have it overlay on the seating area. I will route out a space for the table. Photos once I successfully get it done (so that means it may be a while).

[Piggy Bank]

Can't wait to see your table to bed updates.

Have you considered adding some of that rolled rubbery shelf liner to help keep the cushion from moving around on the top? We have used that over the platform, under the cushions and find it helpful. Made by rubbermaid, can find at target, etc.

Another idea you might consider would be to play around and see if you can make the additional cushions you need the right size so that you could use them instead of the wonky curved corner dinette cushions. That would allow you to remove the curved corner cushions and leave at home, eliminating the issue of where to store it at night. We keep ours under the dinette, but that is primo storage you will probably need.

[ohmman]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

Another idea you might consider would be to play around and see if you can make the additional cushions you need the right size so that you could use them instead of the wonky curved corner dinette cushions. That would allow you to remove the curved corner cushions and leave at home, eliminating the issue of where to store it at night. We keep ours under the dinette, but that is primo storage you will probably need.

I like this idea. I don't know exactly how to make it work, since my imagination tells me I'd need to have four cushions - one for each portion of the corner - but it's a good idea.

Truly, I'd like to replace all of the back cushions. I understand why they're so thick, since they're used as bedding and need to be the same thickness as the seat base, but I find that they push me off of the seat bottom quite a ways. I've taken to removing them when I am sitting at the dinette, and I'm a small guy!

[Piggy Bank]

My Tetris skills at work here.

Essentially the additional cushion surface area needed to cover the extension is 14 x 76.
If you made 2 cushions in the proper thickness that each were 14 x 38 they would cover the 14 x 76 area.

14 x 38 would probably work about right as backrests for the two sides of the dinette. The smaller rectangular part of the current side backrests would still be needed for use as a bed, but not as a dinette. Ditch the curved portion of the current back rest.

In this manner, when used as a dinette, there would be 3 backrest pieces. All straight. The current one that is on the curbside, and the 2 new ones for the ends. The current small rectangular end would need to be unused when in the dinette position. But that is not difficult to set aside temporarily. They would be needed to cover the tabletop when made into the bed position.

Am I close?

[ohmman]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

My Tetris skills at work here.

Essentially the additional cushion surface area needed to cover the extension is 14 x 76.
If you made 2 cushions in the proper thickness that each were 14 x 38 they would cover the 14 x 76 area.

14 x 38 would probably work about right as backrests for the two sides of the dinette. The smaller rectangular part of the current side backrests would still be needed for use as a bed, but not as a dinette. Ditch the curved portion of the current back rest.

In this manner, when used as a dinette, there would be 3 backrest pieces. All straight. The current one that is on the curbside, and the 2 new ones for the ends. The current small rectangular end would need to be unused when in the dinette position. But that is not difficult to set aside temporarily. They would be needed to cover the tabletop when made into the bed position.

Am I close?

Yes, I think so. I also think I could just replace one or both of the corner curved backrests with a folding two-piece backrest. It would leave a square hole in the corner when angled at a 90, but would go flat and stay together otherwise. This would be the right size.

I built the plywood extension today - 20" wide x 74.5" long, 3/4" birch ply. It overlaps the dinette seats by 6" and I have cut around the table. I planned to scroll out curves for the tabletop but it was easier to cut a rectangle. Here's an interesting note - for measuring/testing needs, it sits perfectly on top of the corner cushions. In fact, I was able to lay on it with those underneath and the legs unattached. So those may come in handy as additional "supports" between the legs.

I bought dowel studs to go into some wooden closet dowels I happen to have laying around. I'll cut the dowels to size and screw the studs into them. The other ends will screw into wood thread inserts which I will mount into the plywood. That way, I'll have removable support legs for the extension. The only outstanding item is how to "lock" the plywood to the dinette so it doesn't slide laterally. I have some ideas for that.

Once everything is sized and fit well, I'm going to round the edges (my shins will thank me at 2am), sand and paint the extension. It will store against the wall behind the dinette or under the seat. It works in both locations. Against the wall, it sticks up about 1.5" above the top of the cushions, but I plan to paint it grey to match the walls of the AS.

Wish me luck...

[Piggy Bank]

Good idea on using the curved corner pieces as supports!

I think that is a great idea. If that would work you would then essentially only have a flat piece to deal with for daytime storage and transport which could very simply slide underneath the main bed mattress during the day or during travel.

Another possible idea along the lines of using the round corners for support would be to have a crate for each kid (cube shaped box) with a lid in the proper size. This could be used as storage for the 2 sleeping bags during the day and tuck under the table. Then at night get out the bedding, kids put their stuff in them, and use the 2 crates to support the two ends of the extension platform.

[ohmman]

In process...

[redvfr02]

Originally Posted by ohmman

In process...
Attachment 280045

This is great. I've been wanting to do this. I've been thinking of just creating two extensions for the two ends and I can push back under the seat. The middle would just be a support leg that I can put in the closet. Just couldn't figure out the cushions. Where would we go to get a customized cushion with same material?

[ohmman]

Originally Posted by redvfr02

This is great. I've been wanting to do this. I've been thinking of just creating two extensions for the two ends and I can push back under the seat. The middle would just be a support leg that I can put in the closet. Just couldn't figure out the cushions. Where would we go to get a customized cushion with same material?

The way I built this, the extra middle seat back bolster (under the window) fits at the top section. That's 14" wide when laying down. That means I only need to get a cushion for the bottom section of my extension. I have emailed Airstream about their foam and will update once I get an answer or find some other good solution.

I believe the foam changed this year in our seats to include memory foam. The source of that information is the Colonial Airstream video on YouTube. I haven't validated it. Personally, I'd prefer if the seat bottoms did not have memory foam in them. Despite weighing only about 150 lbs, I still find that I wind up with an indentation in the seat bottom when I sit there for a period of time.

[ohmman]

I'm ordering foam and will make a custom cushion for the bottom section. Removable legs unscrew as shown. The board stores well under the dinette cushions or against the wall.

[redvfr02]

Originally Posted by ohmman

I'm ordering foam and will make a custom cushion for the bottom section. Removable legs unscrew as shown. The board stores well under the dinette cushions or against the wall.

Attachment 280355Attachment 280356Attachment 280357Attachment 280358

ohmman, very nice. Do you have a picture of it when your board is stored?