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KJRitchie · 05-18-2013, 05:02 PM

Do you leave the rear dinette table up or take it down to tow.
If you leave it up do you put something under the table legs to protect the floor?

m.hony · 05-18-2013, 05:17 PM

My wife put a small piece of cardboard under the table legs to protect the floor. I don't know that it is necessary, but it can't hurt. Thentrailer came from Jackson Center to Little Rock without it. She also leaves the shower sprayer lying on the floor wrapped in a towel to keep it from banging around during travel.

BAB · 05-18-2013, 06:10 PM

Same thing with the shower sprayer. Even though I have a pretty well rehearsed protocol before I lock and bolt the door before towing, I'm always amazed at what shakes loose.

flynmike · 05-22-2013, 05:23 PM

7 years, 80,000 miles and never put the dinette down. Nothing under the leg and no floor damage. Never took the shower head (Oxygenic's) off while traveling and it's never come unhooked either.

JFScheck · 05-22-2013, 06:26 PM

Shower head off & wraped in town with table left in the upright position.

KJRitchie · 05-22-2013, 09:44 PM

Thanks. We drove the AS home from our weekend trip and none worst for wear keeping the dinette table up. I did put a piece of cardboard under the table legs. That is one heavy table. Too hard for my wife to handle most of the time and I have to watch the back.

Kelvin

dznf0g · 05-23-2013, 07:10 AM

Table up. I got some of the stick on carpet-like pads from HD. Works well.
For the shower head I use the double sided velcro wrap stuff. The kind with hook on one side and loop on the other. Wrap it around the shower head and the "slide pole". Also works well.

Bluto · 05-23-2013, 08:15 AM

I always start out a trip with the table in the upright position and usually after the first day it stays in the down position for the rest of the trip as we use that area mostly to lounge around in while camping. I don't put anything under the leg when the table is up right, but it probably would be a good idea.

Looks like you got some answers here from people who don't have the rear dinette. They would use their dinette areas differently and probably never put them down as they have a couch to lounge on and keep the table upright most of the time. So they may know best if the table leg marks the floor.

**moosetags** · 05-23-2013, 09:01 AM

Our dear Lucy has over 1,200 nights of camping and 100,000+ miles under her belt. The dinette table is always just left in the up position with no particular precautions. We do have a throw rug under the leg that always stays there.

We do put Lucy's shower head on the floor wrapped in a wash cloth while underway.

Brian

InsideOut · 05-23-2013, 01:25 PM

Interesting. I guess we are odd man out on this one...we put ours down when underway.

Maybe because when we bought the trailer the table was loose from the wall & wobbly. During our restoration we found out why...the two ribs under the window that supported the table were broken completely in half and the skin was all that was supporting the table. Check out the picture at 2:09-2:11 below:

The restoration of 'Birdy' - Part 1 - YouTube

There were also countless holes drilled in the area where the PO had attempted to reattach the table. Enough holes, that we decided to replace the inside skin. After we replaced the broken ribs, we reinforced that area under the new skin with an extra sheet of aluminum, then re-installed the table - but always travel with it down.

We have no way of knowing if the previous owners "traveled-in-up position" or someone sat on the table & compromised the ribs or whatever, but figure that the cantilevered table jostling down the road couldn't be good for the ribs/skin - and we certainly don't want to do that repair again.

Shari

InsideOut · 05-24-2013, 07:26 AM

Okay, I found some better pics that show what I'm talking about...these were taken during our restoration.

#1 shows the table before our restoration began
#2 is the panel in place with the table removed
#3 shows the panel removed - note all the holes where the PO tried to unsuccessfully reattach & secure the table
#4 the broken ribs behind the skin
#5 side of trailer w/o skins
#6 new table

I guess I didn't take any pictures of the added support we put behind the skin...but it was basically a 6" hi pice of aluminum that spans across and is riveted to the new ribs under the skin. Then the table bracket is attached to this "blocking" rather than the ribs themselves. Everything is much more solid.

I know you all are talking about newer trailers, but the basic construction & attachment methods are going to be about the same.

Shari