Just like most of you, we have purchased a lot of accessories for our RV. I wrote a previous article on 15 essential items that everyone needs. In this article, I discuss 12 of my other favorite upgrades and explain why.
#12: Upgraded Storage bin locks
Do you lock you storage bins? Bet you didn’t know that everyone’s storage bin key will will most likely open your bins! Don’t believe me? Take a look at your key and I bet it has a CH751 stamp on it. This is a dirty little secret in the RV industry. Nearly every manufacturer uses the CH751 lock on their storage bins.
Fortunately you can change the locks. I went with barrel locks from Industrial Lock and Hardware. They provide a measurement sheet so you can order the exact size locks for each compartment.
#11: Gutter Spouts
Are you getting black streaks where water runs down off your roof’s gutters? This is an easy fix. Check out these gutter spout extensions. Very easy to install and pretty much eliminated all my streaking issues. A cheap and useful upgrade for sure!
#10: Front end alignment
Steering feel light? Is your motorhome pushed around easily by wind? Are your front tires starting to wear out quickly (especially on one side)? You should consider having your motorhome’s front end aligned.
I took my motorhome to a local big truck alignment shop (they can handle large vehicles like motorhomes). After extensive research, I learned that Ford aligns their E450 (class C) and F53 (class A) chassis when built. Unfortunatley, most RV manufactures do not realign after adding the 10,000 lb house on top! In fact, my motorhome had a sticker that said that the alignment should be verified after it is fully loaded.
My NEW Class C’s “total toe” was way out of specification (tires were both pointed substantially outward). This will eat up tires FAST. Another tip, ask them to set the “caster” to the upper end of the allowable range. Added caster will add forces for your RV to want to return your wheels straight after turning. This helps make the RV track straighter on the highway and not get pushed around by wind as badly. Get your motorhome’s alignment checked before you eat up tires!
Additionally, you can also consider upgrading your motorhome’s sway bars for additional stability. I wrote up my thoughts and installation info here.
#9: Upgraded mattress topper
RV mattresses are hard as a rock! We own a toy hauler Class C which doesn’t have a traditional bed. We usually sleep up over the cab in ours. We realized on day one that the factory ‘mattress’ wouldn’t do. We found that a Serta full-size mattress topper worked well in our over cab bunk. We both sleep very well on this mattress. Make sure to measure your bunk before purchasing as different models may vary.
#8: Bunk ladder storage
This is something I designed to allow me to keep the ladder for the over-the-cab bunk secured while in transit and stored out of the way when not in use. I wrote up the details in this post.
#7: External Windshield Shade
This inexpensive external RV windshield shade is a nice addition to add privacy and help block some of the heat that can come through the front windshield. The shade is easy and quick to install when setting up and breaking down camp. If the shade gets dirty just hose off. Definitely a worthwhile upgrade. Covers are made for both class A and class C motorhomes, so you get the right one for your model.
#6: Flag Pole
Oh say can you see…by the dawn’ early light…OK you get the idea! I’m a very patriotic American and support our troops and veterans. As such I’m proud to fly our nation’s colors at all times while camping. I also find it to be a nice touch to fly my state flag as I travel to all of the different states.
I carry a collapsible flag pole with a base that sits underneath the rear RV tire. Holds everything nice and secure. Only complaint is I find on windy days my pole will tap against the side of the body and its pretty annoying. I solved this issue by buying a few pieces of foam water pipe insulation from Home Depot and installing around the extended flag pole.
I don’t do this every time, but while camping on Hatteras Island over Memorial Day weekend, I wrapped my pole with some LED lights. Made for quite a neat effect.
#5: Progressive Dynamics AC-to-DC Converter
My RV came with a WFCO 855 AC-to-DC convertor and I discovered that it was overcharging my house batteries. No matter how long it sat idle, the voltage would never drop below 13.7 Volts. Over time, this will COOK your batteries and require early replacement. After some extensive research, I found that the WFCO converter was notorious for not going into a true float charge mode. I’ve seen pictures of batteries on different forums that nearly exploded due to overcharging. This upgrade is one you should seriously consider
The Progressive Dynamics 4655 is nearly a direct replacement for the WFCO. This unit is a true four-stage converter (the fourth stage helps prevent internal corrosion of the batteries). Now my batteries are being properly maintained and I haven’t had one issue over the last 2 years.
The kit also comes with an upgraded DC fuse box which has indicators for blown fuses (cool!) Unfortunately, it wasn’t rated for more than 20 Amps, so I had to keep the WFCO fuse box (due to 30A slideout circuit)
One cool add-on was the Wizard Pendant (shown in the photo above) that tells you what charging phase your converter is in (and let you force it into any mode).
The install was straight forward and I’ll write up an article on the process soon. Definitely something any competent DIY’er can handle.
#4: Amazon Streaming Music (Bluetooth)
Did you know that Amazon Prime includes FREE music streaming? For the longest time I thought Prime was only free 2-day shipping. Boy was I wrong! This is an awesome benefit to allow a great variety of music while your camping or driving. My main radio and RV radio both support Bluetooth and I am constantly streaming music. If you don’t have Prime, check it out (click here for details on how to get 30 days for free)
You can also add Amazon Unlimited Music to allow you build play lists with all of the current popular music. Click here to try Amazon Unlimited Music for free for 30 days.
#3: Stove-top cutting board
One downside to RVs is the very small kitchen space in most models. I found this nice stove top cutting board that extends your usable kitchen space. It snaps on and off easily to the stove top grate. Just remember to remove before you fire up a burner!
#2 Custom cooking grate
I built this cooking grate to use over campfires. There are other cooking options available (I discussed them here), however this custom grate allows to us to cook a big meal when we are entertaining at the campsite. I’ll be writing up how I built it in the near future.
#1: Outdoor mats
We learned early on that some campsites aren’t nicely manicured and we would drag all kinds of dirt into our motorhome. We solved this by purchasing this reversible outdoor mat. Its easily to clean by spraying off with a hose and has loops to stake it down. We liked it so much, we bought a second one to cover more area!