Improvements and Additions to 2010 HHLS 32.5FKBSG
Updated: 01/21/11
The following are improvements/additions/changes/personalizations we have made in our HHLS. Many of them are repeats of what we did over time on our HHII. Because we enjoyed them, we made them and others in the first three months on the HHLS.
NOTE: We will add the new improvements to the top of the page.
Our
HHLS shower does not has a seat - or, a footrest. While we seldom used the seat
in our HHII as a seat, we frequently used it as a footrest. So, we bought a
suction cupped footrest. It is not as sturdy as a built-in seat or footrest.
However, it works for the purpose it is designed to serve. Ours is a MHI Safe-er-Grip
Foot Rest #92607 - about $10 on Amazon.
After using the footrest for a short time, we have decided that it takes a lot less room in the shower than a seat would. Maybe we are happy that our shower doesn't have a seat.
We
put a 1" x 6" board behind the hide-a-bed. Two notches were cut into the
board to accept the rear legs of the hide-a-bed. This keeps the h-a-b away from
the sidewall enough to permit the day/night shades to reach the bottom of the
window and room for our hands to open and close them. The notches also stop the
h-a-b from moving to the left and right in the slide-out.
We have found a stain that is a close match to the walls in our HHLS so plan to stain the board in the near future.
............
Ever
since we parked close to the road in a mountain campground in British Columbia, Mary
Lou has been concerned that someone will hit the HitchHiker when we are dry camping in
a parking lot or along the road.
A little DOT tape on the step may get attention.
We had installed a clothes rod in the shower of our HHII for hanging wet clothes, jackets and towels. On the HHLS we also added two soap dishes - one for soap, the other for shampoo. We also added a towel bar for our wash clothes.
Mary Lou calls the lights installed under the sink a "Fred thing". I found it dark under the sink where we have a basket for garbage and a basket for rinsed empty pop cans. I installed a door actuated switch and a small lamp on both sides - open each door and a light turns on.
By far the biggest job was installing the solar panels.
The two larger solar panels were on the HHII. We added the small one to the
array on the HHLS.
The solar charge regulator was mounted inside the HHLS.
The cluster of controls and monitors in the hallway is a busy place.
The long sewer pipe was shortened at the same time we installed an extra slide valve.
The second improvement
to our HHLS was to use
a stainless steel clamp and
silicone to add a lever to the shower mixing knob.
Soapy fingers could not
grasp the relatively smooth knob.
A
s we are frequent travelers, not full-timers, we carry out toiletries in a
plastic shoe box between our condo, the HHLS and the cottage. The bottom of the
bathroom cabinet was not finished. We added a shelf so we both had a parking
spot for our toiletries.
The wire mesh installed over the furnace vent pipe will catch most items from falling into the heating system.
Our
HHII had factory installed closet light switches outside the closet. Mary Lou
wanted them on the HHLS also. Her wish was Fred's command.
The compartment for the umbilical cord is directly over the truck bedrail. Therefore, it will not open very far. I will use it during winter storage but not during the travel season. To keep the umbilical cord inside the truck bed, a piece of rope is looped through a hole in the hitch pin and tied off. When parked it is coiled inside the pin box.
This side-to-side level can been seen from the driver's side view mirror.
The Memory Hook-Up level "remembers" the unhitching/hitching
height for the HHLS.
Set the slide bar and you are all set to easily prepare
for hitching.
Then, use it to level front-to-back.
Fred moved these three PVC 4"x4" post covers from our HHII. They are cut to
different lengths for use to store our grill stand, wheel lock wrench, marshmallow forks
and firewood tongs.
The desk was in need of an easily accessible source for 110-volt power.
Expecting to have multiple items to plug in, we mounted a power strip on the top
of the desk. We drilled a 1.5" hole in the corner of the desk, placed a plastic liner
in the hole and screwed the power strip to the desk.
The
washer/dryer closet makes a good place for storage of linen and other items.
Our magazine rack is mounted inside the washer/dryer closet.
Additional shelves were added to both sides of the front closet.
Various hooks were added at various location.
This
was the first improvement we made - access for out Wilson Trucker antenna cable.
We had to have our Internet connection.
The antenna temporary mount remains the same.
One of the best improvements was the addition of a sliding tray in the basement. Unlike in the HHII
Sliding
the tray out
the road side of HHLS . . .
The plastic drawers organize all the little
things that are frequently used.
Sliding the tray out
the curb
side of HHLS . . .
The forward side of the tray is obstructed by a sewer line.
Therefore, low
items are placed on the forward side of the tray.
There is just enough room rearward of the tray
for the 3-gallon size bins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . water jugs
(The green, purple and pink bins are in the back of the front storage
compartment.
In front of them, we have three more bins.)
The latex gloves I use when dumping the holding tanks found a home in the
water management area once I found an appropriate size contain for them.
While really not an improvement, this may be an idea someone may be able to
use. Everything had a home except for the crate with the fresh water hose and
filter. Fred remembered that we had two batteries in a four battery compartment -
the grate slid in perfectly.
This compartment is a handy place
for gloves and larger frequently items.
Of
course, our eagle purchased while we were in Alaska had to be in an appropriate place.
He's flying a different direction ... but ... he appears happy.
There is no doubt that we will make other improvements to our HHLS.
NOTE: We will add the new improvements to the top of the page.