We traveled full time in our RV for over 8 years and have been in 6 different RV’s so we have now some expertise in what upgrades you’d need on your RV. On this put up we share the very best of the very best upgrades based mostly on our expertise of getting spent over 2900 days in our RV.
There are all the time the essential RV or 5th wheel accessories you want like a sewer hose, RV TV mount, and wheel chocks that you just want earlier than planning an RV journey. However the true enjoyable comes when you can begin making upgrades to your rig! Whether or not you full time RV like us or simply camp on weekends these upgrades will make you’re keen on your RV much more!
Photo voltaic
We actually wish to boondock, so the power to harness free solar power from the solar is wonderful. The phrase “photo voltaic” encompasses many various elements to an total system. This contains photo voltaic panels (both on the roof or transportable), a photo voltaic cost controller to control the quantity of electrical energy going into the batteries, an inverter to invert the 12 volt energy saved within the batteries to 120 volts in addition to batteries, which I’ll speak extra about subsequent.
Getting a top quality system put in in your rig to fulfill your wants is a good funding that may repay huge time. We labored with Future Solutions for a incredible setup that enables us to be off grid for so long as we would like.
Batteries
RV’s often include a single 12 volt battery. That is tremendous to maintain the lights on for some time and run {the electrical} a part of a fuel fridge, however in the event you’re seeking to camp off grid, including extra battery capability or perhaps a totally different sort of battery is among the finest RV mods you are able to do.
There are various totally different choices on the market, lead acid, AGM and extra just lately, lithium. Having the next capability battery financial institution means that you can keep unplugged longer and actually get out to some epic spots.
Generator
If photo voltaic isn’t an possibility, then having an on-board or transportable generator is nice improve for dry tenting. We’ve a Honda 2000 watt generator that could be a nice various after we’re in overcast for a couple of days.
Suspension
If you wish to get out to those epic spots, you’ll want to ensure your rig can deal with the rugged terrain it has to undergo to get there. We labored with MORryde to have their Independent Suspension package deal put in on our Montana Excessive Nation fifth wheel.
Their Independent Suspension system permits every wheel to maneuver independently of some other wheel as much as 5 inches in journey. Often every wheel is tied to a different wheel, both by being on the identical axle or by the leaf spring suspension. The profit is that this permits the wheels to soak up a ton of highway shock with out shifting the home a part of the RV protecting your valuables protected and steady. It additionally helps a ton with towing as you may’t even really feel the trailer behind you.
Disc Brakes
One other improve MORryde affords, one which often goes hand-in-hand with Unbiased Suspension, is upgrading to disc brakes. Trailers and fifth wheels often include drum brakes which simply don’t have the braking energy that disc brakes do. Considered one of my principal issues with pulling a completely loaded, heavy trailer, particularly down mountain grades is the power to cease it. With disc brakes, this can be a non-concern as they provide a 40% shorter stopping distance and cut back warmth construct up.
Tires
Tires are very straightforward to miss in terms of an RV or trailer. The one time they’re checked out is when you’ve got a blow out, which is simply too late. There are various tire manufacturers on the market which might be identified to have blow outs, which is why upgrading tires provides an ideal peace of thoughts.
We upgraded from Load Vary F 12-ply tires to Supplier Radial Load Vary G 14-ply tires on our Keystone Arcadia. The distinction is substantial. The tires are tremendous heavy obligation and might deal with the burden of our rig a lot better.
We additionally upgraded our rims to a heavier obligation rim than what got here with the RV. The cool factor is all of those upgrades might be discovered on etrailer and they are often delivered proper to your door. I received all 5 tires and rims (I upgraded our spare tire as effectively) delivered, introduced all of it to a neighborhood tire store, they mounted and balanced the tires and I introduced all of it again and put in on the trailer.
Click here to check out etrailer’s amazing selection of tires and wheels to get your upgrade on!
Tire Stress Monitor System
Most fashionable automobiles have a TPMS constructed proper in, so we’re used to figuring out tire pressures in our automobile and even get notified once they get low. Understanding this info for a trailer is essential and might be the distinction in getting off safely to the aspect of the highway when you’ve got tire issues.
We use the EEZTire TPMS, which is simple to put in, straightforward to make use of and simple to learn. Positively suggest this.
fifth Wheel Pin Field
When towing, security is your first concern with consolation being the second. With MORryde’s Rubber Pin Box, it primarily eliminates chucking, bucking and jerking by absorbing the vitality switch from the truck and fifth wheel on begins and stops and unhealthy highway circumstances. This makes towing your fifth wheel safer and far more snug, win-win!
Trailer Hitch
For those who’re towing a journey trailer, then the hitch is nice improve. We’ve used a Propride 3P Hitch previously and it made a world of distinction. Once more, security and luxury are your principal priorities when towing a trailer and after we have been towing our 30′ Jayco trailer, it was swaying all around the highway to the purpose that even quick straightforward drives have been white-knuckle ones. No enjoyable. After upgrading to the ProPride 3P, the trailer stayed inline and we had no issues with sway.
Cargo Tray
All of us carry stuff in our RV, generally an excessive amount of stuff. This will imply actually utilizing each inch of space for storing and make it arduous to entry a number of the issues within the storage bays. We upgraded to a really good MORryde cargo tray that enables us to drag out the tray and entry all of the stuff that’s often caught within the center.
Storage Bay Lock
Consider it or not, most storage bays are keyed with the identical key, which isn’t very safe in any respect! Altering out your storage bay locks is fairly straightforward and cheap and is usually a good technique to maintain your stuff safe.
Cell Booster
Being out within the wilderness is nice, however we nonetheless should work and that requires a cell sign. Having a cell booster on our rig previously and it undoubtedly helps enhance a poor sign.
An alternative choice that’s cheaper, however requires a sure connection to your hotspot is that this Netgear Antenna. We use this one very often and it actually helps.
Wifi Extender
One other choice to bettering web sign in your RV is a Wifi extender. This can seize a wifi sign inside a sure vary and amplify it in your rig.
Tank Heaters
We love the mountains and that often means colder temperatures. We’ve tank heaters for our contemporary, gray and black tanks that are turned on by a swap close to our management panel and provides electrically created warmth to the tanks in order that they don’t freeze. Very helpful particularly when in a single day lows get down beneath freezing.
RV Steps
A must-do improve is MORryde’s StepAbove Steps. For those who’ve ever gone in or out of a set of fold-out trailer steps, you know the way unstable they really feel, to not point out the sensation within your complete RV tipping over. The StepAbove steps remedy that drawback with a set of steps that stretch to the bottom to make them rock stable.
In addition they have a number of add-on elements to the steps together with a strut help carry that makes lifting the steps very straightforward, a handrail that connects to the steps for further stability, a storage field that goes within the area the earlier fold-out steps went in addition to movement activated lights that set up beneath every step making going out and in a lot safer and simpler.
Stabilizers
Talking of feeling just like the RV is tipping over, upgrading the stabilizers on a trailer is a should. Having 4 youngsters that wish to run round and wrestle, so it always seems like we’re a ship out on the ocean.
Our rig got here with a 4 level leveling/stabilizing system. We upgraded our fifth wheel touchdown gear with a MORryde 5th wheel stabilizer that locks it in back and forth movement.
Additionally, we added MORryde’s Hitch Mount Stabilizer to the rear 2″ hitch receiver on our fifth wheel that basically locks us in. It makes a world of distinction in comparison with not having these upgrades. Each of those merchandise are straightforward to put in and might stay in your rig even once you’re touring.
We additionally use a set of X-Chock wheel stabilizers to take out any wheel play that will occur. Be taught extra right here 8 Best RV Wheel Chocks And How To Pick Yours.
RV Lock
Plainly RV’s include too many keys. One for the door, one for the storage bay, one for the engine if it’s a motorhome, one for the leveling key pad, and so forth. Take a type of out of the equation with RVLock. This keypad lock permits fast, keyless entry to your RV.
Water Filter
Nothing is best than water than a chilly glass of contemporary tasting water. Including an onboard water filtration system may give you simply that each single time you activate the tap. We went with the Clearsource Ultra Onboard Pro RV Water Filter System to filter out all of the nasty rust, sediment, contaminants and viruses that may reside in water.
Set up of the onboard unit was tremendous straightforward and now I don’t should mess with inline filters anymore. I merely connect our hose and we’re getting the cleanest and freshest water potential!
Hardwired Electrical Administration System
Campground electrical energy might be spotty. That may both be from an older system or a campground that has outgrown what it was initially designed for. This will result in low voltage points which may harm elements inside your RV. To not point out surges or mis-wirings that may additionally trigger huge issues.
There are some nice surge protectors available on the market that assist with this drawback. I’d suggest a hardwired electrical management system in your RV. This can catch all of these points earlier than they ever enter your RV. The good factor a few hardwired system in comparison with this related portable unit is that you just don’t have to consider plugging within the transportable unit. Simply plug your twine in like regular and you’re protected.
Backup Cameras
Backing in a big trailer is tough! To not point out the numerous variety of fights it causes between my spouse and I. A straightforward improve that helps with that drawback is a wireless backup camera. Loads of trailers come pre-wired for a digicam making set up tremendous straightforward.
Sewer Hose Storage
There by no means appears to be a great place to retailer a sewer hose. Journey trailers generally have a 4″ bumper that works effectively because it retains the hose outdoors and never in a bay close to your stuff, which is a superb concept. Our fifth wheel didn’t have that and neither did our motorhomes.
One the fifth wheel, I put in a sewer hose storage tube beneath the again of the fifth wheel. Set up was tremendous straightforward because it got here with 4 self-tapping screws that mounts into the body of the RV. This retains the hose outdoors and simple to get to after I want it.
Implausible Followers with Vent Covers
Air circulation is a superb factor once you’re within the nice outside. RV’s can have some funky smells in them so protecting contemporary air flowing is a should. Upgrading the ceiling followers is a good way to do this. We’ve a few Fan-Tastic fans that basically maximize air circulation protecting the RV contemporary. We even have vent covers for these followers to allow them to function or stay open after we are driving or if it’s raining.
Slide Toppers
Including a slide topper above your slide outs is a superb improve. This can maintain water and particles from accumulating in your slide out roof so once you pull it in, all of that junk gained’t are available with it.
Dometic Awning with Energy Channel
Awnings are an ideal factor to have on an RV. They supply shade and even can shield from rain. An improve to the everyday awning is Dometic’s 9200 Power Series Awning that comes with an influence channel on the awning arm. This enables for a lot of totally different equipment to be plugged into the channel and for use whereas beneath the awning. Equipment like audio system, followers, lights and extra.
Inside Redesign
This can be a fairly generic time period for a reasonably labor intensive improve. On just about each RV we’ve owned (Newmar, Winnebago View, Micro Minnie, Jayco, Montana), we’ve redesigned the inside to present it a extra homey really feel in addition to including performance that meets our wants.
This will vary from main renovations to small enhancements to the kitchen cupboards, counter area or including wire cabinets within the cupboards. It could actually take some work, however it’s undoubtedly an improve that’s definitely worth the effort.
Residential Fridge
We’ve a residential fridge in our RV kitchen, which is the primary residential fridge we’ve had in an RV. This improve has professionals and cons to it. For the professionals, we love the area! We’ve an 18 cubic foot fridge and having a household of 6, the additional fridge area is wonderful. For the cons, it solely runs on electrical energy.
This implies after we’re boondocking, we have to have sufficient battery energy to run the fridge 24 hours a day. With our setup from Future Solutions, it’s not an issue, however undoubtedly one thing to consider earlier than upgrading.
LED Lights
Most new RV’s already include LED lights, however you probably have an older RV, this improve is a should. Going to LEDs, you’ll save a ton of battery energy as an LED mild simply sips energy in comparison with an older incandescent mild. They arrive in a wide range of colours, in order that they’re not simply the intense white anymore.
Digital Thermostat
Some RV’s have the old fashioned lever or dial for a thermostat. A easy and efficient improve is to swap that out for a digital thermostat. These are a lot simpler to make use of and skim and a few are even programmable.
Mattress
Sleeping in an RV shouldn’t be any totally different that sleeping in a mattress in a home. You’ll be able to simply improve your mattress to make sleeping tremendous comfortable. RV mattresses aren’t the very best, so we upgraded our mattress to this one on Amazon which has been wonderful.
Bathe Head
One other straightforward improve that offers higher water stress within the bathe in addition to conserves water is altering the bathe head. We’ve used Oxygenics previously and it’s a straightforward and low-cost improve that’s value it.
Slim Shade
We’ve had 2 RV’s that solely had the frosted glass within the entrance door window. This doesn’t present probably the most privateness and undoubtedly allows numerous mild within the morning. A straightforward improve to repair that’s the Slim Shade.
You principally take away the previous window and substitute it with one which has a inbuilt black-out shade. The shade can open so you may see out the clear glass once you wish to after which shut to supply privateness and darkness once you need that.
Propane Screens
Understanding your propane degree in an RV might be difficult and more often than not you don’t know you’re low till you’re out. Putting in these propane monitors in your tanks might be tremendous useful to maintain the furnace engaged on a chilly night time.
Hopefully these RV upgrades will assist you to take pleasure in your RV extra. Please test again as we’ll maintain this record up to date with new upgrades we find out about which might be must-haves! We even have an superior record of Best Gifts For RVers!
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I’ve a little bit of a humorousness, and when others don’t discover me humorous, I all the time do.I don’t take myself too significantly and I really like my household.That’s why we’re doing this 🙂
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