Born Free Leap'n Lions RV Club Info & Discussion Forum

I recently bought a 2001 26 RSB with the cabover bed. I took out the old box TV in the cabinet next to the entryway. I also took out the shelf for the TV and now have a 16x16" hole in the wall. I am thinking of attaching an LCD TV to the wall, covering the hole. Has anyone else done this? Thanks!

I did something similar to my 26RSB. Like you, I removed the TV and shelve. I mounted an LCD TV below the original TV, on the cabinet wall, just above the grab handle in the entryway. The hole left from the original TV was covered with a matching cabinet door and hardware I ordered from Kim Olsen at Bornfree. Inside the new fairly large cabinet, I installed a home DVD player and stereo system. Then I put a wire shelve in the cabinet and now have lots of storage.

Reading the reply from Chris made me wonder if one could put a door over the hole as he did but then fasten the tv to that door so you could then angle it for possibly better viewing when necessary. If considering that you would want a substancial hinge system, probably a quality piano hinge to hold the weight of the TV. You would also probably have to extend the tv somewhat so that you could also open the door far enough to utilize the cabinet space behind the door. Born Free is using a similiar arrangement in new coaches with the overhead entertainment with the difference being their tv is attached to the door but swings upward. I am not sure what type of hinges they are using but if you go that route call Kim Olson for details.

When I took delivery of my 2002 RB, I did not take the TV being offered.
Instead I purchased a Sharp 15" LCD and using a mounting bracket installed it just above the shelf.

Last year, my BF was ransacked while in storage and they tool everything that was not nailed down, including my TV.

I was covered under my insurance policy and I acquired a new Sharp 15 in LCD, along with a new arm.

I discovered that the new arm was much more flexible and the TV had a tendency to swing out when I was driving. To remedy the problem, I purchased a piece of foam (foam mattress), cut out an indentation for the bottom of the TV, and placed it on the shelf. The form keeps the TV from swinging, and it also provides support for the TV when traveling.

When we are stopped, the form is stored in the passenger seat.

I connected the TV to the antenna that came with the BF. I have been looking at getting another antenna, (a batwing). The problem is the length of the arm which if placed in the same location as the present antenna would rest on the ac cover.

Camping World indicated they could move the new antenna forward, but that would mean drilling new holes and patching the old ones, which I am reluctant to do.

If we are not staying where there is cable, and we are unable to get a decent signal, we have purchased a bunch of $1.00 DVD from Target or Walmart. We enjoy the movies from the 30's - 40's better than we do the current moves. We have a DVD/VCR player in the storage area just over the TV shelf (above the window). We were able to run the wires down through the hole where the roll bar comes through.

One of the problems you will fact with the LCD TV is that it will not present a weak signal. You will just get a blue screen, while a regular TV will do its best to give you any signal that comes in.

You need to shop around carefully for the LCD TV. Sharp has the best
but they are also on the high side. Be sure to hook it up before your return privilege expires.

Regards,

Bob

Thanks everyone! I went to Circuit City today, and bought the 20"Sharp Aquos and stationery hanging bracket. I decided against the adjustable arm for fear that it would come loose and swing around the TV screen. The width of the LCD is about 25" which just fits. I have the door from Born Free, and I have permanently attached it to the wall, as Circuit City sugggested. I will attach the bracket to that, and then the TV. The DVD player will be installed sideways on the inside of the cabinet, and the rest of the space will be storage. I can access the space by way of the "Grill" door facing the aisle.

I removed the factory-installed Sansui tube VCR/TV last week, and replaced it with a Sylvania 15" HDTV/DVD unit from Sam's Club. The unit was $259 and has a digital tuner as well as an analog tuner. I mounted it on an articulating arm mount (also from Sam's, $50) in the same location as the old TV. The big bonus I found was that 95% of the rattles in the coach came from the TV! It's eerily quiet rolling down the road now! I've also increased the load carrying capacity of the coach by at least a hundred pounds! Ok, maybe not, but it's amazing how much less the new TV weighs.

I'll post photos of the process and the install a little later.

Roger

I can add further information to this topic on how I replaced my heavy 19" Phillips CRT TV with a 20" Samsung LCD TV in the entertainment center in my 2002 Born Free 26' RSB Motorcoach. It is detailed in the Coach Modification section on this forum under the topic named SO YOU WANT TO INSTALL A LCD TV IN YOUR BORN FREE!.

Or a direct link to that post is provided below:
http://www.bornfreervclub.org/bulletin_ ... .php?t=363

My BF originally had the entertainment center. When I bought it, the factory removed the entertainment center and made it into an overhead bunk. In doing so, they relocated the tv to the side of the cabinet by the entry door. I guess this is where the old style tv would have gone. The opening in the cabinet is covered with a matching piece of wood, but from the inside of the cabinet. The lcd tv came with a flat mounting bracket but we replaced it with an articulating arm so we can sit on the couch and watch it also. I put a velcro strap on with a buckle, screwed to the inside cabinet wall. I feed the strap through the same hole the power and antenna cords go through, loop it around the arm, back through the hole, through the buckle and the velcro sticks to itself. Sounds compilcated, but it is very simple.

John

This was really quick and easy. I spent more time removing the old TV than installing the new one.

The TV is held on with two nylon straps with D rings. They are a challenge to loosen, but once loose come off easily. Unplug the television unit and remove it. It weighs about 30 lbs.

There are five screws that hold the TV tray to the counter top; three across the back, and two that are screwed in through the bottom lip of the counter top. Once those are loose, the TV tray lifts off. The counter top will undoubtedly need cleaning since the TV doesn't get moved frequently!

The wall mount unit for the new TV was a stock unit from Sam's Club. It is an articulated arm unit that has a mounting bracket that a female bracket attached to the articulated arm slides over.

There are three screws that mount the bracket to the wall. The packaging comes with 2.5" screws. I bought a box of 1.5" #10 wood screws for $.89.

Locate the bracket in the center of the wall, and drill a pilot hole for the first screw, and install the screw. Make sure the bracket is vertical (it actually had a bubble level in it!) and drill pilot holes and install the other two screws.

Now, this is the difficult part. After the assembly is mounted to the TV, there isn't enough clearance under the cabinets to slide the whole TV/arm assembly over the mounted bracket. I disassembled the bracket at the center joint with the supplied allen wrench and installed the female half of the bracket and arm on the male side mounted to the wall. Then I held the TV/arm assembly up and reassembled the arm. With this particular bracket, the center cylinder part has a fitted slot it goes into, so the reassembly is a bit of a challenge; but not difficult.

Screw the arm joints down tight, adjust the TV where you want it, plug it in, and enjoy your new TV/DVD! With the arm joints tight, the TV doesn't move on the road, and it doesn't rattle at all!

I also have a small 100w inverter that will power the TV nicely from the 12v port without overloading the circuit.

That's all there is to it!

Roger

Bracket

TV removed showing TV tray

Screws at back of tray

Screws under lip of counter top

Cleared counter top

Installed bracket from the side