# Better Rear Bed Rail Storage 21,23,26rs



## kjdj (Sep 14, 2004)

Picures coming. 
This is on a 26RS. Looking at the floor plans this should also work for the 21RS and 23RS

I installed a 7" X 7" locking "power hookup" hatch at the rear most lowest point on the street side of our 26RS. Then cut 10" square holes in the sides of the bed step and 10" square hole into the side of the dinette seat storage area.

The rear slide rails slide trough the new hatch, under the couch,  under the bed step, then 6" into the dinette seat storage.

I did cut a 10"square out of the couch kick panel. You must un-upolster the panel a little and then cut and re staple the upolstery. Neatness is not a huge problem since this area is covered by the bedstep anyway. In fact all of the interior cuts are hidden after the bedstep is re installed.

The rails stow across the width of the trailer, on the floor at the rear most point of the trailer.
Kind of like a much smaller version of the pass through storage we have in the front.

It took 3 hrs (Measure 3 times cut once) and cost $8.95 for the 7" hatch, $3 tube of clear RTV.

Recomended "special" tools: RotoZip (time saver), Squaredrive for drill (the bed step screws are 4" long wood screws!).

The first cut into the outback wasn't to bad after all. 
I'm now ready for the microwave vent mod.


----------



## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Kevin

Sounds like an awesome mod!! I might have to convert my storage system. Can't wait to see pics.

Thor


----------



## campntn (Feb 20, 2005)

Durn man, your brave. I'm impressed.







I sweated just drilling some shelf supports into the side of the tv shelf and the on the queen slide. Works great, btw, pix forthcoming after the shelf is stained. 
Can't wait to see your pix.


----------



## Katrina (Dec 16, 2004)

Looks like a very good mod to me. I'm impressed!
I don't think it would work on the 21RS the same way though.
The 21 has an outside storage door under the couch (does yours?).
I went out and looked and there is not room for a 7" hatch.
I suppose one could make the same cuts you described and store the rails in side the compartment. Could even make the cuts 6" square and put a piece of square pvc fence post in there.
Hmmmmmm
hafta think about that one.


----------



## kjdj (Sep 14, 2004)

Katrina,

No I don't have outside storage access like that.

I'm thinking of cutting in a door on the curbside to make outside access to the area under the rear seat. I want to store 6 chairs there.


----------



## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Jim, 
The 23RS is the same; storage door to access under the couch. I was thinking the same thing about the PVC (hadn't occured to me to use the square stuff - that's a good idea). It would be about the only thing you could store in such a space - good use of space. I'll have to chack what I currently store in there to see if it conflicts.

Nice mod Kevin - solves the storage problem without an exterior impact.

BBB


----------



## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Nice mod Kevin








Can't wait to see some pics of this mod
Don


----------



## kjdj (Sep 14, 2004)

I checked into the 4" square plastic fence post I don't think both rails would fit inside. The price at Home depot was $35. A bit much.


----------



## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Would a better option be a 5 or 6 inch concrete pier cardboard tube?


----------



## 1stTimeAround (Sep 22, 2004)

I need to see the pics, my mental image of this thing is all screwed up!!!

Any idea when we'll get those?

Jason


----------



## kjdj (Sep 14, 2004)

It would work. As you see by the pictures the rails will ride nice. I may put a divider to the left under the couch to keep the kids rainy day games out of the way. The opening is 7" I can get my whole arm in there to move stuff around.

Pics here

http://www.outbackers.com/forums/index.php...rune_key=1&st=0


----------



## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Very nice mod.


----------



## kjdj (Sep 14, 2004)

BigBadBrain said:


> Very nice mod.
> [snapback]30124[/snapback]​


Thank you sir!


----------



## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Kevin

Sweeeeet Mod!!! - Great Job.









I am now trying to figure out how to apply your idea to a 28RSS. Any ideas???

Thor


----------



## kjdj (Sep 14, 2004)

Thor said:


> Kevin
> 
> Sweeeeet Mod!!! - Great Job.
> 
> ...


The rails a like 68" long you could measure from the exterior wall under the sofa towards the rear door. See if maybe a wider bed step across the back wall will be in the way of using your rear entry door?


----------



## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

The bed step on the 28 rss is also the shore power cable storage. Also the rear dinette seat has the water pump under it. This could be moved to make room but the shore water and fresh tank fill fittings are in the way also. To keep them in the back of the trailer it will be a real chore to figure out.


----------



## camp4fun (Apr 2, 2005)

Wow! That's clever!
Good pic's to show what you did.
Great job all around!


----------



## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

I have storage envy


----------



## Not Yet (Dec 13, 2004)

Ok,

My question is how do you figure out where the vertical supports are? In the 28 rsds there is storage under the dinette seats that is currently only accessible through the seat tops (one side has a small drawer). As I was doing some prep work on the TT today, I thought it would be great to cut in a door on the slide to have easier access. Plus most of the storage is in the front so adding some weight to the rear would be good. My only problem is not wanting to cut into the wall and find a vertical support. My stud finder did not work on the fiberglass and aluminum walls. Any ideas?


----------



## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Why didn t they put a drawer under both seats, was thinkin maybe makin a new drawer the length of the seat instead of half.

Not Yet Have you looked under the couch? Just looked at mine at the dealer, with the board they put there in the way, how much usable room is in there. Only had a 1/2 hr to look over, so glanced and made mental notes.


----------



## Not Yet (Dec 13, 2004)

John,

Under the couch is the furnace and the shore cord, so I left that area alone. However, there is the space under the dinette seats and the short "closet" behind the rear dinette. I think the drawers actually take up space but an out side hatch would be great. If I can get around the studs, I am going in.

Jared


----------



## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Actually, if you have a particularly cool night, with a lot of dew in the morning, and you catch the time right, the framing show right up in the condensation patterns.

Tim


----------



## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

I have no idea if it might work but you might try a stud finder. I'd try it even if I knew it wasn't made for it. Seems to me it will locate a difference in the wall and an aluminum 'stud'.

From "How stuff works":
They are using changes in capacitance to sense where the stud is.

When the plate inside the stud finder is over wall board, it will sense one dielectric constant (sort of like an insulating value); but when it is over a stud, the dielectric constant is different. It works on a capacitance differential generated by density difference. The circuit in the stud finder can sense the change and reports it on its display. The second patent below shows you exactly how to build this sort of stud finder.

The latest technology in stud finders uses a very small radar system to detect the stud.

Might give it a try.

BBB


----------



## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Also might be easier using BBB s idea from the inside instead of thru outside fiberglass.


----------



## outbackgeorgia (Jan 28, 2004)

All,

I have stowed the rails in the rear bumber of my 21RS for over a year.
Just remove the bolt, replace it with a "tractor pin" of the same size.
Nest the rods inside the rails and slide into the bumper, one from each side.
I store the sewer hose in a pail inside the rear compartment. (no rust in bumper)
No mods to the trailer or new openings.

Outbackgeorgia


----------



## RCCL Cruisers (Apr 17, 2004)

Great mod, my dad and I are looking at our 21RS to see if we can adopt your idea.

RCCL Cruisers


----------



## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Dave

The keeping in line with the KISS principle.























Thor


----------

