Added Drawer to Roo 183

olwalker · 11-24-2013, 01:27 AM

So we realized there was no drawer in our Roo 183, but we found a perfect place for one in an area with wasted space (in the top of the cabinet just inside the door on the right).

We popped out the panel, relocated the electrical outlet to the side towards the back, ordered up a drawer front from Forest River, built a cabinet drawer (needed an excuse to purchase an air gun stapler anyway), mounted tracks and viola! An OEM cabinet drawer.

edhawk · 11-24-2013, 08:10 AM

GREAT idea! MY wife has been asking me to do this for about a year now. I decided to tackle the vinyl window mod to the bunk ends first.

Who did you contact (name, phone, address or e-mail?) to get the drawer front? Did you ask for a specific size? I think it would be similar in size to the drawers near the stove. How much was the drawer front?

Thanks and congrats. Great looking job along with great pics.

OldCoot · 11-24-2013, 08:15 AM

Nice job, looks factory. Why did you not shorten the wire going to the outlet and prevent the possibility of the excess wire loosening the push in connections during travel?

Ford Idaho · 11-24-2013, 09:05 AM

Very cool.
No drawers in a RV, how crass.

Zwicker · 11-24-2013, 10:32 AM

Great job! Was there any way of putting the receptacle on the door side instead of the bed side? I guess the cord for the TV would be hidden better and less apt to get caught on something on the bed side?

EricInColorado · 11-24-2013, 10:45 AM

Awesome!
As with edhawk, I'd LOKE to know who you talked to at FR to order the drawer. I gotta do this mod.

olwalker · 11-24-2013, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zwicker

Great job! Was there any way of putting the receptacle on the door side instead of the bed side? I guess the cord for the TV would be hidden better and less apt to get caught on something on the bed side?

Exactly, I did it on the bed side because we usually have two things plugged into that outlet once we are set up - I wanted to keep the cords away from the door where the kids and everyone are coming in and out 100 times a day.

olwalker · 11-24-2013, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Nice job, looks factory. Why did you not shorten the wire going to the outlet and prevent the possibility of the excess wire loosening the push in connections during travel?

The outlets are pretty unique - they are an enclosed set up with the box and the outlet all as one unit. I didn't want to open it up and fool with it. If you notice, the wires are tucked up behind where the drawer ends and I have a clip that is screwed in that secures the wires.

olwalker · 11-24-2013, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edhawk

GREAT idea! MY wife has been asking me to do this for about a year now. I decided to tackle the vinyl window mod to the bunk ends first.

Who did you contact (name, phone, address or e-mail?) to get the drawer front? Did you ask for a specific size? I think it would be similar in size to the drawers near the stove. How much was the drawer front?

Thanks and congrats. Great looking job along with great pics.

I measured everything up and contacted Forest River Parts Department. They told me that they had a drawer front in my finish sized 13 1/2” x 6 3/4” which was perfect. They actually offered to make me up a drawer box, include the rails, attach the same OEM knob and everything for $49.96 plus shipping.

They didn't really want to do this - they wanted me to go to a dealer, but I talked them into it.

They shipped it to me a few weeks later and it looked great, except that they built the drawer box too large (they did not follow the dimensions in my attached schematic and they didn't account for the thickness of the rails to fit into the opening). I had them make it a second time - and they got it wrong AGAIN. I finally gave up on them, took the drawer apart (which was a beast to not destroy it) got my own nail stapler from Home Depot, ripped all the drawer box pieces down to the correct size with a circular saw and re-built it to the correct dimensions.

The only "tricky part" was figuring out how to mount the rails as the sidewalls of the cabinet are insanely flimsy. I got wood from Home Depot (actual dimension 1/2 by 1 1/2) to mount one end into the cabinet front which is sturdy and run all the way to the far back and tie into the corner braces of the cabinet and then hung the rails on that lumber. (Key point: don't level this with a level unless your camper itself is level. I almost made that mistake until I realized my driveway isn't perfectly level, so I mounted my rails based on measurements from the cabinet top vs using a level).

edhawk · 12-12-2013, 05:37 PM

While waiting for my vinyl windows to be installed at the canvas repair, I decided to look into the drawer mod. My drawer measures the same as yours even though I have the Roo 23SS.

I found a parts dealer in Elkhart IN that seems to have connections with the factory.

Total Value RV #1 Thor and Forest River Motorized Dealer Elkhart Indiana, The RV Capital of the World! Service, Parts and Sales Center. Largest RV inventory in Indiana. I contacted the parts department and spoke with Steve Barrer (574-262-4469) He contacted Forest River and gave me the following quote. Drawer front $13 Full drawer box with slide rails and original drawer pull for $32. I also ordered a new trim piece for the outside, lower front skirt which had cracked for $35. I don't remember if there were any shipping costs, but I will follow up when I get the final costs.

midnight1 · 12-15-2013, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edhawk

While waiting for my vinyl windows to be installed at the canvas repair, I decided to look into the drawer mod. My drawer measures the same as yours even though I have the Roo 23SS.

I found a parts dealer in Elkhart IN that seems to have connections with the factory.

Total Value RV #1 Thor and Forest River Motorized Dealer Elkhart Indiana, The RV Capital of the World! Service, Parts and Sales Center. Largest RV inventory in Indiana. I contacted the parts department and spoke with Steve Barrer (574-262-4469) He contacted Forest River and gave me the following quote. Drawer front $13 Full drawer box with slide rails and original drawer pull for $32. I also ordered a new trim piece for the outside, lower front skirt which had cracked for $35. I don't remember if there were any shipping costs, but I will follow up when I get the final costs.

What year 23ss do you have? Did you install the drawer yet? We have a 2013 23SS and wanted to do the same thing. I would love to see a picture if you have one. Thanks.

edhawk · 12-17-2013, 09:32 PM

I have a 2011 Roo 23SS. I have not installed the drawer yet as I have not received it yet from the order I placed.

I will post pictures and details when I install it.

olwalker · 12-19-2013, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edhawk

I have a 2011 Roo 23SS. I have not installed the drawer yet as I have not received it yet from the order I placed.

I will post pictures and details when I install it.

I would highly recommend that you provide them the exact dimensions to build the drawer box. I gave them the dimensions of the "hole" and figured they would know what size box to build to account for the rails.

They built it wrong 2x (both times too big to fit in the hole because they did not account for the rails). As I mentioned, I gave up and built my own just because I got tired of fooling with them (and they take awhile to build/ship a custom drawer each time).

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