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Topic: Interior Foretravel Cable Runs (Read 884 times) previous topic - next topic

Interior Foretravel Cable Runs

In removing the original flooring, I uncovered the interior cable runs. There are two of them in the front of my Foretravel.

The one on the passenger side consists of two rows of 3/4" square white wood sticks on the floor along the passenger side, covered by a thin piece of hardwood luan plywood (about 3.5" wide), which is screwed into the long sticks. The first picture shows the cable run with the cover on. The second picture shows the cable run with the first section of covering removed. I had hoped I could reposition the blocks so the run would not take up so much floor space. While this might be doable, it looked like too much work. In that short run that is exposed, there is a small bundle of wires, that takes up most of the room in the cable run.

The one on the driver side consists of a sofa base; it did not have an enclosed run like the passenger side. It did have quite a few wires, including a lot of electronic wiring for audio/video equipment and speakers. (It looks like a lot of those wires could be removed, but determining which ones are no longer in use would not be trivial.) It also had a set of 12 gauge romex wires for 120 volt outlets. One is beside the driver seat, and one was under the sofa. The AC and A/V wire bundles were each screwed to the floor with cable clamps. Since we are replacing the sofa with new recliners, I will have to do something about covering the wires.

I had always wondered how it was constructed, and now you can see, too.

Trent

Re: Interior Foretravel Cable Runs

Reply #1 –
Trent,

Yes, you can materially reduce the dimensions of the wire chases. I determined the minimum dimensions needed for the wires, then took a solid piece of walnut and with a table saw (daddo blade) hollowed out to make a "U" shaped channel to accommodate the wires.

Re: Interior Foretravel Cable Runs

Reply #2 –
On the other side of things, why not add a few more wires while you have the chase open. All it will cost you now is the cost of the wire, and may well save you some work later on. You won't have to remake the chase, and someday those extra wires may come in handy, either for you or a future custodian. Be sure to document what you put in and where the two ends are. Otherwise you will do as I have done and tear everything out to run more wires only to discover that I had (years earlier) run those wires.

Re: Interior Foretravel Cable Runs

Reply #3 –
For those who want to run wires from the front to the rear of the coach... at ceiling height...consider using either of the two channels in the roof curvature on either side of the coach. It involves gaining entry via the cabinets at both ends of the coach and then drilling holes into the aluminum "roof radius extrusion" openings. Ask James Triana for drawing # A-2869. I'm not sure how the curvature is designed for all coaches, but it sure worked well on my 2002 for running back-up camera wiring, etc.
Jim

2002 U32 042'

Re: Interior Foretravel Cable Runs

Reply #4 –
I dug a little deeper into the cable run on the passenger side, by removing all of the luan plywood (not hardwood as I said earlier). I discovered that the cable run towards the back had three of the 3/4" blocks in it. It looked like they had created a separate cable run for a single piece of Romex cable for the 120 VAC to keep it separate from the 12 VDC wires.
 
I removed all of these 3/4" blocks, which was not easy. The longest one (probably at least ten feet long) had SIXTY-THREE staples in it. I expect my cable run to be about 2" x 2", which will reduce the encroachment into the room.
 
I will make the same type of cable run for the driver side, which had been covered by the sofa I removed. The biggest problem for me at the moment is what to do with the 120 VAC outlet. It had been mounted to the floor under the sofa. We are either getting  two recliners or a love seat with two recliners. I want the outlet to be accessible from both seats, but haven't found the perfect replacement seating yet.
 
Hope somebody finds this information useful.
 
Trent

Re: Interior Foretravel Cable Runs

Reply #5 –
Trent,
Here is how our chase on the passenger finished out after flooring and trim work.

Re: Interior Foretravel Cable Runs

Reply #6 –
John,
 
Is that flooring on top, or the original (cheap) thin plywood? Did you stain it?
 
Trent

Re: Interior Foretravel Cable Runs

Reply #7 –
Trent, Finding a solution that looked neat was the challenge.  I laid the sound deadening pad and floor first.  I laid the floor up against and around the chase box.  I removed the plywood cover from the chase and laid double sided tape on the square stock.  I ripped my flooring boards the width of the chase on my table saw removing the tongue and groove.  I left the tongue and groove on the ends of the flooring. I then started at the corner by the dining table and laid the boards down tight to the wall on to the tape locking the boards end to end.  I worked my way towards the front.  Last board was cut to length.  I then measured the height from the top of the new floor to the top of the board on the chase.  That was my trim height I used around the entire perimeter.  I used a door molding I found at Lowes and I had to create my own color match stain.

I then pin nailed all of the molding around the entire coach.  I bought the pin nailer at Harbor Freight.  When I nailed the trim along the chase I went in at an angle to go into the square stock only. In the future if I need acces to the chase I can start up front and remove the boards from the chase and re-tape if needed.  I didn't want screws or nails showing on the top of the floor board so I chose this route.  I believe you can do the same with your vinyl planks.

One thing I did before laying my base trim was, I trimmed up and around my lamp table base and the cup holder tower to fit tight to the shape of the floor and the top of the chase.  I then trimmed up to them.  I then laid the magazine rack on top of the new chase and attached it to the wall and cup tower.

It has been a year and the tape is holding great.  I also bought the double sided tape at Harbor Freight.

Cutting  and fitting my trim was the most time consuming part of the job, a lot of up and down out of the coach. Figuring how to trim around the Foretravel rounded corners was a challenge.  Attached is a picture on how I cut my trim to go around the corners.

The last thing I did was trim out the steps and replaced the carpet on the sides of the steps, the cock pit, the bed and the closets.

We are happy with the results.  Hope this helps.

John M

Re: Interior Foretravel Cable Runs

Reply #8 –
John,
 
You sure set a very high standard!
 
But your explanation and pictures give the rest of us hope we can follow your lead.
 
Thanks,
 
Trent

Re: Interior Foretravel Cable Runs

Reply #9 –
Trent,
I forgot to add the picture of how I trimmed out the corners. Corners were done in three pieces. Attached also is a picture of the trim around the shower base.  Have fun in your renovation!
John M.
 

Re: Interior Foretravel Cable Runs

Reply #10 –
John,
 
How did you handle the curved part of the center console on the passenger side?
 
Did you trim around the toilet?
 
Thanks,
 
Trent

Re: Interior Foretravel Cable Runs

Reply #11 –
Trent,
I made a template and then I used it to trim all of the floor boards real close to the curve.  I went under the removeable panel in front of the passenger seat.  My toilet sets on a platform.  I ran the flooring into the toilet area and then I tiled the toilet platform.  If I didn't have the platform I would have just run the flooring up and around the toilet flange and then silicone seal the edge between the flange and flooring. I would silicone around the base of the toilet after installation.
John M.