Removing a Dinette

[apackoftwo]

I am looking at a 2006 2570 but intensely dislike the dinette! Actually I dislike them in general. Take up way to much room and generally not comfortable

Does anyone know how much of a job it would be to remove it or Sunline dinettes generally?

I know the propane monitor is attached to one of the seats and
the fender but that can be boxed

Thanks!

[apackoftwo]

Anyone?

[DaveSha]

Originally Posted by apackoftwo

I am looking at a 2006 2570 but intensely dislike the dinette! Actually I dislike them in general. Take up way to much room and generally not comfortable

Does anyone know how much of a job it would be to remove it or Sunline dinettes generally?

I know the propane monitor is attached to one of the seats and
the fender but that can be boxed

Thanks!

….I removed mine to replace some floor rot on a 2653…..Not a large task…Pretty much self explanatory on the 2653 with a screwgun….On mine the monitor was attached to the forward bench seat which is also a compartment for storage accessible from under the cushion and outside the camper also….You may want to keep that compartment should yours be the same…Thus solving you monitor boxing….The table was attached to the floor by 6 or so wood screws ( pedestal table ) which will leave a hole in the floor upon removal…..On mine the rearward bench seat was attached by screws with a square head gizmo in the middle not phillips…And you have to take the drawers out and remove the sliding hardware ( one square head gizmo on each)….Bout it….If it was put in , it has to come out…….Thats my theory anyhow...…Good luck….

[apackoftwo]

Thanks for yoir reply. Do you have pictures?

I am not quite sure about the bench with the monitor box and outside storage? Did you keep that bench or did you remove it to replace the floor and then put it back?
I am not sure if the forward bench seat on a 2570 is an outside storage area?

I just want to remove the whole thing, mount the propane monitor in its own box on the wall and replace the dinette with a free standing table and chairs or a desk

Originally Posted by DaveSha

….I removed mine to replace some floor rot on a 2653…..Not a large task…Pretty much self explanatory on the 2653 with a screwgun….On mine the monitor was attached to the forward bench seat which is also a compartment for storage accessible from under the cushion and outside the camper also….You may want to keep that compartment should yours be the same…Thus solving you monitor boxing….The table was attached to the floor by 6 or so wood screws ( pedestal table ) which will leave a hole in the floor upon removal…..On mine the rearward bench seat was attached by screws with a square head gizmo in the middle not phillips…And you have to take the drawers out and remove the sliding hardware ( one square head gizmo on each)….Bout it….If it was put in , it has to come out…….Thats my theory anyhow...…Good luck….

[DaveSha]

Originally Posted by apackoftwo

Thanks for yoir reply. Do you have pictures?

I am not quite sure about the bench with the monitor box and outside storage? Did you keep that bench or did you remove it to replace the floor and then put it back?
I am not sure if the forward bench seat on a 2570 is an outside storage area?

I just want to remove the whole thing, mount the propane monitor in its own box on the wall and replace the dinette with a free standing table and chairs or a desk

…No pictures, just some before and after that the bride took….None of the procedure..Mine went back together as it was beforehand with the exception of laminate pergo under the pedestal table and on the floor of the bench seats….Sounds like you have a nice plan for what you intend to do….It should go well and turn out beautifully….Dave

[apackoftwo]

Ok well that answers my question about removing it completly, thanks!

Originally Posted by DaveSha

…No pictures, just some before and after that the bride took….None of the procedure..Mine went back together as it was beforehand with the exception of laminate pergo under the pedestal table and on the floor of the bench seats….Sounds like you have a nice plan for what you intend to do….It should go well and turn out beautifully….Dave

[Sunny06]

We have thought about doing that aswell.. The dinettes are uncomfortable.. Wonder where you can buy aRV style table and chair set from?

[Steve Collins]

Originally Posted by Sunny06

We have thought about doing that aswell.. The dinettes are uncomfortable.. Wonder where you can buy aRV style table and chair set from?

What's different about a dinette set for an RV vs. one for your home? NOTHING.

Any place that sells RV parts and accessories should be able to get them, but...... They're all sized the same, regardless of trailer brand. But, you'll pay a pretty penny for them. And the quality vs. the price is not good at all. I don't recommend this route, but you could do it.

What I would do is measure the available space created by removing the benches. Armed with that info, I'd first check some of the discount furniture houses to see if they have anything that is the right size for what I need. The cost will be far less and the available styles and colors will be far greater.

[apackoftwo]

I agree with Steve. I found some free standing tables and chairs that would be suitable just by Googling. Ikea, Walmart etc
The Tiny House movement is very popular so there are more choices for furniture that fits in small areas.

There also may be some RV salvage or surplus stores in your area too, like this one in Michigan, Bontrager's Surplus – RV and Mobile Home Supplies

This dinette replacement mod used some cool looking swivel retro chairs

A Great Room: Replacing an RV Dinette

You are only limited by your imagination!

Originally Posted by Sunny06

We have thought about doing that aswell.. The dinettes are uncomfortable.. Wonder where you can buy aRV style table and chair set from?

[Sunny06]

Cool sites.. We have always thought we would keep it all original, but it uncomfortable to sit in either the dinette or the sofa. We plan on keeping it for a few more years so I guess we will have to suck it up.

[RV4three]

I just bought a 2002 Sunline Solaris 2670. I don't like the dinette either! Did you remove yours? Do you have pictures or advice about it? My dinette is built on a platform. Does anyone know why that is?

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by RV4three

I just bought a 2002 Sunline Solaris 2670. I don't like the dinette either! Did you remove yours? Do you have pictures or advice about it? My dinette is built on a platform. Does anyone know why that is?

Hi,

I might be able to help on the platform. I see in your album you have some really good pics to help show what I am about to say. Great job on the pics, we can now see better what you have.

Here is the inside


And the outside over the dinette.


If you look at the outside pic, the window at the dinette is directly over the axles. And there is a wheel well for the tires which goes up above the main floor of the camper for tire clearance.

The brown boxed hump over at the wall under the table I am fairly sure is the fender well of the tires.


That wheel well has to stay, not much choice there. Now to the other floor part that seems white in your pics on the dinette floor area. I'm not sure what is under that part. It might be a false floor to raise the leg/foot rest area up higher so the foot rest is more easier to sit at when dealing with the have to have wheel well cover. If you lift up the seat cushion by the bunks look down with the draw pulled out, if you see the main floor and not the step up height, that info may help shed some light on things if the center is a false floor.

But on the other front seat cushion, I see what looks like a brown cover on the end of the seat. There is no drawer under that seat. That brown cover looks like it may be your power converter since the little shore power cord access hole is directly straight out on the outside wall. Moving that power converter and all the wires that go with it, is not easy. There is also a LP gas detector in that same front bench seat. I am almost sure that is your fuse/breaker box and power converter panel.

Between the wheel well and if that is your power converter, removing the dinette completely on this T2670 floor plan is going to be complex to deal with both of those. That is after you figure out if that is a false floor box under the feet resting area of the dinette.

Where you thinking of removing the entire dinette, bench seats and all? Or just the rear bench by the bunks?

Hope this helps.

John

[vcrt]

That camper looks so much like our 2470 (also a bunk model) that I feel confident to say that the forward bench sits over the furnace and the raised floor houses the flexible heating ducts that run to the vents under the bunk and in the bath. And yes, as John said, the boxed section under the window is the fenderwell enclosure.

If you remove that forward cushion and the screws holding the board below it, you can confirm this (or not).

What was your plan for that area instead?

Rich

[RV4three]

Thank you so much to you both, John B and vcrt, for answering. We got the Sunny delivered today and gave it a good look through. You are right about all points. I'm my mind there was more space between the back bench and the window. I were dresses to worship and I'm trying to squeeze in some room to hang them without having to fold the bottom. I thought if I removed back bench I could borrow some room for that. I didn't want to remove the other one. You are right that is where electricals and gas detector are. I was thinking of cutting the back of it off and applying the back so that bench would face the sofa. The dinette configuration doesn't seem like a good use of space for us. I will most likely replace sofa bed with a small sofa with storage in it. I may still "turn" the bench with electricals to face the sofa. I may replace the bench against the bunk wall with a short cabinet space. What do y'all think?

[vcrt]

Would it make any sense to install another sofa that backs up against the outside wall at the wheel well? The raised floor is a removable section and once it's off, you might find that the flexible ducts could be moved away from the "aisle" so the raised floor could be shortened (you wouldn't want the floor under your feet to be that high when sitting on the sofa).
Just speculating.
Rich

[JohnB]

Hi RV4three,

Each of us camp differently. Here are some things to think through as you sort this out in your head how you want to setup your camper. Maybe they will spark a few ideas you can build on.

Often times we have pre-conceived notions of what we like and dislike. Some are very strong and there is nothing going to change that. Others, well we get an idea stuck in our heads and never thought the whole thing through. In our case, my wife wanted nothing to do with a pass through bathroom floor plan. This was before we even owned a travel trailer. The issue was, "I don't want to be seeing the toilet all the time".... So we looked and looked and looked at floor plans. Well, our first travel trailer was a T2499 with a rear living space and a center pass through bath room.... , The second Sunline, the T310SR, is also a rear living camper with a pass through bathroom... So what changed?

Well, we did... The pass through bath since it has an aisle way to pass through to the next room creates a larger bathroom. You can actually get dressed in the bathroom if you want to. Getting out of the shower is easier and sitting on the toilet your knees are not into the wall... Sunline positioned the toilet is such a way it is not seen when looking from the living room area back towards the other end of the camper. The other brands we looked at did not have those same attributes. After camping with a camper that has a pass through bathroom for the last 13.5 years, we now still prefer the larger bathroom the pass through floor plan gives us.

A few points I'll pass along with our dinette that may not be apparent right now.

Cooking and meal prep space is always a big deal in a camper. While we came from a popup to the travel trailer and cooked most everything outside, when the travel trailer came, this changed somewhat. I still do a lot of cooking outside, but the wife does a lot of meal prep inside to give the food to me to cook.

Your floor plan has a small area of countertop between the sink and stove. That is a lot more space then ours has in camper terms of space. The realization on this is, during meal prep time the table and a seat is often used close by to the cooking area. Cutting up things and sitting down while you are doing it, a place to put dishes, pots, pans, the table top surface is sort of a landing strip for most anything, even taking food out or putting it into the fridge. In our case, if we no longer had the table this would soon become an issue that we would find a lot. No room to put anything down.

We camp many times all year round. While winter camping is limited, when we do, we spend more time in the camper. And on travel days, we often eat and cook in the camper for breakfast as we put everything away outside already to get going on the road early. We have a table and chairs setup which we do like better then the dinette, but we do use the table top a lot.

Maybe a suggestion, camp in the camper a while to figure out what works well and what really does not. It seems like whenever one gets a new camper, it takes 3 whole times of rearranging where things go before you find that perfect spot. And it takes about a year to get there.... I'm going out on a limb here, but I suspect this is the case with many folks.

If and when you come to a decision to remove or rearrange the camper, think down the road to when you may sell the camper. If you can take things out of the camper without much damage and store them, try to make it that it can go right back in where it came out. This may help sell your camper if and when the time comes. This is not always totally doable, but try if you can. A family with small kids may use your camper different then larger adults.

The way the campers are built, sometimes things screw in from the inside and others there is a mixture of screwed in from the inside and then from the outside. If your dinette has the screws from the outside in, then often times holes end up in the wall board trying to get something out around those few screws. The head of the screws get ripped out and make good sized hole. Then you have the holes to deal with.

Again these are just suggestions to think through and maybe spark an idea of something better that fits for you.

Hope this helps

John

[vcrt]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Maybe a suggestion, camp in the camper a while to figure out what works well and what really does not. It seems like whenever one gets a new camper, it takes 3 whole times of rearranging where things go before you find that perfect spot. And it takes about a year to get there.... I'm going out on a limb here, but I suspect this is the case with many folks.

Now that's a really good suggestion!
When we bought our 2499, there were a few things I felt were important to change, but we figured, as John said, it might be a good idea to try it a few times as it existed so we could find out how it all works in reality. Turns out, some things I did change and some I didn't, all because we "lived it out" so to speak.
Rich

[RV4three]

Thank you both for great information. I will let you know what I decide and I'll take pictures!