Phoenix Cruiser in Phoenix, Arizona

We have a 2005 2550 with one slide in the back and a rear bath.  In 2007, we chose it over a newer one because of the large closet space.  We traded from a 2001 35’ Itasca Sun Cruiser.  I was looking for a shorter wheelbase after getting caught on some narrow twisty roads in Southern Wisconsin.  My wife was looking for more closet space, plus a nice looking comfortable RV.  The Phoenix Cruiser is quieter and has a more comfortable ride.  The downside is that we have to make up the bed each night. 

We’ve made a number of improvements, ranging from putting in a Bravura toilet with a foot flush to green leather seats up front that match the rest of the trim.  Putting in the Bravura was more of a job that I thought, requiring a lot of trimming between the toilet and the wall. 

The dark green Leather was an easy job, just requiring a signature on a check.  We find the leather comfortable.  We made the dinette seats thicker and longer from front to back.  This eliminated the tiny dinette bed that we don’t use. 

The dinette table with two big posts was not very stable and took up excessive floor space.  We replaced them with a 1x4 “leg” screwed against the wall and a Cross Board on the top with a couple of fancy hinges and a simple 1x2 leg.  The hinges allow the table to be flush with the wall and still swing up.  On the aisle side of the table we used a 1x2 leg that has a hinge to keep it in place on the top.  The bottom is kept in place by the hole for the round leg.  This allows us to lift the table up when we vacuum and provides more room for our feet and our toy poodle plus a box of water -- Arizona has a very dry heat and we like bottled water.

There is a pull-up shelf under the stove, hiding a cupboard we use for wine and a coffeemaker and toaster.  It was  a pain to get at the items underneath the shelf.  The solution was to make a double hinge.  The hinge is made from two piano hinges and a big L-plate used on fences.  Now the shelf can be lifted from the bottom or opened on side like a door.  The shelf is strong enough for our coffee maker or anything else reasonable.  The hinge is about ¼ inch thick so the catch has to stick out a bit.  A ¼ x ½ inch molding was tacked onto the bottom side of the shelf to keep from pushing the catch back in. 

Hopefully I can get some pictures below.  Later, after I shrink them - the smallest is 190 kb.

Now I've got some small pictures I'll try to put them here. They don't show up in the preview, but maybe they will when I post...

I understand your need for improved leg room for your dinette.  It was smart to hinge the table at the wall, adding a nicely finished 1x2, then stabilizing it into the original post hole in the floor.  It doesn't look bad either.

We have a dinette without a slide.  Our 2 post dinette table has been stable for us.  We tolerate the two posts at our legs which works okay because my wife has short legs, giving me more leg room.  In the case of a dinette inside a slide, I would definitely consider your modification because the distance between benches is much closer with a smaller table too.  We sat in a dinette inside a slide at the factory, and noticed the confinement immediately.  Here is a picture of our no-slide dinette for reference.


About your hanging counter extension in front of the stove.  I had seen that on the earlier models advertised on the web.  I wondered how well that was working for people.  It didn't appear friendly at all.  It sounds like you have a decent working modification for it.

I think that setup was changed for 2006.  Our 2007 had a butcher block slide out work surface with ball bearing drawer glides.  It came out far into the room.  I don't have a picture of it.  Later I reconfigured our 5 drawer + butcher block counter into a full width 3 drawer design as seen here.


Thanks for sharing mapper098.

You're welcome. 
I'll try to get more photos of the double hinge job here. 
Ahhh.  I think I've got it.  Now, how do you make them show up bigger?  and interspersed with the text? 

Funny, I was wondering how you get yours pics showing your way.

First, your pictures must be stored on an internet server, accessible to everyone.  Then you click on the 2nd icon from the left called "Insert Image".  When you click on it you get two of these  [img]  Then you insert your website location of your picture between them without spaces.

You then type in whatever you want, before and/or after that [img] string.

The size of the picture is controlled by this forum.

These were JPG files on my computer. 
First, I clicked on the reply, and entered a message.
I then clicked the additional options, clicked on the little browse button.  This let me select on the of the files.  for the next picture, I clicked on the "(more attachments)"  title, and another "browse" button and line appeared.  This browse added another picture. and another "(more attachments)".  This process attached them all below the message.  You can click on them to enlarge them.

I just tried to edit a picture using Paint and copy it.  But I could not paste it into this reply.
There is an "Insert Image" button above I'll try.



All that gave was the line above that looks like HTML.  I still can't paste in the picture.

Aimee has a couple of posts in the general discussion category about how to post images, but I still don't get the first step in copying a URL when it is on my computer.

A "URL" is the website location of where the pictures are stored.  If your pictures are on your computer, then you cannot post them Aimee's way.  Your pictures must be stored on an internet server.

Here is the internet server I use.  http://www.flickr.com/

You guys have actually given us an example of the two ways of posting images  .

Mapper has posted them as attachments, as I discuss in this thread: http://forum.phoenixusarv.com/index.php?topic=31.0

And Ron has posted them from URL's--meaning they are hosted somewhere on the Internet already, and he puts in a reference to where they are located. (discussed in this thread: http://forum.phoenixusarv.com/index.php?topic=32.0 )

Good job, Guys! 

Attachments are limited to a small size because Phoenix actually is doing the hosting for them.

Something alike was discussed on the Yahoo! Answers last week, i can share a link if you want some

HelenJames what is your point? You have posted 5 times and they all say the same thing. What are you trying to do?

I wondered myself.