I just finished installing a TV in my North Trail 24BHS (non-Caliber edition), so I thought I would share my experience.
The TV provided in the Caliber edition is actually relatively small (see photo 1). I bought a 40 inch TV (Samsung NU7100), which fills the space almost perfectly, leaving a just little room on the sides (see photo 4).
I used the Dynex DX-DTVMFP23 mount, which I got at Best Buy for $19.99. It feels sturdy, has a wide base, and doesn’t cost a fortune. The mount includes the wall bracket and two rails which attach to the TV (See photos 2 and 3).
The TV frame on the camper is made of thin paneling with a hidden rigid backboard in the middle only. All of the screws need to go into this backboard, since the paneling can’t hold any weight (See photo 3).
TV mounts are designed to screw into 4” studs, in buildings that don’t move. I had to do some improvising to install in the backboard, and account for the constant rattle and shake of a moving trailer. I used ¾” or 1” screws (can’t remember now) and lots of them – 17, to be exact. That may have been overkill, but I’m not taking chances on my TV falling down.
To hang the TV, you hook the TV on the top rail of the wall bracket, and it snaps into the bottom rail with spring-loaded clips. There are 2 cords which hang down from the mount (See photo 2). Should you ever need to remove the TV, it’s very easy – just pull these cords to release the clips. This is important, as I’ve heard several complaints on this forum about factory-installed TVs that are incredibly difficult to remove should you need to do so. In fact, I had to do this to fiddle with the connections a couple of times, but at the end of the day, everything worked fine!
I hope this helps someone!
Rob
Photos:
1 - Factory installed TV in Caliber edition (not my camper).
2 - Mounting rails on back of TV showing release cords.
3 - TV mounting area with bracket in place.
4 - My finished installation.
The TV provided in the Caliber edition is actually relatively small (see photo 1). I bought a 40 inch TV (Samsung NU7100), which fills the space almost perfectly, leaving a just little room on the sides (see photo 4).
I used the Dynex DX-DTVMFP23 mount, which I got at Best Buy for $19.99. It feels sturdy, has a wide base, and doesn’t cost a fortune. The mount includes the wall bracket and two rails which attach to the TV (See photos 2 and 3).
The TV frame on the camper is made of thin paneling with a hidden rigid backboard in the middle only. All of the screws need to go into this backboard, since the paneling can’t hold any weight (See photo 3).
TV mounts are designed to screw into 4” studs, in buildings that don’t move. I had to do some improvising to install in the backboard, and account for the constant rattle and shake of a moving trailer. I used ¾” or 1” screws (can’t remember now) and lots of them – 17, to be exact. That may have been overkill, but I’m not taking chances on my TV falling down.
To hang the TV, you hook the TV on the top rail of the wall bracket, and it snaps into the bottom rail with spring-loaded clips. There are 2 cords which hang down from the mount (See photo 2). Should you ever need to remove the TV, it’s very easy – just pull these cords to release the clips. This is important, as I’ve heard several complaints on this forum about factory-installed TVs that are incredibly difficult to remove should you need to do so. In fact, I had to do this to fiddle with the connections a couple of times, but at the end of the day, everything worked fine!
I hope this helps someone!
Rob
Photos:
1 - Factory installed TV in Caliber edition (not my camper).
2 - Mounting rails on back of TV showing release cords.
3 - TV mounting area with bracket in place.
4 - My finished installation.
