[vissersg]

I've been on Outbackers for many years and have been up and down as a viewer of all the great info I've found. Since I'm retired, I hoping I can help supply good info in the future. We still have our 2008 Outback Lite 21RS we bought new and still enjoy it a lot. But, it's starting to get a little green around the gills so I'm in the process of doing some updates both mechanically and cosmetically.
My better side has been going through some rough times medically over the last 2 years and now we are getting ready for a trip to Oregon to see our god-niece graduate from Oregon State (go Beavs!). Her condition now is that it's hard to climb steps and needs grab bars to hang on to inside the trailer (shower mainly). The solution to the stair climbing is going to be the Burr Handy-lift (elevator) to allow her to get in/out of the trailer. I haven't had a chance to install it due to the rains we have been getting in southern CA but I hope to document how it goes for anyone else interested in am elevator to get in/out an RV.
Cosmetically, I ordered all new decals from RV Graphics store and will install those when time is available. I already replaced the front and back Outback logos last year from a different source.
Right now I'm looking for any info that shows where the interior framing is located in a 21RS or similar trailer. I need to install grab bars in the shower all around if possible and don't really want to pull back the shower enclosure if I don't have to. Would also like to add a grab bar or two outside the bathroom on either side of the door. I can tap on the wall outside the bathroom and can get a pretty good idea of where the framing members are but inside is a different story Anyone ever to do this before or point me to a thread that might show this?
I did email Keystone's customer service but I highly doubt I'll get any useful info other than see your dealer.

 

[thefulminator]

Go Beavs.

I used to have a 2008 21RS. Small world. Although I don't have a diagram of the wall framing, I might have a couple ideas for you to try.

When our trailer was only a couple years old, we had an extremely long cold stretch during the winter. It was cold enough that the aluminum wall framing shrunk so much that he paneling on the interior walls popped off of the aluminum studs because it didn't shrink as much. That is when I figured out that the paneling in installed using an air nailer. I could still feel the nail heads under the paneling when trying to put it back. On the interior walls you could try an electric stud finder or possibly use an old magnetic stud finder to find the nails holding the paneling to the studs. Another method would be to turn off the interior lights and shine a flashlight at a low angle across the paneling. You might be able to see the depressions where the nail holes are filled.

For outside walls, I found that on a cold day, I could look at the outside of the trailer at different angles and find the studs by the condensation left on them. When it gets cold at night it takes the aluminum studs longer to warm up in the morning than it does for the exterior sheathing. Because of this, condensation will show where the studs are if you are there at the right time. The electric stud finder may work too.

This stud finder uses a magnet, the yellow part, to point at nails as you pass the stud finder over them. May not be easy to find anymore. This one was on amazon.

Amazon

 

[vissersg]

Great ideas although it doesn't get too cold in South CA but I'll give those a try. The main area I'm looking at is the shower area. I haven't tried a stud finder yet but the shower surround is not tight against the wall backing so not sure how the stud finder will work especially though fiberglas or whatever the material the surround is made of. I can assume there are studs at the corners but the curvature of the surround is such that I don't think I could get a grab bar fastened to the corners. I may have to resort to popping the fasteners off and gently pull the surround back to get finder readings.

I sent a request to Keystone customer service asking for any info. They responded pretty quickly but was the usual canned answer about designs change from one year to next and they don't have schematics plans for each year/model. I can understand that to a certain extent but I was a designer in my previous life and we needed to keep drawings forever. Oh well.

Thanks for the tips

 

[thefulminator]

What I meant for the shower was to find the studs by locating the nails on the other side of the wall. I forgot that the refrigerator is on the other side of the shower back wall. Our current 250RS doesn't have that. On the wall with the faucet on it, find the studs on the side of the wall where the thermostat is then measure to the door opening. Then on the wall inside the bathroom, take that measurement from the door opening to located the stud.

 

[vissersg]

Yeah, that part I figured out. Again, I haven't tried anything yet but wondering if I take the refer cover off the outside if maybe I might see signs of fasteners or whatever in the refer space. I guess I could assume that where the refer face frame meets the shower wall that there "should" be a stud at that point. Then maybe there might be a stud midway between that point and the back (outside) wall.
Got lots of things on my to-do list now as I got my new graphics and an accumulator tank besides the lift. As soon as I can get the trailer out, I'll be busy-busy-busy.
Thanks for the support.