Bulkhead integrity, or First Crazy Question.

[AprilWhine]

I have been trying to give the impression of a fairly sane type of Prevost Owner. So much for that goal.

I want to put a pet door into the first bay.

How critical is the integrity of the floor? Possible? Impossible? Critical structural area?

Better ideas that someone on the group has had success with?

One of our critters has about 50,000 miles in our motorhomes, and except for the poor sleeping arrangement of the Prevost dashboard, is pretty satisfied with the new coach. No problems with training them to go into the bay.

Thanks, Jim

[LNDYCHT]

Jim,

Your coach is not likely much different then Mine. The floor of the bays is 3/4 plywood, below which is some cross members and foam. The outside perimeter, approximately 4" in has a steel plate. There is also a cross brace diagonally through the compartment. I know that my coach has 2 holes cut through the bay floors one is 1 1/2 and the other is 2 square feet. I would not hesitate to cut a hole through the floor but would first map out the area and remove the foam to be sure that no braces exist. The worst case scenario is that you have to re-foam the under side. Structurally, I would doubt that a hole for a small pet would be a problem.

Check and measure twice, cut once.

[Pete]

My 1985 American Coach had an access door to the first bay. If I remember correctly, it was about 18 x 18. The previous owner said his grand kids used it to travel and also had sleeping quarters there. It had a/c and heat from the coach as well as lighting for their use, and they really enjoyed it. It was properly framed out, and had a door that was not obvious when closed.
I think it would be relatively simple to accomplish if properly thought out.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

The placement of the opening is all that has to be considered. In the center of the coach is a raceway that carries conduits which have various wires and cables running front to rear. There is no way to create a hatch in the center without dealing with that.

The top of the bay (underside of the floor) may have some wiring attached or enclosures installed by Prevost or the converter such as OTR AC controls as I had on my first coach. You just have to find a space for the opening that works from the house side up top, and does not interfere with anything that may be secured to or run along the underside of the floor in the top of the bay. A lot of planning should precede any cutting.

Personally, I would think real long and hard before I cut into the floor. The most important consideration is how that will impact the value of the coach to a future buyer. If it can be done very neatly and professionally, but be restored easily when the coach is put up for sale I would consider doing it. But since bay space and storage space in our coaches is at a premium I would also consider if there is an alternative that would not cause me to lose a disproportionate amount of valuable storage area for all the things we tend to jam into our bays.

Lee describes the bay floor accurately, but I think the floor you will be cutting is the floor of the passenger area and I think that may be two layers of 3/4 plywood. I do know there are structural members not visible by looking at the floor, but which I found by running screws or nails that would go full depth in most areas of the floor, but hit steel in other areas.

[LNDYCHT]

Oops!
I just assumed that a pet door would go to the outside so that the "critter" would have its own area with easy access.

[merle&louise]

Jim,

Alan & Mary Kay Hann had Marathon build a "pet bathroom" for their cat in one of the closets on their Marathon. It is really a neat installation; maybe Alan can comment on it.

Is your pet a dog or a cat?

Do you want the pet to be able to go outside?

[charlesebrownjr]

I saw a show on TV where Mar!!! (oops the M word):p was building a pre-sold coach for a couple which they had the whole bay on one side of the coach as a pets quarters with access to the interior via a door in one of the kitchen base cabinets. The pets were cats so the passage way was small. (would also work for small dogs). I believe it was on the Travel Chanel. Something like Mega Motor homes or Million dollar motor homes etc. Go to the Travel Chanel and search for RV shows.

[AprilWhine]

Oops!
I just assumed that a pet door would go to the outside so that the "critter" would have its own area with easy access.

In the cold light of morning, I realize that I was not clear in my late night post. Thanks for all the replys, Inside the coach to the bay for cats. We have kept the litter box in the shower in other campers, somehow that seems wrong in a motor coach....

[Alan__]

As Tuga mentioned, we had the hall closet reconfigured to house two pets: standard poodle and a cat. Constructed a dog kennel on the left side and on the right side, a printer shelf, pull out shelf for laptop and a cat hideaway and drop down into a litter box that was contained in a lower drawer. Makes for easy litter maintenance plus a "time-out" area for the cat to go when he is tired of being badgered by the dog. Over the top for pets? Yeah, but so is a Prevost for camping. Only drawback is that I am unable to bring my tux along due to reduced closet space.

[AprilWhine]

Only drawback is that I am unable to bring my tux along due to reduced closet space.

That is my reason from here on out. "Sorry, no room for Formal wear, cats you know" ;)

Jim

[AprilWhine]

Sherry here.

Pics of the cats

Alexandria (Sasha) Gato Traveler

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v706/AprilWhine/th_af3ff8b5.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v706/AprilWhine/af3ff8b5.jpg)


Chloe Pyewacket

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v706/AprilWhine/th_IMG_20101105_065710.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v706/AprilWhine/IMG_20101105_065710.jpg)