Lucinda Belden is the Program Director for MyRVRadio and a travel writer and advisor who has lived the RV lifestyle since 2019. She specializes in topics such as fulltime RVing, working full-time while traveling, traveling with toys, and unique location experiences.
Our toy haulers, once they are in our hands, are as individual as we are. Making cool toy hauler RV mods is something many of us do. It’s natural we want to take something that looks like everyone else’s. The result is giving it our personality and modify it so it meets our needs.
We can take DIY toy hauler upgrade projects we have seen others use when they live a similar RV lifestyle. Or we can go with unusual or crazy hacks no one has ever seen because it makes our life easier. No matter what reason you are thinking about modifying your toy hauler, here are some modification ideas from other RVers.
Coolest Toy Hauler RV Mods
The coolest modifications for your toy hauler RV will always be the ones that make your life smoother. Sometimes these are more complicated. But they are worth the time and investment because they offer the greatest outcome. Here are some of the coolest toy hauler mods I have come across just because the RVer was so happy with how it turned out.
Adding USB plug-ins throughout the RV.
It allowed the RVer to run fans while boondocking with USB extensions, so they were able to rely on DC power only instead of AC. Because they hauled their toys to remote locations, they could now run other battery powered items with DC adapters with the help of their solar. This helped them rely less on a generator and focus more on enjoying the toys they hauled.
Switching out their fridge to a 12-volt DC.
They had a lot of solar so going with a 12-volt DC refrigerator battery option like this was a cost savings solution. Not only that, but they also now had two different temperature settings for their freezer and their refrigerator. If you are taking your kayaks down the river, it’s good to know you can take enough supplies with you to remote areas. (And the RVers said they could finally have frozen ice cream again).
A lot of RVs have extra space under the garage floor. You can create a trap door and build in the space and then you have a storage area great for spare parts and extra toy hauling options.
Other Popular Toy Hauler RV Hacks
Look into the modifications people are already making to their RVs. Popular ones might mean it is very useful to a lot of RVers and it may be useful to you as well. It could mean this is a money or time savings idea or it is a nice everyday feature everyone uses but could be made simpler. Try some of these popular hacks:
Switching lights out in the toy hauler to plug-ins.
Depending on how you are using your toy hauler, more plugs may be more important than existing lights. And you can always add battery powered, touch lighting. But having extra plug-ins might be more critical. Especially if you need to charge toys or if you are converting the garage into an office.
Adding an easy start device to your air conditioner(s).
If you are in hot temperature areas (like we are in Texas), being able to have your air conditioner start up even with low amps is a great feature – a cool one! Consider a SoftStartRV addition. This an important RV modification for toy haulers because the ‘garage’ or toy hauling area can be a lot warmer than the rest of the RV.
Update (2023): SoftStartRV is now offering a Summer Special! Click the banner below for more details. Don't miss out!
Removing the RV sofa.
Whether you have a regular sofa or theater sofa, this set up doesn’t work for everyone. Especially if you are considering a toy hauler. A large percentage of toy hauler owners will remove the sofa for multiple reasons. They main reason is they are using the space for rooms for their toys, extra bedroom space, office space or an extra workspace or storage.
Other Easy Toy Hauler Mods
Not every toy hauler modification has to be a complicated one to make things so much easier. Here are a few that most RVers hauling toys do right away:
Adding hooks.
Having a place to put your gear is hard to find in some toy haulers. Especially if you have helmets, heavy leather jackets, boots, etc. These items can be space hogs so finding some way to safely mount them to the walls or with shelves up off the ground can be useful in adding space.
Adding an atomic clock.
If you need to keep up with the weather so you know when you can take your toys out to play, a large atomic wall clock is a nice feature. Even better if it helps you track the temperature in your garage for the preservation of your equipment or supplies.
Adding extra D-rings, lifts, or wheel chocks.
If you bought a toy hauler to actually haul toys, each type of toy may have different needs for hauling. Motorcycles may require extra wheel chocks. For larger, heavier toys, you may want more D-rings for secure ways to strap it down while moving.
What to Consider Before Modifying RV Toy Haulers
There are several important things you need to consider if you are going to do any modifications in your toy haulers. Here is a list of things to review before you get started:
- Warranties – if you have any in place, make sure the area you will be modifying will not void your warranty. You don’t want to waste money on an investment you have already made.
- Toy Hauler Insurance – make sure your RV insurance coverage on your entire RV is not voided because you decide to modify one small area. Sometimes professionals are required to perform certain services to avoid issues (like electrical or plumbing).
- Owner’s manuals – know the layout of the land before you start taking things apart. This will help you avoid voiding coverage, but it will also let you know if there are special parts you need to order or have on hand before starting your modification project.
- Social media – Can’t say enough about getting online and doing research before you start. Joining Facebook groups with your RV type will give you lots of ideas on modifications. The groups can also help prevent you from starting modifications that just won’t work with your rig type. Use YouTube too. One video can save you hours and offer short cuts on completing mods specific to your RV.
- Weight requirements – consider the item you are modifying. Will it add weight or height? Will it give you the space to add more weight? Before you begin modifications, know what your weight and height status is and if you can make this modification for your rig.
I hope you got some great ideas here. Look at your specific RV type so you can get started on the right path to some awesome, DIY toy hauler mod ideas that are all your own. Happy modifications!
