I’ve had my Coleman Lantern 17B for a little over a year now, and have gone nearly coast-to-coast traveling with it. Here are a few items that I’ve found to be very useful!
A Power Trailer Jack 🔋
An electric trailer jack replaces the hand-cranked jack on the tongue of your trailer with a handy battery-powered one, and was one of the first “mods” I did to this camper. With an adjustable “foot” and a useful built-in light, it makes hitching, unhitching, and leveling easy peasy.
Installation is a breeze – the bolt holes match the existing jack, and the wiring is simple for most DIYers. The Uriah-brand version on Amazon doesn’t require any wiring at all and instead plugs into the trailer socket on your tow vehicle – pretty cool.
I bought mine from Harbor Freight, but others have also had good luck with this one on Amazon. Grab this cover for added protection from the elements.
Friction Hinges 💨
Friction Hinges prevent the main entry door from moving around when you don’t want it to. Think of it as a “door catch” that will allow the door to stay put wherever you want it. This ranks high on my must-have list. The hinges are made by Lippert, the manufacturer of the door on the camper, so you can count on the fit to be perfect. Install is a bit intimidating only because it requires drilling into your door frame, but overall it was maybe a 10 minute job.
Get these on Amazon!
Over The Door Organizer 🚪
This is an inexpensive, easy addition with a high satisfaction result! This over-the-door organizer fits perfectly on our bathroom door and provides tons of space for toiletries, first aid, towels, etc.
Find this on Amazon!
Front Stabilizer Jacks 🧱
The addition of two front stabilizer jacks are a game-changer for the stability of your camper. The added supports significantly reduce the movement of the trailer when moving around or tossing and turning in your sleep. The difference is amazing!
Install is on the moderate side for the DYIer, as it does require drilling into the frame. All hardware is included, including self-tapping bolts, but be sure to use sharp drill bits. Tip: Start by drilling small holes and then work your way up the sizing until the final diameter as indicated in the instructions. This made install a lot easier.
Amazon to the rescue again!
A Bunk Ladder 🪜
The addition of this bunk ladder makes it so much easier to climb up to that top bunk. This product does require a slight modification to fit our little camper, but it’s not difficult. After test-fitting the right height against the bunks, remove the rubber feet and cut the ladder down to the size you need with a hacksaw or jigsaw. Place the rubber feet on the cut ends and it’ll look like it came that way right from the factory.
Also check out my absolute favorite mod to revolutionize one of the biggest storage areas in our camper, the additional storage door to access under-the-bunk storage from the outside!
Disclosure: Some links in the post are affiliate links. If you choose to buy anything, I will make a small commission which will be at no additional cost to you.