Mounting a TV in an RV or camper

An RV combines the two hardest things for a TV mount: very thin walls and constant vibration. Mounts that are fine in a house can work loose after a few hundred miles. The fix is the right location and the right hardware.

RV walls are not house walls

Most are a sandwich of thin interior panel (often ⅛″ plywood or vinyl-covered board), foam, and an aluminium or wood frame, with fibreglass or aluminium skin outside. The interior panel holds almost nothing by itself. A screw that's too long comes out through the exterior.

Find the factory backing

Manufacturers usually build in a reinforced spot — a plywood or metal plate inside the wall — where a TV is meant to go. Look for:

• a sticker reading "TV backer" or "TV mount here",
• a cable and 12-volt/120-volt outlet cluster high on a wall,
• the owner's manual or a call to the dealer with your model.

Mount there if you possibly can. If you need another location, it should be on cabinet framing or a solid end wall, or have a backer plate added that spreads the load across the frame.

Use a locking mount

For travel, the TV must lock in place. RV-specific mounts have a latch that holds the arm shut; some let you lift the TV off and stow it. A normal friction arm will swing and hammer its own bolts loose.

Before every drive: latch the mount, or take the TV down and lay it face-up on the bed.

Fasteners

• Short, coarse screws matched to the backing depth — measure first.
• Thread-locking compound on machine screws, and lock washers.
• Check tightness every few trips. Vibration is relentless.

Weight and size

Keep it light. A 24 to 43-inch TV is typical; many RV owners choose 12-volt TVs built for vibration. Stay well under the mount's rating — the dynamic load when you hit a pothole is far more than the TV's weight.

Slide-outs

Check that the TV, at every angle of the arm, clears the slide-out as it moves in and out. This is the most common way RV TVs get crushed.

Power and cables

Leave a service loop of slack so the cable isn't pulled when the arm moves, and secure the rest with clips so it can't rattle or chafe.

Outside TVs

Exterior entertainment bays need an outdoor-rated mount and a TV that comes off for travel.

Can we do it?

It depends on the backing in your particular RV. If yours is parked at home in our service area, send us the model and a photo of the wall before booking and we'll tell you honestly whether it's a job we can do safely. Labor for TVs up to 42 inches is $94.