Headliner Net

As mentioned in other posts, we added a colorful Mexican Falsa blanket to our headliner shelf to help with road noise and to add a little flair to the cockpit. In order to provide some extra storage, I decided to add a cargo net to the underside of the shelf, as shown below.

I bought some S-hooks and bent them with pliers to create anchors, and then attached these anchors to the bolts at the edges of the shelf.

Then I poked the anchors through the blanket and attached the net at 8 different points (3 on the left and right, 1 in the back and front).

This provides some overhead storage for maps, hats, etc.

Pantry Improvements

We make all of our meals when we're on the road, so we tend to travel with a lot of food. As a result, our pantry is typically very full. However, Winnebago's first few units did not extend the shelf supports all the way to the top and bottom, meaning that owners have less flexibility in how they use the pantry. We needed to fix this.

Can't put shelves up here.

 Can't put shelves down here.

I bought 4 new pieces of 48" shelf support, twice as long as what was previously installed.

Ran it all the way to the top.

All the way up and down.

Winnebago only shipped the Revel with 2 shelves, and that just wasn't enough. So I made 3 more shelves using aluminum stock and some plywood (didn't go hunting for matching formica).

I just used the existing shelves as a pattern, and it took about 2 hours to make these new ones. Required a jigsaw, hacksaw, drill, and screwdriver.

Also needed more shelf clips, easily purchased from my local big box store.

Locked and loaded!

Dinette Cabinet

We wrestled with different ideas for the dinette cabinet, and decided to go with this simple, non-destructive approach for a while. We bought these simple folding/stacking shelves that have lips and sticky dots for keeping things from sliding off them.  

First aid kit and toiletries to the left, miscellaneous 'important stuff' to the right, with an aisle between for taller items.  This system has been working well for us, even after 3 long trips.

Headliner Shelf

I installed RB Components' "Sprinter Headliner Shelf" in our Revel, and have attached some annotated pictures of before & after. It's available on Amazon as a prime item (free shipping!), and arrived in good shape. However, one bolt was missing (possibly due to shipping), and the instructions are very poor (almost non-existent, didn't like that at all). It took me about two hours to install, is technically very easy (two torx screwdrivers and a ratchet set), but is awkward to lift and tighten into place without a 2nd person at a few key moments. 


It offers a crazy amount of additional storage space - - it stores all of our privacy screens, sleeping bags, coats, blankets, owner's manuals, etc. Note that it requires the removal/loss of the little plastic shelves that Mercedes installed in the vehicle - - if you want to keep those, then RB Components makes a "Raised Headliner Shelf" that preserves those shelves, but cuts the storage in half (approx). Since compartments and cabinets in the Revel are in short supply, we opted to maximize the storage and chose the larger shelf.

Lots of wasted space, IMHO. However, it does allow you to stand upright when exiting the front seats.

Amazon Prime saved about $150 in shipping.

I was bummed that I scratched the headliner getting it into place. It's awkward and heavy, get a buddy for a few key moments.

Won't be needing these anymore, but hated to give them up. If you want to keep these, then get the 'Raised Headliner Shelf', but you'll have about half of the storage.

You don't notice the difference in headroom as a driver or passenger, and the audio system sounds better. 

There is a risk of cracking your forehead, though, so I looked at a million different products, including swimming pool noodles and pipe insulation, and came up with this. It fits well, provides great padding, and easily fastens to the edge of the shelf with double-sided tape.

I think that road noise has increased a bit, though, so during a trip, we grabbed an old Indian blanket that we had sitting around and wrapped it around the shelf on a whim. It helps with high frequency noise.

Turns out that it grew on us, though, so now it seems to be a semi-permanent part of the van.