Upgrading An RV TV Mount

Photo Credit: Jenn Gehr

MOR/ryde mounting brackets make installing a larger flat-screen TV practical for motorhome travel.

Bill and Jenn Gehr
May 9, 2012
Filed under Tech Tips, Top Stories

Whenever I walk into a motorhome,  I immediately look for the TV. Perhaps it’s an instinctual, “man cave” response, but the older I get, the smaller the screen becomes, leaving a strong desire to upgrade to a bigger TV. Our rig was outfitted with a 37-inch LCD TV from the factory, which seemed adequate until I checked out my friend’s stately 46-inch screen as we entered his living area.

Without hesitation, we purchased a new 46-inch LED TV with all the bells and whistles. Buying the TV was easy; finding a way to mount it without compromising stability and safety became a much more stressful process. After unsuccessfully attempting to mount the TV with home entertainment brackets, we contacted MOR/ryde and came up with hardware perfectly suited for RV use — stout enough to be secure even while driving on poorly maintained roads.

The majority of wall-mounted TV brackets on the market are designed for stationary use, which precludes supporting relatively heavy flat screens in an environment that equates to seismic activity. Not only do the MOR/ryde mounting brackets take into consideration the stresses of being on the road, they provide mounting versatility necessary inside a motor­home. The company has a number of mounting systems that articulate for multiple viewing positions, but for our setup a fixed mounting bracket worked the best.

Prior to installing the MOR/ryde TV mount you should carefully consider the mounting area and make sure the structure can accommodate the additional weight, which is five times that of your particular TV, plus the mounting bracket. The structure inside your motorhome may require the installation of additional reinforcements to handle the weight and the appropriate fasteners. 

RV Mounting Kit

This is a typical TV mounting kit for home use. It is not strong enough to withstand the rigors of motorhome use, so instead we chose the Rigid Wall Mount kit from MOR/ryde.

Old RV TV Mount Kit

The original mounting hardware from the factory was pretty lightweight and maybe not even suitable for the original 37-inch TV.

OR/ryde’s Rigid Wall Mount, unpacked

OR/ryde’s Rigid Wall Mount is designed for flat-screen TVs up to 50 pounds, and uses VESA mounting patterns for the TV bracket.

MOR/ryde wall plate

The MOR/ryde wall plate mounted conveniently using screws that were driven into the wood backing. HDMI cables reduced dramatically the number of necessary hookup wires.

MOR/ryde installed

The adapter plate is screwed into the back of the TV using M8 bolts, which may be difficult to find at a local electronics store.

MOR/ryde Rigid Wall Mount, installed

Once installed, the 46-inch LED TV fit nicely in its allocated space and snug up against the back wall.

Once the parts were gathered, the two halves of the mounting bracket were separated before the TV mount kit (model TV1-002H) could be bolted to the back of the TV. This process takes a little trial and error to find the optimum mounting position and to center the TV in the allocated mounting location on the wall or cabinet opening/structure.

Using the appropriate screws included in the kit, the other half of the mount is permanently attached to the wall. Set the TV near the wall mount area and attach the audio and video cables as well as the power cord. We highly recommend switching to HDMI cables because this high quality, single cable supplies both audio and video, simplifying the component connections.

With the help of another person, hang the TV onto the permanent part of the wall mount. To finish, just insert and tighten the two bolts that join the two halves of the wall mount. Turn on the TV and step back to check out your handiwork. 

After 2,500 road miles in our RV, the MOR/ryde TV mount has kept our new big screen safe and secure. In addition to the overall enjoyment of having a larger screen, the new LED TVs are lighter and use far less energy, which is important when powering off an inverter when hookups are not available.

The MOR/ryde Rigid Wall Mount Kit includes bolts, washers, spacers and three different length screws for metal and wood applications. The suggested retail price for the TV1-002H mount is $67.29; the adapter plate is $41.39. Both products come with a one-year warranty.