[atreis]

198BH here. Here are the changes I made:

Easy convenience items:

- Electric tongue jack.
- Bedlift kit on the storage area under the queen bed.
- Replaced the on-demand water pump with a Flojet variable speed (very quiet) pump.

Irritating items, but easy:

- Rebuilt the power cord holder after the original collapsed on me. (The only structural thing that actually failed in the trailer.)
- Rebuilt the air conditioner mount after discovering the condensation drain was draining into the wall instead of outside.

Moderately difficult, but not bad (The roof is NOT one you can walk on):

- Installed 340 watts of solar, Midnite Solar charge controller, and two 250 AH AGM batteries under the rear dinette seat. (A sort made for military use, meant to be in sealed compartments.)
- Replaced the original fridge with a 12 volt compressor fridge. I love this thing. Super efficient, and great temperature control.
- Added a 12 volt compressor freezer (mounted on top of the counter). Love this too.
- Added a 1000 watt PSW inverter. It doesn't get much use though. Most things run off 12V.
- Added bumper supports between the frame and the rear bumper.
- Added a bike rack to the rear bumper (thus the extra support).
- Installed an under-frame spare tire carrier.

Hard items:

- Replaced the 3500 Lb axle with a 5500 lb axle with 6 lug wheels and LR D tires. (The batteries and solar panels are heavy. The trailer's axle weight (measured at a Cat Scale) is about 3600 lbs, so was too close for comfort. A 4500 lb axle would have been fine, but the 5500 was a perfect fit on the frame.)
- Enlarged the wheel well openings some to accommodate the larger tires. Only the outer wall opening - the actual wheel well was already plenty big. (This was difficult. It was hard to get them looking as if it came out of the factory this way, but I did, except that the openings are square now instead of rounded. I tried to round them, but couldn't get the curve right with the tools I have, so just squared it off. Used black automotive trim and silicone adhesive to give the edge a nice finish.)

All of this was completed three years ago (by me - fun doing an axle alone). I've put perhaps 15K miles on the trailer since doing it, and all of it is working just like I had hoped. It's now a great small trailer for dispersed and dry camping. Aside from the power cord holder and AC mount I've had no issues at all with the original construction.