...the endless search for outside storage...

It's always a battle in these little coaches to find suitable outside storage: full size basement-designed motorhomes have exterior doors that allow for wet, dirty, and awkward items which we all try to keep outside and away from our pristine (?) living spaces...but Toyota motorhomes generally have none or the only mentionable space is occupied by the generator. The Odyssey-built Toyotas actually have the largest exterior cabinets which are built to accommodate an Onan 4.0 (which is relatively rare and desirable) and if you have one without the gen you have a nice exterior space. Some Toyotas are seen with permanent or receiver-based cabinets or tool boxes that are mounted on the rear that unfortunately ruin the clean lines of the coach and turn a Toyota 22 foot rv into a mid-sized 25...and we lose some of our driveability, not to mention parking. Receiver-mounted storage allows you to run around without that thing on the back for a run to the beach or drive to work, and then slide it back on when you go cross country or on vacation where you'll be dragging alot more play-gear. This reminds me of a 1991 Winnebago 6-cylinder I bought maybe 6 years ago that came with the most spectacular rack known to man: a 3-receiver hitch-based custom rack that began at the receiver with a diamond plate platform for bikes or a motorcycle...then dual 2-inch tube ladders on each both side of the rear (not touching the coach) and curved to horizonal on the roof and headed forward all the way to the beginning of the cab-over. Cross-bars framed around the roof-air and rear vent for access and the whole beast mounted with L's that bolted at the outside edges of the roof...in otherwords, the rack never touched the rear or the roof except for the edges (the strongest area) . When I sold the Winnie on E-Bay I got hundreds of emails about that wonderful and unique rack and where to buy one...trust me, this thing was a piece of art and I've often thought about duplicating it...maybe in aluminum instead of steel for weight issues. Add all your brackets for bikes and surfboards and kayaks and you've created a real rig and given up only 18" overall length.

...put a little chrome on your Toyota...

...one of the cheapest ways to jazz up your motorhome is to put on some nice stainless simulators to cover your older painted wheels...these simulators are the same ones you see on the big boys and even the 10-wheelers. They're easy to install because you don't need to pull the wheels like you do on the bigger rigs...you just remove every other nut (carefully considering the location of the tire valves) and then install the simulators and let the replace nuts keep it in place. Easy to wipe clean and it'll keep you from looking like you're homeless! These only fit the true 1-Ton Toyota chassis from 1989-1994 . Find these beauties on the internet at www.wheelsimulators.com and use your favorite credit card or phone 1-800-215-8007...you'll appreciate the quick service and the difference it makes in your rig...