Quick Answer: For most travel trailers, fifth wheels, and motorhomes, the Mount-It! MI-431 Lockable RV TV Wall Mount (or the Mounting Dream MD2210) is the best all-around choice because its spring-loaded pull strap locks both the articulating arm and VESA plate flat against the wall in one motion. If you want to move one television between an indoor wall and an exterior patio bracket, choose the Mount-It! MI-429 Dual-Plate Removable RV Mount for articulating reach or the PAW International 3-Piece Polymer Bracket Set to match factory Forest River and Jayco exterior slide-in mounts.
Below, we compare the six best camper television brackets by locking mechanism, weight rating, and VESA hole pattern, followed by a complete walkthrough on locating your factory TV backer plate and selecting the right screw length. If you are outfitting your rig for off-grid travel and cockpit navigation, see our companion guides to the best Starlink mounts for RV and vehicle use and Garmin RV GPS mounts.
Best RV TV Mounts and Locking Camper Brackets Compared
Because camper televisions range from lightweight 24-inch 12V bedroom monitors to 55-inch living-room smart TVs, the table below organizes the top six RV mounting brackets by locking style, screen compatibility, and wall attachment.
| Mount | Best For | Fits / Attachment |
|---|---|---|
| Mount-It! MI-431 Lockable RV TV Wall Mount | Best overall pull-strap locking RV TV wall mount for 23″ to 43″ screens | 23″ to 43″ TVs up to 77 lbs; VESA 75×75 to 200×200; spring pull-cord lock + detachable VESA plate |
| Mounting Dream MD2210 UL-Listed Lockable RV Mount | Best anti-rattle one-step locking arm for mid-size camper TVs (17″ to 43″) | 17″ to 43″ TVs up to 44 lbs; VESA 75×75 to 200×200; 10mm locking tongue with pull strap |
| Mount-It! MI-430 Heavy-Duty Locking RV Mount (Up to 55″) | Best locking camper TV mount for larger 32″ to 55″ living-room screens | 23″ to 55″ TVs up to 77 lbs; VESA 75×75 to 400×400; pull-cord latch + anti-vibration pins |
| Mount-It! MI-429 Dual-Plate Removable RV TV Mount | Best articulating indoor-to-outdoor removable mount (includes 2 wall plates) | 19″ to 43″ TVs up to 33 lbs; VESA 75×75 to 200×200; gear-tooth locking joints + 2 slide-in wall plates |
| PAW International 3-Piece Polymer RV TV Bracket Set | Best rust-proof flush slide-in bracket for Forest River & Jayco outdoor mounts | Up to 30 lbs; VESA 100×100 (or 200×200 with adapter); 1 male TV plate + 2 female polymer wall plates |
| Mount-It! MI-4222 Flip-Down RV Ceiling & Cabinet Mount | Best folding overhead ceiling or under-cabinet mount for RV bedrooms and bunks | 17″ to 37″ TVs up to 44 lbs; VESA 75×75 to 200×200; 90-degree fold-up hinge + 45-degree swivel |
Why Residential TV Brackets Fail Inside a Camper or Motorhome
Many first-time trailer owners buy a standard home full-motion wall mount, screw it into the living-room wall, and discover after their first highway trip that the bracket has ripped out of the wallboard or cracked the television bezel. An RV environment differs from residential drywall and 2×4 framing in three critical ways:
- Unlatched Articulating Arms Act as Battering Rams in Transit: When a travel trailer or fifth wheel hits a bridge expansion joint or pothole at 65 mph, the rear of the trailer experiences severe vertical and lateral G-forces. A standard home swivel arm has no mechanical latch to hold it closed. Unless you wrap bungee cords around the cabinet before every drive, the arm swings outward and slams the screen back against the wall. Purpose-built locking RV brackets solve this with either a spring-loaded pull-strap latch that captures the folded arm AND the bottom of the TV plate simultaneously, or interlocking gear teeth at each pivot joint.
- RV Walls Use 1/8-Inch Luan Paneling Over Thin Framing: Instead of 1/2-inch gypsum drywall over 3.5-inch Douglas fir studs spaced 16 inches on center, most towable RVs use 1/8-inch (3mm) decorative Luan plywood laminated over foam insulation and thin 1-inch to 1.5-inch wood or tubular aluminum framing. Hollow-wall drywall anchors and plastic molly bolts will pull straight through 1/8-inch Luan under the leverage of an extended arm.
- Residential 2.5-Inch Lag Bolts Will Pierce the Exterior Fiberglass Skin: Almost every home TV mount includes 2.25-inch to 2.75-inch lag bolts. Because an entire RV exterior laminated wall is often only 1.5 to 2 inches thick from inside wallpaper to outside gelcoat, driving a standard lag bolt into an exterior wall will punch the bolt tip right through the outside fiberglass siding of your camper. Even on interior partition walls, an overly long bolt will exit the back side of the bathroom or bedroom panel.
The 6 Best RV TV Mounts Reviewed
Below are the top locking, quick-release indoor/outdoor, and flip-down overhead brackets built specifically for travel trailers, fifth wheels, Class A/B/C motorhomes, and camper vans.
1. Mount-It! MI-431 Lockable RV TV Wall Mount: Best Overall Pull-Strap Locking Mount
Best for: Main cabin and bedroom installations holding 23-inch to 43-inch televisions where you want one-handed pull-strap locking and a detachable VESA face.
Fits / Attachment: 23″ to 43″ flat screens up to 77 lbs; VESA 75×75, 100×100, 200×100, and 200x200mm; retracts to 2.3 inches and extends to 15.7 inches.
The Mount-It! MI-431 Lockable RV TV Wall Mount is the benchmark full-motion bracket for standard 24-inch, 32-inch, 40-inch, and 43-inch camper televisions. When you arrive at your campsite, you pull down on the braided nylon release cord at the bottom of the wall plate, freeing the spring-loaded steel latch so the cantilever arm can extend 15.7 inches outward, swivel up to 90 degrees left or right toward your dinette or recliner, and tilt +10 degrees up or -15 degrees down to cut window glare.
When it is time to hitch up and hit the road, you push the television flat against the wall (where it sits just 2.3 inches deep) until the spring latch clicks shut over the arm and anti-vibration stopping pins engage the frame. If you store your camper in freezing winter climates, the upper VESA head unlatches from the arm after removing a single security screw so you can bring the television indoors without unbolting the bracket from the TV back. Its 7.5-inch by 11.8-inch steel wall plate distributes load broadly across a wooden RV TV backer plate or single structural stud.
2. Mounting Dream MD2210 UL-Listed Lockable RV TV Mount: Best Anti-Rattle One-Step Lock
Best for: RVers mounting a 17-inch to 43-inch screen (up to 44 lbs) who want a tight, rattle-free spring latch and shorter RV-friendly wood screws included in the box.
Fits / Attachment: 17″ to 43″ screens up to 44 lbs; VESA 75×75, 100×100, 200×100, and 200x200mm; extends 18.4 inches and retracts to 2.8 inches.
If your television sits near the front of a fifth wheel or in a motorhome cabover where road noise and creaking hardware are distracting, the Mounting Dream MD2210 Lockable RV TV Mount features an upgraded one-step spring latch with a 10mm steel locking tongue that captures both the swivel arm and the lower TV plate at the same time. That dual capture stops the screen from chattering or pivoting against the wall plate over washboard pavement.
Unlike adapted home brackets, Mounting Dream designs the MD2210 specifically around RV wooden backer boards measuring 1/2 inch or thicker. It provides 18.4 inches of reach when extended, +/-90 degrees of swivel, +5/-15 degrees of tilt, and +/-5 degrees of post-installation leveling adjustment—a major help when your camper is parked on a slightly unlevel campsite pad. For compact 10-inch to 26-inch 12V bunkhouse screens with VESA 50×50, 75×75, or 100×100 patterns, Mounting Dream also offers the smaller MD2209 variant.
3. Mount-It! MI-430 Heavy-Duty Locking RV TV Mount: Best for Large 43-Inch to 55-Inch RV TVs
Best for: Fifth wheels, toy haulers, and Class A motorhomes equipped with larger 43-inch, 50-inch, or 55-inch living-room televisions that use wide VESA 300×300 or 400×400 bolt patterns.
Fits / Attachment: 23″ to 55″ TVs up to 77 lbs; VESA 75×75 up to 400x400mm (with included extender arms); extends 15.7 inches and retracts to 2.3 inches.
Most compact camper TV brackets max out at a 200x200mm (8-inch by 8-inch) VESA hole pattern. If you are upgrading a large slide-out entertainment center to a 50-inch or 55-inch 4K smart TV whose rear mounting holes measure 300x300mm or 400x400mm, the Mount-It! MI-430 Locking RV TV Wall Mount adds four removable VESA extender brackets onto the heavy-duty 77-pound-rated locking frame.
Like its smaller MI-431 sibling, the MI-430 uses a pull-cord spring lock and dual anti-vibration stopping pins to pin the arm flat during travel, along with +/-3 degrees of post-install leveling and a quick-release VESA plate. Because a 50-inch or 55-inch television exerts substantial torque when extended 15.7 inches from the wall, only install this bracket into a verified solid wood backer structure or reinforced framing.
4. Mount-It! MI-429 Dual-Plate Removable RV TV Mount: Best Articulating Indoor-to-Outdoor System
Best for: Campers who want a full-motion swiveling arm that slides off the indoor wall plate in seconds and drops onto a second included wall plate under the outdoor patio awning.
Fits / Attachment: 19″ to 43″ TVs up to 33 lbs; VESA 75×75, 100×100, 200×100, and 200x200mm; includes 2 aluminum slide-in wall receiver plates.
If you want an RV outdoor TV mount setup without buying and maintaining two separate televisions, the Mount-It! MI-429 Lockable Full Motion RV Mount includes two identical slide-in wall receiver plates right in the box. You permanently mount one receiver plate inside your camper bedroom or living area and bolt the second receiver plate to the designated TV backer spot on your exterior campsite wall (or purchase extra MI-429 wall plate pairs to add a third location).
Unlike pull-strap mounts whose wall plate is permanently attached to the arm, the entire MI-429 articulating arm stays bolted to the back of your television and slides vertically into whichever wall receiver you want to use. Because it is built from powder-coated cast aluminum alloy rather than plain carbon steel, the exterior wall plate will not rust in rain or coastal humidity.
Instead of a spring strap, each pivot joint uses interlocking metal gear teeth tightened by hand knobs: you loosen the knob to angle the screen, then mesh the teeth and tighten the knob down. For heavy 40-inch TVs near its 33-pound limit, sliding the TV out of the receiver and laying it on the bed during rough highway towing takes less than ten seconds.
5. PAW International 3-Piece Polymer RV TV Bracket Set: Best for Factory Forest River & Jayco Outdoor Mounts
Best for: Travel trailers and fifth wheels (especially Forest River, Jayco, and Keystone models) that came from the factory with a flat black or white plastic slide-in wall bracket on the outside wall.
Fits / Attachment: TVs up to 30 lbs with VESA 100x100mm (4″ x 4″) hole spacing; includes 1 Male TV Plate and 2 Female Wall Mount Plates.
Thousands of Forest River, Jayco, Coachmen, and Keystone campers roll off the assembly line with a flat, trapezoid-slotted plastic receiver screwed to the exterior patio sidewall, leaving owners wondering which bracket actually slides into it. In most cases, that factory exterior plate is made by PAW International in the USA from UV-stabilized, glass-reinforced high-density polymer.
This PAW International 3-Piece Polymer RV TV Bracket System gives you one Male TV plate (which bolts to the back of your television) and two matching Female wall plates so you can hang your TV flush against an indoor wall (projecting just 0.75 inches) and lift it outside to your patio wall at camp. Because the glass-reinforced polymer cannot rust or corrode, it is ideal for exterior camper walls.
Important PAW Fitment Check (Polymer vs. Steel & VESA Size): PAW Polymer brackets only mate with PAW Polymer wall plates and will not slide into narrower stamped-steel drop-in brackets. Touch a magnet to your RV’s existing exterior wall plate before ordering: if the magnet sticks, you have a steel bracket; if it does not stick and says “PAW International,” you have the polymer system. In addition, the standard PAW male plate is drilled for VESA 100x100mm (4″ x 4″) holes (or 75x75mm on the dual-pattern version). If your 32-inch TV uses a wider 200x200mm pattern, add the matching PAW VESA adapter plate (`B071NNSRWQ`) and always lift the TV off the flush bracket and stow it on the bed while towing.
6. Mount-It! MI-4222 Flip-Down Ceiling & Under-Cabinet Mount: Best for RV Bedrooms & Bunkhouses
Best for: Mounting a 17-inch to 37-inch television underneath an overhead RV kitchen or bedroom cabinet, or flipping down from a reinforced ceiling truss where wall space is nonexistent.
Fits / Attachment: 17″ to 37″ screens up to 44 lbs; VESA 75×75, 100×100, 200×100, and 200x200mm; folds 90 degrees flat and swivels 45 degrees left/right.
In many Class B camper vans, truck campers, and rear-bedroom travel trailers, windows and wardrobe closets take up every square inch of vertical wall space. The Mount-It! MI-4222 Flip-Down Ceiling and Under-Cabinet TV Mount solves tight bedroom layouts by bolting to the underside of an overhead wooden cabinet box or a reinforced ceiling rafter.
When you are not watching television, the VESA rail folds 90 degrees upward and locks flat against the ceiling or cabinet bottom so you do not bump your head walking past the foot of the bed. Pushing the release allows the screen to hinge down into viewing position, slide vertically along a 5.125-inch height adjustment track, and swivel 45 degrees in either direction.
Some motorhome owners also invert the MI-4222 and bolt its base plate to the floor of an overhead cabover entertainment cubby to create a rigid stand. When mounting underneath an overhead RV cabinet, never rely on short wood screws in thin particleboard; drill cleanly through the cabinet floor and secure the plate with machine bolts, wide fender washers, and nylock nuts inside the cabinet.
How to Mount a TV in an RV: Step-by-Step Installation Guide
Because installing a TV mount in an RV carries a real risk of drilling through an exterior wall or piercing a hidden 12V wiring loom, follow this four-step procedure rather than the generic drywall-and-concrete manual included in the mount box.
Step 1: Locate the Factory RV TV Backer Plate (Wood vs. Aluminum)
Because 1/8-inch Luan wallboard cannot support a television on its own, RV manufacturers laminate a solid TV backer plate—typically a 12-inch by 12-inch (or 16-inch by 16-inch) sheet of 1/2-inch plywood, OSB, or thin sheet aluminum—inside the wall cavity right beside the factory coax cable jack and 110V/12V television outlet.
When the camper was brand new, a round green or white sticker reading “TV Backer Location” marked the spot. If a previous owner peeled that sticker off, use these four methods to map the edges of the hidden backer plate:
- 1. Check Within 6 to 12 Inches Below or Beside the Coax Outlet: Factory ceiling or high-wall coax/power plates are almost always positioned directly above or immediately adjacent to the reinforced backer zone.
- 2. Tap and Push Test: Unsupported 1/8-inch Luan flexes under thumb pressure and sounds hollow when tapped with your knuckles. Over a wood or aluminum backer plate, the wall panel feels completely rigid and produces a dead, solid thud.
- 3. Deep-Scan Stud Finder + Strong Magnet Check: Run a stud finder set to deep scan horizontally and vertically around the coax jack to mark the four outer edges of the plate with painter’s tape. Then glide a strong neodymium magnet across the area: if the magnet pulls evenly across a square patch or along vertical lines, your RV uses a sheet-aluminum backer or metal studs (common on Grand Design, Jayco, and aluminum-framed fifth wheels).
- 4. Pop Off the Coax Wall Plate to Inspect Inside the Cavity: Unscrew the two small screws holding the plastic coax/12V outlet faceplate to the wall and shine a flashlight inside the cutout. You can usually see the edge of the plywood or aluminum backer sheet and verify the exact thickness of the wall cavity before picking up a drill.
Step 2: What to Do If Your RV Wall Has No TV Backer Plate
If you are mounting a television on a bedroom partition wall that was never prepped for a TV at the factory, do not screw a mount directly into hollow Luan paneling. Instead, build an external wood ledger board:
- Locate at least two vertical wood or aluminum wall studs (typically spaced 12 to 16 inches apart in RVs, though spacing varies around windows).
- Cut a piece of 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch cabinet-grade birch plywood (or a 1×8 hardwood board) wide enough to span across both vertical studs. Stain or paint the board to match your camper trim.
- Glue and screw that plywood backer board across the two vertical wall studs using six to eight `#10 x 1-1/4-inch` pan-head screws (confirming total wall thickness first), and then bolt your RV TV wall mount into the center of your new plywood board.
Step 3: Choose the Correct RV Screw Length and Fastener Type
Critical Wall Thickness Warning: Throw away or set aside the 2.5-inch lag bolts included with universal TV mounts. Most RV interior partition walls are only 1.25 to 1.75 inches thick total, and exterior laminated walls are only 1.5 to 2 inches thick. Measure the thickness of your doorway frame or inspect inside the coax outlet box before choosing a screw length.
Match your fastener to the backer material you identified in Step 1:
- For Wood / Plywood Backer Plates: Use four to six #10 or #12 (or 1/4-inch) pan-head or hex-washer-head wood screws with flat steel washers, sized 3/4 inch to 1-1/4 inches long so the threads bite completely through the 1/8-inch Luan and 1/2-inch plywood backer without poking out the opposite side of the wall. Drill a small 3/32-inch or 1/8-inch pilot hole just deep enough to pierce the Luan and start the wood backer so the screw does not split the backing board.
- For Sheet Aluminum Backer Plates or Aluminum Studs: Coarse wood screws can strip out of thin sheet aluminum under road vibration. Instead, use #10 or #12 self-drilling / self-tapping sheet-metal screws (3/4 inch to 1 inch long) with stainless washers, and tighten them by hand on the final turns so you do not strip the thin aluminum threads.
Step 4: Level the Wall Plate, Check VESA Bolt Depth, and Lock for Travel
- Level the mount relative to the RV cabinetry, not a bubble level on sloped ground: If your camper is parked in an sloped driveway during installation, a bubble level will make the TV crooked relative to your ceiling line! Measure equal distances down from the overhead cabinet trim or ceiling molding so the bracket is square with the RV interior.
- Test M4/M6/M8 VESA screws by hand on the back of the TV: Lightweight 24-inch to 32-inch LED TVs often have shallow threaded inserts. Thread your M4 or M6 VESA bolts in by fingers first; if they bottom out before clamping the bracket, add the plastic spacers from the hardware kit so the screw tips cannot dimple the LCD panel.
- Mount your streaming stick off the swinging counter: Instead of leaving an Apple TV or Roku box loose on a shelf where it will slide off on the first turn, velcro or bracket it directly behind the screen—see our guide on how to mount a Roku Express or 4K behind a wall-mounted TV.
- Verify positive latch engagement before towing: Fold the arm flat against the wall plate, confirm you hear an audible metallic click from the pull-strap spring latch (or tighten all gear-tooth knobs on a 2-plate mount), and pull outward lightly on the bottom of the TV frame to confirm it cannot swing open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you leave a TV on a locking RV mount while driving or towing?
If you install a spring-latch locking mount like the Mount-It! MI-431, Mounting Dream MD2210, or Mount-It! MI-430 into a verified wood or aluminum factory backer plate using the proper 4 to 6 screws, the locking tongue is engineered to hold the folded arm and television against the wall during normal highway travel. However, if you use a flush polymer slide-in bracket (such as the PAW International system) or a non-locking quick-release plate, or if you are towing a lightweight 40-inch+ screen over rough washboard forest roads, always slide the television off the wall bracket in five seconds and lay it face-up on the bed during transit.
What size screws should I use to mount a TV in an RV?
Never use the 2.5-inch lag bolts included with residential TV mounts. For standard RV wood or aluminum backer plates, use #10 or #12 pan-head wood or sheet-metal screws measuring 3/4 inch to 1-1/4 inches long paired with flat washers. That length provides full thread engagement through the wallboard and backer plate without puncturing hidden wiring or the exterior fiberglass skin.
Which TV bracket fits the factory outdoor mount on a Forest River or Jayco camper?
Check the existing exterior bracket on your camper wall with a magnet. If a magnet does not stick and the plastic plate is stamped “PAW International,” order the PAW International Polymer RV TV Bracket (male plate or 3-piece set). If your camper has no exterior bracket yet or you want an articulating swivel arm both inside and outside, install the Mount-It! MI-429, which ships with two rust-resistant aluminum wall receiver plates.
Can I mount a tablet instead of a small TV in an RV bunkhouse?
Yes. In tight bunkhouses or Class B vans where even a 19-inch TV feels cramped, many RVers install a drill-down or clamp-on tablet holder connected to 12V USB-C power. You can compare heavy-duty locking and drill-down cradles in our complete tablet mounts hub or build a modular ball-and-socket wall arm using a 4-hole AMPS mounting pattern plate.
Bottom Line
Selecting the right RV TV mount comes down to how you use your screen at camp. For a permanent main-cabin or bedroom setup that locks flat against the wall with one push, choose the Mount-It! MI-431 (or the Mounting Dream MD2210) for 17-inch to 43-inch TVs, and step up to the Mount-It! MI-430 for larger 43-inch to 55-inch screens with VESA 400×400 bolt patterns.
If you move a single television between your indoor bedroom and your outdoor awning patio, pick the Mount-It! MI-429 Dual-Plate Mount for full swivel extension or the PAW International 3-Piece Polymer Set to match factory Forest River and Jayco exterior slide-in brackets, and use the Mount-It! MI-4222 Flip-Down Mount when overhead cabinet or ceiling space is your only mounting surface.
To finish setting up your camper or tow vehicle for your next trip, explore our tested guides to Starlink mounts for RVs and ladders, Garmin RV 890, 895, 1090, and 1095 GPS mounts, and behind-the-TV Roku streaming mounts.
