RE: 3000W Chinese Gensets Info.
I just got an ad in the mail from Tractor Supply. They have the Champion for $299 with a free $50 gift card (mail-in). From the picture, it looks like the RV 3500 watt model.
Steve
RE: Can you have TT shrink wrapped?
Shrink wrapping can also generate high forces which can buckle walls, bend supports, crush AC covers, etc.
I have heard of it happening to boats (when not done properly).
Imagine what it could do to the much more flimsy travel trailers.
Steve
RE: Macerator systems permanently mounted to trailer underside
My travel trailer has a permanently mounted macerator pump. At our old house, I needed it so I could run a small hose to the toilet in the house to dump the black tank. There was no sewer inlet nearby.
I bought a macerator pump online for about $100. Removed a section of the 3" ABS pipe between the black tank and the factory dump valve. I had to cut the pipe as all the joints were solvent-welded. Installed a 3" Y so that the tank fluid could go either to the standard 3" dump port or to the macerator. I installed a 3" blade valve before the macerator to keep sewage out of the macerator when not in use. There is a rubber coupling sold that mates a 3" ABS pipe to the OD of the macerator input (to avoid having to neck down the input).
The macerator was installed to the inside of the frame rail, as high a possible but still maintaining a slight downhill run from the black tank. I built a small "panel" attached to the bottom of the trailer skirting that contains two hose fittings. One fitting is the output of the macerator pump (where you would hook up the garden hose for dumping when using the macerator). The other fitting is a female garden hose connector which leads to a tapped fitting in the 3" ABS pipe between the macerator input and the blade valve just before the macerator input. This allows me to connect a garden hose and flush the macerator pump to keep it clean by turning the pump on and then running clean water into its input. The blade valve keeps the water from backing up into the black tank.
I wired the unit into the 12VDC system of the trailer and mounted an on/off switch behind a small(about 4" x "4) locking access door in the side of the trailer just ablove the pump.
The system has been fine for the 4 years I have had it, though I don't use it as much as I used to.
Also, DON"T FORGET TO WINTERIZE THE MACERATOR PUMP if it's installed permanently. Otherwise the pump may have enopugh water in it to freeze and crack the pump housing. I run anti-freeze (through the cleanout I installed) into the pump until it comes out the output.
Steve
RE: Clearing snow off your slides before you bring them in.
When you say you have "canvas" over the slide I assume you mean a slide topper that rolls up as the slide retracts.
Whether or not the snow slides off as you retract the slide depends on the density of the snow.
If it's light snow, yes it will probably slide off as you retract.
But if it's wet or sticky snow, it won't necessarily slide off. Last year we had some snow before I retracted the slides for the season. I tried retracting with snow on the slide topper, but the weight of the snow pushed the cover onto the top of the slide and the cover started to be sucked into the camper past the top slide seal. Fortunately, I saw what was going on and was able to extend the slide before the cover was damaged. I then took a push broom (while standing on a stepladder) and pulled/pushed the majority of the snow off. The cover then rolled up fine as the slide was retracted.
I wouldn't worry about any residual water on the cover. Mine was fine when I opened it back up in the spring. At worst, you may have to clean up some mildew. Of course, if you have a nice warm day soon after the snow it would be helpful to extend the slide to dry the slide topper.
Steve
Eternabond on Roof/Wall Joint
I have been following the Eternabond posts on the forum. Several people have applied Eternabond to areas on the roof, including the seam at the wall.
I have put the 4" Eternabond on the front and rear cap seams (EPDM roof). Now I would like to cut it lengthwise and apply it over the wall seam. Unfortunately, the metal trim piece only has about 1/8" of flat area on the front of it above the plastic insert (that covers the screws). Is that enough width to keep the edge of the Eternabond glued down? I would be covering over the original caulk that is on top of the molding. I imagine that you wouldn't want to continue the Eternabond over the entire metal piece, covering the plastic insert, which would prevent access to removal of the plastic insert. Or would that be the way to go for better adhesion?
I would like to hear from those that have applied the Eternabond to the roof/wall seam area.
Thank You
Steve
RE: Any advantage to installing a less restrictive muffler?
FWIW, I made the mistake of putting a set of Flowmaster exhaust on a 5.0 Mustang. Yea, it made the exhaust note louder, but at 2500 RPMs (highway speed), it hit a resonant sound that made a gawd awful howling noise. "Oh, that's normal" I was told. So please make sure you're careful of what you install. The Mustang Cobra I purchased later had a nice exhaust note at low RPMs, but at hwy speed, it got QUIETER. Well engineered, while still giving plenty of performance. ;)
I still have my 1987 5.0 Mustang GT 5-speed that I bought new 22 years ago. After I had it about 5 years, I decided to replace the factory dual exhaust with a Dynomax cat-back system. As I was removing the factory system, I noticed that the two factory mufflers were different sizes, but the two Dynomax mufflers in the kit were the same size. After installing the new system, I found out why. The factory mufflers were different sizes to prevent the droning at 2500RPM that 2manytoyz describes above. I still have the Dynomax system on the Mustang. Unfortunately, 2500RPM is 5th gear at highway speeds. To keep the droning away, I use fourth gear at highway speeds, which increases RPM and takes it out of droning range.
Steve
RE: New tires for TT
I am having a new set of Denman installed today. They are load range D to replace the C’s that tend to blow out. Denman is the only company that I can find that makes a 205/75 R15 D rated tire. I do not have room for the 225 size.
I did the same thing on my 2004 Rockwood 8318SS. Had several blowouts before the switch. A few years go I replaced the 205/75R15 load range Cs with Denman 205/75R15 Ds. So far so good.
Steve
Coach-Net
I have had the Good Sam ERS for a few years until it expired last months. After reading some reccomendations here, I thought I would switch to Coach-Net.
I called them for a membership price and they asked me if I was a member of any RV Club or Manufacturer Affiliate. I said I wasn't and they said the rate for one year was $99.50. Is it cheaper if I am a member of an RV Club? Is it worth it to join any of the clubs just to get the cheaper Coach-Net rate?
Steve
RE: Quality (or the lack of it)
I really like the idea of a TT kit. Many of the materials used in my trailer are actually well engineered. The fiberglass/foam/lauan sandwich walls, ceiling and floor are actually a good design.
With a kit, you could buy the components that you want. For example, you could supply your own cabinets, appliances, beds, etc.
Even if you had to rent a high-bay assembly area for a few months for a few thousand dollars it would be worth it in the end.
All it would take would be someone to start a company that receives the components into a warehouse and then ships the kits to customers. They would need a designer/draftsman/engineer and a warehouse crew. It might even be possible to drop-ship the components directly from the manufacturer, reducing warehouse space needed.
Personally, I would want the frame, walls, floor, roof and holding tanks. I would do the assembly and acquire the plumbing, cabinets, beds, couch, dinette, AC, furnace, etc.
Steve
Quality (or the lack of it)
Every time I do some maintenance on my 04 Rockwood 8318SS, I find a new way that Rockwood seems to have figured out on how to improperly assemble something.
The rails holding my grey and black tanks were slightly short, so the self-threading screws were pulling out. I had to put a 1/4" spacer and bolts with nuts to fix it. Eventually the screws would have pulled out completely and the tank would have fallen out.
There are numerous areas where very large holes were drilled for a few wires or tubes.
Somebody should buy Rockwood a tape measure and level, as no window blind is mounted even close to level in the trailer.
The wood front trim on the bunk bed slide fell off becuase it was too wide and dragged on the rug. Having only a few screws barely into the wood didn't help.
The superslide sags so much in the center that I had to install a vertical support between the dinette and the sofa so that the slide would seal aginst the wall instead of hang below it in the center.
After the front window leaked, I removed it to re-seal it. The window cutout was so oversize that the window flange barely covered the hole. The cutout itself looked like it was done without any guide lines freehand with a sabre saw.
The biggest horror stroies are when I removed the underside covering. Wires stretched tight through sharp-edged holes in the frame without a grommet. Freshwater tank vent tube hanging below the tank which filled with water and no longer acted as a vent. The heating pad for the tank was placed directly above a support, crushing the heating pad. Sharp kinks in the propane lines. This could go on and on.
Rockwood should have sold the trailer as a "trailer kit" because I could have assembled the trailer myself in the time in has required to fix the glaring errors in their assembly.
I am afraid to look behind any panel or above the underside cover that I haven't look at before.
Steve
Another Good Story about Fan-Tastic Co.
My Rockwood 8318SS came with a Create-a-Breeze fan installe din the bathroom. The trailer is now about 5 1/2 years old. I use the fan all the time to vent the trailer, and usually run it full-time when it's parked at home. Yesterday the fan would not come on. I removed the screen and spun the fan by hand. There was a "dead spot" of about 45 degrees in the motor where there must be a dead winding. If the fan happens to stop in that sector, it will not start up.
I called Fan-Tastic and asked them about a replacement motor. They said they would send a replacement motor for free. Also, they are sending a replacement switch that senses the opening of the vent cover, which they said should also be replaced.
When I disassembled the fan to troubleshoot, I noticed the high quality of the parts on the unit. The screws did not stip when placed back in, plastic parts weren't rippled and warped because they were too thin, etc. The unit stood out as one of the few parts on the trailer that weren't woefully underdesigned and falling apart.
It's nice to have at least some companies that stand behind their product. The warranty was only 2 years, but they said they expected their stuff to last and would send the free parts. Also, they are made in USA, another rare find these days.
Steve
RE: Suburban 8.1 liter engine cutout
I had the same thing happening for the last few months in my 2002 Suburban 8.1L. The engine cut out and did not restart immediately. This was happening about once a week (to my wife, who uses it mostly).
The mechanic loaned me a data logger that plugged into the OBD II port for me to drive with until it happened again. It showed the rpm signal from the Crankshaft Position Sensor would suddenly go to zero RPM, which caused the computer to shut fuel off to the engine. When you tried restarting it, it would eventually start working again.
The sensor is in a REAL bad spot, on top of the block at the rear, under the cowl. You can't even see it from under the hood without a mirror. It's about 6 inches long and 1" diameter and goes through a hole in the block into the engine and senses the crank. Oil spray from the engine onto the sensor causes some sludge buildup onto the sensor, which keeps the sensor from pulling out of the hole. My mechanic took about 4 hours with engine de-sludging chemicals poured down the sensor sides to work its way down and loosen any buildup. To make it even harder, there is a fuel line that runs almost directly over the sensor.
If you break the plastic sensor off at the hole, then the oil pan must be removed to access the broken part (big job).
Now, 10 days later, the problem has not reappeared.
IIRC, the sensor was about $90 plus labor (about $300 labor in my case).
Steve
RE: TT motorized Dollies
I had an electric 120V Dolly for our 8000lb trailer a few years ago. It worked very well on blacktop, ok on dry grass. I think it cost about $1000, but they had smaller models for lighter trailer like yours.
We moved out into the country and no longer needed it, so I sold it.
It was made by Power Caster.
Whatever model you get, MAKE SURE you hook up the trailer brakes to the dolly. A trailer can get a lot of momentum going and you aren't going to stop it by turning off the dolly, it'll just push the dolly.
Overall, I would say it worked as advertised, it made it easy to manuever the trailer into tight spots.
Steve
RE: Bunk Weight Limit
Even with only kids under 120lb using it, the upper bunk in our Rockwood 8318SS started to fail. The wood support screwed to the slideout wall (that the pipe the bunk swings on attaches to) started to pull out of the wall at the front. I had to screw it more securely to the wall (the original screw was attached to only the thin panelling!) using anchors and also screwing into a reinforced part of the wall.
Steve
RE: Installing access door in side of trailer
I cut a large access door in our Rockwood 8318SS (about 18" x 32").
Get a studfinder that works with aluminum studs to locate the framing in the trailer.
Cut thru the entire wall with a sabre saw or Rotozip.
I cut the foam out about 1" inside the wall between the inner and outer skins around the perimeter of the cutout. Pieces of wood were cut to fit inside the wall (where the foam was) and then glued and clamped between the inside and outside skins to provide reinforcement around the opening.
Place sealer on the door frame lip and screw it on. I pressed the door frame tight against the opening and put the screws around the inside edge of the frame to avoid screwing thru the outside lip of the frame (like Rockwood did on the windows).
I bought the access door new on Ebay for $10. RV parts places wanted $100+ for a new door. Ebay almost always has access door for cheap under the RV Parts section.
SteveI will have to cut through a aluminum stud to have enough room for the door (generator door). Is there a way to connect the stud with the other 2 on the side or could I just use wood? The inside of the trailer is under a dining bench and will not show. I bought a door on Ebay .
You have a lot more options since the inside will not show.
You need to provide rigidity for the end of the aluminum stud that you will have cut out. The stud is probably a square or rectangular cross-section tube. I would remove the inside paneling (probably just a thin lauan) in an area 2 inches above the cutout to expose the cut stud and the full stud on either side. Then I would take a 1" x 2" aluminum tube (long enough to reach from full stud to full stud)and attach it to the 3 studs with self-threading screws (1/4" diameter), a couple per stud. This should provide enough rigidity for the cutoff stud during the vibration when travelling.
Steve
RE: Installing access door in side of trailer
I cut a large access door in our Rockwood 8318SS (about 18" x 32").
Get a studfinder that works with aluminum studs to locate the framing in the trailer.
Cut thru the entire wall with a sabre saw or Rotozip.
I cut the foam out about 1" inside the wall between the inner and outer skins around the perimeter of the cutout. Pieces of wood were cut to fit inside the wall (where the foam was) and then glued and clamped between the inside and outside skins to provide reinforcement around the opening.
Place sealer on the door frame lip and screw it on. I pressed the door frame tight against the opening and put the screws around the inside edge of the frame to avoid screwing thru the outside lip of the frame (like Rockwood did on the windows).
I bought the access door new on Ebay for $10. RV parts places wanted $100+ for a new door. Ebay almost always has access door for cheap under the RV Parts section.
Steve
RE: The Joys of Fixing Wiring
in-line fuses(for the slide motors!)hidden inside walls, etc.
That would be really aggravating. And really stupid.
Unfortunately, its a true story. A few years ago the slide stopped working. The first thing I looked for was the fuse, but could not find it. There was no slide fuse in the converter next to the rest of the 12V fuses. So I decided to check the slide switch next. I unscrewed the slide switch and pulled it and some wiring out of the wall so I could do a voltage check at the terminals. I looked into the hole to see how much wiring slack there was. Surprise! I saw the inline fuse holder tucked away inside the hole. I was able to pull the fuse holder out of the hole and replace the fuse which had blown.
I agree, its a REALLY stupid design:S. Especially since there was no documentation of any kind.
I guess if you made documentation available (like automotive service manuals), that would force you to build two units that were alike:B!
Steve
RE: The Joys of Fixing Wiring
Jury-rigged wiring by people who don't know better (or don't care) is one thing. Shoddy and dangerous wiring by the manufacturer on a new travel trailer is another thing. My new trailer had several places where the wiring was stretched tight thru frame holes with sharp edges and no grommets. Also pinched wiring, in-line fuses(for the slide motors!)hidden inside walls, etc.
Steve
RE: Trailer Hitch on 831BHSS
I have the Rockwood 8318SS, which is similar to your trailer. I have removed the underbody cover several times (to fix problems caused by poor design!!). After looking at the frame thickness and design, I would say NO to any kind of hitch on these ultralight trailers. Right now, I have a frame rail that has a small buckle in the web and also in the flange. That buckle occured after 4 years and NO trailer hitch, just from the trailer itself. I can't imagine how the frame would react to an additional load of a trailer tongue, especially the side-loading.
My opinion: Don't do it.
Steve
