| |
Subject |
Author |
Date Posted |
Forum
|
 |
RE: Has anyone's fifth wheel come unhitched when driving?
I did that once when I had a tag-along RV trailer. First and last time !!
I'm glad the weight distribution was correct !!
|
arizonakid
|
11/24/12 07:45am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: Hooking Up ???
If your tailgate is down, it might penetrate the front of the RV. Not good.
I bought my TV new six years ago and the first thing I did was store the tailgate in the shed (it's still there, never used). I either use a 2X8 plank for a tailgate, or when getting fancy a fifth wheel type tailgate I bought at a yard sale. Don't have to open either one to hook up.
But to answer the question, I have a Reese 16K and can hook up at almost any angle with either of the above tailgates.
|
arizonakid
|
09/05/12 01:41pm |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: wire guide rods under slide out - problem
FWIW DEPT.
I noticed that with the slide in, the existing guide or wire support rod was inside the frame rail 46" with no support, and when going over minor bumps would hit a frame cross member (ting ting). And it's flapping like that concerned me....
I mounted a length of 1" PVC pipe into which the support rod would go, positioned on the path of the rod. In fact, with the slide out, the rod was 10" inside the frame rail, so I made the PVC pipe about 66" long (inner distance between the frame rails) so that the rod was always within the pipe.
I secured each end of the pipe, making sure the angle of the pipe matched the path of the rod opened and closed.
Should be no more tinging, and no more chance for the rod to get hung up and get bent like the other one did.
We shall see......
|
arizonakid
|
09/05/12 01:24pm |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: Another first - parking at the storage lot
Looks all too familiar -- me going into an RV park -- why I pull-throughs.
|
arizonakid
|
09/05/12 01:13pm |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: Has anyone's fifth wheel come unhitched when driving?
This is kind of disturbing. I thought fivers were supposed to be more secure than Travel trailers? On this thread there are 3 (maybe more) accounts of fivers coming lose.
And I suspect a poll of whichever manufactured their hitches will tell the tale.
For the last 8 years I have been on this forum, only one 5ver hitch manufacture stands out with these type of failures.
Hint: they seemingly only make clam shell design captivation mechanisms...
That may be absolutely correct, but it may only mean that certain hitch designs require more operator awareness than others--
just as driving a standard shift car requires more operator coordination than driving an automatic.
73
|
arizonakid
|
08/31/12 05:46am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: Has anyone's fifth wheel come unhitched when driving?
No one has mentioned it but a good trick to assist you in determining if the jaws are closed is to paint the edges of the jaws with white paint. This works on a Reese hitch, not sure about the other brands. Also makes it easier to check for those early morning departures when the light isn't too good.
Has worked good for me!
Catfish
This is what I am getting at you should not have to paint or install a bed saver or anything else.
You should be able to back under and have your handle close, get out and install the pin or lock and raise landing gear and drive off with out doing any pull tests or looking for white paint.
I have used other hitches so I can say from my experience the B&W is a simple yet very durable no brainer hitch design.
Only in a human free perfect world......
agreed -- That is exactly why people drop their fivers... they are too trusting in "safety" devices and pull "tests" (?? pull it and if it drops hook up again?) and too lazy to paint the jaws, and then every time they hook up to observe the handle go out and back in, then do a visual check that the jaws are closed and the pin is between them, and then lock the handle.
I have a basic Reese 16K, have used it for years with the above procedure. I disagree that it is human error to drop a fiver 9 out of ten times -- I say 999 out of 1,000.
|
arizonakid
|
08/30/12 12:45pm |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: Stove top Ignitor - stopped 'clicking'!!! Now what - to do?
Or use wooden matches. We kept a tin can on the counter to drop the used ones into.
|
arizonakid
|
08/26/12 01:59pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: wire guide rods under slide out - problem
.....That rod just contributes to weight and something a tire shedding it's tread can grab and fling around to do even more damage.
Another good reason to eliminate it, in addition to the possibility of its jamming up. I cut out the entire (welded) tab that holds it.
The rod was of proper length -- I think it jammed because it got rusty and rough-surfaced, and the frame hole that supported the free end wasn't cleanly drilled.
I removed the other rod (its outer support was screwed to the slide frame), reamed the frame hole to make it smooth, sanded the rod to smooth it, greased the rod, and reinstalled it. Hopefully that one will be OK.
|
arizonakid
|
08/23/12 05:28am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: wire guide rods under slide out - problem
Yes, and fortunately it was the unused rod...
I'll remove the whole thing, including the plate where it attached to the outer part of the slide.... note I had already trimmed that plate since it looked like it could interfere with the left front tire in te event of hitting a bump.
|
arizonakid
|
08/22/12 10:36am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
wire guide rods under slide out - problem
Under the slide of my 2001 Sierra are two -- what I would call -- guide rods. One end of each rod is attached to the outer part of the lide, the other end goes through a hole in the frame and is attached to nothing. They just slide in and out with the slide-out.
One rod is used to hold an electrical cable up (this cable provides power to the lamp over the dining table). The other rod was not used for anything...
That unused rod apparently got caught in the hole in the frame, and bent all to heck. I'll just remove it completely.
Anyone else ever have this problem? Any ideas on preventing the other rod from having this problem?
Sorry I can't make the photos appear.......
www.lakeboon.com/trailer-2001-sierra/guiderod1.JPG
www.lakeboon.com/trailer-2001-sierra/guiderod2.JPG
www.lakeboon.com/trailer-2001-sierra/guiderod3.JPG
|
arizonakid
|
08/22/12 07:36am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: fix for delamination fiberglas sides - delamination ?
Many great suggestions here -- thanks folks -- keep them coming, this is a good thread for the do it yourself delam repair'ers.
|
arizonakid
|
08/07/12 09:01am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: fix for delamination fiberglas sides - delamination ?
$6,400.... that's more than half what my fifth wheel is worth, and what I'm trying to avoid... choices are:
-- leave it alone
-- some cheap fix (squirt in glue; lotsa screws with washers....?)
|
arizonakid
|
08/05/12 10:01am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
fix for delamination fiberglas sides - delamination ?
2002 Forest River fifth wheel -- the fiberglas is loose from the backing at the sides in several large places...
This was cause by water leaks on the roof (repairman said they use a waterbased glue, doesn't sound very smart to me...)
Anyway, has anyone found a fix for this other than total side removal and replacement? Is fixing necessary?
I had thought maybe drilling a few small holes in the fiberglas and squirting in some kind of glue........
Any ideas?
Thanks.
|
arizonakid
|
08/04/12 11:15am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: Check your awning
Use your awning rod as a 'lock'
An easy (cheap) fix that I read about here on RV.net and tried........it works!
Scroll down to mine & Robsouth posts 2/3 down page 1
Your link brings me to a list of forums...
page 1 of which forum?
|
arizonakid
|
07/07/12 08:15am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: Magnetec converter fan runs frequently...
Thanks guys, sounds like the fan running a lot is normal for the Magnetec.
|
arizonakid
|
06/21/12 05:34am |
Tech Issues
|
 |
Magnetec converter fan runs frequently...
This topic has been moved to another forum.
You can read it here: 26153002
|
arizonakid
|
06/20/12 02:26pm |
Forum Technical Support
|
|
Magnetec converter fan runs frequently...
My newly acquired 10 year old Sierra has a Magnetec 7345 converter in it... It seems to work OK, charges the battery with correct voltage, lights the lights, etc...
When plugged in to shore power (120 VAC) and nothing on (just charging the battery) it is quiet.
When I turn on 4 interior ceiling lights the fan will come on. It does this whether the outside temp is 70 or 90 F
Is this normal for this model?
(The converter in my last RV did not do this, though I don't recall the make or model. Which is why I ask.)
I did a search but could not find the answer to my question. Thanks for any information.
Tom
|
arizonakid
|
06/20/12 02:26pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Plumbing vent cap
I think toyman means why a cap on the vent stack....
I think the reason is that the stack on an RV is about level with the roof, no way to put a seal around it (a house stack rises a good foot above the roof).
So if you only put the cap base over the RV pipe, rain can get between the pipe and the roof hole cut-out. The cap prevents this.
|
arizonakid
|
06/15/12 09:33am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
|
|
RE: Plumbing vent cap
I am tired to replace the plumbing vent cap every 2-3 years.I like to find a metal cap(just the cap) SS if possible.Anybody find a place to sell them
I found a metal one in the trash... after a little modification...
The plastic cap had disintegrated, and I temporarily put a tin can over the remainder.
Then I thought.... why not add a little larger can over it, drill some holes, pop rivet the tins together, and for good measure, fix it to the vent with two screws....
No, it's not SS but should last a few years.
http://lakeboon.com/trailer-2001-sierra/ventcap1.JPG
http://lakeboon.com/trailer-2001-sierra/ventcap2.jpg
http://lakeboon.com/trailer-2001-sierra/ventcap3.jpg
|
arizonakid
|
06/14/12 11:56am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
|
|
how to remove screen in slide-out?
New (to me) 2001 sierra fifth wheel with a slide. The front and back windows in the slide have a screen inside that I'd like to remove to clean the lower window.
I can clean the top of the lower window by raising it, but not the bottom part.
Looks like the screen should be removable fromthe inside, by pushing it to one side to release the other side, but that doesn't seem to work.
Any hints? Photos below.
http://lakeboon.com/trailer-2001-sierra/screen1.jpg
http://lakeboon.com/trailer-2001-sierra/screen2.jpg
http://lakeboon.com/trailer-2001-sierra/screen3.jpg
|
arizonakid
|
06/14/12 09:00am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
