RE: Puting Pink Stuff into fresh water tank
Some people simply do not like putting the pink stuff in the fresh tank.. The truth is, it is the easiest and quickest way to winterize.
You my friend must have never used a winterizing kit. By the time you pour the antifreeze in your tank I will be having a beer. Honest, it is that quick and easy. Turn the valve and draw directly from the container and done. No nasty tasting antifreeze to rinse from the FW tank either. :) Yep. I have a newer Jayco with a factory installed winterizing kit. It takes a gallon, and 15 minutes of my time. I have friends who just blow the lines out, but I'm not willing to risk it to save $4 for a gallon of pink juice.
RE: Help w/Running 30 Amp from Breaker Box
what is different about having a fifty amp receptacle on this circuit and having a dozen fifteen amp outlets on a fifteen amp circuit? 15 amp outlets are rated to handle 15 amp loads, but this has nothing to do with how many are used on an individual circuit. The circuit could be a dedicated 15 amp circuit with one receptacle for a dishwasher, or a "convenience outlet" circuit serving two bedrooms and a hallway, with a dozen fifteen amp outlets. As an electrician, I would not install a fifty amp. receptacle on a CUSTOMER'S 30 amp circuit. Regardless of code issues, it would be unprofessional. If I look at a NEMA listed receptacle that states 50 amps/ 240 volts, well that's what I expect it should be able to supply. OTOH, the poster made it quite clear that he knew what he was doing, and wouldn't leave it that way if the property changed hands. I have a similar situation with my home, and my emergency generator hook-up. Technically illegal and dangerous in the wrong hands, perfectly safe if I operate it. It will be gone before the house is listed for sale.
RE: 1984 Lite 17' Travel Trailer BEFORE & AFTER pics
Sorry to burst your bubble but you paid about $300 too much. Trailers of that size and vintage are given away free here in San Diego. The charities even refuse to accept them.I would have to guess that, like real estate, it's all about location. After two brand new, expensive, leaky disasters, I went looking for a "fixer upper" trailer last year. The bottom line, here in the Mid-
Atlantic? Any trailer worth dragging home was $2K (or more)private party, or no less than $3K. on a dealer's lot. A twenty year old, beat up pop-up goes for a lot more than $300 here. I have seen some of the trash that local charities post on Craigslist, and you are right. Thay should of been smart enough to refuse it.
RE: jayco 22fb questions
thanks for the replies. Im actually getting a 2010 23fb instead of 22fb. Which means alittle more weight(about 400lbs) and some upgrades. This now makes me more nervous because of the comments about my truck struggling with this tt, and white nuckling it. Im hopin its not too bad of a tow.
Soren.. i asked for a test tow but they said it would take too long to hook up brake control and weight dist. hitch. They also said my truck should have NO problem with towing it cause its rated at 6500lbs. BS dealer talk lol. So well have to see if this is gonna work.. Your not "asking" for anything, you are defining the conditions of the sale. You are about to purchase a unit that is far too large for your truck to reasonably handle in a safe and comfortable manner, yet you are going to waste $14K "hopin' for a desirable outcome..........good luck with that.
RE: Why?
I had exactly the same thing happen a year or so ago. No power to the outside outlets, and found they were powered of the GFCI in the bathroom. It's cheaper to do it that way. You can make each outlet a separate GFCI if you want to spend the $$ for a GFCI outlet at each location. You shouldn't "daisy chain" GFCI outlets. That is, you should have one at the start of the circuit wired as a feed through, then standard outlets downstream. GFCI's can be sensitive and false trip for a lot of reasons, like a shared neutral upstream, daisy chaining, or even a slight bit of moist air in a fan they are connected to. Randomly adding unnecessary GFCI outlets to a circuit isn't a real good idea. It is expensive, does nothing to add to the safety of a rig, and creates additional maintainence and troubleshooting issues.
RE: Why?
My vintage (and European) camper has no GFCI. It didn't before I rewired it, and it didn't occur to me to use one. I used a 15amp surge protector as my breaker box. Two lines go off (to front and to back). I want to add an outside outlet. Where should I use the GFCI? I've seen plug-in adaptor units.
http://inlinethumb03.webshots.com/43138/2085555520098855150S500x500Q85.jpg It looks like you cut the cord going to the surge and spliced it to some type of terminal block, eh? If that's the case, replace the terminal block with a single gang electrical box. A cast aluminum one like the ones used on exterior lights and receptacles would be fine. Now carefully search the GFCI receptacle area at Lowe's for a "blank face GFCI outlet" This is a GFCI receptacle, without any place to plug into. It strictly provides downstream protection, in this case to your surge block. Follow the instructions that came with the GFCI and you should be fine.
RE: jayco 22fb questions
I have this unit, it's an '09. It was $12,900 out the door including everything but tax and registration. I pull it with a 2007 1/2 ton Chevy with a 5.3 All I can say it that I fail to share the optimism some feel about how easy a Tacoma will pull this thing. You are talking about a trailer that is fairly tall, (I love the head room) will easily weigh 2-1/2 tons (lightly loaded) and is over 26' long. That, IMHO is on heck of a lot to ask out of a mid-sized Toyota, no matter how great the number's look on paper. I have my foot BURIED in the throttle to keep this thing in the 62-65 MPH range, and I know it's back there ever moment. BTW, I have pulled several trailers well over 100K miles in the last ten years, so I'm far from a greenhorn. YMMV, but I doubt you are going to have a satisfying, relaxing experience towing this combo. Great trailer BTW, ours is (so far) the best of several brands we have owned. In this case, I would demand a "test tow" before buying a trailer this size.
RE: New for 2010 Chalet Takena CURV
One thing I do not care for is how they made the floor. My old Gulfstream Streamlite used the same type construction witch made the floors feel spongy. Foam and luan do not make a very solid floor. Your right. It's interesting to see how poorly this combo actually performs over time. Almost ten years ago, we bought a Trail-lite hybrid, and another family we camped with bought the same unit. We moved on to several other rigs since then, but the other family still uses their's. At this point their floor is almost at the point of stuctural failure. The bonded foam and luan sandwich has failed and the floor dips and sags noticably between supports. It is also quite spongy feeling, but doesn't appear to be water damaged. i would not be surprised if an adult steps throught the floor in the next season, or two.
RE: Process for removing silicon caulk
I spoke to the owner of an RV repair and collision shop about getting silicone off. He told me that they scrape as much as possible off with plastic putty knives, then use Coleman stove fuel to soften whatever remains. I used this technique when I disassembled the front wall of our leaky Fleetwood scrap. It was the only thing that really worked well. Occasionally, it was so stubborn that I would let a Coleman soaked rag sit on a tough spot for a while before scraping. Good luck
RE: Where to stay by Mt. Rushmore
Also there are 4 tunnels along highway 16 that line up exactly with the monument.
Fred. Yes.....and no. The tunnels are on 16A. or 16alt. on some maps. This wonderful road is also called Iron Mountain Road, and is part of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway. This is an incredibly beautiful drive, but it's no place for a motorhome or trailer. There are warnings posted that RV's may find it difficult to impossible to navigate the road, and fit through the tunnels. If you don't mind gravel roads, and want an interesting drive in a quiet valley, free of most tourist traffic, look for Palmer Creek road (CR-357). Head west past Mt. Rushmore on 244. Once you past the KOA, look left for a marked gravel road with a street sign and cattle guard. This road connect to highway 87 north of custer. This is a really interesting road. The lanes divide, then do a figure eight through a vertical rock cut. When you pass a public parking area and pit toilet, look up for a great view of Harney peak and the stone fire watch tower. Also, don't miss the Mt. Coolidge fire tower, inside the park. On a clear day you can see a hundred miles into the Badlands, and stare The Presidents and Crazy Horse right in the eye. Have a great trip.
RE: surcharges
You must be looking at KOAs. If they could they would add a surcharge for breathing in the office.Not ALL KOAs....
The last KOA I stayed at was "All inclusive" except for the ALL YOU CAN EAT ice cream social.......That was a whopping 2.00 dollars per person!....Oh, and they charged .25 cents for a LARGE cone filled with feed for the animals at the petting zoo....OUTRAGIOUS! Little like saying.... "not all bears are dangerous, I just petted one". Maybe you did, maybe the next one won't take kindly to being touched.
We have stayed at a few hundred CGs in the last decade, and a few dozen were KOAs. Some KOAs are great, some should be carpet bombed to improve the neighborhood. In EVERY case it is necessary to do some research before showing up at the front counter to get fleeced.
#1 Check reviews. online and in a current guide.
#2 Pick up the phone and call first. Determine the true cost of doing business with them PRIOR to driving five miles off the highway, only to discover that there really are looking for twice the $32/night they list in the guide. Be ready to walk, or negotiate, if they attempt to add fees that you are unwilling to pay.
#3 Determine if there are any similar quality competitors located nearby. Generally, any privately held CG will be cheaper than a KOA, sometimes dramatically cheaper.
#4 Never blindly do business with a chain because you mistakenly believe that they uniformly maintain high quality standards, and offer a superior product. Regrettably, nothing could be further from the truth.
I an neither a fan of, or basher of KOA. It is what it is. They are the leaders in "junk fees". They have some really nice properties, that I would pay a premium to return to. They have a lot of overpriced CGs that I avoid, if possible. I have been to some really nasty ones. I voiced my displeasure to the parent company about some serious issues, and got a meaningless responses. Like the sign at the ned of the paving says, "proceed at your own risk".
RE: How many days at Mount Rushmore?
lots of great posts. Personally, I'm a real "Hills" addict and could spend the rest of my days there if I had the $. I wish I had a dollar for every person who told me they either spent 1/2 a day seeing Rushmore, or just blew past the Hills on a coast to coast trip. Even had a few folks who flatly stated that there isn't anything but Rushmore to see there. LOL, don't know if it's best to chuckle, or feel sad for folks that think like that? Have a great trip, and spend at least a few days seeing.....Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer SP, and anything else you can find time for.
RE: No WalMart Camping!
...there was a pair of large mannish-looking legs sticking out of the bag...
Maybe he suffocated from going head-first into the sleeping bag. Should have read the government-required, sewn-in safety label that clearly advises user to enter bag feet-first.There is a label, but regrettably, it's sewn in the bottom of the bag. The coroner speculates that the decedent was a touch weak in his reading comprehension, and expired while attempting to read the safety label, in the darkness at the bottom of the bag. His last words were reported to be "caushin soffokatshen hazzerdd"
RE: 2004 Fleetwood/Coleman Caravan - Should I buy???
NO!!!!! And Hopefully, that's clear enough. I know a local (ex)Floatwood dealer who arranged to have five of his customer's Caravans returned to the plant in Western PA. for major structural repairs due to severe water infiltration. One was so badly rotted that there was a debate about it being sound enough to make the trip. Keep in mind that this was 3-4 years ago, when these units were still under warranty. They were a disaster from the start, and should be avoided like a bad case of fleas. Rot is like an iceberg, you only see a small part of a very big mess.
RE: Bad review of CG because of nature
Most of us know where we are going and what to expect and choose our destinations accordingly. But there is always a few who never learn.I must be a bigger idiot than I thought? I have been from San Diego to Coldfoot AK, Eastport, Maine to Ft. Lauderdale (and a few thousand other places), while camping and can safely report the following.
#1. I usually know where I'm going. I occasionally fail to end up where I thought I would be, but it's part of the adventure.
#2 I never know what to expect, do not anticipate becoming wise enough to ever reach such a state of awareness, and don't care. Why wreck a good surprise?
#3 I loath choosing destinations. I rarely make reservation, and prefer to take my chances. If I wanted to know how the night was going to end, I would stay home and watch TV.
#4 Don't think you are the first to claim that I never learn. I think the first was my first grade teacher, and my wife is happy to remind me, if it slips my mind.
RE: Owners of KZ Trailers, Please Report
Soren....You sound very, very bitter. Appears your choice of campers isn't that great either. The industry standard as you call it needs chang., ie; General Motors. This is my 4th camper and the first without a a gutter over the awning and the FIRST to have water in the awning. Rained last night, opened awning today...getting old.Not bitter in the least. A realist indeed. I find great amusement in your comment about my choice of campers. Jayco and Sunnybrook are regarded, like your KZ, to be some of the best in the industry. Perhaps you need some experience with a bottom end Gulfstream, keystone or Fleetwood product to really appreciate how good you have it? As for the GM comment, so far off base that it's silly. Trailers are built in a manner and production enviroment that is much closer to the Amish shed building industry that the automotive industry. 95% of the components are common to all manufacturers and the only thing that matters is how well they designed, assembled and warranty the stuff they slap together. As for your awning claims, I simply find it exceptionally hard to believe. Having owner units from both of the major awning manufacturers, I have found the mold and water retention issues to be the norm, parked or towing. I have also discussed this with other owners, who report the same. The gutter on a typical trailer are token micro troughs that do little to nothing ,and will have zero effect on the awning staying dry. An awning rolls up to 4" in diameter. If your lucky the gutter is 1/2" wide and in a heavy storm the water shoot right past it. Sorry, but like most of your reported unhappiness with KZ, this doesn't make much sense:h
RE: carryover HiLo should I buy?
Congradulations, you look at things in an analytical way. I have seen far too many folks ask the same question here, hoping for validation on their (dumb) decision to pay new prices for a unit that a dealer has been choking on for a few years, but they really, really want. The sad part is that a lot of members here will jump on the rationalization band wagon and cheer the OP on. You are quite aware of the facts here. The rig is used, and several years old, the minute it leaves the dealers lot. It should be priced accordingly. The funny part is that you may have hit a dealer who is too stubborn to deal with this reality. There is a small dealer in my area that is STILL choking on rigs from a manufacturer that failed in 2006. Instead of dealing aggressively to empty his lot, the clown thinks he has a pot of gold. Unfortnately, his view is not shared with potential buyers. IMHO, I wouldn't think of paying any more than 60% of the original MSRP, hopefully less. In the last few years I have bought two new rigs, factory ordered, for roughly 30% off MSRP. I can't imagine spending anything close to list for something that's getting older and less desirable ever day it sits on the dealer's lot. Good luck
RE: Clue in RVers to Courtesy on the Road
If you had come over to me and said that, I would have started yelling to everyone in the campground "Look at this guy in the 38 foot diesel motorhome, he wants everyone to know he spent more money on his motorhome than I did, and he has a bigger engine than I do. Everyone congratulate him!!!"
Have you ever studied Physics in school? A 10% grade is not insignificant. I would wager to say that a large motorhome or any other RV would not be able to manage more than 10 or 15 MPH going uphill after coming to a stop and then starting on a 10% grade. Additionally, your transmission and engine will be burning up due to lack of airflow through the radiator.
What is the guy supposed to do, stop 20 times because at each stop he can only manage 10 mph starting off from a 10 percent grade?
Get real. Do you expect a fully loaded semi to pull off at every time a car gets behind him too? I wonder if a semi could even hit 10 MPH starting on a 10% grade with 80,000 lbs. For sure he would burn up his clutch.
Now if the guy would have been going slow down a flat highway in flat Florida, that would be one thing, but 10% is pretty extreme. I'm sorry, I guess this is the first time I ever learned that physics requires SOME MH operators to be inconciderate Jack axes. I guess all the time that they are bumbling along FLAT secondary highways, going 15-20 MPH under the speed limit, with a week's worth of traffic up their butt, they too have a science lesson behind their inability to properly operate their rig? Wow, the things you learn, on these here internets.........
