RE: PICKED UP NEW KZ 40' SPORTSTER
I would lose the tires, there's plenty of horror stories on numerous forems regarding Chinese tires. Just because the fiver manufacturer put them on dosen't mean they're good, most use the cheapest tires they can find to keep cost down. All tires are not created equal.
RE: Bye, Bye FlyingJ discount
I agree with DrJoeB, and I use Flying J whenever possible, also they are consistantly less expensive than everybody else. Another thing I like is when using a credit card the pump doesn't shut off at $50 like a lot of places, so I don't have to run my card five or six times to fill up my two tanks. My only beef with Flying J is whoever designed the layout for the RV islands must have been drunk because most are a nightmare to access, with very little maneuvering room, no place to stage if there's more than two rigs ahead of you, and total conjestion with cars and delivery trucks blocking the exits from the islands. A lot of times I give up and go over to the big truck islands. Other than that, I like the J.
RE: Sewer Solution, on a 5er
I also own a Sewer Solution and it works great in conjunction with the onboard black tank flush, but on it's own it is not designed to flush the tank. As others have said, you can back fill and rinse the tank with the Sewer Solution but it won't replace a flusher system. I'm not familiar with Jayco but I wouldn't think that the underbelly removal would be that big of a deal. I've had the underbellies off every rv that I've owned at one time or another to gain access for repairs. On my current fiver the underbelly is assembled in four foot corregated metal sheets so you don't have to remove the whole thing, just the section where you're working. Anyway, if it's not something you want to tackle, you could get a quote from your dealer before you make the decission. Good luck.
RE: Slider seals treatment
I was told to use baby powder. I'm going to try it when I put mine in storage this winter. hope it works ok. rick
Baby powder? That seems kind of odd.
I also use the 303.....
Ken
I was at a manufacturers service seminar some time ago that recommended using baby power. It contains talc which is a great lubricant, prevents seals from binding and squealing. Works great. I also use 303 for pretty much everything.
RE: Our first awning blowover
Sorry about your damage. We use tiedown straps and deflapper clamps but they're only good to a certain point. High winds will still cause damage. Safest way is roll it up whenever you leave. We were camped at the NASCAR track at Pocono, PA one year when a severe thunderstorm with heavy rain and damaging winds caught a lot of people by surprise shortly after the race ended. There was widespread damage through out the area. Luckily I had rolled my awning up before going to the race, but a lot of campers weren't so fortunate.
RE: Alien item in black tank FOLLOW UP
When we had our Class C, I used to dump dishwater into the toilet because our grey tank was too small, relative to the black. One day I left a spoon in there and--of course!--it went right into the tank. We never knew for sure if it ever came out. :D
My wife did the same thing with a fork in our previous 5er. I figured sooner or later it was going to get stuck in the dump valve or wedged somewhere and create a blockage. Approx. a year later, after dumping and flushing as we were preparing to leave a campsite, I detached the sewer hose from the elbow at the campgrounds dump pipe and there it was, laying in the hose. Apparently it couldn't make it around the elbow. She is more careful now if we're trying to conserve gray water space.
RE: F250 SW vs F350 Dually
Give it some time man, I bet you end up loving the dually. I traded a F-250 for my current truck and I'd never go back, just so much better in every aspect. My only regret was giving up the 7.3L diesel but so far the 6.0L has been great. If you end up still hating the dually you could always trade for a F-350 SRW and also keep Mama happy, but IMO that would be a giant step backwards. Good luck.
RE: High-End 5er's?
The problem with that is you're stuck with Freightliner or a F-550 for a daily driver. It's enough of a challenge getting around with F-350 dually at times, trying to negotiate bank drive-thru's, parking lots/garages, etc. I guess you either get a second vehicle or make other arrangements.Is this just your 'reasoned' opinion or have you actually gotten into a FL or IH and driven it? Having owned, towed and used both a 1 ton dually and an IH MDT as a daily driver, I think it is just your reasoned opinion and not an experienced opinion.
Even diminuative and disabled DW agrees that the MDT is soooo much easier to drive, to parallel park and so much more comfortable than the 1 ton. It has no bigger of a footprint than the dually pickup extended cab - in fact 2" shorter than the Ford & Chev/GMC and of course no wider than any dually. Since the front wheels track to the outside dually instead of the inside dually and since it's a bit taller, it just looks bigger but it's pretty much an optical illusion. It drives much smaller than the 1 ton p/u. With the wider front wheel stance, the wheel cut can be greater and it will out turn any pickup. I can complete a full U turn, with trailer attached in less than 2.5 lanes.
DW's avocation is shopping and there's not a shopping center parking space in the country that she can't whip that sucker into - usually she says (I'm not with her) with onlooker guy's jaws on the ground. Per her, they then often come over and say "you drive THAT?" and then ask if they can look inside or at the engine. Looks great with the handicapped plates too.
Yes, manned ground parking lots in big cities can be a problem - not with the truck but with the IQ of the person manning the lot. I now carry a card with the outside dimensions of my truck on it along with the dimensions of the Ford, Chevy and Dodge 1 tons and a 9 passenger van, all of which take more room than mine. Can usually point out several of those parked in the lot and try to stimulate the comprehension level of the attendant with these facts. Pretty much works all the time - otherwise I just parallel park it at a meter which is also easy.
You're correct, even though I have spent my share of time in over the road big rigs, I have no first hand experience driving these mid size trucks. I don't dispute anything you said, but it's still a midsize truck, something most people won't want to deal with to go to the bank or the mall or Aunt Rose's house. Let's face it, these rigs are pretty much dedicated tow vehicles, great for towing but little else. At least with my F-350 or even a F-450 you have a mulipurpose vehicle. I do a lot more with my truck besides tow a 5er. More than half the year my 5th wheel hitch is setting in my garage and I'm hauling lumber, sheetrock, pallets of concrete, fire wood, etc, etc. Personal preference I guess, what fits your needs may note fit other's needs. I'll keep my truck.
RE: First Oil Change - What a Disaster
On my engine oil pan I installed a Fumoto valve with a nipple that I slide a 3/8" ID rubber hose on, stick the other end in my 16 qt. enclosed container and open the valve. When it finishes draining, close the valve, remove the hose and screw the cap on the container. Then it's all ready to take to the oil drop location. No spills, no transfering from drain pan to other containers and you don't even get your hands dirty. Works for me.
RE: High-End 5er's?
Those trailers are all certainly luxurious and as others have said, very heavy. The problem with that is you're stuck with Freightliner or a F-550 for a daily driver. It's enough of a challenge getting around with F-350 dually at times, trying to negotiate bank drive-thru's, parking lots/garages, etc. I guess you either get a second vehicle or make other arrangements.
RE: Weird fuse problems
Are these three lights on the same circuit or are they all blowing different fuses? You have a short somewhere in the circuit(s). Are these lights in a slide out room?...that's typically a trouble area under the slide out where the wiring extends in and out with the room. The wiring can get cut, pinched or insulation scraped off allowing exposesed wires to short to each other or to ground. It's a good place to start. Good luck.
After re-reading your post it seems like the light fixture itself could be defective. Try removing the bulb at the light in question, replace the fuse, then turn on the switch to the light to see if the fuse blows without a bulb in the circuit. If it does, either the fixture is shorted or the wiring between the switch and fixture is shorted. If it doesn't blow, it's got to be the bulb.
RE: Battery during winter storage?
I've never spent a winter in IL, but if it's anything like winters in upstate NY, I wouldn't leave a battery outside for 5 months. Even though you have it disconnected it will slowly discharge and eventually freeze. I would remove the battery, bring it home and put it on a trickle charger of some type for a few hours each month. It's not like it's a huge deal to remove a battery from an RV, and by doing so you won't have to by a new battery in the spring. Better safe than sorry. Good luck.
RE: How Do You Hook Up With A Air Pin Box?
As others have said make sure you lower the 5er enough to make your truck squat when you back under it. Also make sure you're backed up far enough to fully seat the pin in the hitch, and that your truck is not rolling forward after you hit the pin. Make sure your laching mechanism is lubricated and free, it could possibly be misaligned or binding. Try hithing and unhitching a few times to get familiar. Good luck.
