RE: First timer with axle problem
My warranty was one year, from Keystone. Beyond that there may be other warrantys by component manufacturers. Appears Alko would be still within the warranty period for you. So Keystone is not responsible for the warranty claim. Alko is.
The other thing to remember is that there are other reasons that tires can go out of alignment. Maybe from improper jacking, or suspension being stressed due to sharp 90 degree backing turns, etc., all due to operator error. Maybe not you as the operator, but maybe, a lot jockey, a mechanic, or any number of other operators along the line.
RE: Keystone ???
We have been very pleased with our Keystone Copper Canyon. Seems good quality. The few issues we have had have been from normal over the road travel issues. The dealer is the key ingredient to after the sale service. As long as the manufacturing quality is there, Keystone (as others) depend on their dealers to keep you happy.
As stated above, Keystone has many models from the lower priced range to the higher priced range. There is a difference in the amenities depending on the price point. Example, my neighbor has a Springdale model. One small step down from my Copper Canyon. His overhange is not enclosed. Mine is enclosed. His roof is not recommended to walk on. Mine is. Ours also seems to be a bit higher trim level inside. Ours came with bigger tanks as STD. His Springdale has been just as reliable as mine. So I think his manufactured quality is pretty similar. Just maybe built to a slightly different standard.
I have been told the model number may be the dimension of the inside living space. While the overall length is measured from front of kingpin to the furthest point to the rear, (ladder). But I think different manufacturers have a different way of numbering their models. Our model is 32, but over all is nearly 34 feet.
RE: chattering vibrating brakes
Could you have overheated your trailer brakes going to Laker Tahoe? Maybe the drums got warped? As above, get them turned so they are trued up. Make sure they are adjusted properly.
I don't understand why backing off the controllers sensitivity dial would make a difference.
RE: Don' t you hate those annoying black streaks!!??
I've noticed a marked improvement when cleaning the roof I also clean the gutters.... a whole lot of garbage builds up in them and makes the blackstreaks return much quicker.
Exactly. It's not the roof, It's the gutters, that are the problem. Keep them clean and you'll be amazed.
RE: Question - Texas Retirement
I have a friend that moved from Bath, ME to San Antonio. About 3 years ago. They love it there. Use their motorhome extensively in the summer to travel away from the heat.
Home costs and living expenses are much less expensive than here in the North East. Home cost some 30% to 40% lower. They live in an over 55 community. They cannot say enough in favor of living there.
We are planning to check it out next winter.
RE: More expensive, why?
Why would you sell in a year?
Just a point of reference for an equal comparison. Use two, three, or five years. The point remains. The equivalent 5th wheel will net you less out of pocket cost than a TT. That is the real cost.
RE: Should We Skip TT and go 5'er?
Yes you should consider a 5'r. Look at both 5'rs and TT's. You will decide what works best for you. But I would advise you hold off on the truck, until you buy the trailer you decide upon. If you buy a fiver, tongue weight can add up very quickly, and may put you over CCC of a 250/2500. And depending on the 5'r you buy, you may have a better idea for the engine configuration and rear axel ratio.
If you buy a TT, you may decide you would rather have an SUV to pull it. Or a truck with a cap.
RE: New toy hauler - tying down a Gold Wing
Have trailered motorcycles for 40+ years. Here is what I do and it has never failed me.
Use a good quality front wheel capture chock. Place wheel in there. Lean bike over on side stand. Put soft strap on handle bars at first bend. Hook kickstand side (Left side) soft strap to good quality tie down which is located at least 24" off the left side and pulls the wheel into the chock. Make sure the floor hook on this tie-down is bolted securely thru the floor frame. So it won't pull out of the floor. Tug this left hand tie down strap fairly snug. Then from the right hand side, grab the end of the tie down strap and hook it loosely into the right side soft strap. Then pull the right side handlebar down, and at the same time tighten the right side tie down strap until the bike stands up straight. Or if you use ratchet straps, ratchet the right side until bike is straight. At this point the front suspension should be 2/3 to 3/4 compressed. Then, put the side stand in the up position. Just so you don't trip over it when walking by it. You do want the front forks compressed pretty hard into the front chock. You do want the bike to have suspension operational. It will ride smoother. Don't ever use the center stand to support the bike. It will cause the bike to bounce, as it is rigid, and not suspended.
For the rear, I don't recommend compressing the rear suspension when tying the rear. Just tie it in such a way, it will not bounce to far left or right. In my motorcycle trailer, I have a removable channel mounted to the floor, to hold the rear wheel. I don't put any straps on it. But a toy hauler you could get more bounce, so I would tie the rear so it doesn't go too far either way. But compressing the rear suspension is of absolutely no benefit. And it is a real and unecessary hassle.
RE: Boy Was I Lucky
Last fall I bought a used 2001 Coachman Class C. DW and I went on our first first trip touring Alaska a few weeks ago. The second time I dumped the tanks everything went O.K. until I pulled the dump hose out of the recepticle. The hose split wide open!! Didn't spill a drop!!
How can you consider yourself lucky? Now you do not have a spare hose. If you were really lucky, your tanks would have dumped themselves directly into the sewer, without spilling a drop. And you wouldn't have needed to do anything, or never even need a hose. Now that would be lucky.
I fell off a 20 foot ladder and broke my ankle, when cutting branches off a tree. Everybody was telling me how lucky I was. My response is, "Yeah, well if I was really lucky, the limb would have fallen down by itself. While I was sitting in my recliner drinking a beer."
RE: More expensive, why?
I don't think a 5th wheel is any more expensive than a TT. Maybe the purchase price is higher. But so is resale price. So you pay $30K for a 5'r and sell it in 1 year, you can get about $24K. And pay $27K for an equivalent TT and sell it in a year, you get maybe $20K. 5'r costs $6000, and TT costs you $7,000. So I think the fiver costs you less in your REAL cost. And I bet the 5'r sells quicker.
RE: Question for RV'ers
When we had a Pop-Up, years ago, I spent alot of time outside too. Better than to be cooped up in that little thing with 2 screaming kids, a real large, smelly, and stupid Irish Setter, and a wife that was always complaining about no refer, no shower, no heater, no tv, lousy bed, with sleeping bags, living out of suit cases, using the porta-potti, no privacy, cooking outside with dirt and bugs all over the place, and always needing to move clothes and stuff around inside. So I was always outside. Couldn't stand to be inside with all that "noise" going on in there.
The choice was quit camping or get a new wife. After careful consideration, I decided camper would go.
Now we have a 5th wheel. Shower, stove, porcelan toilet, microwave, furnace, air conditioning, central vacuum, water heater, real closets, two HD tv's. Kids are grown and gone, and the dog died. And now you can get pizza delivered, or nuke restaurant left overs. She did go outside once and stepped in someone's dog doo, got a mosquito bite, and there were tons of screaming kids out there too. And that was when we parked at the Walmart parking lot. So there is really no good reason to ever go outside.
RE: Stolen Montana
Sorry for your loss. Maybe it will show up somewhere. You never know.
Laredo seems to be a good trailer in it's price range. Not up to the Montana standards, but seems to have many happy owners.
Good Luck.
RE: Lifting Pullrite Superglide out of truck
I also tried leaving it on the trailer. Better but the trailer side dips on the way up and causes it to bind. You're right. When you pick it up with the king pin the balance of the hitch is heavier in the back. I have a small link chain and two "S" hooks hooked from back of hitich to back of kingpin. This keeps the hitch level and prevents binding as it is lifted.
And it sets down level on my table, when I lower the trailer elevators.
I like the king pin method because it is a lot simpler than having to attach multiple slings or chains for using a hoist. Not to mention I don't need to buy or store a cherry picker, or a hoist.
RE: Parking ordinance violation
Happened to me once. Neighbor complained to HOA. Got a letter from the HOA lawyer. Had my boat in the driveway for the weekend for spring clean up. Others had boats and trailers parked pretty much permanently on their driveways. I easily figured out the source of the complaint. But was angered that nobody ever came to me, personally to discuss the concern.
Here is what I did. Looked at the convenents to check the rules. And I determined I was in the wrong. Didn't complain. I moved my boat to storage.
Then immediately went and installed straight pipes on my Harley. Every morning for two weeks at 6:00AM the neighbor got a ten minute wake up call, before I drove to work. Then every Saturday and Sunday at various early times. Oh yeah, they called the cops. But this neighbor was well known as a chronic complainer by our police dept, so they enjoyed my solution. A cop friend gave me the inside story. The police never came to see me.
Did not solve my parking problem, but it made me feel much better.
Eventually the neighbor asked me to stop, in a slightly friendly sort of way. I explained that when they had an issue with my boat parking, they should have come to me to discuss, rather than single me out and to send me a threat from the lawyer. And since they now see the benefit of talking to me directly, I would try to be more attentive to the noise issue with my motorcycle. Never had another problem with this neighbor. Even when I again parked my boat in the driveway for the weekend for spring clean up. But I did post a sign saying boat is parked for temporary week-end clean up.
RE: Lifting Pullrite Superglide out of truck
I lift it out using the pin box of the trailer. Then lower it down to set it on a home made table that is same height as the bed in my truck. So when re-insalling, I can just slide it into place in the truck bed.
Table has lockable wheels, so I can roll it into my garage.
RE: Highest winds a Fiver can take?
Depends on which way the wind comes from. Trailer can take more wind if it hits it on either end. But from the side much less. The higher profile of a 5'r may topple it sooner than a TT. A lot depends on the weight and square footage of the side wall of the trailer
If I'm driving down the road and encounter high side winds, I look for a place to pull over where I can point into the wind.
RE: Superglide Quick Connect Plate Install
When you are hitched the single bolt is not even needed. The load of the king pin box on the plate, and the jaws clamped hold it in place. The plate cannot come off, if the jaws are clamped on the pin. It's the rear key that causes the hitch plate to rotate and engage the sliding motion.
But when you unhitch, the bolt is needed to hold the unsupported plate on the pin box. And if you ever need to have your trailer towed by a standard hitch, all you need to do is loosen the single bolt to drop the capture plate off. Then you have a normal pin box.
RE: How much stuff did you get?
Bought "previously loved" one year old 5'r from a dealer. We were close to agreeing on a good price. They threw in a new awning, and Honda EU2000 to sweeten the deal. It worked.
