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Forum
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RE: Awning arm does not release.
When you pull the awning out, pull it all the way, and the roller will be so low you have to do the Jamaican Limbo to get under it. Then raise the rafters all the way up to the top until they latch in place, then pull hard on the arm up near the roller to tighten the fabric, and while holding it, tighten the screw knob in the middle of the rafter. After doing both of them, lastly extend the arms out as high as you want it, making them a bit uneven to drain dew or rainwater.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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04/06/23 09:14pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Awning arm does not release.
Start by opening clips on arms, then loosening knobs on arms, then release the roller with your rod, then pull lanyard out a few inches so roller unwinds slightly which will release tension, then give a good yank up on the lever on the bottom of each arm and the arm will come out of the designed notch at the top, and awning is now ready to pull rest of the way out……when putting awning away, let the last few inches go, so the arms slam hard and drop into the notch at the top, then you know the arms are locked in place.
Many awnings come open on the road because people don’t know those arms have a locking notch at the top and think it is just the roller tension holding it from deploying….Once you get your routine you will find it quite simple to do.
I was reading this and thinking, hey, thats exactly how I have to do the A&E 8500 on my 2008 Bigfoot 21RB" and then I looked and sure enough you have a Bigfoot also. Not All A&E8500's lock at the top like mine and yours, I had a Thor with a straight armed A&E8500 and it didn't do that.
Even with the notch mine locks into on top, I installed a RVAwning lock, which took fabrication of a couple of special pieces. I guess I am kinda a belt and suspenders guy. My mods are all posted on the BOCI site.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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04/06/23 09:08pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Rewiring water heater
The OP clearly has a Suburban water heater (as Atwood has never used a outside switch). Cheaper RV's do not install an inside switch, more expensive ones install a regular household type "snap switch" to control the 120v AC to the water heater, other mfgs buy the Suburban models that have the 12v DC controlled relay installed in them and operate both gas and elect off the dual switch control panel inside using 12v to control the WH (which is the way Atwood has done this for YEARS)
So yes, the easiest mod is to install a household type snap switch (pilot lighted is a good idea) in a electrical box and wall plate, and run the WH romex to it and from the switch to the WH. It will work fine that way.
If you think you want to install a new water heater in the future buy the Suburban model SW6DEL, the D means direct spark ignition of the gas, the E means it has an electric element, and (most important of all) the L means it has a built in relay so it can be controlled from a 12v dual switch panel inside with 16 gauge 12v wires and the romex that is run directly to the water heater.
6DEL and 10DEL switch panel, Suburban 233111 (and in white 232882 White, DEL On/Off Switch)
DO NOT use this panel with 120v AC power!!!
https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-u2qvrsnw19/images/stencil/608x608/products/5377/20363/233111__88171.1655487336.jpg?c=2
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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03/13/23 10:08am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: Stuck in yard, ruts. Install driveway? Ideas please.
Crush and run is the worst possible choice. It is a bunch of fine stuff mixed with some 3-4 railroad rock. The Crush will disappear into the ground and do nothing and the large rock will be annoying and not enough.
If it is real soft ground, get a load of rail road rock, 3-4 stone, dumped and have someone with a steer/skid spread it and work it into the ground as a base. Then have a load of 5-7 stone delivered and spread that on top, and it will stay there and not disappear.
An alternative to that is to find some Marston matting, aka PSP or Perforated Steel Planking, and make a pad from that. Each strip is 13 inches wide by 10 ft long and weighs 66 lbs.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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02/26/23 07:22pm |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: Propane hose pigtail replacement
Marshall Excelsior is made in the US. Everything.
Here is their camp and RV catalog. https://www.marshallexcelsior.com/sites/default/files/2021%20MEC%20RV%20Catalog.pdf
Very useful catalog with lots of information. For pigtails, you need to decide how long, braided metal jacket or not, and 1/4 pipe thread or 1/4 reverse flare.
Get the part numbers and go searching on Amazon or elsewhere and see what you find.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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02/23/23 10:52pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Road Armor vs CRE3000
Not sure what size your camper is, but these pics are from a camper I restored last year. This camper is set up on tandem 3,500# axles. This 2004 camper has a 5,500# GTVWR. The wheel-to-wheel spacing is less than the standard 33" spacing; this one is at 32" nominal.
The camper originally had underslung axles making it a low rider. I gained more ride height and fender well clearance by doing an over/under axle tube conversion (AKA axle flip). It also allowed me to use the Road Armor............................
That is nice work!
My Bigfoot has 3500 lb straight axles that are quite close together also. I would like it raised somewhat, but not a crazy amount. I have wondered about using the drop axles under the springs vs my straight axles over the springs. From your pics, it looks like I might gain an inch or so. Glad to see your pics to see how the Road Armor fits.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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02/05/23 01:38pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: 1" to 3/8" thread adapter?
Docsource has the best idea, weld up something. 1"-14 is the axle thread on your trailer. Get a castellated axle nut, weld a 3/8 fender washer or two or a real thick washer you can find at the hardware store in the drawers of specialty hardware. Get a 3/8-24 self locking nut and put inside the big nut to secure the antenna.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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01/29/23 08:35pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: RV Gear Pro Shipping
If thats what you want, order it. Worry about the problems IF they arise. Most likely, it will be fine. If you are really concerned, Call Barker and ask them how its packaged and that you have concerns. See what they say.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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01/28/23 09:03pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Road Armor vs CRE3000
I have read a fair number of complaints about the MoRyde. Lippert has several different designs (sizes and shapes) and you need to pick the one that best simulates the existing rigid equalizer you have now.
I have not installed one due to the design of my equalizer vs what is on the market.
I have a Dexter equalizer that is identical to this one. It is unusual in its height and short distance between the front and back shackle bushings (six inches) The problem is, it is 4 inches high.
https://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/pics/t/r/treq310_aa.jpg
The closest fit is this Lippert Road Armor unit, but it is 3-1/2 inch so it would lower my trailer a quarter inch (half the amount it is shorter) and I already had to go with 2-1/4 long shackles to get the thick ones and longer bolts, as the only 2 inch ones were super thin, like I had originally. Cannot stand to have the trailer any lower.
https://www.etrailer.com/static/images/pics/l/c/lc696740_15_800.jpg
For me, this one is way too small.
https://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/pics/l/c/LC279687_4.jpg
For me, this is the proper 4 inch height but an inch and a half too much spread, possibly a problem.
https://www.etrailer.com/static/images/pics/l/c/lc145546_13_500.jpg
Nothing else comes close for me. HINT, Etrailer has these pics with dimensions added for most of their equalizers, some don't but they do give the two critical dimensions in those cases (mostly Dexter products are the ones lacking pics w/dims) You may need to scroll to the bottom of the page to see them for some products.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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01/28/23 08:57pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: What roof vent covers for Fantastic Fans
Fantastic Vent cover HANDS DOWN!!! No stupid screen to block air flow. Added mine in 2015 with RV in the Sun almost every day still look new.
https://i.imgur.com/SQ5PQh7l.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/rqoDeIIl.jpg
^^^^^^^^^^^
This! They work, flow more air than other hoods. I added some silicone rubber washers to the mounting pins so the small hitch pins were a tight fit, but that is all.
https://youtu.be/p1fhkbl_1yQ
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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01/17/23 10:12pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Can you name that sound (squeaking)?
Front suspension radius arm bushings will squeak, and do it till they get "warm" from the squeaking and then quit.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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11/24/22 08:40pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: DIY 50 amp to 20 amp pigtail
CharlesinGA,
Nice find!
No, the credit goes to toedtoes who posted it on page 1 of this discussion. He found it, I just reposted it with a pic. People are not willing to go to a link to see what is being recommended, I merely posted the pic.
Heh! Five pages of posts for a question that was answered on the first page... ;)
So there is more than one answer.
No, one GOOD answer and a bunch of bickering over wire sizes and and other details, that were made irrelevant after the first several posts.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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11/16/22 03:41pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: 2018 Sprinter has tendency to overfill on fill up
I always set the trigger lock on the first notch, lowest flow possible. I do not leave the nozzle alone, I stay with it. I avoid the large diesel nozzles like the plague, I use the auto diesel pumps with the smaller nozzle.
I had a Winnebago View on a 2006 T1N Sprinter chassis (the 5 cyl model) and yes, you had to watch it. I do the same with my '03 RAM 2500, fill it slow as possible and listen for it to come up in the filler neck, and use the auto fuel pumps.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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11/16/22 03:14pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: DIY 50 amp to 20 amp pigtail
Would this work for you? It has a built in circuit breaker for added protection:
50amp to 4x 15/20amp adapter
For the price, you cannot buy the stuff to make this and it is EXACTLY what the OP needs.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61V4-RBZj-L._AC_SL0800_.jpg
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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11/12/22 09:25pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Heavier Blue Ox load bars?
Read the Blue Ox instructions. It says, counting from the FREE END of the chain, put the ninth link in the slot in the chain tensioner. If necessary go to the 10th or 11th link. Thats it. If that is not enough, you need heavier bars.
Counting from the attached end of the chain tells me nothing, because that is not how Blue Ox counts the links. I marked my 9th link with a red marker, would have to go out to the trailer and see how many links are under that.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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11/12/22 09:16pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: On Demand Propane Hot Water Heater
TANK TYPE RV water heaters are known to provide stupid hot water, well over 130 degrees. Get a 10 or 12 gallon Dometic or Suburban water heater, you will be assured of having the hot water you need and they recover rather quickly too.
Continuous or instant water heaters are marginal at best. Everyone in any forum I have seen says they regretted ordering or installing a instant unit and some even switched back to a tank unit. It takes a lot of propane to make a fire big enough to heat water that hot with it flowing thru.
https://parts.unitedrv.com/collections/water-heater-landing-page/products/dometic-10-gallon-gas-electric-water-heater-wh-10gea-95001sp
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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11/06/22 09:29pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Nubs on stabilizer rod worn down. Can these be replaced?
The nut only has to be a "close fit", it most likely will not screw on due to different threads and might be better to find a nut that is slightly smaller diameter hole than the shaft and then drill the nut to fit tightly on the screw (slide over screw shaft) then weld in place.
Too large of a nut opening and it will be difficult to center the nut on the shaft for welding and you will end up with a wobbly out of center nut.
Once welded, get some grease or oil on the screw shaft, dry shaft is most likely why the nubs worn out.. Takes more effort to turn the screw without some lubrication and that extra effort wears out the nubs..
This is the best idea. Use a nut that is 3/4 hex and drill out the threads till it just slides over and weld it on the end. 3/4 is the size commonly used on stabilizers and you can buy hand cranks and drill adapter sockets in that size. Camco makes a couple of them.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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07/13/22 06:56pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Older Reese hitch
The best thing to do is take the shank from the Reese and use it in place of the shank on the EZ lift, provided it has more drop than the EZ lift shank.
The shank is the L shaped piece that plugs into the trucks receiver and has a row of holes in the vertical section of it. The hole spacing is standard between brands.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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06/19/22 12:34pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: E vs. D rated trailer tires
If you buy an Endurance ST, you will take the load range they offer in that size. GY only makes one load range in a given size, and it is the "upsize".
GY makes a total of 7 different part number Endurance ST tires, two sizes in 14 inch, two sizes in 15 inch and three sizes in 16 inch.
https://www.goodyearrvtires.com/tire-selector.aspx
ST205/75R14 D
ST215/75R14 D
ST205/75R15 D
ST225/75R15 E
ST235/80R16 E
ST235/85R16 E
ST255/85R16 E
If you want LT tires, there are no true LT tires made that I have been able to find, in 15 or 14 inch. 98% of the trailers out there use 13/14/15 inch, so LT is not an option. On some trailers its possible to go to a 16 inch rim and install an LT tire, Airstream does this as an option from the factory on some models.
Charles
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CharlesinGA
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06/18/22 06:55pm |
Tech Issues
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