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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Tires again
I considered Sailuns, but they were overkill for my GVWR so I went with Endurance. Very well made tire - heavy. Didn't loose any psi over our summer travels.
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2012Coleman
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10/08/21 05:45am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Mildew
I live in Florida. When I go inside my camper after it's been shut up a while in the summer, it's hot, but it isn't humid. I have never got the advice to leave a vent open. I wouldn't do that.
Since it's under a carport, it is in the shade. Mold/mildew grows in dark humid conditions. So run the dehumidifier and drain into the sink. Open all interior doors and maybe use damprid in the bathroom.
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2012Coleman
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10/05/21 11:35am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Do I Want to Break Down Solids?
So thinking about "pancake batter" - the more water I put in it, the thinner it gets so the only answer is to use lots of water. That plus gravity will empty the contents of your black tank regardless of solids being broken down or not. After emptying, use the built in tank sprayer or one of those wands. The only time I put anything in my tanks is while in storage. As for the tank sensors, well those are never right and I never give them much attention.
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2012Coleman
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10/05/21 11:29am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Renting your RV
If your interested in renting your RV, check out RVShare.com. You don't hand it over to some company. You can even opt to take it to the CG and set it up, and take it down and home afterwards. The people next to us at Stone Mountain this year rented. They left and the owner came and cleaned it while still hooked up. And all the warnings stated here are covered.
Not everyone who rents is sub-human like people here seem to think. At the end of the day, its your RV and you get to decide how to use it. Just tell your renters to shut the porch light off at night... :W
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2012Coleman
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10/05/21 11:16am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Forest River Wildcat OR Grand Design Reflection...???
I think it is a smart move to buy used at this point in time. I'm betting the Nash is setting a pretty high bar for you.
I have a 2018 303RLS and wasn't familiar with the Wildcat's floor plan, so I looked at them online. I have to agree with the other posters - it's about what floor plan suits you. My personal reason for selecting the 303 was that it has lots of window area - on the curb side - including a huge back window, and that the TV is directly across from the recliners. I see that the Wildcat puts the TV in front of the back window - maybe it descends into the cabinet below? But the recliners are at a right angle to it.
As far as cold weather camping - who knows? Not sure about the Nash, but when RV's are advertised for "Artic" conditions, I have to laugh. They are not insulating with closed cell spray foam - and the walls are thin. So it is a tossup.
Quality? Who knows, but any quality issues on used units this old should have been exposed and corrected - although I agree that the GD was built when that company was newer and you may be surprised. And as seasoned RV'ers, you likely already know how to determine condition - check for leaks, check the roof and tires, etc.
I'm curious as to the condition of the recliners in the GD 303rls - has the fake leather started flaking off?
So in the end, go with the floor plan you like best and then pick it apart with a fine tooth comb. Good luck.
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2012Coleman
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09/29/21 06:00am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: What's you remaining payload weights as configured?
I have a 2018 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS. 33ft long, GVWR is 12k. Opposing slides in the rear living area - tons of storage. I started out pulling it with a 2017 Ram 2500 with the 6.4 hemi. It did a very good job, had plenty of payload in Bighorn trim. Coils in the rear - no squatting when hooked up.
Payload varies by vehicle - you might get estimated numbers, but best to look at the load sticker in the actual vehicles driver door jamb.
So if you want the gas engine, I don't see any issues going with a 2500. But shop the 3500's at the same time - you may be surprised. Since you want the short bed, you need to be concerned with the possibility of the camper contacting the cab. So think about the Anderson hitch or a slider. Be aware that the auto sliders can't hook up at an angle.
And if you don't want 4x4, you might have to order. Good luck
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2012Coleman
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09/28/21 12:44pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Fridge project for the fall
Absorption refrigeration was in use before electricity was widespread for fans. If the area is shaped right, so the normal lift of the warmer air can keep it flowing there is not much need for fans. I have a computer fan on mine. I have thought of putting a thermo-activated switch on it, but about the only time I turn it on is if it will be over 100, and I will be away from camper, can't watch the temp. At about 85 outside, if the fan is on, my eggs freeze.Is your fridge vented through the roof?
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2012Coleman
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09/23/21 07:36am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Fridge project for the fall
My fridge is also in a slide out - fortunately, it is on the opposite side. The fans suck up air through the bottom vent and push out the top. Good advice on the baffles to channel the hot air. Mine has them along with 4 fans. There is a thermocouple that controls the temp of when the fans come on. I tried installing a 12v fan to suck up cooler air from the bottom, but then the fans didn't come on as much and shut off sooner. So I moved the fan to the upper vent and had it blow air out. I also reduced the size of the air cavity at the top using insulating foam blocks.
That helped some, but not enough. So I started using the blue ice blocks in the bottom of the fridge and set the circulating fan on the rack above them. This keeps the fridge at acceptable temps - in the Florida summer. I don't need the ice blocks in fall/winter.
Not sure what you can do about your setup as your chief complaint is that the fans make noise and the fridge is curbside.
I'm looking into upgrading to a residential fridge - that would solve your fan noise issue.
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2012Coleman
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09/22/21 06:21am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: “Pathetic quality”: RV dealers are fed up...
But until the public starts holding the manufacturers accountable, they will continue to sell [email protected]
LOL - this statement has been repeatedly posted since I joined this forum in 2012. And now we are supposed to be mad at the dealers who should be holding manufacturers liable for quality by refusing to sell their products?
First, you quote me yet actually change the quote to remove my screenname? A bit tacky.
Second, I never said to get mad at the dealers. I said that until the manufacturers are held accountable for putting out a [email protected] product, nothing will change.
First - I didn't quote you directly since you are not the only one who ever said that.
Second, I did not say that you specifically said we had to be mad at dealers - exactly why I didn't quote you. Someone else made that observation. If you'd like, I'll gladly update it.
I'm sorry that my attempt at trying to not belittle you came off as tacky.
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2012Coleman
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09/13/21 01:26pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: “Pathetic quality”: RV dealers are fed up...
But until the public starts holding the manufacturers accountable, they will continue to sell [email protected]
LOL - this statement has been repeatedly posted since I joined this forum in 2012. And now we are supposed to be mad at the dealers who should be holding manufacturers liable for quality by refusing to sell their products?
“They just don’t have the expertise to complete a motorhome in Northern Indiana anymore. Their labor force has no eye for quality and they have no way of teaching it. The industry is ripe for someone else to step in and start producing quality products, but it will likely have to be someplace other than Indiana. Right now, if the workers there get upset by something, they just walk off because it’s easy to get a job in Elkhart right now.”
Here it is in a nutshell - everyone from the manufacturer on down is trying to make as much profit while expending the least. They sit around in board rooms and grouse about their labor force - but really they only care about what they can get out of them - "their labor force has no eye for quality and they have no way of teaching it." Bam! that hits the nail on the head.
But here is what the author gets wrong - "but it will likely have to be someplace other than Indiana" and "they have no way of teaching it." This are pretty stupid statements - because obviously they are putting this on their perception of the people there as being worthless. It's obviously the perception of not only the author, but the manufacturers - and this is their gravest mistake. And it's mostly because of ignorance.
I resembled a person in this same kind of work force in 1989 when Mazda started building the 626 sedan in Flat Rock Michigan - I was hired to work there. I was part of a team that was trained by 2 right off the boat Japanese guys who earned our respect within the first few months. We were given goals and were rewarded for reaching them. We were asked for suggestions which were implemented if they contributed or were something the trainers didn't know or realize would be of benefit. When we made mistakes, we did more training. I was promoted up and was soon working at their warehouse in Olive Branch Mississippi where the people hired were literally poor dirt farmers. Utilizing the skills we were taught, these people went from crashing wire guided part picking machines to a very effective work force - firing someone was a process - you had to have really screwed up - hardly anyone got fired. What is that you ask? The Japanese introduced a term/concept/approach called Kaizen which includes 5 elements: teamwork, personal discipline, improved morale, quality circles and suggestions for improvement.
I'll bet if you crashed a forklift in Indiana, you'd be escorted out of the door. Not here - know how hard it is to crash a wire guided picker? Pretty hard.
I guarantee you this - if you are in charge of a workforce and implement this - you will see results -but you yourself have to have the motivation to figure out how.
So there it is - the RV manufacturers don't have the expertise to train their workers, and they don't care to learn how. Imagine your job if you felt like you could easily be replaced, or there were no incentives, a way to get promoted, etc.? Put yourself into the shoes of the typical RV plant laborer. You are getting paid for piece work, and you are told to just get the job done. You see an area where improvement can be made - because maybe you have experience, or are just smart, but no one whats to hear it - just do your job. You know you could do that assembly better, but it would take another 15 minutes, and you need this material or that tool to do it better - but are chastised and told to just do it how you are told to do it. Then it degrades to oh **** - I just stabled through that water pipe - oh well.... Ever work in a place like that? Ever do assembly line work? Huh - no? So don't sit in judgement of these people. Money isn't a true motivator, nor can it guarantee the results needed. I've seen this on a massive scale - I've been a part of implementing it - I even thought it was a big joke at the beginning. You tell me where you could go set up manufacturing anything and get people who don't need to be trained, don't need incentives for good work, feel valued, want to contribute - you can't.
Remember Bob Seger's song - Feel Like a Number?
I take my card and I stand in line
To make a buck I work overtime
Dear sir letters keep comin' in the mail
I work my back till it's racked with pain
The boss can't even recall my name
I show up late and I'm docked, it never fails
I feel like just another, spoke in a great big wheel
Like a tiny blade of grass in a great big field
Then the guy on here from Australia (Robert Ryan) post pics of really nice RV's and gets poo-pooed about how they are too fancy and would never sell here - ya right while the guy down under is pulling his through some rock canyon and it's holding up better that the American built jeep towing it. That's what it will take - someone to open a manufacturer that can train a workforce to become highly skilled at building RV's. Oh - they will say, you'll never be able to afford one... I was still working at that plant when Ford bought a majority share in Mazda and bought a new Ford Probe - looking back at pictures of it I now gag - but it was considered a cool car at the time. Ford adopted the Kaizen philosophy and has been very successful - think no bailout.
People here want to go camping - the Covid pandemic has dumped in a lot more people into outdoor recreation as a means to vacation away from crowds. People complaining in forums and magazine articles aren't going to get manufacturers to change. There is a demand for RV's and people are simply buying what is available - too bad, that at the price point most people can afford, it's mostly sub par and it's too late after you went down the rabbit hole and made a purchase - and most of these people don't have the skills to do their own repairs. People coming on here and asking what brands are quality get answered - none - they are all junk. What do you think they are doing - no longer considering purchasing because a few people on a forum told them everything was junk? You may as well try to form a boycott of some gas company.
I'm betting that there were no dealers for Oliver and Casita on that call. What it will take is for someone to show the folks in Indiana how to produce a decent mass produced RV/travel trailer which starts with having a trained and motivated work force.
"The industry is ripe for someone else to step in and start producing quality products."
It doesn't even have to be a company building them from scratch - it could be someone rehabbing one or two models of the current junk products out there now. But the issue is the work force. There are people in Indiana who want to do these jobs - it's up to the manufactures to learn how to effectively harness that desire into making a better product.
This whole issue should be presenting opportunities to entrepreneurs who could swoop in and build businesses to repair the junk currently being produced - where are they? Can't train competent workforce's either? People should be opening up new camping spots to take advantage of the glut - I see FB groups where people complain more about not having a place to go.
Time will tell - it may get better - but it will take one giant slap in the manufacturers face to make anything happen.
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2012Coleman
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09/13/21 08:34am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Vax Passports
I'm perfectly fine with presenting proof of vaccination when entering Canada. There is a great restaurant in Windsor that I have always loved and still visit when staying in the Downriver area of Michigan.
I certainly don't want to get full blown Covid just like I don't want to get Shingles, Polio, Tetanus, or a myriad of other preventable diseases I've been vaccinated for. I feel lucky to live in such a time that we can act quickly against something as deadly as Covid can be.
And it is true that vaccinated people can still shed the virus - so that is why I wear a mask in public - masks are for everyone else's protection as well as my own. But even if I do catch it, I'm way less fearful that it could lead to my death.
Advances in medicine should be celebrated - not feared.
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2012Coleman
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09/10/21 07:17am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Drop Down Hitch
If I were you, I'd check the manual of your "SUV" to make sure you are able to use a WDH with it. Vehicles with a unibody instead of a body-on-frame should never use a WDH hitch. They can't handle the torque and could break apart under the stresses. Only bringing it up since you don't say what you are towing with.
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2012Coleman
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09/09/21 06:26am |
Towing
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RE: Does the Color of an HD Pickup Make a Difference?
My 2017 Ram 2500 was a white Bighorn. Took it to the dealership and had them paint the silver two-tone option. Looked pretty sweet.
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2012Coleman
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09/02/21 05:55am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: New 5er coming
You and your wife are going to thoroughly enjoy towing a fifth wheel - coming from a travel trailer - trust me - I do. No more bow wave from passing semi trucks.
So once you have inspected the unit, maybe look into hiring a company to tow it to a location closer to you - or plan on breaking the trip back home into a stop or two.
Either way - good luck with it.
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2012Coleman
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09/01/21 06:32am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: New to RVs.....A Few Newbie Questions
I can make a great suggestion on the fifth wheel for a couple - Grand Design 337RLS. Opposing slides in the rear make a very large living area. The bed/bath is very spacious as well with a walk in closet at the front and washer dryer hookups. You can tow it with a SRW 1 ton truck. You can get into the fridge when the slides are closed if that's important to you - can also access the front bedroom.
I'd also suggest the long bed and the B&W Companion. I have the short bed with the B&W manual slider. If possible, go with a diesel engine - better MPG and a WAY better towing experience - especially if full timing.
Arctic insulation is a myth. There is only so much insulation you can get into a thin RV wall. The electric fireplace helps a lot but if you try living in it in extreme cold, you will be miserable - but then you can always move. Good luck
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2012Coleman
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09/01/21 06:10am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Tips on asking friends for mootchdocking?
I have some good friends - good being defined as they would be comfortable asking me, and I would be comfortable giving them an honest answer like no or yes, but only for X number of days.
If your relationship with them is not at that level, then don't bother asking.
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2012Coleman
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08/24/21 05:44am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Big black bugs crawling across road
If they were Mormon crickets, they would most likely have been in caterpillar drawn carriages - these were most likely gypsy crickets.
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2012Coleman
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08/20/21 05:37am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: 2016-2021 with Island Kitchen floor plans
This one you can access the fridge.
https://www.couchsrvnation.com/forest-river/fifth-wheel/cedar-creek/311rl156
Thank you for letting me know. The floor plan of your unit is one that I really like. This floor plan is also offered in the Grand Design manufactures. I will keep in mind what you have said.Then you should take a look at Grand Design 337RLS. Same rear footprint as the 303 RLS, but the front bed/bath are larger - east/west bed and walk in closet with WD hookups.
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2012Coleman
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08/20/21 05:25am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: New TT Tires
What size/make o tires are on it now? Also, you can go to Discount Tire's website and use their "Found it Cheaper" option - I sent them the link to GY Endurance tires on Tire Rack, and they met the price.
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2012Coleman
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08/19/21 07:44am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Just Curious
I recently saw a small TT that had an Onan generator powered by propane installed forward on the AFrame - it was used to power the small AC unit. So yes - they do exist.
Was that factory or aftermarket? Also if your wanting to tow with an SUV putting that much weight up front seems like a bad idea since basically 100% will go to tongue weight.It was factory - the generator and propane tank were not huge. If I come across it again, I'll post the info
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2012Coleman
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08/19/21 07:40am |
Travel Trailers
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