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RE: Water pump issue while de-winterizing. Input needed.
Well, I filled the water heater and ran all of the faucets to remove any trapped air, but the water pump is still forcing water back out through the city water inlet. It sure seems as though the one-way check valve has gone faulty. I've depressed the buttom multiple times, checked to ensure that the valves are in the correct position, and filled the water heater. All I'm getting is a pulsating water pump and water spurting back out through the city water inlet.
I can't imagine that replacing the one-way check valve is too involved. I just need to figure out how to do it.
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bobbyg123
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05/23/12 09:53pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Water pump issue while de-winterizing. Input needed.
So what do I have to do to replace the check valve? Is it as simple as pulling out the plastic white piece and installing a new one, or do I need to remove the entire inlet?
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bobbyg123
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05/19/12 09:25pm |
Travel Trailers
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Water pump issue while de-winterizing. Input needed.
I spent 7 hours on the trailer today getting her cleaned up and dewinterized and ran into a strange issue with the water pump.
I first connected the trailer to city water to flush out the RV antifreeze in the lines. I then filled the fresh water tank, disconnected the city water source, and turned on the water pump. The pump started cycling as though I was running the water; however none of the faucets were turned on. My first thought was, great, I have a leak somewhere. I inspected all of the faucets, the toilet, the outside shower and every inch of the plumbing and couldn't find the cause. I then discovered that for whatever reason the water pump was forcing water out of the city water inlet. When I depress the small white button in the city water inlet, the water shoots out of it. When the button in the city water isn't depressed, the water pump pulsates as though there is a leak and it's as though it wants to flow the water back out through the city water inlet.
I hope I'm making myself clear here. I have no idea what's going on; but perhaps I have some of the winterization bypass valves closed that need to be open? I still haven't filled the water heater and flipped the bypass valves, as I'm in the process of letting the bleach/water mixture sit in the lines overnight.
I'll flush everything again, flip the bypass valves, and fill the hot water tank tomorrow and see if that solves my issue. This is my 4th season with the trailer and I've always (successfully) handled the winterization myself. I have no idea why the water pump is trying to blast water back through the city water inlet. The water pump is doing it's job when I turn on the individual faucets, but when I turn everything off, it's surging on/off and pushing water back out through the city water inlet.
Thoughts?
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bobbyg123
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05/19/12 08:27pm |
Travel Trailers
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should i get an 18" or 24" electric tongue jack?
It's been a year since my Ultra Fab tongue jack died and I'm tired of hand cranking. I'm looking to purchase a Barker 3500, but not sure whether to get the 18" or 24" stroke.
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bobbyg123
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05/17/12 09:38pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: JAYCO TOTAL DISMANTLE
Last season, Jayco authorized a complete floor replacement due to a leaky storage hatch. Jayco shipped the floor to Seattle and covered all of the costs which included the installation of the new floor, new linoleum (which we were allowed to pick out), a new cargo storage hatch, and they authorized the repair shop to remove and recaulk every roof, window, and corner seam on the trailer.
On the one hand, they should have built a better product, on the other hand, they stepped up where it mattered most and we now have a trouble free trailer.
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bobbyg123
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04/23/12 06:25pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Has anyone decided NOT to upgrade?
Great replies everyone. There's no question that for us, upgrading our trailer falls under the want to have, not the NEED to have category. As I mentioned previously, we already have a 34' (when expanded) trailer with bunk sleeping for 4. It doesn't leak and everything works.
We absolutely want to get a boat eventually, and as someone else pointed out, they aren't easy on the wallet. It won't be a big boat; probably a bowrider in the 18-22' category. Still, they aren't giving them away (even used), and the price of gas makes every boat trip a $100-$200 day on the water when fuel, food, etc. are taken into consideration.
The other big unknown with our family has to do with how we'll use our "toys" as the kids grow older. At only 6 years old, they're not overly involved with activities. That's going to change over the next few years. How much will we really be able to camp when they're 8, 9, 10? Getting the family out on the water for a day is less involved (where we live, anyway) than planning a 3-day camping trip.
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bobbyg123
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04/23/12 08:41am |
Travel Trailers
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Has anyone decided NOT to upgrade?
I'm just wondering if any of you have been here before. We're a family of 4 with 6-year old twin boys. We purchased our first travel trailer 3 seasons ago, and apart from some moderate issues that have all been addressed by Jayco, the rig has served us well. Our quad bunk configuration isn't all that convenient for our boys, as there isn't a slide in the bunkhouse, and my wife and I have to deal with a slide out, rear queen bed. As a result, we've been thinking about upgrading to something with a few more creature comforts.
On the other hand, there's something to be said for a unit that only weighs 6500lbs fully loaded and extends to 34'. All of the appliances work, and Jayco flipped the bill last season for a brand new floor and paid to have all of our roof, sidewall, and window seams re-caulked as a result of a leaky cargo storage hatch. In many ways, the unit really is "better than new." All of the issues have been worked out, and we've got her just about paid off.
So the question I've been toying with is, do we upgrade the trailer in a year or so and get something with bells and whistles, or do we live with what we have and put the money into something else; possibly a family boat. We live in the Seattle area, and there are TONS of lakes to pull high energy boys around on, not to mention world class fishing.
Decisions, decisions, decisions.
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bobbyg123
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04/22/12 11:26pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Question about roof walking......
We try to avoid getting on the roof if at all possible. I only weigh 160lbs, and my wife just 125lbs, and when we do go up there we're very cautious. I've removed the AC cover to inspect things, and I can't do that from the ladder. I can inspect the seams from the ladder, and I can also clean the roof from the ladder. Make absolutely certain that your soles of your shoes are completely clean. Pebbles will tear the roofing material.
As I get older and my time becomes more limited due to our childrens schedules, I'm having our RV repair shop handle some of the things that I can easily do myself. We just had them completely reseal the entire trailer (roof seams, windows, doors, cargo latches, etc.). They charged me a few hundred bucks, but they also completely removed the old caulking and did a fantastic job applying the new stuff. I know that some people can't afford or won't allow service shops near their rigs, but the guys we use are great. Given all the money that I throw around for this hobby, spending a few hundred bucks every few years on stuff like caulking, hubs, and other inspections is good peace of mind for me.
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bobbyg123
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04/07/12 09:31am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Bunk bed rails for young kids
For me, the simple solution was the best. I picked up a couple of smooth, very thin (maybe 1/4") pieces of luan at Home Depot, and I'll be darned if they didn't work perfectly. I simply slide them in place, and they almost make a friction seal when our children are up there sleeping. Sounds crazy easy, I know; but there is no beating our system. When they're awake, the boards fit right under the mattress. When it's time for bed, I slide the boards between the mattress and the frame and the kids are secure. I've gone up on the top bunk and tried to roll through them, and I can't.
This will obviously only work if you've got enough frame depth to sink them in. In our case, the boards slide down a good 4" and there's virtually no play in them at all.
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bobbyg123
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04/06/12 12:04am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: anyone use a bumper mounted bike hitch?
You're not bearing bad news. I'm looking for a solid solution, and have no problem having something welded to my trailer. Not sure how to go about doing that, as I don't weld; but I would imagine it would be a pretty straight forward job for a professional welder. Finding one will be the hard part.
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bobbyg123
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04/04/12 01:05pm |
Travel Trailers
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anyone use a bumper mounted bike hitch?
I've read some horror stories on bumper mounted trailer hitches, but there are also a lot of happy users out there as well. I'll check with Jayco first and see what they suggest, but there has to be a product out there that will work for my trailer. I would use this exclusively for Bikes. Obviously, I need to ensure that the mount is bolted to the frame and that it won't tear the bumper casing off. Here's one that gets decent reviews:
http://www.amazon.com/Curt-Manufacturing-19100-Travel-Trailer/dp/B0007M1ZGE
If you know of any others, please let me know.
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bobbyg123
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04/04/12 12:29pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: keystone cougar, good quality?
SO;
Expect a new trailer to break down
Expect to spend time waiting for it to be repaired
Expect to have all problems solved prior to Warranty Expiraion
I must assume that a new trailer is a work in progress, raher than a finished product?
There is something wrong with the industry and the customes who find this acceptable
'
sdm
I don't disagree with you, but it's not as if there are a lot of choices out there for customers who want low/mid level travel trailers at a price point between $18K-25K. Yea, there are a few who build better units, but not many; and you might not have an available dealer near you.
Sadly, yes. A new trailer is a work in progress. They're frequently delivered with a scattering of QC issues. Holding tanks not wired properly, inadequate (or forgotten) caulking, loose plumbing fixtures, bad tires, etc. When will that improve? As soon as a couple of manufacturers start cranking out the Honda Civics or Toyota Corolla's of the travel trailer world. In other words, never. The margins are too small for trailer manufacturers to invest in that type of QC.
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bobbyg123
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04/02/12 12:34am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: keystone cougar, good quality?
You'll find some bad reviews of Keystone, but in my opinion that has to do with the number of units that they crank out each year across their numerous product lines. I would have no problem purchasing a Keystone product, and right now I'm strongly considering a Keystone Outback for our next trailer in a year or two. If I've learned anything over the past 3+ years of ownership it's that all new trailers will likely need some warranty work during the first year or so. Our Jayco had a lot of nagging issues early on, and had it not been for this website, I probably would have flipped out early on. We had a couple of windows that weren't sealed properly which caused some leaking, the plumbing fixures weren't tightened down, which caused a leak and shorted the outside stereo, and the pass through storage door wasn't properly installed causing a leak that ended in Jayco autorizing a full floor replacement.
Those items are enough to freak some people out, but believe it or not, our overall ownership experience has been good and these issues have taught me a lot moving forward. I'll do much more thorough inspection at our next after purchase PDI with the dealer, and I'm now fairly well versed in inspecting and maintaining critical systems in the camper. I know where to look for leaks, how to maintain the water heater and plumbing, how to handle propane issues, change flat tires, have the hubs/brakes inspected, deal with the batteries, etc, etc, etc. The point I'm getting at is that I feel confident that I can navigate the first year of ownership of virtually any manufacturer. A good dealer and a solid warranty from your manufacturer should be enough to carry you through.
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bobbyg123
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04/01/12 01:29pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: How often do you service the hubs/brakes
We're weekenders and tow between 2K-5K miles every year. I've had the camper on an every other year hub/brake inspection schedule, and it seems to work out fine. If anything, it might be on the overkill side; but I can have a local tire shop perform the inspection and re-packing for only $200. I could easily do it myself, but I store my rig offsite and it's easier for me to just take it in on the weekend I de-winterwize and get her cleaned up for the season.
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bobbyg123
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04/01/12 11:12am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Feedback from Outback 312BH owners
bobbyg123 We have a 31bhs 2010 with no outside kitchen and love it, as far as lightweight I'm not so sure about a 150 and the weight police will probably chime in but that is why we bought a 2500 chev diesel so no worries about pulling and possibly upgrading to a 5ver in the future.
Thanks for the feedback. I'm not worried about the weight police. The F150 I plan to get will have a payload over 2200lbs and a tow rating of 11,300lbs. I'll take my chances. :)
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bobbyg123
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03/28/12 06:17pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Cleaning a rubber roof
I would suggest (if possible) contacting the manufacturer of your roof and see what they recommend. I found out from Jayco that my roofing material (EPDM) was made by Alpha Systems, LLC, and of course they have their own website with a section on product care & warranty. In my case, they suggest using a non-abrasive household cleaner like spic-n-span or top job and a medium bristled scrub brush. This has worked out fine for me over the years, and with our mild climate here in the Pacific NW, I've only needed to used the cleaner on my roof once a year (Spring). Towards the end of summer, I use the brush with water only to touch it up and clean out the gutters.
http://www.alphasystemsinc.com/Home
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bobbyg123
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03/28/12 11:32am |
Travel Trailers
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Feedback from Outback 312BH owners
I'm looking for feedback from Outback 312BH owners. I've been looking at similar floorplans from Forest River and Crossroads; however dealer availability in my area is scarce. The Outback 312BH looks to be perfectly suited for what we'll be looking for in our next trailer. Good tank sizes (43F/60G/30B), lightweight 9000lbs GVWR, outside kitchen, nice fiberglass front cap, and the perfect (for us) bunk area for our kids. I'm looking to upgrade my truck next Spring to an F150 Ecoboost with the HD Payload package, and this camper would fit nicely with that truck.
As usual, prices for this unit are all over the place; however I think I can probably talk a dealer down to the $25K range with some effective bargaining. There are multiple dealers in my area that carry the Outback line, as well as a local Camping World. Let me know how you like your Outback.
http://www.keystone-outback.com/index.php?page=floorplans&coast=&model=312BH
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bobbyg123
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03/28/12 11:02am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: La crosse trailers
Try this forum. It's dedicated to LaCrosse Owners. For what it's worth, I think they're one of the best trailers on the market.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/f210/
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bobbyg123
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03/26/12 06:15pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: New Lacrosse already has issues HELP
I know you're frustrated right now, but this (to me) doesn't sound like a major problem. It's frustrating no doubt, but it should be a simple warranty fix and in the grand scheme of things, won't impact you in the long haul.
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bobbyg123
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03/25/12 12:18pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: BOUGHT A ROCKWOOD 8312SS!!
Congrats. I wish I could find a Rockwood/Flagstaff dealer somewhat local to Seattle.
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bobbyg123
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03/24/12 07:01pm |
Travel Trailers
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