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RE: Did you know Newmar pays their factory workers $30+/hr
I was taking this thread in three directions.
1.In the direction of the sales rep's narrative or story. Instead of impressing my with his knowledge of the technical aspects of the current product line he wanted to tell me abut wages.
2. I see a previous thread regarding piecemeal versus hr wages in the RV industry had a very strongly opinion perspective of the Newmar factory workers quality and apparent piecemeal work results. So my question regarding hourly wages was answered there.
3. While i don't begrudge anyone a decent wage and while I don't consider $15-16 per hour a decent wage I am to understand that Progress Rail employees in Muncie Indiana building locomotives (Welders, Machinists, Electricians) are only paid $15-26 per hour so I was simply asking a question. Could Newmar possible pay that much more and still make a profit?
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gitane59
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02/07/12 03:57pm |
General RVing Issues
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Did you know Newmar pays their factory workers $30+/hr
I was talking to a large Newmar dealer today about looking at a new Newmar fifthwheel and out of the sales person mouth comes this statement.
He went on to say that is why Newmar have a much higher standard oF quality than other builders (he specifically named Mobile Suites/DRV) that only pay about $15/hr
He knew I already owned a Newmar product so why he felt he needed to make such a ludicrous statement in beyond me.
I have toured the DRV factory and the Newmar factory and i don't see any significant difference in quality. I simply like the design and floorplans of the Newmar Kountry Aire product and I like the elegant understated decor and woodwork of the Newmar product
Is there anyone out there that knows or believes if there could possibly be a shred of truth to his statement?
Little did he know it actually turned me off to his dealership.
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gitane59
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02/06/12 06:15pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: ST vs LT tires
Give them a tire that will suit their expectations of long life at a low cost and you'll have a returning customer.
FastEagle
If RV.net forum members are being referenced in this comment it would seem like an incorrect conclusion as most forums members have clearly articulated that they are willing to spend good money for 5ver tires that cannot be described as "low cost".
Michelin, Dunlop, Goodyear G614 cannot be described as low cost monetarily.
If low cost is meant to refer to less money being spent repairing damage done to the trailer when a cheap inferior tire explodes then I'm definitely into lower cost
If low cost refers to less stress and worry while towing my unit then I'm guilty of also wanting a lower cost solution to give me confident reliable towing experiences.
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gitane59
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02/03/12 04:19am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Storable BBQ??
A lot of people on this forum, including us, are using this one. It cooks great and is small enough to be easily stored. Weber Q100
I have had one of these for almost 8 years now. Stays in my 5ver basement year round and is used all the time camping. Looks and works as good today as it did when i bought it.
One of those great purchase decisions in life.
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gitane59
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02/01/12 05:04am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: travelling 401 thru Windsor
The other trick is take the ferry between Sombra ON and Marine City MI very quick and pleasant ride across the river. The ferry can accommodate transport trucks and I have crossed with my fiver with zero issues.
What is the cost for using the ferry. We have noticed the signs but never considered using it. Sounds like a possible alternative.
Sombra Ferry Website
You will find all Information at their website. hours of operation and costs.
Good folks running the service.
Crossing the Bluewater Bridge with our truck and fiver is $10.50 if I remember and the ferry is $16.00 if I remember.
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gitane59
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01/29/12 08:01am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: travelling 401 thru Windsor
The other trick is take the ferry between Sombra ON and Marine City MI very quick and pleasant ride across the river. The ferry can accommodate transport trucks and I have crossed with my fiver with zero issues.
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gitane59
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01/23/12 07:47pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Finally new truck
I think if I traded for a Bosch CP4 equipped engine I'd be running a lubricity improver in every tank of fuel.
I am considering an upgrade to a F450 but that current Bosch CP4 HPFP scares the******out of me.
While that's a beautiful truck but, sorry to the OP but that fuel system scares me.
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gitane59
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01/22/12 06:38am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: cable inlet connection good for satellite dish inlet ?
Can I use the cable inlet connection on the exterior side of the trailer as an input from our satellite dish ?
I've tried, but it doesn't seem to work. Is it because there is a broken or bad connection in the internal trailer wiring or an electrical reason ? if the latter, I guess I'll have to make my own inlet ?
Thanks.
ice2fire you must have a direct connection to your sat receiver from the dish. Your satellite signal cannot go through the the Winegard amplifier even with power tuned off.
You must bypass the circuitry completely.
I just build a modified Winegard antenna amplifier bypass system for my trailer to allow both cable and satellite connection through the single outside cable connector.
Mod for using Satellite feed with Winegard RV Amplifier
While this does prevent watching both cable and sat feeds simultaneously it does eliminate the need for feeding a cable through a window. The chances of wanting to watch cable and sat together I decided was slim.
My modified system allows me to connect the sat receiver directly to the dish when I wish to use the sat source and using loop jumper to connect the amplifier back in quickly when I want to use a cable source. That is the top jumper on the front of the modified amplifier.
The bottom jumper allows me to feed the sat signal coming from the sat receiver RG6 output to my secondary (bedroom) TV since I use the HDMI sat receiver output to feed my primary TV
While this limits the bedroom TV to watch the same channel as the primary TV it's better than running all new cabling to support a second sat receiver.
I have attached a web album showing the rear view and the front view of the modified assembly which I mounted in a box over the original hole for the amplifier in the wall behind the TV.
Don't hesitate to ask questions if you want more info.
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gitane59
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01/15/12 08:07am |
Tech Issues
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RE: working on your RV at an RV park?
Last year we limped into a campground in Florida with a shattered leaf spring. Found a mobile boat trailer repair and builder to come to the park and replace all 4 springs in situ at the campground. Campground host was kind enough to allow work to be done right at the site.
Situation and type of work to be done can make a huge difference.
However I don't think this is a good situation where planning to ask for forgiveness is better than permission.
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gitane59
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01/03/12 06:02pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: working on your RV at an RV park?
I rebuilt my entertainment unit while at a park a couple years ago to accommodate a new TV and theater sound system. Used a small mitre box, couple of handsaws, a drill and driver. Cut, sanded all my wood outdoors, stained and varnished it outdoors to. Other than a few curious fellow campers I had no objections from management at all.
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gitane59
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01/03/12 02:59pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: A thought for 'I can't even tell the TT is back there' crowd
MY DW had to tow our Newmar from Lexington Kentucky home to Sarnia Ontario last year after my back went out putting me flat on my back for two days before I could even stand.
She was white knuckled for about 30mins until she realized the trailer was not going anywhere except where she wanted it too and she really did any excellent job even passing and merging fine.
She was confident in driving the truck as it is her daily driver for work so she had that advantage.
Sh sure appreciated having enough truck that trip.
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gitane59
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12/27/11 08:42pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: A thought for 'I can't even tell the TT is back there' crowd
chronological order of events over 8 years.
1.Bought Ram 1500 gas halfton truck to tow TT I intended to buy
2.Bought 25ft Jayco fifth wheel instead and experienced OK?? towing and stopping.
3.Bought 27ft Citation fifthwheel (increase weight about 2K lbs) Towing became slow and quite unstable while braking became a white knuckle experience.
4.Bought Ford F350 SRW gas truck and could hardly tell 27ft Citation was back there at all (figuratively and comparatively speaking) towing or stopping
5.Bought 35ft triple slide Newmar fifthwheel (increase of about a 50% in weight again). Towing once again became slow and quite unstable while braking became a white knuckle experience.
6.Bought Ford F350 DRW diesel and towing, stopping, riding is quiet, confident and relaxing even with close to 14k lbs Newmar behind me.
Do I know the trailers there? You bet!! Is it in control of my truck. No way.
That the difference.
Do yourself a favor and save a few bucks in the long run by buying a truck just one step larger than you need today since most people upgrade to larger trailers after being in the lifestyle for a few years.
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gitane59
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12/27/11 05:46am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: A thought for 'I can't even tell the TT is back there' crowd
double post deleted. :S
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gitane59
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12/27/11 05:41am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: replacement tires (need help)
Hmmmm!!
Let me see.
According to the Michelin website a XPS RIB LT 235/85R16 tire weighs 55.6 lbs and has a weight rating of 3042lbs at the maximum speed rating of Q (which according to the NHTSA website is 99mph)
Now a Chinese ST235/80R16 weighs about 35-38 lbs, has a weight rating of 3450lbs at the maximum speed rating of 65mph.
Since we know that too much heat destroys tire and the faster a tire spins the hotter it becomes I wonder what weight a ST tire could sustain and be rated for if it had to be certified to run at 99mph?
I will confidently tow at safe legal speeds any day, all day without a second thought or worry of a random tire failure with my RIB's at 85-90% of their weight rating rather than chance running ST's at 65-70% of their ratings
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gitane59
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12/21/11 04:10pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Telling a poster to "do a SEARCH"
And by the way, when the response to my questions is "That's been covered many times, do a search", it might as well have "you idiot" at the end, because that's how it comes across to me.
It is never my intent to be derogatory when I suggest people use the search function.
Internet and computer savy people know that using a search function is only one of many tools computer users have to learn about things quickly and efficient in this world of information overload.
If search engines and search functions had no value there would be no Google, no Yahoo, no Dogpile, no Webcrawler, no Lycos, no Bing and on and on.
People should suggest others use the search function in a pleasant kind way and people who are suggested to use the search function should do so without taking it personally.
You've struck it!
Most of us Peon Posters are NOT "Internet and computer savvy people" like some perceive themselves to be.
If we were, we wouldn't need forums where we could ask our stupid questions.
The terse, dismissive, stand-alone "Do a search" post conveys just that air of "I'm computer savvy: you're NOT, so don't bother me".
Or, as put more briefly by others, "If you had any brains, you wouldn't have to ask".
Here's this wonderful thing called inference and intent rearing it's affect.
Everyone starts out somewhere on the learning curve. My use of the word "savy", meant experienced. Nothing more , nothing less.
If you are not computer savy/experience and you need to know how to do effective searches please ask and I am sure many of us experienced computer uses would be more than happy to make some suggestions to make your searches more productive and fun.
Speaking of fun while internet searching! How many have tried the search engine Stumbleupon? Very interesting stuff!!
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gitane59
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12/21/11 04:16am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Telling a poster to "do a SEARCH"
And by the way, when the response to my questions is "That's been covered many times, do a search", it might as well have "you idiot" at the end, because that's how it comes across to me.
It is never my intent to be derogatory when I suggest people use the search function.
Internet and computer savy people know that using a search function is only one of many tools computer users have to learn about things quickly and efficient in this world of information overload.
If search engines and search functions had no value there would be no Google, no Yahoo, no Dogpile, no Webcrawler, no Lycos, no Bing and on and on.
People should suggest others use the search function in a pleasant kind way and people who are suggested to use the search function should do so without taking it personally.
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gitane59
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12/20/11 05:09pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Telling a poster to "do a SEARCH"
Well I got nothing against asking question but internet and forum neophytes really would benefit from using the search function and then asking followup questions referencing searched info they want after doing due diligence with a search.
In my job we have a searchable database of 10's of thousand of tips and solutions to technical problems and me biggest coaching job is trying to get people to use the search engine and not re-invent the wheel with every situation the individual thinks must be a first time event.
I find quite often people don't know how to quickly try various search terms when looks for web info however sometimes it's just laziness why people won't use search engines.
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gitane59
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12/18/11 03:17pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Tools explained
You forgot one from my wealth of personal experience with the productive tools we find in our garages
Angle Grinder: used to test the flexibility of your wrist as it catches and snaps around driving the hot spinning wheel into your thumb joint further testing the skills of the emergency room surgeon to cut out the dead burnt skin and remove pieces of embedded metal from your hand prior to finding how much skin will stretch as the surgeon stitches the gash closed.
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gitane59
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12/17/11 10:59am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: REAR TIRE SQUASH
Original inexpensive no-name tires installed on most of the fifthwheels built today by the manufacturers should be considered delivery tires only and replaced as soon as you get the trailer.
Why?
#1. These tires are always the lowest cost bid-out tire the builder could find for that trailer.
#2. ST tires are speed rated for 65mph and you have no idea how fast the delivery driver was driving and how much the life expectancy was shortened by over speeding and overheating the tire.
#3. You have no idea how many curbs and parking lot pot holes the delivery driver dropped those delivery tires into and at what speed he or she hit and bruised the sidewall on those curbs and potholes.
Since many ST tire sites state that ST tires have soft sidewalls to cushion the ride of the trailer these delivery tires are in many instance damaged goods by the time they get to a dealers lot and are ticking bombs waiting to ruin a good camping trip.
#4. Tires put on by the trailer manufacturer could be stale dated and already a year old or more since ST tires only last 2-3 years you are once again running on borrowed time.
To the OP good move dumping the Free Stars and putting on the G614's. You can now tow without worrying about a tire failure around every curve in the road.
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gitane59
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12/06/11 04:57am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Best 5th wheel / toy hauler
The comment "most reliable or well built 5th wheel" need cost parameters such as under 50 Grand, 50-100Grand and over 100 Grand around it to provide valuable guidance.
If you are locked into the Tundra and money is no object New Horizons do build custom TT's and would most likely build you a toy-hauler TT that could be pulled behind the Tundra on a Hensley hitch.
However I highly doubt you will find a light enough full-loaded toy-hauler 5ver after loading your bikes and camp gear that would be even remotely possible to tow with the Tundra
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gitane59
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11/26/11 09:35am |
Fifth-Wheels
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