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RE: 2005 Keystone Everest
Check the tire wear to make sure it is even. There was a problem with axles on some '05 Everests. That said, we've been fulltiming in ours for more than two years now and are very happy. We liked the Everest floor plans more than the Montanas and it seemed like you got a lot of nice features without having to spend a lot of extra money to get them.
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bearsnob
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11/19/08 01:59am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: * * * MICE!!! * * *
Just saw an ad on TV for a new type of trap from dcon. It looks like a hockey puck with a hole for the mouse to get in. Once in, the hole closes, the mouse is trapped and dies inside after eating the poison. You then throw away the wholetrap. We've been dealing with mice for a long time and this looks like it might be the best solution for us. I'm thinking it could be set almost anywhere and checked less often than traditional traps because the mouse dies in an enclosed space. Still, I've not yet tried it and probably won't for a while because fortunately there seem to be no mice where we are now.
Lots of good advice so far. One trap I like a lot is one made by Victor. Its mostly plastic and opens/closes kind of like a clam shell. Almost impossible to snap your fingers in it and it works as well or better than traditional traps. When you catch a mouse, you just squeeze the end and the mouse drops in the trash.
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bearsnob
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11/12/08 11:15pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Best way to sell a trailer in this economy?
I think offering a free 90 day warranty helped generate interest in the last rig I sold. It cost me about $70 to provide Good Sam protection for 90 days and the new owner then had the option of continuing the coverage after that or opting out. BTW, he ended up using the warranty to replace the water heater that went belly up about a month after he bought it. Also, like so many have said, price is the most important factor. My rig sat on a consignment lot for over a year until I got smart, pulled it off the lot, and lowered the price from $17K to $15K. That $2K reduction brought me three people who wanted to buy and I actually had to turn two away. If I had known that was all it was going to take, I would have lowered the price much sooner. It would have easily been worth the $2K to not have to mess with it for that year it didn't sell.
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bearsnob
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11/10/08 12:52am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: DTV conversion
I highly recommend the DTV Pal converter box if you haven't bought one yet. My guess is the standard amplified RV antenna is better than most of the so-called DTV antennas out there.
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bearsnob
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11/10/08 12:30am |
Technology Corner
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RE: 5th wheel skirting
I've had this link for quite a while but don't know of anyone who has done business with this guy.
I ended up making my own skirting using large tarps purchased at Costco. Total cost was under $100. It took quite a bit of time but part of that was because I was working with an old sewing machine that wasn't always working right. The tarps are UV resistant and should hold up for at least a few seasons (Maybe more if I use 303 protectant on them).
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bearsnob
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11/10/08 12:17am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Problem with Landing Gear
I'd suggest calling the manufacturer of the landing gear. On our old Prowler, we had RBW landing gears. They broke on me in a campground 120 miles from the nearest town. I called RBW and they walked me through a diagnostic process to decide what parts I needed. Then they sold me the parts wholesale and shipped them overnight for free. I was up and running about four hours after the parts arrived. I figure they saved me at least $500 on the repair and, most important, I was able to stay put at my destination. Now, if I have a choice, I always go with RBW equipment. Hopefully, other manufacturers will be equally as helpful.
Btw, it sounds like you still have one good landing gear. If you disconnect the bar between the jacks, you should be able to use a wrench to raise your rig using only the good landing gear. I think you can get away with that if it is a one time thing just to get you hooked up. Just be gentle while raising and hooking up. You might want to block the side with the bad landing gear prior to hooking up to avoid damaging the good landing gear. You will need to be hooked up if you do the repair yourself.
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bearsnob
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11/09/08 01:21am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Fresh tanks
Probably the hardest part of the job is pulling down the underbelly. On ours, the propane line makes it very difficult to pull it down on that side. But you can probably get the job done if you pull down the other side, front, and back. What year Everest do you have and why are you wanting to change the tank? Sometimes you can just repair the tank rather than replace it.
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bearsnob
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11/09/08 12:43am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Opinion needed on Lil Rocker Too hitches
Got to love the Lil Rocker and RBW is a great company. I say go for it.
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bearsnob
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11/09/08 12:32am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Hole in my awning
Actually, I've found that "shoe goo" available in the shoe department at Wally World works best. It goes on like very thick model glue and dries quickly. Most important, it stays clear even after years of sun exposure. A big tube costs about three bucks. Its good for all sorts of repairs. There is also a product called "VLP" that you can get at many stores including Ace Hardware. It is made for vinyl repair and many RV techs will tell you it is best for awning repair. Problem is, it yellows in the sun. So I go with the Shoe Goo which is cheaper and seems to make a stronger repair. Just don't put it on too thick.
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bearsnob
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09/02/08 10:18pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Rippling in panel under overhang
It might be normal, but IMO you need to make sure it isn't from water damage because, if it is, you need to find and fix the leak before you have more problems. If there is a professional you trust, have them take a look at it. Or, after the next big rain, drill a small hole in the worst part of the rippling and the press the rippling up with your hands to see if any water comes out. When done, fill the hole with some silicon. BTW, this would also be a good time to check the caulking on your forward running lights since that is a common area for a leak that would cause a problem like you describe.
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bearsnob
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09/01/08 10:36pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: De-Humidifiers -- Electric???
Check on ebay. They sometimes have reconditioned models at a reasonable price. Then buy a squaretrade warranty and you are good to go.
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bearsnob
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09/01/08 01:56am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Landing Gear Problem
I'll bet the "pins" are just regular bolts that you can get at any hardware store. Just remove the good one and take it with you so you can find one approximately the same size. I got a couple extras and taped them to the leg assembly on the motor side. Mine have nylon-sleeved lock nuts on them which makes them unlikely to come loose and fall out. If yours don't have these types of nuts, I'd definitely suggest an upgrade. Make sure you get a regular cheap bolt and not a grade 8 tempered bolt. If the bolt is too strong, it may not sheer off when needed and that could cause problems with the motor and/or jack assembly. This is an easy fix and you'd probably be better off doing it yourself because the next time it happens there may not be a tech available.
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bearsnob
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08/29/08 04:04am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Review: Best TV converter box IMHO
Roy,
More than half way through the review, it does state that there is a volume control. It doesn't directly control the TV volume. Instead, it controls the volume of the audio going to the the TV. So you basically have to turn the volume up on the TV first and then the box lets you adjust volume after that. Maybe that is the source of confusion. I'm not sure why they complain so much about the remote itself. I found it easy enough to operate it without looking at it after only a day or so of using it. The buttons are different sizes and, combined with the way they are layed out, you can pretty much get to any function just by "feel."
As for the issue of it not being able directly control TV functions, that's not a huge issue for me. Walmart sells an eight device universal remote that has a learning function for remotes not in its library. Its the Sony RM-VL600 and it costs less than $25. I've got all my remotes programmed in, including the remote for my air conditioner/furnace. Much easier than dealing with the seven different remotes that I would need otherwise and I don't have to worry about what will happen if a remote breaks. So I rarely use the other remotes now that I have this one.
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bearsnob
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08/29/08 03:48am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Review: Best TV converter box IMHO
The DTVPal does control the TV volume, but does not turn the TV on and off. The power source is 5 volts/2amps. So I would guess there would be a way to run it off of RV batteries. I have an inverter, so that isn't an issue for me.
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bearsnob
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08/27/08 05:40pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Landing Gear Problem
Once you replace the shear pin/bolt, you should run the landing gear up and down using the hand crank to make sure there wasn't a reason for for the pin shearing off. The movement of the hand crank should be smooth and fairly easy. If you run into an area where there is increased resistance, you may have a bent leg or some other problem that should be addressed before assuming your repair is complete.
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bearsnob
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08/27/08 02:24am |
Fifth-Wheels
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Review: Best TV converter box IMHO
When I was waiting for my coupons, I did a lot of research on converter boxes. The first one I bought was a Philco model that had analog pass through. It worked exactly as advertised/reviewed and I was happy with it. I then waited for the much-hyped echostar to come out. It did literally one week before my second coupon expired. The name was changed to DTVPal and you can get it from several online retailers and, I hear, from Dish Network retail locations. I've used it for more than a month now and I really can't imagine a better box. It is near perfect. Not only does it have true analog pass through, it is also EASILY programmed to record shows from different channels to a video or DVD recorder. The reason why the programming is so easy is because it has an onscreen guide that shows you the programs that are on all the channels. You simply click on a show and verify that you want to program that show. That's it. When the time comes, the box automatically switches to that channel. I also find this feature useful when there is something I want to remember to watch. I just program that show and, if I happen to forget, the box reminds me by changing channels for me at the appropriate time. Really cool. The remote is great and has a button on it for toggling between viewing formats. This is a nice feature because most shows are still not being broadcast in HD. But when they are, you can easily switch to a wide screen format that plays well on a non-HD tv. You also have a volume control on the remote. I ended up paying about $20 for this box after my coupon. It is definitely worth the extra money over the boxes that you can get for about $10 from major retailers like Walmart.
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bearsnob
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08/25/08 01:18am |
Technology Corner
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RE: TV Converter "Analog Pass-through"
Got a number for the one that is "VCR/DVR" programable?
Jim
Jim,
Its the Echostar TR-40 that has been much hyped and antipated. Looks like it has been given a new model name: DISH Network DTVPal. Click here for a description that includes a link to pre-order one. I pre-ordered, but I can't vouch for the retailer because I just found them using google. FWIW, I didn't find anything negative about them on the web. Forgot to mention that another nice feature that this converter has is a seven day electronic program guide. Also, the price is pretty good. Some of the hype about the Echostar was that it was going to retail for $39.95 (free with coupon). Looks like the price is at least in that ballpark.
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bearsnob
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06/01/08 12:00am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Honda EU1000i vs EU2000i
Get the 1000 for camping. It weighs half as much as the 2000, uses half the gasoline, and will power all of the things on your camping list. Then get a Champion 3500 watt generator for $199 or less the next time they go on sale. Use that one for emergency power at home. It will power a lot more things than the 1600 watt Honda 2000 ever will. Total price for both generators will be less than one Honda 2000.
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bearsnob
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05/30/08 11:32pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: TV Converter "Analog Pass-through"
Just bought one with analog pass through (Philco). Glad I have it because I get five digital stations where I'm camped and four stations that are only coming through analog. Some of those analog stations should be coming through digital, but I'm right next to a large hill and can't get any signal, let alone one that will produce a picture. Here in Oregon, roughly 4/5 of the state will not switch in 2/2009 and, from what I hear, there are no set dates for these more rural areas of the state. I'm sure the same is true in other states. If you will be camping in large, populated areas, then analog pass through probably won't be a big issue. But if you camp where most people camp, it could come in handy for at least a couple of years. The analog pass through boxes are kind of hard to find. I'm happy with the one I got, but now I'm waiting for one that will come out next month that will let you program it like a VCR/DVR so you can record more than one station when you are away. It also has analog pass through. You can't do that with a spliter or switch.
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bearsnob
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05/30/08 11:19pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Propane lantern tank refill - anyone try this?
At the filling stations, they open the bleeders only to prevent overfilling in the case that the OPD doesn't shut it off at 80%. There is no need to ever open a bleeder valve on an OPD equipped tank, as it will fill just as fast when using a pump. The pump just stops when the OPD shuts off. However most filling station attendents don't even know that,....till I tell'm.
Thanks for this explanation. I've been finding that more and more filling stations aren't messing with the bleeder valve. I honestly thought they were just being lazy and was a little concerned that maybe my bottles were being overfilled. Of course, overfilling was an occasional problem prior to the OPD. Thinking about it now, I can't remember an overfill since the switch to OPD. Would that mean that using an OPD equipped 20 lb bottle in an RV would be safe (since it can't be overfilled)? I remember on another thread that the consensus was that it wasn't safe. Yes, yes, I know that there is still potential for a leaky connection. But would it be safe assuming the connections didn't leak?
Good to see that common sense has prevailed on this thread. How long do you think this $17 device would be on the market if people were actually being hurt or killed by refilling 1 lb bottles? I got mine about five years ago, so it doesn't sound like things are going kaboom very often.
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bearsnob
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05/30/08 08:03pm |
Tech Issues
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