Advice on repairs

[drjjj]

Finally went camping for the first time in over 2 years last weekend . Trailer has been in covered storage which is on the same site as a trusted RV repair shop (Wagner RV here in San Antonio-I can highly recommend them). Had Sonny Wagner go through the trailer a few weeks ago to make sure everything worked (it all did ) and repack the bearings. Then had new Michelin LT tires put on, including the spare. Took two grandkids out west of San Antonio and we all had a good time. Unfortunately I have a few things to deal with, and would relish the advice from the ever-so-knowledgeable people on this forum:
1. We broke (again) one of the closet latches in the master. Anyone come up with a different way to secure the doors or know of a place that will give volume discounts on the plastic latch?
2. 8 yr. old grandaughter tried to climb the ladder on the rear (with me standing right by her) and the bottom rung broke off. New ladder? Fix?
3. When we arrived at the campsite (small, private, only 3 sites) at almost dark I made the mistake of picking the one I liked the best and backed in to it before I checked the pedestal with my meter. Yep, only had 30 amps, and with the weather being 105 during the day I knew I had to move. The only site that had good (full 50 amp) power was a back in slot with a steep incline. TV performed well, but the transmission fluid overheated to the point of overflowing. I watched my gauges the entire time and the temp gauge always stayed low normal. I want to add an after-market transmission temp gauge so I can see this coming if it ever happens again. Any advice would be, as always, greatly appreciated.

[bncinwv]

On previous forum postings, there was mention of installing a small rubber o-ring between the door and the latch when the hard plastic (clear) type door latches are re-attached. There was also an alternative latch that was provided at one of the rallies in the past, it was a softer black plastic latch, but for the life of me I cannot remember who made it or where to get them. Hopefully one of the forum members with better memory than mine will remember what they were. With respect to the ladder, if it were me, I would fix the rung if the others seem to be in good condition, but then, I usually take the cheap way out!!
Bingo

[bncinwv]

And forgot to mention, on our 3400, we would reverse the doors when sitting at a site, so the latches were only used when in motion.
Bingo

[sgtpp214]

Stop at your Keystone dealer and ask for a pair of the new latches that Bingo describes. All the new trailers come with them so should be available.

[indy roadrunner]

I broke one of my latches a long way from any RV dealership and used a piece of quarter round trim wood cut to length to lay in the track to keep the door from moving.

[Art-n-Marge]

About the gauge there's always been some doubt about the operation or these (looks like a gauge but acts like an idiot light). I wouldn't stop at the gauge because if the gauge shows you are about to boil over then what good is it if it just shows you can't get your trailer going? What you need is a way to prevent the boil over. You should also consider an additional transmission cooler (and adds trans fluid capacity, too).

Hopefully some other mechanics will come along and provide some information on how to boost your transmission. I'd also be concerned that you might have too much trailer for your truck and avoid low sites in the first place.

Regarding the ladder, I'm afraid Bingo and I may have taken the same Economics course and I would also try and find a way to repair the ladder and maybe shore it up at the same time so that it can support an adult, not just an eight year old grand daughter.

[PatnRich]

The newer style black catches are better than the older style clear ones. As mentioned any Keystone dealer has them. I also seem to remember someone here posting that Jayco uses the same catch.

After years of being careful we finally broke one just before we traded in our '04 2955. Cmdr Dewey on this forum bailed us out with a spare and he was staying in the park next to us!

RE the Ladder: My ladder is made by Atwood who is a large manufacturer of aluminum rails and ladders. Many boat manufacturers use Atwood products as well, and might be a source of replacement parts.

Hope this helps

[Parts Ed]

I assume that your truck is 4 wheel drive?? If not, then you could buy a 4X4 pan and filter and install that on the truck. If your truck is 4 wheel drive-Hughes makes a pan that is even deeper than the stock pan, it is made from aluminum and finned for extra cooling. you can also buy an inline filter kit from Ford. (part number FT-182, it comes with all the fittings to make it work)
As far as extra gauge, there are many manufacturers out there that make trans temp gauges that you can put in a pillar mounted pod or even on steering column cover. I would recommend the type with the sender that goes inline using the transmission cooler line.
Your transmission should have two coolers, one that goes thru the radiator and then out to an external cooler mounted in front of the radiator.
Hope this helps you.

[firetrucker]

Repair of the ladder is pretty straightforward, which I know from experience. It uses standard sized aluminum tubing, which telescope for added strength, and I added short lengths of 3/4" fiberglass rod to hold everything together. It probably means something more expensive will break first the next time I back without a backer.

Bob

[drjjj]

Bob, would you please elaborate on how you fixed your ladder? What happened to mine was basically the bottom rung vertical tubing broke right below the first rung (bottom of ladder is a "stirrup" of tubing). Thanks.

[GregN]

I installed a Tru-Cool Trans Cooler. It works like a radiator as the fluid come in the top and out the bottom. Not like some that, it justs a tube that runs in ans S pattern through the fins. I also added a larger Trans Pan, which has a drain plug in it for easier fluid change. It holds 3 more quarts of oil and it has tubes that go through the pan so the air can flow through and cool the oil a little more. I have, not yet had the transmission boil over and I have pulled some big hills and no problem. Yes the temp goes up some but comes back down and the down side. I also have a Trans temp guage as well as a pyro and boost guage mounted on the A pillar.

[drjjj]

Good info. Do you remember where you bought the kit? Can most competent mechanics install it? Thanks.

[firetrucker]

I'll post a picture or two, but the bill of material includes no more than 3 feet of 1" and 7/8" aluminum tubing with a wall thickness of about .060 (so they telescope), 2 feet of 3/4" fiberglass rod to reinforce the tubing, and 10-32 x 1 1/2" stainless bolts and nylock nuts.

I salvaged the tubing from an old CB antenna, got the fiberglass rod from McMaster-Carr, and the hardware from the local Ace hardware store.

The hardest part was cutting the tubing reasonably square so that I could simply dress it up with a belt or disc sander. A tubing cutter does a good job of scoring a cut line on the tubing, but be careful not to compress the tubing so that it can't telescope.

Bob

[timandsusan]

drjjj--sorry to hear about a few "RVing incidents" on the trip. Yes, the new closet latches are much better. When my first latch broke, I looked at the installation of the plastic latch--not aligned with the door--so it was going to break with use which it did. So I re-aligned the new latch--problem solved. Sometime the job that is so simple is not done well by the Keystone folks. But a plastic latch is a cheap mistake compared to something more expensive -- like the suspension! Give me a call or email if you need any other info--I am in the San Antonio phone book.

[bobsals]

John, we have the same basic truck as you. The only thing you didn't say about your tow vehicle is if it's 4WD or not. On ours, whenever I have maneuvering to do especially up hills, I always just drop the transfer case into 4WD Low Range. Front hubs not engaged gives you gobs of torque without the twisting and bucking you get with the front hubs engaged. And it's very easy on your transmission. The only thing to remember is to go easy as with all that power it's easy to break an axle or drive line.

[The Oldguard]

1. We broke (again) one of the closet latches in the master. Anyone come up with a different way to secure the doors or know of a place that will give volume discounts on the plastic latch?

Here is the part that any rv parts store can order:
Latche

[garyka]

I placed small rubber o-rings between the bracket and wall on the screws not making the bracket as rigid.I did this a couple of years ago after breaking a few brackets and still going strong.