List of pitfalls for a new RV

[kilch123]

I am new to the RV world, and have seen mention of several 'common' problems the members here have had. Does anybody have a list or suggestions on the items I should check closely on a 08 Mountaineer 324RLQ? Fortunately, I'm a mechanic, and have plumbing and electrical experience as well.

Thanks so much for any input

Tom

[HamRad]

Tom,

You might want to check the "Home" page. Look for the PDI check lists. If nothing else that is a good starting point.

Dennis

[bsmeaton]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the new post - I didn't want to distract from the other one. I'll get the ball started:

• With the rig unplugged, remove the cover from the breaker panel and tighten all the breaker screws, ground bar connections, and neutral (white) connections (you might be shocked how loose that stuff is)
• Find the 12V grounding bar and do the same - ours was behind the breaker panel mounted to the wall
• Don't know if you have the "convenience center" but we pulled the back cover off in the basement and just started thightening hose connections. It dripped like a sprinkler from the factory
• Each tank has a roof vent and a relief vent valve that lets additional air in for dumping. Find the vent valves and tighten them. Our gray tank vent was missing and we found it rolling around behind an inspection plate under shower door
• Find the inspection plate for the Hot Water tank and tighten all of those hose fittings
• On the slide roofs along the outer edge is a white tape that covers the edge of the rubber roof where it meets the metal frame. If the tape lifts, water goes under and works its way inside. We caulked between the tape and the outer flange
• Make sure the hydraulic pump is full (1/2 from cap with slides IN)
• Tighten the spare tire winch (ours spare was dragging on the road from the Dealer)
• Buy a torgue wrench and torque the lugs to 120 lbs and periodically thereafter
• Remove the shore line receptacle and tighten the screws - reinstall

That's a pretty good start - I'll probably think of more and will add them.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Excellent post Brad. I will be starting a NEW page titled "PDI - Addendum" and your post will a part of that new page.

I will be watching this thread and as the list grows so will the new page grow.

Thanks Tom for starting this thread and Thanks Brad for your reply And Thanks HamRad for pointing Tom to the Home Page.

[kilch123]

Brad - thanks! That's a great start. Looks like I know what I'm doing this weekend...

"You might be shocked how loose..."

[adelmoll]

Keep um coming. Our Big Sky will be in soon.

Helen

[Fire5er]

Nice list Brad. The additional items from the list that Brad has that we had issues with were:
Check the torque on all suspension nuts. We had a shackle plate fall off from a spring first time we took our rig out to practice driving in a parking lot (first week home with the new 3400RL). Couldn't move the rig without fixing it first. Called the dealer (Sat. morning) and they sent a tech out within a hour. Took the tech over an hour to make the repairs.
Also check under the trailer for kinked propane rubber hose line on kitchen slide. Also check areas where the hose line is rubbing on bolts and where if left to chafe it would damage and possibly fail. I used copper water pipe foam insulation tubes to cover the hose line where it was chafing and duct taped it to the hose line. Propane line was also kinked in the tank storage compartments. Had to redirect it so it wasn't kinked.

[richfaa]

Make sure you have brakes..to all wheels..check the wires going into the hub and make sure they are not frayed or rubbing on the hub.
Pull the panels under the tub and check for leaks.
Fill ALL the tanks and check everywhere for leaks.
Check for over torqued cabinet screws. Apply a little bit of pressure on the screw, if it turns and will not tighen it is stripped.
Turn on and off every light and operate every appliance.

[H. John Kohl]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

Make sure you have brakes..to all wheels..check the wires going into the hub and make sure they are not frayed or rubbing on the hub.

Have someone step on brakes, push and hold brake control or better yet pull your emergency brake-away switch (if trailer battery is fully charged) and then check each wheel with a compass - the needle will point to the center hub. Move to the next wheel and the needle will stay on first hub until the second hub is too strong. It will then point to second hub. If not then that brake is bad. Remember to reconnect the brake-away switch. This should not be used as a standard brake - it drains the battery quickly (in a couple hours).

[bsmeaton]

quote:Originally posted by H. John Kohl
Have someone step on brakes, push and hold brake control or better yet pull your emergency brake-away switch (if trailer battery is fully charged) and then check each wheel with a compass - the needle will point to the center hub. Move to the next wheel and the needle will stay on first hub until the second hub is too strong. It will then point to second hub. If not then that brake is bad. Remember to reconnect the brake-away switch. This should not be used as a standard brake - it drains the battery quickly (in a couple hours).

All I can say is - WOW - I didn't know that John! I had a full year of brake problems that I could have thwarted if I knew of this diagostic techique!

My Ford controller would continuously alarm with trouble, then clear. I tore into the wiring between the pin box and the axles and found plenty of problems and thought I fixed it, but no. Finally I gave the problem to my Dealer and shortly after he handed me the magnet off of one of my wheels that had the wires cut completely off inside the hub. That was the real problem. You're technique is definately added onto any new list I make.

[BB_TX]

Some things I found.
1. After 3-4 trips in ours, I checked the bolts holding my hitch in the truck. Found 3 nuts loose enough to turn by hand. Re-torqued them all.
2. Because of 1. above, I checked the pin box bolts. Found 2 or 3 that were barely tight. Re-torqued them all.
3. Noticed one screw missing from the trim around the curb side wheel well. Found several more that were loose. Replaced the one and tightened them all.
4. Because of 3. above, I checked the screws that hold the trim around the slide outs. Found a few of those screws loose. Tightened them all. But a word of caution. They are apparently not high quality screws. Twisted 2 heads off easily with just a light turn. I think they were already stressed to the point of near failure. I drilled 2 new holes and inserted 2 new screws near the ones I twisted off.
5. Also found a couple of ladder mounting screws loose.

[swanny]

after a lot of checks on our new 3465sa not too much wrong. i did find a lot of loose nuts bolts and screws. few shades were uneven. to date the biggest problem i found was very poor connections from the heater to the vents (ductwork). i cut and shorten them and reattached with dryer vent tape. also wiretied a lot of sloppy wires and pipping. this is still a work in process.

now for the cold weather damage. i found two cracked vent moldings (inside) at the corners. also found a storage door with a raised area from the edge towards the middle. about the size of a pencil.

one manufacture warranty trip to level a slide and replace the microwave and range hood. problems found on our pdi.

back at it in the spring.

[bsmeaton]

Ha - knew I would think of more once this got tickled a little:

• If you have the fireplace - pull it and check the tightness of the wire connections at the screw terminals (several near miss fires with these)
• The plastic cable trays under your slides that hold wiring and hoses between the frame and the outer wall of the slide - they most likely will break at the outer wall hinge eventually. Pack some exterior door hinges, some bolts and washers. They make for a quick and permanent fix for these
• Buy and pack an extra hot water tank check valve (brass valve on hot water out) When they go, you are stranded without hot water

[kilch123]

Man - this is some great stuff! Thanks all!

Sgt Kohl - that's a GREAT way to check the electric brake wiring! - I've always jacked up each wheel, and spun it - already have a compass for aligning the dish, so free check!

[richfaa]

BTY..Most of this stuff that we are doing is called '"Quality control" and the manufacturer should be doing it...not us. All part of rv'ing because we put up with it. Thank goodness for this forum.

[beakyfudd]

We bought our Mountaineer used last year and only got out three times. I was going to make a list of things to check, but now all I need to do is check "everything". Thanks to all for the eye-opener.

[stevemc]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

BTY..Most of this stuff that we are doing is called '"Quality control" and the manufacturer should be doing it...not us. All part of rv'ing because we put up with it. Thank goodness for this forum.

Ditto - might be easier if we bought them in a "kit" form and just assembled them ourselves.

[bsmeaton]

hahahaha - I like the kit part - wonder if my DW could tolerate yet another unfinished project in the garage.

I guess I also look at it another way. When we bought our 2003, I didn't do "jack" to it. I just towed it and used it, and nothing much happened to it either. Maybe it's MOC Paranoia that drives us to tighten nuts and bolts and pipes and clamps and change tires and...........

[illapah]

Get a pair of walkie-talkies and never back-up without a spotter if at all possible.

[Papalr]

This is a great list of ideas. We did the PDI when we picked up our 2955 last August and only had a couple of minor items occur during our first trip, but then had to put it to bed for the winter. Now I've got a whole bunch of things to check when I dewinterize it next month - especially the compass/brakes.