Poorly written RV MANUALS

Several people have commented that you don't get that information with the manual for your car, BUT, if you want it and are willing to pay for it, you can get shop manuals for most cars. When I was a kid, my dad always got the factory manuals usually ordered from a place called Helms. Back in the day it was one book. Now adays its about 5 books divided into systems.

dodge guy wrote:
Even if they supplied you with wiring and plumbing schematics.......good luck in figuring out how they actually ran everything. wire colors would be different, plumbing would be completely different let alone the fact they can screw up the most basic of connections.

Consider yourself lucky if all the systems function on a new trailer properly....if at all!

Oh God, you should see the rats nest of wiring behind the instrument panel of my boat. :R

The gas gauge quit working and after a couple of tries I just had to give up. I know I'm out of gas when the engine quite running. Sucks too. I just keep dumping a gallon in now and then and hope for the best.

Even if they supplied you with wiring and plumbing schematics.......good luck in figuring out how they actually ran everything. wire colors would be different, plumbing would be completely different let alone the fact they can screw up the most basic of connections.

Consider yourself lucky if all the systems function on a new trailer properly....if at all!

I didn't read all 4 pages of this thread.

First : All manuals are poorly written these days. Even on our 6 digit figure farm tractors.

Second : you are darned lucky you get a manual for anything these days. Those farm tractors come with computers in them that control everything on the tractor. No manuals provided. When you call the company they just go "Well, you just do this and then it tell you on the screen". But, if you don't know the steps the on scree instructions don't do you any good.

The local farm tractor salesman has also become a computer expert. He told me he spends most of his time just trying to figure the stuff out and then tell the farmer how to make it all work. A manual would make everyone's life easier but, the kids that build this stuff these days just don't know how to write one or even what one is.

I have been running off information that I find here which helps.

Coolerman, I was wondering if you ever had any luck finding out anything about your venture trailer?

Thank you rbpru for the calming reminder that opinions are just that. :B I WAS a bit cranky this morning...

So back to reading the mods thread...

Coolerman,

Please keep in mind that the posts on this, or any other board, are simply opinion. Some may be based on the poster’s interpretation of data or long personal experience but they are still opinions.

To take what people post as a personnel affront does not make your point less valid or theirs more important.

The object is to give your views in hope that the OPs that are asking the question will find them of some value.

The fact that there are many, sometime very different, approaches to a problem is simply human nature.

In my opinion the manufacturers feel that there is really no incentive to spend large sums on a detailed manual that few will read; especially if the customer making the repairs themselves voids the warrantee. They feel it is best to return it to the factory or dealer where they have some control over the repair results.

It is frustrating for those handy people with older units, but it is not likely to change.

I remember a while back a guy contacted his manufacturer with a similar type of request and he too was also denied access to the drawings he needed. The company had a policy against providing consumers with that type of information while they are still under warranty. Eventually the guy made it up the chain and finally got what he needed. I'm sure it took a lot of convincing.

It's an understandable policy why not to release or have restrictions on releasing such documents. They've setup a whole network of dealer / service centers across the country ready and qualified to fix any problem, free of charge while under warranty. You can call them have questions answered even after the warranty period. While you may be very capable of interpreting drawings and performing repairs on your rig, there's lots that are not. There's tons of people out there that have no clue on how to properly make simple electrical connections lol. That can turn into a liability issue for the manufacturer.

It would be nice if some manuals had a little more detail. But when you think about it most of the information required by your average consumer could be provided between the manual and PDI. Not a bad idea to show up to a PDI with a camera and pages of questions. You can just about build your own version of a service manual or something close to it.

:B