Winegard Traveler Satellite VS ..installation.....

[mrsportys]

We want a traveler 1000 satellite , period...I hear so many problem stories about the other dome units.
I contacted Fleetwood and decided I wanted the Traveler installed by the same guys who built the coach. They quoted me 10-12 hours of labor to install!!!!
Why? It seems the Fleetwood bounder comes prewired with 2 coax cables (rf1 and rf2) and a power supply harness.
I confirmed this with Winegard as they say the Traveler requires a 6 wire data harness that needs to be installed... thus the extra time quoted by Fleetwood.

Also, my 2014 bounder has never had a satellite on its roof so this a new install.

Any thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks!! :h

[DSDP_Don]

The two biggest issues is getting it on the roof and the courage to drill the hole for the cabling, if you don't already have one. I helped my buddy install his about a month ago. With the dish removed, we bungee corded the arm so it wouldn't move and I threw it over my shoulder and walked it up the ladder. They're not that heavy, just awkward, especially if you leave the dish on.

Make sure whoever does the install that you take them the receiver so they can fire it up when done. There are some settings you can struggle with when setting up the receiver. Winegard will walk you through them if necessary, but they are slow to return calls.

[Bill_Satellite]

mrsportys wrote:
We want a traveler 1000 satellite , period...I hear so many problem stories about the other dome units.
I contacted Fleetwood and decided I wanted the Traveler installed by the same guys who built the coach. They quoted me 10-12 hours of labor to install!!!!
Why? It seems the Fleetwood bounder comes prewired with 2 coax cables (rf1 and rf2) and a power supply harness.
I confirmed this with Winegard as they say the Traveler requires a 6 wire data harness that needs to be installed... thus the extra time quoted by Fleetwood.

Also, my 2014 bounder has never had a satellite on its roof so this a new install.

Any thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks!! :h

YES! Very high quote. However, when have you ever heard of a manufacturer giving you the best quote? No, they cannot use the existing power supply harness so they must run a new control cable (which would take about 10 minutes if the coach is being built). If the coax is going to be there I would not have them do the install at that price as a good installer should be able to do the install in a few hours plus the cost of the antenna. Shop the internet and you will even find some really good deals on the mount itself. When a customer of mine did that I charged a flat $300 fee to do a similar install.
The advantage of having the manufacturer do the install is that any issues (leaks) are covered, but there is no advantage if the antenna has issues as that has to be dealt with between you and Winegard no matter who did the installation. The way the antenna is sold and installed, there is almost no chance of a leak if the installer has even a half a brain.

[JimM68]

I did my own, 3 hours was about right to remove the existing dome, screw down the trav'ler, and run the control cable and 3 new coax runs.

I cheated, used my forklift for the heavy lifting.

We brought the Dish Hopper and wireless joey from the S&B when we sold and went full time. Fabulous setup. With the wireless joey, we didn't have to disturb any of the monaco installed front to rear wiring, so cable and over the air TV works just as it always has.

[sdianel_-acct_c]

If you want a quality install and don't mind traveling to TX. We have used Sats2Go a couple of times. Dave is the owner and he is the RV satellite "guru" in my opnion. He added DirecTV to our back TV using a splitter and the price was 25% of what other RV dealerships wanted. He does quality work and is the only technician that we trust for satellite electronics work! www.sats2go.com
281-564-2828

we stayed at Rayford Crossing RV Resort in Spring TX and he came to our site.

[dougrainer]

mrsportys wrote:
We want a traveler 1000 satellite , period...I hear so many problem stories about the other dome units.
I contacted Fleetwood and decided I wanted the Traveler installed by the same guys who built the coach. They quoted me 10-12 hours of labor to install!!!!
Why? It seems the Fleetwood bounder comes prewired with 2 coax cables (rf1 and rf2) and a power supply harness.
I confirmed this with Winegard as they say the Traveler requires a 6 wire data harness that needs to be installed... thus the extra time quoted by Fleetwood.

Also, my 2014 bounder has never had a satellite on its roof so this a new install.

Any thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks!! :h

1. Just because they are the Manufacturer, does NOT make them experts at add on installs and repairs. BIG fallacy that RV'ers have is the Factory service center is much better than the local RV service center. WRONG. The Factory Service centers are basically parts changers. Since they have the appliances and parts in stock, they can swap out parts until they get it fixed. There are very few qualified RV Technicians at a Factory service center.
2. If a Service Center quotes a very high price, it is because they do NOT want the job, but will do it for a big profit, OR, they are not sure they are qualified to do the job, so quote a high price so you can pay for their education on the job. Doug

[TechWriter]

mrsportys wrote:
We want a traveler 1000 satellite , period...I hear so many problem stories about the other dome units.
I contacted Fleetwood and decided I wanted the Traveler installed by the same guys who built the coach. They quoted me 10-12 hours of labor to install!!!!

Like others have said, the quote seems very high.

If you're handy & can lug the Travler up to your RV roof, then by all means do it yourself.

On the other hand, if you're not up to it, contact a local RV service center. It doesn't have to be Fleetwood specific.

Finally, what will be connected to the Travler? If it's a "1000" (SK1000), I assume it's the DiSH version.

If so, what DISH receiver(s) will you use? You should know this before the install starts.

[Pop-Pop_C]

Not sure where you are ,but I know a dealer in S. Ft. Worth,Tx that can do it in about four hours.
They took my king dome off and replaced it with a traveller. They were a fleet wood dealer at the time. I had a 2007 NEWMAR FRED at the time worked great. That is why I have one on my 13 Winmie, Journey 40U. Won't leave home with out it.!!M

[accsys]

Don't know where you are in IL but there is a lad down in the NW corner of AL that will put it in for less than 2,000 including the cost of the SWM Traveler.

[ljr]

The service dep't at NuWa (now Kansas RV Center) billed 5.5 hours labor

[bluwtr49]

Another point is that once you decide which service you want, the installation facility should also be able to set up the service contract, install the receiver, and check everything out.

There are any number of facilities that can accommodate you. Try googling RV sat installation or some such and you might get lucky.

[allbrandauto]

I installed my self 2 weeks of thinking 3 hours of doing very easy you tube video help full

[Executive45]

Have you checked with your local Camping World? They sell em. They install em....Dennis

[Clay_L]

I had an existing manual dish so the hole was already cut but it only took Bill Adams (he later went to work for Winegard as a roving dealer trainer) maybe 3 hours to install my Traveler

[SCVJeff]

By far the hardest part is getting it on the roof, but 10 hours?... I did my own install and IIRC it was between 2-3 hours including my usual fiddling around. Walk away and find someone that knows what they are doing because it's clearly not Fleetwood in this case.