May-13-2014 04:25 AM
May-19-2014 03:57 PM
May-19-2014 07:25 AM
Gdetrailer wrote:
The following document is my second and current rebuild, it took me 2 1/2 years to do, worked on it nearly every night and weekends.
KOMFORT REBUILD
May-19-2014 06:21 AM
May-18-2014 07:15 PM
myrvplans1 wrote:gdetrailer wrote:
I speak from the experience of tearing down and completely rebuilding not one but TWO TTs.
Any chance we can see pictures from your 2 rebuilds? I am eager to see with my own eyes a model of quality workmanship. How bout it? -Darla
May-18-2014 06:11 PM
May-18-2014 04:59 PM
myrvplans1 wrote:
Geez, after reading that I think we should drag Darla out by her ears, string her up and stone her! 🙂 -Darla
May-18-2014 04:59 PM
May-18-2014 04:58 PM
gdetrailer wrote:
I speak from the experience of tearing down and completely rebuilding not one but TWO TTs.
May-18-2014 04:51 PM
Gdetrailer wrote:msgtord wrote:
Some of you guy's are going to be be lost when Darla post "Yea, you guys are right. I bought me a Keystone."
X2
"Darla" has time and time again has shown complete ignorance and lack of understanding the hows and the whys RVs ARE built they way they are..
For instance the never ending battle of the outside door opening INWARD for one.. Darla states the RV manufacturers "cheat" folks by "hiding" mistakes or cutting corners in the walls.
There is good reason for those skinny outside walls, first the walls ARE stronger than what they appear to be.. Those 1 x 2s in the walls by themselves are weak but when the inside paneling is glue and stapled on the overall strength is stronger than if you used 2x4s!..
Another thing Darla seams to accuse is cheating on insulation.. Well most RVs do use fiberglass which doesn't have a lot of R value but most folks tend to use the RVs in good weather and Darla is basing her point on HER 30+ ft MONSTER RV. A smaller RV has no problem with 13K BTU A/C unit but a 30+ trailer is most likely needing TWO A/C units..
You can only get so much insulation out of 1 1/4" of area for insulation.. Even the highest R value (Poly Iso) is about R6 per inch and twice the money compared to fiberglass so if you want it super insulated something HAS to give (interior space IE THICKER WALLS AND MONEY)..
Darla scoffs at RV construction but yet does not understand the reasons or principles of the materials used and how they are used..
Extremely strong but yet light weight walls, cabinets and even bunks are built using a sandwich method, 1/8" luan top, 1x2 turned sideways and 1/8" bottom glued and stapled together makes for a structure which is lighter weigh than a 3/4" piece of plywood and nearly twice the strength of 3/4 plywood.. This type of construction is done not to "cheat" in quality but to be less weight, less thickness, less expensive than what would be done in a sticks and bricks.
I speak from the experience of tearing down and completely rebuilding not one but TWO TTs.
Darla is making a bunch of assumptions based on HER BAD "EXPERIENCE" with ONE 30+ MONSTER RV..
Her assumptions while good intentioned are going to add uneeded weight, cost and add no value or even longer life of the RV..
She came here asking for advice with a closed mind, which is a real shame.
She came here to have folks "validate" her vision and here vision only, thats a shame.
There IS a lot of good advice given that SHOULD be listened to but she isn't, thats a shame.
I have a hunch even when here "vision" crashes and burns she will still insist she is "right" and we are all wrong (she DID state that the customer does not no what they want).. After all it is her money to throw away (and boy is it going to go, I wish I had $100K of loose change to dump down the toilet, I am a piker sinking only $6K into my last rebuild)..
I wish Darla good luck with her venture..
May-18-2014 02:30 PM
msgtord wrote:
Some of you guy's are going to be be lost when Darla post "Yea, you guys are right. I bought me a Keystone."
May-18-2014 01:38 PM
May-18-2014 01:34 PM
thomasmnile wrote:myrvplans1 wrote:
Great point! And this was my basis for custom building. I believe that this is another area the big RV manufacturers cut costs with sub-standard materials because as a retail shopper you can't see what's in a wall like you can see the flat screen tv on the wall. Thanks - Darla
Well, not just material quality, but because of weight considerations, the typical RV side wall (and roof structure) doesn't have a lot of 'thickness' to it.
May-18-2014 10:20 AM
myrvplans1 wrote:GrandpaKip wrote:
Darla, I really believe more thought is required of the door situation. Unless there are three locking points on the knob side, you are pretty much guaranteed to have periodic leaks. House doors open inward for security (hinges inside, harder to pry open), ability to easily add screen/storm door, and are not usually trying to resist 60 mph winds. I also looked at reversing the door on my build, but rejected it because of the leak issue. There are ways of mitigating the wind blowing the door upon opening.
[COLOR=]Hey Grandpa, I am putting more thought into the door situation, but I don't yet have enough facts to abandon the idea just yet. Taking the pros-cons of which way a door swings out of the equation for just a moment are rain/leaks really a factor in a door that swings inward? Is there any way to seal such a door from leaks? Are leaks more likely to be an issue in transit or while parked?
In transit is what I would be concerned with, though I have replaced lots of residential doors that had allowed water inside.
I'm just not understanding why leaks would occur in a door that is designed to seal properly. I get really heavy rain on my home front entry door all the time and that thing
never leaks. Even when I turn on my lawn sprinklers near my door...never a drop. If this is really an issue then why do you think inward doors are the dominant choice for all these tiny RV homes that are popping up all over the place?
I have looked at the tiny house trailers and every one I saw is nowhere near what I would consider roadworthy for any length of time like most RVs are used. The makers of tiny houses do not have to adhere to any type of code so they can build them any old whichaway. Ask yourself if you would haul your house down the road at 65 mph. I wouldn't and I built mine way above code.
1) Is this an engineering issue?
Yep. The only way to get around it would be to have 3 locking points on the lock side of the door. Worst scenario with standard arrangement--twist, bang, bump the trailer hard enough to disengage the door going down the interstate in the rain. You won't know its open til you stop. The wind will keep the door mostly closed on an outward door.
2) Please share your thoughts on mitigating the wind.
At first, I used one of the tension spring chains from the rear cargo doors along with a rubber bumper. I took the chain off when I added a screen door and realized I never really had an issue with wind. I have had the door flung open by the wind on our present camper, but it just hit the bumper, no harm done, just noisy.
Thanks! Good post. -Darla
May-18-2014 08:43 AM
myrvplans1 wrote:bound4fl wrote:
WOW reading this thread is like watching a train wreck.
Ok, can your 15 minutes of fame be up now? -Darla
May-18-2014 07:42 AM
AirForceAngler wrote:myrvplans1 wrote:GrandpaKip wrote:
Darla, I really believe more thought is required of the door situation. Unless there are three locking points on the knob side, you are pretty much guaranteed to have periodic leaks. House doors open inward for security (hinges inside, harder to pry open), ability to easily add screen/storm door, and are not usually trying to resist 60 mph winds. I also looked at reversing the door on my build, but rejected it because of the leak issue. There are ways of mitigating the wind blowing the door upon opening.
[COLOR=]Hey Grandpa, I am putting more thought into the door situation, but I don't yet have enough facts to abandon the idea just yet. Taking the pros-cons of which way a door swings out of the equation for just a moment are rain/leaks really a factor in a door that swings inward? Is there any way to seal such a door from leaks? Are leaks more likely to be an issue in transit or while parked?
I'm just not understanding why leaks would occur in a door that is designed to seal properly. I get really heavy rain on my home front entry door all the time and that thing never leaks. Even when I turn on my lawn sprinklers near my door...never a drop. If this is really an issue then why do you think inward doors are the dominant choice for all these tiny RV homes that are popping up all over the place?
1) Is this an engineering issue?
2) Please share your thoughts on mitigating the wind.
Thanks! Good post. -Darla
What you should do is put in a door that hinges down like a ramp! Then you could just wheel yourself and your ego right up into your box/trailer!