fortytwo
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Re: Newmar quality
1st consideration is the wheelbase to length ratio. If it's less than 55% it won't handle well - period, and can't be made to. All manufacturers make several "grades" of MH. The shorter ones tend to be "recreational" price point - and construction quality. Suitable for weekends and vacations. Not so good for extended use: snowbird or full time. One A/C is a noise problem. With two you can run front when occupying the rear and vice versa. When it's really hot two are available. Our single air also cycles one degree above and below the setpoint. We are too cold or too hot 2/3 of the time. The engineers and management at Winnebago mostly have zero experience as RV'ers. It shows! In my opinion quality of construction of larger gassers is pretty similar. Go for the floor plan. Appliances are identical third party sourced. Not sure whether it's that folks who pay 500k up are pickier, or that the bling creates greater construction and maintenance issues, but they seem to require a lot of shop time. This is my 53rd year as an RV owner. Have owned the spectrum from camper to full time rigs. My experience is generally you get what you pay for - at any length. I've seen lemons at every level. And, if your out of town, under warranty, living in it full time, your black tank is full and the toilet valve fails plan on a DIY project!434Views0likes0CommentsRe: Leak Test Facility
Found an RV shop with a SealTech machine in Cleveland, GA. Lots of bubbles around skylight and on other seams. Also a couple of clearance lights, a couple of compartments, and the entry door. Even though the entry door and compartments could not have been involved in the shower leak I had them sealed anyway. I still don't feel they found anything that would have allowed the amount of water I was seeing enter, but won't know until the next big rain. Winnebago says the roof sealant must be checked every 6 months, and cleaned and replaced every two years. Pretty onerous requirement, especially as owners age beyond safely getting on the roof. The "semi Class A's" (these models are oriented to entry level and weekend use - compartment doors are like Class C rather than the full size doors on Class A's) like my 30T model have very flexible frames, which I'm certain adds to the likelihood that sealant will be popped loose. If I don't lock all my compartment doors they will pop open while driving.608Views0likes0CommentsRe: Auckland,NZ
Been 14 years but I was there with a tour group in 2004. We rented Maui Class C's, which are similar to Sprinter based Class C's in the US. Some had auto trannys, others manual. Manual is a real challenge as ours were 6 speed and if you missed 3rd and hit 5th the engine died and you had to go to park to restart! Driving on the wrong side of the road, and in roundabouts, added to the challenge of left handed shifting, but we all survived. There was also a large number of van type RV's labeled as "Wicked Campers" that had racy graphics and were mostly occupied by young folks. Campgrounds were plentiful and good. Not sure what advance reservations may be required as the tour made them. Met lots of interesting Kiwi's in the CG's, and had great sport asking them to show us the Southern Cross constellation as most could not. Be aware that a Kiwi interstate highway is only two lanes, and most bridges are one way. One day we encountered 57 one lane bridges on the drive. The longer ones have pullouts at one or more points. It was a memorable, and fun trip. Our Fall is their Spring. All the baby lambs on the green pastures are real eye candy.626Views0likes0CommentsLeak Test Facility
My MH is an Itasca 30T, 2014 model. I have a leak that drips into the shower at the outside wall. The local mobile RV tech has checked and resealed all of the usual suspects. Still leaks, more so in heavy rain. The roof is crowned, so the leak has to be on the shower (passenger) side. Should be relatively easy to seal off the shower and do a leak test. Winnies have a poor design at the roof/sidewall interface, and it is completely obscured by an awning rail over that seam. Can't see any evidence of separation along the rail and the upper side of that rail has had a caulk seam added. I'm in Hiawassee, GA (near intersection of GA, NC, and TN). Looking for a facility that can do a test to identify the source. Hope to avoid a total roof replacement - the last resort.2.4KViews0likes14CommentsRe: Itasca 30T A/C Thermostat
Doug, had 6 motor homes before this one. None had the A/C cycle swing this one does. Sensor accuracy is simply a function of the quality of the components. Winnebago did not spend any extra on components. What I call contractor grade. Cycle can be influenced by thermostat location, but other devices I have show comparable swings. Looks like I will have to visit Home Depot. L320Views0likes0CommentsRe: Itasca 30T A/C Thermostat
One degree means that the temp swing is TWO degrees. Set at 80 the A/C shuts off at 81, then stays off until temp drops to 79 before turning back on. My wife has severe neuropathy. She has a one degree tolerance before adjusting layers she wears. It's not difficult to distinctly feel the extremes in our 30T. If the accuracy is 3 to 5 degrees we could be experiencing 6 to 10 degree swings. Recognizable by anyone.320Views0likes0CommentsItasca 30T A/C Thermostat
I have a single A/C unit. The installed thermostat (RVComfort.hc Coleman Mach) has a full degree swing. Set at 80 it activates the compressor at 81 and shuts off at 79. Always get too cold or too hot before it cycles. Has anyone found a 1/2 degree swing thermostat that can replace it?1.1KViews0likes6CommentsRe: WInnebago roof
The larger Winnies are aimed at older retired folks, many that have no business on a roof or high ladder. It's corporate irresponsibility to design a roof that has to be inspected every 6 months. And, the fact that they specify such frequent inspection is acknowledgement that they know it. Even with poor design a well caulked seam should not leak. But, add lack of quality control and you need the 6 month clause.262Views0likes0CommentsRe: Busting the Myth of 5 year tire life.
For 19.5 tires -- 5 years and done!!! LT tires are TRUCK tires. Design profile is 150-200k miles in a couple of years; recap for another 150-200 and scrap the tire. They rarely reach 5 years in service. Don't need compounds to make the sidewalls last longer, so don't get them. At 5 years on the tires (Goodyear 19.5 G159's) of a MH I bought new and picked up at the factory I noticed a bubble on the inside of a front tire while servicing the grease fittings. Local dealer had installed a two year old tire before I caught it. Had it removed and went to another large high volume shop 100 miles away and replaced both fronts. Three weeks later a rear dual blew out the sidewall. No damage. Replaced the 4 duals. Tires were Goodyear. Replacements were the allegedly RV designed 670's. Goodyear was hit with a 5.6 million dollar judgement for a 2004 accident caused by a blowout of a MH front tire, and was forced to admit that the G159's were truck tires not suitable for an RV operating profile. Five years and one month later the 670 Goodyear inside dual blew unwrapping the tread. Had little pieces of fine wire all over the toad and bikes on the rear of it. Took out the Banks Exhaust, the generator exhaust, air bag lines, and dented the drive shaft. Damage more than the price of a new set of tires. I was 70 miles from a Les Schwab dealer that I had planned to have replace the old tires. In both cases the tires had never been run under inflated, nor excessively hot. I carry an IR thermometer and check temps at each rest stop. Blowouts can be benign or catastrophic. Couple of years ago I saw a new Super C on a Freightliner chassis that had blown a front tire. Took out the entire front: fancy chrome grill, a/c, radiator -- over 10K in damage, and several weeks waiting for parts.789Views0likes0Comments
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