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Old 12-24-2012, 04:40 AM   #1
MConnelly
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A Tinkers Paradise.. Fuzion 403

I love to tinker, repair, improve upon etc. so the 2009 Fuzion 403 I bought in July of 2011 was the perfect rig to buy. So much potential. So many hours of tinkering enjoyment.
This was my first rig. I thought I did my homework...
The rig had no miles on it or any use before I bought it.
All the tags were still on the appliances and no warranty cards had been filled out. It was for all intents and purposes, new.
The opportunities I have had to "tinker" on the rig were all courtesy of the fine craftsmen at Keystone/FUZION

This is a list of "tinkers" my rig has needed to date.

Rear side marker lights..bare wires rubbed on frame and shorted out. Numerous grommets later all wires running thru the frames were protected.

Fuel station...pump wired backwards overheated , burned out. Replaced pump , wired correctly. (keystone supplied the pump)
Fuel Gauge...wired backwards, read empty all the time. Needed new gauge wired properly.

The doors on the main switch control panel were 1/4" too big so the doors would not close. Cut each cabinet style down 1/8" ..rehung doors.

Master bedroom window leaked. Removed , re sealed, re installed.

Main cargo side door would not close properly. It was already bent when installed. New door installed.

Main DC lights and reading lights were wired together in the salon, even though there were two separate switches. Re wired switches.

All the decals curled up. Removed them. Then re-painted the entire rig.

Master bedroom slide floor rotted out. No sealant from factory. Replaced floor, properly sealed.
Entire master bed frame needed to be re built as no screws were installed properly.
Bed Frame was not attached to Slide. Attached using proper screws and anchors.

Pinched AC wire between steel slide mechanism members. Re routed wire.

Heater motor rusted ...heater mount flange was never caulked allowing water to get to motor. New motor, sealed housing mount.

The tires on my 2009 rig were made in 2007. Junk to begin with . One blew out. All were dry rotted. All seven have been replaced.

Stripped screws in toilet flush mechanism..toilet would not flush properly. Heli Coils and new valve body.

OEM water pump was pitiful. Upgraded to higher flow pump.

The rear cargo ramp core broke along the hinge line. No sealant in the lower U channel allowed water to separate the core materials. Cut loose bad materials, sealed the channel and substantially increased the size of the hinge contact area with the ramp. Now, straight, even, and solid as a rock.

Trim pieces not properly installed. Removed trim pieces and anchoring brads. Then glued the trim in place. Touched up all small brad holes with matching filler.

Several AC plugs needed to be taken out of their boxes and the connection screws screwed in. I cannot say tightened because that would imply they had been screwed in at some time.

Generator exhaust routed to exhaust under awning and master bedroom main window from factory. Re routed exhaust to other side of rig and installed a venturi vent stack.

Frustrated? At times. However I now know the rig so well I am very comfortable with it's abilities to service my needs. I stay cool in the heat, warm in the cold, dry in the rain. It tows great. Looks great, with it's new paint. Everything works properly.
Had all this work been done at a repair facility the rig would have been history long ago. As I have the abilities and facilities to do my own work the costs for the work have not been substantial. I am recently retired so I have the time.
Seven new tires and the painting materials, were the most expensive costs , by far, for all the work I have done.

Now that the rig is all working properly and is "sound" I am going to do some interior remodeling to incorporate better living room space in the garage.
The rig has "grown on me". It is truly mine. Repairs seem to be over and upgrades are simply enjoyable.

Recently my wife and I spent almost three months on the road with our 403.
She jokes our main requirement for where to stay is it has to have a Lowes or Tractor Supply near by!

Hope you have enjoyed my journey.
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Old 12-24-2012, 06:28 AM   #2
jsmith948
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Great post! Confirms my thinking that "If you aren't somewhat of a handyman (Handy person for the the PC crowd), you should probably not own a 'manufactured mechanical nightmare' otherwise known as an RV".
Besides, if you can do the work yourself, you avoid the "pleasure" of dealing with a service manager and you have the satisfaction that the work was done right - or at least the way you want it!
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Old 12-24-2012, 07:39 AM   #3
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That appeared to be a lot of mistakes and oversight for a new rig. I sure hope that an RV used regularly fares better. I may have to take all my tools next year just to keep mine functioning.

What would you recommend? Table Saw, drill and bits, router, wrenches, etc?
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Old 12-24-2012, 08:42 AM   #4
MConnelly
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Tools to take...

A credit card and a cell phone...The universal Repair kit.

I am a tool nut! I have a 9 drawer tool box in the garage and still have to go to Lowes at least once a week.
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Old 12-24-2012, 09:03 AM   #5
MConnelly
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Tools to take...

In all seriousness...or at least some seriousness
I start at the bottom of the rig and work up.
Tools to take off tires and a compressor to inflate tires.
A battery tester and test light.
A battery charger.
A 50' 12/2 extension cord.
A few good flashlights.
Assorted tubes of glue, caulks, sealants, a caulk gun, and rubber roof patch material.
A can of lacquer thinner and a can of denatured alcohol.
Some assorted sandpaper.
A soldering iron and a small butane torch. Ele. and plumbing solder.
A small wood saw. A hack saw and a few blades.
A nice selection of drill bits and a good battery operated drill.
A few small rolls of assorted gauge wire.
Assorted Zip ties, Electrical tape, duct tape and foil tape.
A good assortment of sheet metal screws, nuts and bolts, and and any specialty fasteners particular to your rig. A few assorted sizes of hose clamps
A good selection of drive bits for your drill.
A good selection of screw drivers, T handle allen wrenches both SAE and metric
Basic wrenches and ratchet/socket sets. SAE and Metric.
A good bottle of Rum.
A razor knife and razor scraper, a small putty knife.
A crow bar, a 16oz framing hammer, a nylon hammer, and a dead blow hammer. A few small wire brushes.

From here a particular job may ask for a specific tool. That is what Lowes, Sears, and Tractor Supply are for.
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Old 12-24-2012, 11:39 AM   #6
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I agree I never leave home without my tools!!! I have been amazed by the people out and far from home in "RV's" that don't carry any and at the mercy of "roadside mechanics ".... I couldn't sleep at night without mine!!!
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Old 12-24-2012, 04:24 PM   #7
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Great Post. I just bought a 2910 passport and the rear bunks say 300 lbs. The bottom bunk on cargo side was only supported in the front and back and hinges on the side for opening the bed for cargo. It sagged really bad and I only weigh 220 lbs. Had to add supports on both sides under the bed. Now it's solid. Also bunks have no rails. Don’t feel like rushing the kids to the hospital mid camping trip for compound fractures so I added bed rails. I’ve only had it a week. Hopefully that will be all. I doubt it though.
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Old 12-24-2012, 04:35 PM   #8
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And you are just over the hill and through the woods from us!

If you head up to Fish Creek or over to Northampton Beach, give us shout! We can compare tool sets!
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Old 12-24-2012, 07:53 PM   #9
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Great post. Would love to see pictures of your paint job and especially interested in what you have planned for the garage.
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Old 12-26-2012, 04:43 AM   #10
MConnelly
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New Paint pics

First time I have tried tout up pics.
I used Peteit's "Brightsides" Polyurethane marine paint.
I have used this paint on boats with very good results.
I spray most of the rig using a mid priced HVLP spray gun.
This type of gun requires a good size compressor.8-10 Cu. Ft. Per. Min.or better
Prep work is the hard part and is where you will make or break the project.
I did this outside with a large plastic roof and simple scaffolding made from 2X4"s and 2X12"s.
I did one side at a time once the rig was prepped.
For the most part I used a random orbital sander with 3M scuff pads to sand the large surfaces. Where ever, and this is paramount, where ever silicone sealant was removed the fiberglass was scraped with a razor blade. There is no solvent that will completely remove silicone film. Scraping removes a small amount of gel coat along with the film leaving a clean paintable surface.
continuous wiping with denatured alcohol and clean rags gave me a smooth, clean , prepped surface ready to paint.
Careful taping of windows etc ., is another key to a quality job.
Like I said the prep is the key and it also takes a long time. Get it right, and the rest is easy.
Spraying a side , once set up, took less than an hour a coat. Two coats are necessary.One a "Tac" coat. Then a full "finish" coat. Peteit does not give great instructions for spraying this paint. I had used it before so I had some experience with coat thickness.
Word of warning!!! This paint takes a few weeks to "cure". It dries to the touch in a half a day. But the paint takes a few weeks to dry all the way thru. I would not recommend painting today and heading down the road tomorrow.

Happy to answer any questions .
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Old 12-26-2012, 06:36 AM   #11
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Very well done, sir. I like to off-white color choice. It goes to show that an RV can look very sharp without all the graphics.
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Old 12-26-2012, 06:55 AM   #12
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Nice paint job. I ran a Ford Dealer service department that had a body shop so i know how hard it is to prep properly.I Think I saw your rig at Barrett RV when I passed by one day as you can tell by screen name where I live just up the road a piece from you. I also like Tools I never saw one I didn't like or want to own. Good Luck with it and have safe travels.
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Old 12-27-2012, 04:05 AM   #13
MConnelly
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Sighting at Barretts

Yep, that would have been me. It was there for a simple safety inspection. They were not real happy that I locked my truck keys in the truck and had their bay entrances blocked while my wife brought a spare set of keys.

Such is life , and fortunately they were not real busy that morning.

Decals and graphics? As time goes on, and we find just what we want, we will be adding some mountain silhouettes, and possibly a wrap on the back door of a winding road. Nothing like what it came with though.

Kinda a work in progress. I did add two arrow decals on the back , on the left it reads "Passing side" on the right "Suicide" .
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Old 01-03-2013, 12:37 PM   #14
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A Tinkers Paradise

I have a 08 Fuzion 362 and was pulling in the slides the other day , the front slide stayed out but the bed came in. Kinda fearing the repair bill, and here you are someone that has done this kinda repair. Would you happen to have any pictures of your slide repairs, I cant really see anything from underneath, and I'd really rather not remove anything that I don't have to remove. I've had the bed off before to re-attach it to the slide, but now this problem is a tiny bit more severe.
Do you know if there are any service drawings available showing how the slide is mounted?

Any info would be appreciated
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Old 01-03-2013, 05:05 PM   #15
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wow looks really great. To add to the tool list I carry a large battery jump box aslo. Happy trails
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Old 01-03-2013, 08:17 PM   #16
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Fuzion Guy check 318sab group rudythegreat has a good repair that is similar to what keystone will pay for under warranty
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Old 01-03-2013, 08:38 PM   #17
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Fuzion Guy

Try going to the Lippert Web Site (www.lci1.com) and have a look at their slide components. In my Lippert Manual, they have some of the major components illustrated and this may give you some idea of its inner workings.
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Old 01-04-2013, 08:02 AM   #18
MConnelly
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Fuzion Guy

Sounds to me like the bed/slide set up on you model is different from my 403.
The hydraulic ram and frame for the slide mech. on my 403 is robustly attached to the entire outer frame of the slide module.The bed frame is then attached to the outer wall. When my troubles manifested themselves, the bed would stay put and the slide module would slide out as normal.

The attachment between the bed and the slide Module is a nut and bolt, or screw connection. Remove the mattress and take a look.
You may have to unscrew the top of the bed frame. Usually a piece of 1/2" flake board. Could very well be a simple re attachment with either nuts and bolts , that may still be there.
Hope this helps some
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