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Old 02-04-2017, 06:50 PM   #41
RK1978
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These are some great ideas, especially the sewer pipe storage. I had been pondering what to do with that, the pictures were a great help. The door bars looked nice, where did they come from?
Last year was our first year of trailering, took 3 trips (1-500 miles, 2 of about 1200) and learned a lot. Now trying to make things better because we have 2 long trips planned this year plus at least one shorter one so we are trying to get ready.
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Old 02-05-2017, 09:05 AM   #42
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... The door bars looked nice, where did they come from?
...
I got mine Here

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Old 02-05-2017, 10:36 AM   #43
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I got mine Here

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Same here. Just seen that I paid $2 more for each!
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Old 02-05-2017, 12:51 PM   #44
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Busterbrown- Very clever stowage idea for the sewer pipe and fittings. Thanks. I'll do it before our April trip.
Now, what to buy to fill that empty space in the pass-through?
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Old 02-05-2017, 02:43 PM   #45
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Busterbrown- Very nice mods. I really liked the sewer hose storage mod. New to the forum and taking notes.
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Old 02-05-2017, 03:19 PM   #46
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No, it's fabricated from a 5"x5"x8ft vinyl fence post. Perfect length, no trimming needed. The vinyl half-round gutter is 10 feet long so it must be trimmed to the 8ft. A few dowel rod cuts to section off the sewer attachments and several different lengths of sewer hose makes it a breeze to dump your tanks. I cut a perforated piece of angle iron in order to mount the post below the gas line running along the passenger side underbelly.

Vinyl post caps and some elastic bungee cords secured with ss hardware allows for easy access and closure.

A few coats of black primer and paint makes it look like a factory installed option. And it's very close and convenient to the black/grey valves too. I originally was going to mount it on top the bumper with strapping. It just looked too obvious that it was an aftermarket post on top the bumper. The angle iron provided me with a better location.

Materials from Lowes:
Vinyl Gutter
Vinyl Fence Post
(4) 6" SS lag bolts, SS washers, and nylon lock nuts.
(1) 3' section of perforated angle iron
(1) 48" 1-inch Dowel Rod
(1) can of Gloss Black Spray Paint
(2) small bungee cords with end hooks and mounting screws
I have to ask, how did you attach the lag bolts to your frame? Do you have a picture of that? This is a Spring mod for sure! Thanks in advance.

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Old 02-05-2017, 06:33 PM   #47
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I have to ask, how did you attach the lag bolts to your frame? Do you have a picture of that?
Angle iron that I secured to the frame vertically with self tapping screws. I'll take a close up pic in a few weeks when my new wheels and tires are installed. I feel the spring mod fever too. I'm sitting on a maxxair fan installation and a water pump cabinet access panel modification. Come on Spring!
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Old 02-05-2017, 07:07 PM   #48
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Angle iron that I secured to the frame vertically with self tapping screws. I'll take a close up pic in a few weeks when my new wheels and tires are installed. I feel the spring mod fever too. I'm sitting on a maxxair fan installation and a water pump cabinet access panel modification. Come on Spring!
Thank you! That makes sense. Pictures would be great! Have a great week.

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Old 02-19-2017, 07:44 AM   #49
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MaxxAir and Vortex II: check!

I got a quote from a local dealer who stated 2.0 labor hours on the MaxxAir fan install at $135/hour. I thought about having them do it as it would save me an afternoon. They stated that the soonest I could drop it off was 2nd week of March and it would be a week or two for them to get to it. Same thing wth the AC wiring recall. The longer I own an RV, the more I realize that dealers are in command and hold you "hostage" for repair or service work. I called the dealer I purchased it from (2.5 hours away) and they gave me a similar response.

So what's a man to do? Do it yourself on a warm winter day. (62 degrees) Most labor-intensive part was pealing up old Butyl tape and Dicor lap sealant on the TPO membrane. Hair dryer (and wife) helped loosen the goo. No way a service center could get it installed in 2 hours as it took that much time just to get the old sealant up. About a 4 hour job I'd say for those attempting it. I did have added work as I had to remove the microwave and range vent in order to run 12 volt wiring to a constant power source. Even though an adjacent light fixture was my first choice, these over head LED lights for the main galley operate off a wall switch and I didn't want to loose the independent function of the fan.

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The Vortex fan was a 20 minute install. Constant power source was directly next to the vent opening. Bunkhouse will have much better ventilation now.

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Old 02-19-2017, 08:03 AM   #50
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You're right, dealers are "in control" and as long as people stay "lined up with hundred dollar bills in hand" it will stay that way. Far too many people don't want to explore options to dealer service, so the "control" stays firm.

Consider a mobile RV service, look in the yellow pages, talk to owners of local campgrounds to get names of service techs they have a working relationship with and who make "home visits" to their campground. There are alternatives to being "hostage at the dealer".

As for the amount of time you spent and the amount of time quoted by the dealer. That should illustrate to you just how 'professional' the dealer's work would have been. If it's "impossible to do the job" in the quoted time, you can pretty much be assured that some of the tasks would have been either omitted or not done with the care you gave to the job. You know the dealer isn't going to lose money on every job, so something will be "shortcut" to stay in the profitable side of the court.

So, don't get "upset at the dealer" just use it as a learning point and find another way to get things done that don't involve being treated the way that dealer treated you. Don't get even, just don't go back.
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Old 02-19-2017, 09:10 AM   #51
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You're right, dealers are "in control" and as long as people stay "lined up with hundred dollar bills in hand" it will stay that way. Far too many people don't want to explore options to dealer service, so the "control" stays firm.

Consider a mobile RV service, look in the yellow pages, talk to owners of local campgrounds to get names of service techs they have a working relationship with and who make "home visits" to their campground. There are alternatives to being "hostage at the dealer".

As for the amount of time you spent and the amount of time quoted by the dealer. That should illustrate to you just how 'professional' the dealer's work would have been. If it's "impossible to do the job" in the quoted time, you can pretty much be assured that some of the tasks would have been either omitted or not done with the care you gave to the job. You know the dealer isn't going to lose money on every job, so something will be "shortcut" to stay in the profitable side of the court.

So, don't get "upset at the dealer" just use it as a learning point and find another way to get things done that don't involve being treated the way that dealer treated you. Don't get even, just don't go back.
Great points and I agree. I actually did attempt to source out independent RV service centers prior to calling the dealer. I only found 1 in my area (within 25 miles) with a brick and mortar location. There are a few "Rv mobile specialists" on Craigslist. But I'm usually reluctant to source from them anyways.

Now that I think about it...as the RV selling industry is outpacing itself from service centers, the void for independent shops is obvious. What a business opportunity for someone who has a passion for RVs and can help a community growing exponentially. The rewards for these new businesses can be enormous, especially if quality of work and turn-around time supersedes the stealerships.
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Old 03-05-2017, 06:55 AM   #52
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Mods

Great job on your modifications! I love the front storage idea with the mats, the organization wall, and fishing pole mount. When I get my camper back, and if I keep it, I will definitely be doing the upgrades like yours to my front storage area.
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Old 03-30-2017, 07:13 AM   #53
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You've now given me a list of things to do with the Bullet. Wife heard angels when she saw the pass-thru organization... i might have heard them too! We'll be slowly replacing the cheapo plastic fixtures, and i'll be looking into the stabilizer bars, as well as the screen door bars. Really like those. Would like a better latching system on it tho. Want to do the fan upgrades as well. Had no idea a free forum would cost me so much money!! Thanks again BusterBrown!
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Old 03-30-2017, 07:58 AM   #54
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Love the mods Busterbrown! I especially like the back splashes in the kitchen and bathroom. Very nice!

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Old 03-30-2017, 07:55 PM   #55
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Thanks again BusterBrown!
No problem. More mods to come when the weather breaks. Current mod is upgrading tires and wheels this weekend. Just went from 14" Load C China bombs to 15" Load E Carlisle Radial HDs. Expensive but well worth the safety margins. You may want to look into tire replacement too as Trailer Kings are notorious for imploding at highway speeds causing 1000s of $$$ worth of damage. So in my eyes, I'm saving huge now.
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Old 04-04-2017, 11:50 PM   #56
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What did you use for the non-slip in the pass through?

I already have my mod list for the Bullet but you're giving me more ideas!
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Old 04-05-2017, 12:06 AM   #57
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What did you use for the non-slip in the pass through?

I already have my mod list for the Bullet but you're giving me more ideas!
Believe it or not, $9 aerobic/yoga mats and double-sided carpet tape from walmart. Durable with a non-slip surface. They fit perfectly with 1 cut on the last mat. I used three. They're holding up nicely after a very busy camping season in 2016. Totes and tools stay put during travel.
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Old 05-14-2017, 08:18 PM   #58
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Started the 2017 camping season off with mods to my spare tire, wheels, and vent cover.

Bumper storage, bad:
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Undercarriage storage, good:
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Old vs New tires and wheels comparison:
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New shoes mounted:
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Me, DW, (3) little DS's, and 1 rambunctious Boston Terrier

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Old 05-14-2017, 08:20 PM   #59
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MaxxAir Vent Cover

MaxxAir Vent Cover:
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Hensley SwiftArrow Control Hitch with 1000 lb Spring Bars
Me, DW, (3) little DS's, and 1 rambunctious Boston Terrier

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Old 05-15-2017, 06:28 AM   #60
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What make is the under belly tire storage?

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