Factory documentation or we don't know how to write so this is what you get.

[Marks]

I really like my 3650RE. However, with a sticker price of $110K you don't suppose that Dynamax could have spent a few minutes proof reading their documentation. I kind of compare my Trilogy with a BMW. Better quality, better engineering, classier coach for sure. So far, the quality of my coach seems to be superior. The book could have been cut to just a few short pages and accomplished the same thing. For example, under the sub heading electrical system: yep, you've got one. Sub heading water heater: yep, you've got one. Sanitizing your water tank: mix ? Chorine with water and let stand for three hours. What exactly does ? Mean?

I have some sympathy for the employees who were responsible for the documentation. I worked for a company who was more focused on making the sale than customer satisfaction. It really makes the whole team look kind of silly.

To Forest River/Dynamax: I will be happy to assemble a team and fix this problem. Email me for a quote.

[rjf7g]

My Gulf Stream manual is grammatically well written but virtually useless.

[Wiscampsin]

I think of mine more of a kind of sort of guide than a manual. I've learned more on this and other forums than any 'manual' I've had for my last 4 campers.

[Narboza]

I had to laugh at the generic Blue Ridge manual. It had more lawyerly CYA than useful information. For sanitizing, it never said HOW to get the chlorine in the tank with no gravity fill, nor did it say how to figure out how much to add. It appeared to be written in order to say they had one that they could not be sued over.

[lgray]

My Flagstaff, Columbus and Trilogy manuals...all useless.

The Forum, Google and possbily a good dealer are your true resources.

[SammySabre]

At my work, (automated packaging equipment the owner's manuals are written generically and not very much information on purpose. Too much correct and detailed step by step information allows the owner to do it all themselves. We don't want that! You have to provide good accurate info. Just not very much of it.

Making a very detailed owner's manual takes too much time and cuts into profitability. It also allows owners to do all the work themselves which would then cut into dealers service department profits. It's all about the money. Theirs, not yours.

[Narboza]

Originally Posted by SammySabre

... It's all about the money. Theirs, not yours.

It always is.

I would consider paying for more detailed information, but the number of people who would does not make providing it financially sound.

[Triguy]

Just a thought. One of my hobbies is photography and even the higher end cameras from Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax have atrocious manuals. Its common for one or two really good photographers to publish books when a model is introduced. Some are self-published through Amazon. These are excellent resources and started because a photographer wanted to do it for themselves and decided to share their resource to others at a reasonable cost.

I always thought this would be an interesting project to do just for the fun of it with my own trailers and would act as a reference for me. All the better if I could recoup some of my costs to do it.

These are a lot of work upfront as they essentially include all of the detail you would need but, once done for the model, than future iterations are updated and they can sell more. There are obstacles. First, it is a labor of love for someone - They should do it because they are interested in doing it for themselves anyway - profit should be a secondary goal. The second problem is that it requires a certain level of technical expertise, but that is not insurmountable - There are some on this forum who have the expertise. The third issue is that, eventually, the newer model would be so different that the writer would need to either buy a new RV or have unlimited access through the manufacturer or a dealer.

Like I said, just a thought for an enterprising RVer.

[SammySabre]

Check out this project Scott.............
Goldwing motorcycles are very technical and complicated to work on. The owners manual is pretty good but as usual, certainly not a service manual. The Honda service manual is paper or plastic (cd disk) and is actually pretty good with indexed table of contents to hit link to various sections within the pdf files on the disk. But it is still VERY complicated motorcycle to work on as so much of it is a puzzle how to take all that plastic body panels off to get at the guts. Once inside, the hoses and wiring is packed in very tight.

So a guy came up with the idea of making a pictorial service manual. He went one step better and made a series of DVD movie disks showing exactly how to service a Goldwing. I've seen these are they are worth their weight in gold. Work on your Wing a couple times and your DVD set is paid for.

AngelRideVideos - GL1800 Gold Wing Maintenance Videos

[Triguy]

Exactly Sam! Nice work by Angel Ride

Very entrepreneurial of him.

[Marks]

There are some great ideas for a pictorial service manual. One thing for certain is that if equipment, water heater, furnace, inverter, etc. change the manual could be difficult and expensive to maintain. That's why I'm not suggesting that operations for these items be included in the text of the manual. Nor am I suggesting that the manual be anything other than operations. A much better explanation of how to use the propane system is what I'm talking about. More depth on the systems that Dynamax incorporates. The books for the appliances should cover their operation.

[Weezer]

Originally Posted by Triguy

Just a thought. One of my hobbies is photography and even the higher end cameras from Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax have atrocious manuals. Its common for one or two really good photographers to publish books when a model is introduced. Some are self-published through Amazon. These are excellent resources and started because a photographer wanted to do it for themselves and decided to share their resource to others at a reasonable cost.

I always thought this would be an interesting project to do just for the fun of it with my own trailers and would act as a reference for me. All the better if I could recoup some of my costs to do it.

These are a lot of work upfront as they essentially include all of the detail you would need but, once done for the model, than future iterations are updated and they can sell more. There are obstacles. First, it is a labor of love for someone - They should do it because they are interested in doing it for themselves anyway - profit should be a secondary goal. The second problem is that it requires a certain level of technical expertise, but that is not insurmountable - There are some on this forum who have the expertise. The third issue is that, eventually, the newer model would be so different that the writer would need to either buy a new RV or have unlimited access through the manufacturer or a dealer.

Like I said, just a thought for an enterprising RVer.

Third problem; liability concerns

Don't forget for a moment that we live in an extremely litigious society.

[gauchoverde]

It would be an option to have the "manual" available online where it woukd be more fluid. Maybe you could look up a manual by unit serial number

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Forest River Forums mobile app

[B47]

I'm reading this thread and am in complete agreement that the manual supplied by FR with our 2012 Silverback 29rk was almost completely useless - the only half way helpful information in it was how to read the VIN.

For those of you who might be interested in how these somewhat useless manuals are in direct opposition to the manuals required to be supplied by an aircraft manufacture before his aircraft can be FAA certified, I suggest you Goggle 14 CFR 25 ( this is the FAA reg for large Transport Category airplanes) and go to Appendix H, instructions for Continued Airworthiness.

You'll see the many requirements and manuals and what information the manuals are required to contain before the aircraft can be FAA certified. If only the RV manufacturers were required to comply with these requirements, we would all be more informed.

Before anyone says the RV manufacturers can't possibly follow these same requirements with their manuals, I know that. But it would be nice if they did.

[WestWardHo]

That manual would be awesome, Triguy! We'd buy one!

Sherry
Ps hi MarkS, good to see you on here!

[Marks]

Sherry, of course I'm on here. I'm stalking you guys. I thought you'd figured that out. Sorry to hear about your situation. Fate is a real itch. Should you put down roots, remember that we need 50 amps and our rig is just under 65 feet. And no noisy neighbors with barking dogs. We will bring our own.

As far as manuals go, I won't be writing one anytime soon. If I did I wouldn't charge for it. Having some manufacturing in my background, Dynamax could have done a better job of making it appear as though they care. We should be used to people doing things half way. After all, we live in the shadow of D.C.

[WestWardHo]

Originally Posted by Marks

Sherry, of course I'm on here. I'm stalking you guys. I thought you'd figured that out. Sorry to hear about your situation. Fate is a real itch. Should you put down roots, remember that we need 50 amps and our rig is just under 65 feet. And no noisy neighbors with barking dogs. We will bring our own.

As far as manuals go, I won't be writing one anytime soon. If I did I wouldn't charge for it. Having some manufacturing in my background, Dynamax could have done a better job of making it appear as though they care. We should be used to people doing things half way. After all, we live in the shadow of D.C.

MarkS, not sure who is stalking who. Thanks! We'll put in a 50 amp connection! Our Sadie will welcome you and your dogs, the HOA not so much!

Sherry

[Marks]

I was president of our HOA in AZ for 4 years. I now know, I'd rather live under a bridge than in another HOA.

[lgray]

Originally Posted by WestWardHo

MarkS, not sure who is stalking who. Thanks! We'll put in a 50 amp connection! Our Sadie will welcome you and your dogs, the HOA not so much!

Sherry

We put down roots at Outdoor Resorts of America (ORA), Melbourne Beach FL. In essence ORA as an organization no longer exists. This resort is all individually privately owned and has been since 1981. The HOA is well managed to support all the amenities. The campground is on the intercostal on one side, ocean on the other, gated, fishing pier, boat ramp, three pools, hot tub, paved roads, work out center, sauna, professional shuffle board courts, gardens, water falls, 6 tennis courts, etc. Maintenance dues are $2,400 a year, which includes cable. The HOA is well run and has a large reserve of cash. Noise is minimal, as we are all in it together, know each other and for the most part all get along…renters make a very small minority and are thrown out in a heartbeat if miss-behaving. This is not a seniors only and family friendly, although the majority of the owners are retired. The only down side is that once you camp there, your expectations will never be met anywhere else.

[davel1971]

the problem with writing a good RV manual is you have a mix if a dozen or more manufacturers parts all mixed together. How would you mix all that together in one book and who is liable if the information leads to damage or injury?