What did you do to your camper today?

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by wicked1

Is that regular household tile and what did you use to secure it and I assume regular grout?, I like that backsplash mod


2014 F150 FX4 Crew 4X4 EB
2015 Roo 23IKSS

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Originally Posted by doc73

It is probably "smart tile" it is a self adhesive tile sheeting. It can be had at the Lowes, HD and such.

doc73 you are correct. wicked1, due to the fact that the kitchen is in the big slide (heavy enough as is), I felt I couldn't go with a "real" tile......too heavy!

Time will tell (whether they stay stuck) but, while DW was shopping for the "tile" a contractor told her to heat the sheets and wall with a hair dryer to promote adhesion. Also, make sure the surface is completely clean. I used mineral spirits to clean the wall.

[jtstromsburg]

[QUOTE=ependydad;1099070]Do you happen to have a link or picture of this tool?

Something like this.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008VV...IL&ref=plSrch#

[ependydad]

Thanks. On my way to HD now.

[doc73]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Thanks. On my way to HD now.

Attachment 99297

Good luck on the repair. At least plastic can't weld itself to the metal threads. With some finesse that tool should back it right out.

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[ependydad]

Originally Posted by doc73

Good luck on the repair. At least plastic can't weld itself to the metal threads. With some finesse that tool should back it right out.

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"Finesse." I'm screwed.

[Mark and Linda]

This wasn't today but the other day, I have been out doing a pre-camping season checking on things; taking loose the access panels and looking to see if anything has broke, etc.. I opened a cabinet over the couch and started rearranging the junk up there. Opened the cabinet above the sink and started to wonder, do we need all these bowls? After a season or two, starting to thin out the stuff I thought we would need four years ago. It has a way of accumulating.

[doc73]

Originally Posted by Mark and Linda

This wasn't today but the other day, I have been out doing a pre-camping season checking on things; taking loose the access panels and looking to see if anything has broke, etc.. I opened a cabinet over the couch and started rearranging the junk up there. Opened the cabinet above the sink and started to wonder, do we need all these bowls? After a season or two, starting to thin out the stuff I thought we would need four years ago. It has a way of accumulating.

I've found about once every other year I need to go through and cull the heard of unused junk build up.

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[bob caldwell]

Take broken piece with you for size

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[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Not for me. That bad boy has a lot of usable life left. I check it fairly regularly and it's pretty slow to be eaten away.

Here's the chart from Suburban's manual on life/usage:

Attachment 99289

Yeah, I'd say you're only down about 40%.

[DaveandSue]

Ependy do a Google on broken plastic fitting removal tool. On my phone and can't copy and paste

[rogo]

Originally Posted by ependydad

"Finesse." I'm screwed.

Good one!

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by DaveandSue

Ependy do a Google on broken plastic fitting removal tool. On my phone and can't copy and paste

That looks legit. The tool that I bought didn't help.

[ependydad]

It's gotten worse- I had some helpers this morning. It looks like the plastic check valve seemingly fused/melted itself to the inside of the water heater's inlet threads.

I have no idea what's next. I think I'm going to try pulling the water heater out and then etching away at the threads. Then either get a tap or something with the same threads and see if I can clean it out bit by bit.

The real problem is that I really don't have time today for this. Dammit.

[18CrewDually]

Ream out most of the plastic first. Then use a1/2" pipe tap to clean the remaining plastic out of the threads.

[bob caldwell]

Drill bit index?.....you need one....or, If your carefull, can be done with Dremel

[SKnight]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Well brown chicken brown cow me with a pickle.

I'm very sorry about the situation, and if you were close we would get that out in 20 minutes, but I've got to say this made me laugh!

Originally Posted by ependydad

It's gotten worse- I had some helpers this morning. It looks like the plastic check valve seemingly fused/melted itself to the inside of the water heater's inlet threads.

I have no idea what's next. I think I'm going to try pulling the water heater out and then etching away at the threads. Then either get a tap or something with the same threads and see if I can clean it out bit by bit.

The real problem is that I really don't have time today for this. Dammit.

Easy peasy. Use a hacksaw blade (Or whatever fine tooth blade will fit inside it.) and very carefully cut slits in the plastic from the inside out. The moment you feel metal, stop. You can tell the difference easily, if you stop quick enough you won't leave a mark on the metal.

Cut four slits in a + pattern. Once that's done you can use a flat blade screwdriver to push the pieces inward, then pull the pieces out with a pair of pliers. If you were careful enough the threads won't be damaged, then use pipe tape on the valve to reinstall.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by SKnight

I'm very sorry about the situation, and if you were close we would get that out in 20 minutes, but I've got to say this made me laugh!

I actually laughed pretty hard when I thought of it. Glad you enjoyed it.

Originally Posted by SKnight

Easy peasy. Use a hacksaw blade (Or whatever fine tooth blade will fit inside it.) and very carefully cut slits in the plastic from the inside out. The moment you feel metal, stop. You can tell the difference easily, if you stop quick enough you won't leave a mark on the metal.

Cut four slits in a + pattern. Once that's done you can use a flat blade screwdriver to push the pieces inward, then pull the pieces out with a pair of pliers. If you were careful enough the threads won't be damaged, then use pipe tape on the valve to reinstall.

It looks like I'm not alone in this or that recommendation.

https://www.heartlandowners.org/show...-removal-BROKE

I'll start to stab wildly at it in a bit. I need to find a tap to clean up the threads.

[SKnight]

Originally Posted by ependydad

It looks like I'm not alone in this or that recommendation.

https://www.heartlandowners.org/show...-removal-BROKE

I'll start to stab wildly at it in a bit. I need to find a tap to clean up the threads.

It works surprisingly well. I used the same technique on the heater hose connector of dozens, maybe hundreds of GM trucks.

Having a tap isn't a bad idea, but don't open it. You might get it out clean, run your finger along the threads, if you don't feel any marks on the threads, then you don't need to tap it and can return the tool.

Also, once it's back together leave the anode out and run some water through the heater tank to rinse any debris out.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by SKnight

It works surprisingly well. I used the same technique on the heater hose connector of dozens, maybe hundreds of GM trucks.

Having a tap isn't a bad idea, but don't open it. You might get it out clean, run your finger along the threads, if you don't feel any marks on the threads, then you don't need to tap it and can return the tool.

Also, once it's back together leave the anode out and run some water through the heater tank to rinse any debris out.

Sounds good. A friend came over with torch in hand ready to melt it out of there. I'll give this a shot before that.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Sounds good. A friend came over with torch in hand ready to melt it out of there. I'll give this a shot before that.

Today, there were many men in my basement- real deep in there!

I wasn't the one who tried it, but supposedly the hacksaw idea didn't work. He ended up using a mini torch and scraped the melted portions out.

He got about 1/2-way through before we finally boned up and just removed the water heater from the camper to work on it. I was pretty surprised at how not terribly difficult that was. The worst part was that this was one of the few times that Sabre cut a proper sized hole- actually surprising snug.

I continued from there and another guy brought down his "little prick" as he called it (looked like a dental tool with a hooked end). I was able to clean the threads out pretty well with it. We got the new one ran back in pretty well. Taped it up and no leaks.

We got it all back together and double checked each fitting and checked the propane for leaks. All is well and I have hot water again.

This truly was a village effort. I had 2 different guys around this morning and then 3 more guys who came around this afternoon. Everyone jumped in and just helped do stuff.