Venting on Forest River

[rsdata]

Get some legislation passed in enuff states.

ya that's the ticket...need more legislation... that always works...

[hobienick]

Originally Posted by Highwayguy

Sorry to disagree with you.
I fired 4 electrical engineers until I got one good one.
I gave up on the mechanical engineers and got a good mechanic instead. I had to have an electrical engineer on staff laws required it.
But what a challenge to get him to do anything.
Sorry but these are facts!

It sounds like you need to reevaluate your hiring practices.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by Highwayguy

I agree we will never get to zero defects but we should be able to enjoy a level of good workmanship.

So, Im curious, did you reposition that pump to a location that would allow you to adjust the screw when you put it back?

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by Jackfacente

RV's in today's world can only be purchased by mechanical and electrical engineers

While a degree may be helpful, you must really be a tradesman with hands-on experience in troubleshooting/diagnosing and repairing in just about every aspect of the trades. It’s the engineers who design these things, sitting at their desk, playing with their CADs. It’s us, the people with no more than a high school diploma; with calluses, scars and worn-out joints who do the real work of keeping these things going. It’s us who should be designing these things.

Bruce

[Comanchecreek]

With all of the information out there, why do people assume their new RV will be without issues? What would we talk about on these pages if they were all perfect from the factory? I find the repairing a challenge, and it is just part of the program with RV ownership.

[campers302]

The water pump started to cycle on and off continuously.
No problem adjust the relief on the pump!
Easy right?



Wait in all these years I have never seen anything about an adjustment for this. It has always been "Replace the Pump"


Where is this adjustment. from reading I am guessing it is on the back end of the pump?


Thanks

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Comanchecreek

With all of the information out there, why do people assume their new RV will be without issues? What would we talk about on these pages if they were all perfect from the factory? I find the repairing a challenge, and it is just part of the program with RV ownership.

Unfortunately it appears that many of the newbies to RV life, have done little or no research before buying their rigs.
In the Age of the Internet, the information is available in mere seconds, if you take the time to gather it. But it seems like more and more people are making impulse purchases.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Unfortunately it appears that many of the newbies to RV life, have done little or no research before buying their rigs.
In the Age of the Internet, the information is available in mere seconds, if you take the time to gather it. But it seems like more and more people are making impulse purchases.

Exactly. This last 6 months we and our RV group have run into many first time RVers who had no idea how to work anything. Several who didn't know how to hitch/unhitch. We stopped one fellow before he killed himself trying to disengage the sway bars. Some folks ask us for help, and others we volunteer to help to avoid bigger problem solution later.
It does amaze me that they didn't even try any part of their RV out in the driveway before they left. But it is entertaining and we meet a lot of folks that way and get plenty of free beer!!!!
As far as quality control, I really haven't noticed that it is any better or worse in the last 20 years of RVs. I also agree you can tell a lot of the systems are designed by engineers who have never actually used them. Which is usually the case in any industry

[hobienick]

Bruce,

You are right about the newer engineers. I am a... more experienced engineer. The first thing I do with a new hire is stick them on the production floor for a month operating equipment. Then I have them shadow maintenance for at least a few weeks. This gives them the end user frame of reference.

Once they get back to thier desk and are pressured to save every penny in thier designs I have to remind them of where not to cut.

The goal of RV manufacturers is not to make maintenance easy on the owner. It is to make them as light as possible and cheap as possible while providing as many amenities as possible. The engineers are doing what they are asked to do. And as lo g as units are being sold in the numbers they are, there is no need to change focus.

Not all engineers lack common sense. Just the ones with clean fingernails.

Originally Posted by nomad297

While a degree may be helpful, you must really be a tradesman with hands-on experience in troubleshooting/diagnosing and repairing in just about every aspect of the trades. It’s the engineers who design these things, sitting at their desk, playing with their CADs. It’s us, the people with no more than a high school diploma; with calluses, scars and worn-out joints who do the real work of keeping these things going. It’s us who should be designing these things.

Bruce

[rollscanardly]

My wife and I watch "Going RV". People, usually a couple (with kids), go to a dealership with a budget.


They are shown 3 campers, and choose one. They end up driving off with the camper of their dreams, and life is perfect for them.


I wish there was a TV show that showed the same people a year later, and exploit the issues that they've had.


Rich

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Exactly. This last 6 months we and our RV group have run into many first time RVers who had no idea how to work anything. Several who didn't know how to hitch/unhitch. We stopped one fellow before he killed himself trying to disengage the sway bars. Some folks ask us for help, and others we volunteer to help to avoid bigger problem solution later.
It does amaze me that they didn't even try any part of their RV out in the driveway before they left. But it is entertaining and we meet a lot of folks that way and get plenty of free beer!!!!

Add to all this the Dealer who doesn't do their job.

I was walking by a brand new TT where the owner and wife were fretting over the huge water leak out the bottom. He aske me if I could tell him what was going on.

Looked underneath and water was flowing from both uncapped low point drains and out the cover on water heater.

I shut off city water, opened water heater cover, and just as expected, the anode rod was out and stuffed behind burner tube. Both caps to low point drains sitting on bottom shelf.

Took only a few minutes longer to fix than it took me to go bavk to my trailer for the wrench fitting the anode.

Guy told me the Dealer said everything was all checked and ready to go. Hooked it to his truck and sent him on his way.

At least he made it 200 miles without any serious problems but who knows about future miles.

[NJKris]

It's comical! Ever see that Robin Williams movie when he rents a motor home? One of favorite parts is when he goes to dump station. There are actually people who go buy these things like they are picking up a bag of dog food at the grocery store. No research at all. Can't say I feel all that bad for them.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by NJKris

It's comical! Ever see that Robin Williams movie when he rents a motor home? One of favorite parts is when he goes to dump station. There are actually people who go buy these things like they are picking up a bag of dog food at the grocery store. No research at all. Can't say I feel all that bad for them.

It definitely makes you wonder about their research and problem solving skills

[Comanchecreek]

Dan: You are exactly right. Many people have decided to hit the road with their new trailer. Many don't even know which end of a screw driver to use, much less that most of the screws on an RV are the square drive type. We just got back from a 2000 mile run through Utah, Arizona, and Southwestern Colorado. I've never seen so many rental units, and we must have seen 150 brand new "Imagine" travel trailers by Grand Design. Probably others also, but it seemed every time we turned around there was another Imagine.
Mike: It's why they call them "Stealers". Yes folks I agree there are a few good ones, but that's the problem. They are few, and far between. When I bought my Crusader new, I figured their warranty wasn't worth the paper it was printed on. Their shop was so busy back then (2016) that I knew it would be impossible to get anything done, so I planned to just take care of anything myself. Can't imagine what it's like now, after COVID. Warranties on RV's are only for catastrophic failures, and even then it will be a fight. Fortunately I survived my year of warranty and I don't set foot in a stealership unless I need parts, and can't wait for them to be shipped.

[Highwayguy]

Originally Posted by hobienick

It sounds like you need to reevaluate your hiring practices.

No not my hiring practices. The the firings were not without justification.
In this day and age dealing with employees has to be taken very seriously by an employer.
I got out of the business when my Human Resources dept was increasingly getting bigger to deal with personal problems.
I did not feel good about the job losses resulting from my decision to liquidate my company.
Now I am stress free!

[Highwayguy]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

So, Im curious, did you reposition that pump to a location that would allow you to adjust the screw when you put it back?

No I did not. But the problem is solved.

[Highwayguy]

Originally Posted by nomad297

While a degree may be helpful, you must really be a tradesman with hands-on experience in troubleshooting/diagnosing and repairing in just about every aspect of the trades. It’s the engineers who design these things, sitting at their desk, playing with their CADs. It’s us, the people with no more than a high school diploma; with calluses, scars and worn-out joints who do the real work of keeping these things going. It’s us who should be designing these things.

Bruce

Agreed

[Highwayguy]

Originally Posted by campers302

The water pump started to cycle on and off continuously.
No problem adjust the relief on the pump!
Easy right?



Wait in all these years I have never seen anything about an adjustment for this. It has always been "Replace the Pump"


Where is this adjustment. from reading I am guessing it is on the back end of the pump?


Thanks

Here is a picture of the pump showing the adjustment .

[Highwayguy]

Originally Posted by NJKris

It's comical! Ever see that Robin Williams movie when he rents a motor home? One of favorite parts is when he goes to dump station. There are actually people who go buy these things like they are picking up a bag of dog food at the grocery store. No research at all. Can't say I feel all that bad for them.

Those are Idiots that that salesman love!

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by nomad297

While a degree may be helpful, you must really be a tradesman with hands-on experience in troubleshooting/diagnosing and repairing in just about every aspect of the trades. It’s the engineers who design these things, sitting at their desk, playing with their CADs. It’s us, the people with no more than a high school diploma; with calluses, scars and worn-out joints who do the real work of keeping these things going. It’s us who should be designing these things.

When I was running electronics maintenance in Alaska, we used to complain about engineering failures all the time. Then I visited our engineering support in Southern California. And I realized what happened.

The engineer sitting at his desk in California dreaming up a new and better (and cheaper) way to package the radio had never, ever, ever climbed to the mountaintop in Alaska, with the wind swirling at 35 knots in all directions, periodically sleeting and raining horizontally, equipment not working, darkness approaching, and having to repair in 15 minutes, or the helicopter was going to leave you there for the next 2+ days - the next expected weather window. All the engineer saw out his window was a balmy 80 degrees, some palm trees, sun, and a gentle breeze. He couldn't even imagine the environment his designed equipment was going to be installed in. And he never got the chance because being government we were chained to the low bidder, which meant no trips to Alaska to see the real environment.

And both sides wondered why things failed so frequently.

The best power source we could come up for the mountain top sites were propane-fueled thermo-electric generators (TEGs). But too many Alaska bears liked their propane fix, and would chomp on the propane lines. And propane is very expensive delivered to the mountain top. On the sites where there was enough sort of level ground huge solar arrays worked - the angle they had to be at installed at 57 deg N latitude enabled the panels to shed snow and ice pretty well. Small wind turbines were a total failure - even Antarctic-rated turbines. Every one we installed was in pieces at the foot of the mountain by Spring.

In an ideal world, engineers would visit with end-users, and have money to correct design deficiencies. In an ideal world. Usually neither happens until the pain gets too great.

just my experiences
Fred W