Insane 1999 Wildwood repair....pic heavy!

[itat]

The good thing about the new style with the flap is that they can be sealed. The problem with them is that the tabs that make the flap hinge tend to break off and you lose the flap are have a very large opening. Nothing wrong with the old style with just louvers but if you have big issues you might want to put a screen behind it.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

That's what I'm thinking.

This must be the other style...

https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Vents-an.../V2111-13.html

If I had known, I would have bought one of these. Oh, well....

Rich

I'd say that's the "third" style. Mine like this:



Only one of the two locking tabs seems to work on mine. Can't get the other one to lock.

[rollscanardly]

On these "flap-style" vent covers, how does the flap open? Is there something "automatic" about it, or do you have to manually open and close it?

Does it stay open all the time you are camping, and just get closed for traveling? If so, what happens if you forget to open it, then try cooking?

Rich

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

On these "flap-style" vent covers, how does the flap open? Is there something "automatic" about it, or do you have to manually open and close it?

Does it stay open all the time you are camping, and just get closed for traveling? If so, what happens if you forget to open it, then try cooking?

Rich

The version I posted in post #222 has two tabs. The theory is you push up and out on bottom of the tabs and they unlock, then the flap is free to flap. To lock it, you push in on the tabs and they lock closed. Only one of mine will lock closed.

The etrailer one you posted seems to have a rotating tab on each side to hold it closed. Looks easier to lock and unlock than mine does.

[rollscanardly]

So they are 100% manually operated.

Rich

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

So they are 100% manually operated.

Rich

All the ones I've seen are.

[itat]

I think ours is this Heng's model.

https://www.amazon.com/Hengs-J116AWH.../dp/B006JRLIVS

[rollscanardly]

Originally Posted by itat

I think ours is this Heng's model.

https://www.amazon.com/Hengs-J116AWH.../dp/B006JRLIVS

I checked out the customer reviews on this link. It sounds like these, as well as many other brands, are poorly made. Most people had to get creative and modify them.

I can imagine that it would be tough to remember to close the damper before hitting the road, after a week of camping merriment!.....

Rich

[itat]

Not surprising about the less than steller reviews. The flap is a rectangular piece of thin plastic with little tabs that it hinges on. Those little tabs break fairly easily. If you have a departure checklist that you always follow, you won't forget to lock the flap.

Your fixed louver cover may be the best solution if you add some bug screen on the inside of it before installing.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

I checked out the customer reviews on this link. It sounds like these, as well as many other brands, are poorly made. Most people had to get creative and modify them.

I can imagine that it would be tough to remember to close the damper before hitting the road, after a week of camping merriment!.....

Rich

Originally Posted by itat

Not surprising about the less than steller reviews. The flap is a rectangular piece of thin plastic with little tabs that it hinges on. Those little tabs break fairly easily. If you have a departure checklist that you always follow, you won't forget to lock the flap.

Your fixed louver cover may be the best solution if you add some bug screen on the inside of it before installing.

As itat said, many of us have checklists we use before leaving. Things like: range hood vent closed, roof vents closed, stabilizers up, X-chocks removed, doors locked, safety chains hooked up, emergency brake cable attached, running lights checked, gas turned off, stinky slinky stowed, fresh water hose stowed, etc., etc. Our list probably has another 10 items on it that are escaping my memory at the moment (which is why we have the checklist - )

[rollscanardly]

Checklists, that make sense!! See...this is all stuff that I'll eventually have to learn.

Rich

[KingFisher]

You're my hero, your cojones are elephant sized.

I've taken in 2 old trailers in trade thinking I could use them. The holiday rambler, someone offered me $100 less than I thought it was worth but I let it go. Needed a new fridge and water heater.

The Terry, I had to replace a ceiling joist in it. After that ordeal I'll never attempt anything like that again, luckily I made money on it.

I used to like working on stuff, for some reason I lost all that desire when I turned 60, hell maybe when I turned 57.

[rollscanardly]

Originally Posted by KingFisher

You're my hero, your cojones are elephant sized.

I've taken in 2 old trailers in trade thinking I could use them. The holiday rambler, someone offered me $100 less than I thought it was worth but I let it go. Needed a new fridge and water heater.

The Terry, I had to replace a ceiling joist in it. After that ordeal I'll never attempt anything like that again, luckily I made money on it.

I used to like working on stuff, for some reason I lost all that desire when I turned 60, hell maybe when I turned 57.

I don't love it, believe you me....but I do what I have to. As you have discovered, this restoration work is not something that one does to make a profit on, unless you really cut corners and do a hack job on a camper that the buyer will probably regret having bought, in short time.

I'm going to these extremes because it's for my DW and I to use. If I were to sell this thing after it's finished, I'd never get what I have into it, especially the labor, even at $5.00 / hr.

I have a Jeep CJ 5 that I am building from the ground up...from all accumulated parts, as opposed to restoring a complete, bought Jeep. It's a fill-in type of hobby.

I've been at it (part-time) for about 7 years now. It's about 60% done.

So, because of this camper repair, it'll probably set that jeep project back about 2 years.

Aaaah....so what...

And, I'm over 60....

Rich

[randomabstract]

Enjoying your progress.

[rollscanardly]

Originally Posted by randomabstract

Enjoying your progress.

Thanks! Me, too!

Rich

[kantonburg]

Hey Rich,

Any updates?

[rollscanardly]

Originally Posted by kantonburg

Hey Rich,

Any updates?

Between the very rainy spring we've had, and life's other commitments, I've done very little. I did a small repair on the roof that I'll post a few pics of soon.

Hopefully I'll get something accomplished done this weekend.

Thanks for asking....


Rich

[kantonburg]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

Between the very rainy spring we've had, and life's other commitments, I've done very little. I did a small repair on the roof that I'll post a few pics of soon.

Hopefully I'll get something accomplished done this weekend.

Thanks for asking....


Rich

Rainy season?

[rollscanardly]

Yes...like that...which looks awful.

Good thing that tents and awnings were invented!

Is that a recent photo?

Rich

[kantonburg]

Originally Posted by rollscanardly

Yes...like that...which looks awful.

Good thing that tents and awnings were invented!

Is that a recent photo?

Rich

Yeah. Father's day weekend. Flash flood. It was nuts. I was stuck at the bathroom at the top and finally said screw it and made a break for it. Our dog bowls were floating down the road when I got there.