New Owner.... my observations so far

[Larry-NC]

It's common

I'm just curious as to why you have 2 Honda 2200i generators?

Bob, this is common. They are designed to pair and sync so you get twice the wattage. Start just one if you want the microwave. Start both if you want the air conditioning.

Easier to lift two 47 lb. generators (one at a time), than lifting one 100 lb. generator.

 

[RangeMaggotBob]

Bob, this is common. They are designed to pair and sync so you get twice the wattage. Start just one if you want the microwave. Start both if you want the air conditioning.

Easier to lift two 47 lb. generators (one at a time), than lifting one 100 lb. generator.

I totally understand the whys and wherefores of using 2. I have 2 and know how much they weigh and how they work. That's why I bought the Hondas. If you noticed my sig, I always carry 2. My point was to the OP- what for? I just thought one could carry the load on a trailer that size. Maybe you do need 2. But me, I don't need 2 to run one AC unit. If I'm running both AC units, I use both generators.

 

[bikendan]

Strange.... I did create a post on "The Welcome Matt"... what's odd is both it, and this show as my first post. Hmmm.

Anyway... My Name is Ed Caffrey, from Great Falls, Montana. I'm a 23+ year USAF veteran, and am a full time Bladesmith. I'm one of 117 ABS rated Mastersmiths in the world. What that means is I was a Bladesmith/Knifemaker before it was cool (before the Forged in Fire nonsense). I have a complete Blacksmith/Fabrication shop, and am blessed to be able to walk out my back door, and to my office (shop) each day.
Most of my camping has been with a backpack and a sleeping bag, or at most a tent, when chasing Elk and/or other big game during the Montana hunting seasons.
As my Mrs and I have gotten older, and due to me having some health issues, the comforts have become more and more important. We gravitated to the A-Frame popups because our "kids" purchased a used A-Liner toy hauler, and love it.... calling it their "Hobbit House". After seeing how quickly and easily theirs was to setup/take down, it peeked our interests..... which lead us to buy what we did.
Sorry for the confusion with the term "OSB".... I guess is should have said "scraps and glue board" I would have to say that's the one that I was the most disappointed with in this camper. At the very least I expected marine grade plywood. My plan is to coat the entire underside, as well as some of the lower exposed portions of the camper with Truck Bed Liner... otherwise I can see falling through the floor in a few years, and/or the lower portions of the camper being beat to death from all the gravel roads we travel.

After talking/visiting with the previous owners, I don't think they did anything to the camper themselves, they said it was taken to the dealership for anything it needed.

We did notice that the "A frame" type of campers are somewhat difficult to find...so I tend to believe the statement made about their profitability, and companies ceasing to offer them.

Aside from the lift kit and the truck bed liner on the outside, and new/better mattress on the inside, I also plan to relocate either the propane tanks and/or the battery box on the tongue...so I can move the electric jack rearward, to allow the truck tailgate to be opened with the trailer hooked up.

Thanks for the warm welcome! I look forward to reading and learning from what appears to be a great community! Many Thanks!

Your post in the Welcome Mat section is still there and is still your first post:
https://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=267086

 

[NJKris]

I'm just curious as to why you have 2 Honda 2200i generators?
And NJKris- you don't know what OSB is? There was something the other day I posted that you didn't know about, too. Come on man! I depend on you for good straight answers!

I never did construction man! I know metal and rubber abbreviations in car world better.

 

[KnP]

Not long ago, my Mrs and I purchased a used 2022 Rockwood A213HW. The seller agreed to meet us half way (distance wise), and after meeting them at a Flying J truck stop....where the owner showed us how to set it up, gave use the nickel tour, and we haggled a bit on the price. Everything about it appeared in new condition, and the owners told us they had used it 6 times until health issues arose and forced them out of camping. We purchased it, and drove the 6 1/2 hours back to our place.


Now, this is the first RV anything we've ever owned, so realize that I have not been indoctrinated into RVs in any way shape nor form.



The next day we set it up, opened every door and compartment, and set out to learn our new RV. First thing we noticed was loose screws rolling around in nearly every compartment, and even a few in the open floor area. It took some time to find where the screws had fallen out, and put them back in place with a dab of RTV to keep them where they belong. Some were stripped so badly that I had to replace with larger screws. I can only surmise the situation was due to a lot of rough/construction roads coming home.... but it also revealed to me the less then stellar craftsmanship they put into these campers.



Again...I'm not a indoctrinated RV owner.... so I gotta say that I was kinda taken back at just how cheap and chinsey most everything inside was. Doors and drawers don't fit up well, and the pull handles on the drawers are not even centered on the drawers. Raw plywood to cover the storage areas.... and many other "small" things that I simply don't like.


My next step was to crawl around under it, where I met another surprise....the entire underside is BARE OSB! No paint or coating of any kind! I still can't wrap my head around that one...had I looked under there before buying... I likely wouldn't have. So on the "to do" list is to coat the underside with truck bed liner.



Next thing I noticed is how "low slung" the entire trailer is... VERY low to the ground, with wires and plumbing exposed everywhere. We're not KOA camping folks. If we can see a road or another camper/tent, then it's too crowded So first order of business was to LIFT the entire thing. Since the camper has a #10 Dexter axle, fabricating and installing a 3 1/2" lift kit was fairly simply, and took about 1/2 a day.


My Mrs took a couple of days off work, we loaded it up, hooked it up to my F150, and off to the mountains. The new lift kit leveled the trailer out well, and it tracked super driving down the road. After and hours drive from out home, and about 19 miles on a mountain "2 track" road, we found a nice little spot at about 7200Ft, beside a stream that I knew to host a good population of Brook trout.
Setup was quick and easy. Even leveling wasn't too bad.


We had already purchased a pair of Honda 2200I generators with the tandem wiring kit, so I got those out, setup and ready for the night. The water tank on this trailer is 26gal, so there's plenty of water for a few days worth of dishes and washing. Probably the most important thing in this camper for us (well for my Wife) is the toilet. It's a pretty neat little setup, with a "cartridge" holding tank. It did it's job during our stay, is certainly the Wife's favorite part of the camper.



Overall it wasn't too bad. Once I got past the initial shock of how cheaply it was made, it does the job it should. There's a number of other things that I consider sub-par.... namely how loud the heater/furnace is... we both literally jumped out of our beds the first time it kicked on. And the fridge....it is an absolute necessity to "pre-cool" it with ice at least overnight before a trip...but once cooled down, it does it's job well, and the auto switching between power sources is nice. In the end, it's not all bad, there are just a lot of things that surprised me, and that need "fixing" to suit me.


I'll fix those things one at a time, and hopefully by next season, it'll all be up to snuff. More to come!

All depends on the brand. I used to have a Rockwood MiniLite that had no underbelly, all was exposed, does not hurt a bit unless you are camping in freezing weather. Also, the underbelly helps with MPGs. You could make one yourself. There are threads on this forum about belly covers. Some manufacturers cut corners by obmiting a coat of paint or installing a vapor barrier. Most of them use Marine Wood as floor boards.

Loose screws it is normal if you tow a lot. Keep in mind, the camper goes through an earthquake every time is pulled down the road. Each time you stop and setup, you will find some loose or some that needs attention. The earlier you take care of it, the better for all of you.

The Campers do not have a Manual per sé like a car, it is more like a house. The manual is a compilation of manuals for each appliance. Save them in a binder in a convinient location, you will be pulling them out from time to time to service, or to operate them, or to get parts. RV appliances might look like regular appliances, some has their small details that makes them unique. I just learned the other days, the 12V fridges are susceptible to low voltages. I burned one up because it was not turned off. Now I wait for shore power and turn on the fridge. Once is nice and cold, the 12V system from te truck will keep it going while towing. On my older Propane Fridge, if it runs out of propane and/or power, it was not a big deal. That is just tip from based on my experience.

 

[chengdave]

Wait till you roof actuator goes out....it's inevitable after a year or so. Best advice I can give is to remove it and reinstall it only when you're going to use it...then remove and store it for next use. I got tired of replacing the actuator and install gas springs on other sides for raising the rear roof...

I got tired of replacing the wood screws and started using nut rivets so I can use machine screws with blue Loctite. So far all my interior roof latch brackets, the gas shock brackets and the forward left piano hinge is equipped with them, among other places. The microwave has brass wood insert nuts on the frame behind the microwave.

 

[cspanky1]

My husband and I have a 2018 a214hw and it is made just as cheaply. I like your idea of spraying the underside osb with truck liner. I was telling my hubby that we should at least put some Thompson water seal on it as we live in Wisconsin and sometimes head south for the winter months. About loose screws: we have found a few and coated them with gorilla glue before putting them back in so hopefully they will hold better. I put a go pro in there to film while we were driving and it is about the equivalent of a 3-4 earthquake in there. Pool noodles work great for padding the bathroom walls so they don't move as much.

 

[PenJoe]

OSB stands for Oriented Strand Board…..as Home Depot defines it.
Up here in Canada, I’d call it particle board. Bits and pieces of wood, pressed and glued together in a sheet. Poor man’s plywood.

There is a difference between OSB and particle board. OSB is chips of wood laminated together. It is used primarily for sheathing, underlay and initial outer wall siding. It hold up to water intrusion fairly well. It is also fairly strong

Particle board is basically sawdust compressed into panels. It is used in furniture and cabinetry. Particle board is notorious for absorbing water and swelling. It also breaks fairly easily.

 

[PenJoe]

Just a little tip for addressing stripped out screws in wood. Two simple items: wood glue and toothpicks (round or flat). Dab a bit of glue on the toothpick and work it into the stripped out hole, then replace the screw. The toothpick allows the screw threads to hold to new wood. If the screw diameter is larger, I have put in the toothpick, cut/break if off, then insert the remainder of the toothpick alongside the first one. In lieu of toothpicks, I have used any scarp wood to fashion a plug to fit the hole. There is no need to let the glue dry before replacing the screw. I have never had a recurrence using this trick.

 

[mnoland30]

If you're trailer is bouncing that much, I'd take a look at tire inflation. I upgraded the tires on my utility trailer from Load Range C to D. I filled the tires to full pressure as marked on the tire (often recommended on this forum). The eggs in my ice chest broke from the bouncing.

I've since lowered the tire pressure to just a bit over what the LR C tires were, and haven't broken any eggs recently. Load capacity is based on tire pressure, so you want to make sure you are inflated enough to support the load. There are charts that show capacity based on tire pressure.

 

[EdCaffreyMS]

Welcome to the site. It appears we were both stationed at Malmstrom AFB. I was in RED Horse and loved it there. One of the best assignments ever!

Nick....... I was the Supt of Airfields on the Guard (AGR). I was one of those those who "Stood up" the unit.

I'm just curious as to why you have 2 Honda 2200i generators?

For the same reasons that have been mentioned. 1 will run the microwave, but it takes two in parallel to run the AC and/or the AC and microwave at the same time. And they are only 47lbs each (dry weight). I don't if other generators have the same thing, but the "Eco Throttle" runs then much longer on a fill, and they are also super quiet. I will eventually set them up for "extended run"... where both are hooked into a single 5 Gal+ fuel can. And finally, IMO, the Honda generators are simply the best out there. Buy once, cry once.


Yesterday I spent the afternoon redesigning how every thing will be rearranged on the tongue, and fabricating the new mounts. The propane bottles are being moved closest to the trailer body, then the electric jack, and the battery box will be closest to the ball/hitch. With my trailer, turning the jack wasn't an option....the tailgate of my truck, when open, completely covers the original jack mount area. I'll try to remember to get some pics and post them when done.

 

[PenJoe]

My husband and I have a 2018 a214hw and it is made just as cheaply. I like your idea of spraying the underside osb with truck liner. I was telling my hubby that we should at least put some Thompson water seal on it as we live in Wisconsin and sometimes head south for the winter months. About loose screws: we have found a few and coated them with gorilla glue before putting them back in so hopefully they will hold better. I put a go pro in there to film while we were driving and it is about the equivalent of a 3-4 earthquake in there. Pool noodles work great for padding the bathroom walls so they don't move as much.

When we first shopped for used, I crawled under a 3-yr old class B. Rust was everywhere. It looked like a 10 yr. old.

Walmart carries rubberized undercoat in the automotive section. The first thing we did when we bought our new class C was to spray undercoat virtually everything including the trailer hitch and except the exhaust pipes and cat converter. It has lasted very well. I spread a tarp and cardboard under the unit, put on the oldest clothes, and wore goggles. It gets pretty messy, but well worth it.

 

[Joe_GA]

Welcome from NW Arkansas, Ed. And...welcome to the world of loose stuff! My rig doesn't ride too bad. I have often left a pump bottle of hand soap on the bathroom countertop and find it still standing after 3 or 4 hours of navigating our nations excellent highways.
Sounds like you are handy with tools, so I'm sure you will do well. Some folks have to rely on a dealer for everything. I'm glad I'm not one of them.
There's a lot of knowledge on this forum. Reach out if you need help.
Oh...the search function for these forums can be your best friend!

 

[PenJoe]

Strange.... I did create a post on "The Welcome Matt"... what's odd is both it, and this show as my first post. Hmmm.

Anyway... My Name is Ed Caffrey, from Great Falls, Montana. I'm a 23+ year USAF veteran, and am a full time Bladesmith. I'm one of 117 ABS rated Mastersmiths in the world. What that means is I was a Bladesmith/Knifemaker before it was cool (before the Forged in Fire nonsense). I have a complete Blacksmith/Fabrication shop, and am blessed to be able to walk out my back door, and to my office (shop) each day.
Most of my camping has been with a backpack and a sleeping bag, or at most a tent, when chasing Elk and/or other big game during the Montana hunting seasons.
As my Mrs and I have gotten older, and due to me having some health issues, the comforts have become more and more important. We gravitated to the A-Frame popups because our "kids" purchased a used A-Liner toy hauler, and love it.... calling it their "Hobbit House". After seeing how quickly and easily theirs was to setup/take down, it peeked our interests..... which lead us to buy what we did.
Sorry for the confusion with the term "OSB".... I guess is should have said "scraps and glue board" I would have to say that's the one that I was the most disappointed with in this camper. At the very least I expected marine grade plywood. My plan is to coat the entire underside, as well as some of the lower exposed portions of the camper with Truck Bed Liner... otherwise I can see falling through the floor in a few years, and/or the lower portions of the camper being beat to death from all the gravel roads we travel.

After talking/visiting with the previous owners, I don't think they did anything to the camper themselves, they said it was taken to the dealership for anything it needed.

We did notice that the "A frame" type of campers are somewhat difficult to find...so I tend to believe the statement made about their profitability, and companies ceasing to offer them.

Aside from the lift kit and the truck bed liner on the outside, and new/better mattress on the inside, I also plan to relocate either the propane tanks and/or the battery box on the tongue...so I can move the electric jack rearward, to allow the truck tailgate to be opened with the trailer hooked up.

Thanks for the warm welcome! I look forward to reading and learning from what appears to be a great community! Many Thanks!

We meet some interesting people on this forum and you are no exception.

You mentioned using bed liner to seal the OSB. My suggestion is to use rubberized undercoat, both available on line and at Walmart for certain. Bed liner paint is similar to undercoat but for slight differences in the formulation. Undercoat is more flexible, as in rubberized. There is a lot of flexing in a camper parked or moving. Just walking on the camper floor flexes it.

The one thing you don't want to do is to fix one problem and cause another one. Both bed liner coating and undercoating will initially seal the surface. But a hard coating (bed liner) will not flex adequately on a surface that flexes when in use. Like old house paint, it may crack and peel away. That allows moisture to seep in. If not address, the wood material starts to deteriorate and it is hidden. On the other hand, a rubberized coating will flex with the OSB. Either way, you will have to keep tabs on it.

Happy camping!

 

[Gramps42]

Your complaint about the noisy furnace is puzzling. I’ve had forced hot air furnaces in my homes and apartments for 55 years and they are all loud if you are in the same room with them. In all AFrames owners are sleeping in the same room. A window air conditioner is also loud, especially when standing in the same room. The furnace really isn’t loud in your 213HW compared to one in a home.
The least expensive RV is obviously going to have more problems than the more expensive models. We repair, have them repaired or live with the problems.
Good luck with yours. This forum is a valuable tool for all owners.
Roy

 

[Gramps42]

Regarding two generators, above 5500 feet one Honda 2200 does not provide enough power to run the ac in our AFrames. I found out the hard way driving to Trinidad CO from Denver.
Roy

 

[CedarCreekWoody]

Good idea to paint the OSB (also called chip board.) Although it is waterproof the fibers can swell and separate over time.
Nice to see a professional knifesmith on board. I've enjoyed making a few as an amateur over the years. It is an art.

 

[mnoland30]

I turn off the heater when we go to bed. It wakes me up too. We are camping, so we use sleeping bags.