No Longer An RV'er Wannabe...

[CuppaJoe]

Actually, I am more interested in interior photos anyway.

Me, too; I'm very curious about placement of side tables.

 

[NW-Bound]

How about whetting board members' appetite for RVs by looking at the Lazy Daze I might have (would have?) bought if I weren't a half day late? The eBay post and pictures are still there for a little while. It would give people an idea of what used RV one can get for less than one would pay for a new car.

1999 LAZY DAZE 26 1/2 ft " Cadillac of Class C's " : eBay Motors (item 270537210128 end time Feb-25-10 00:01:49 PST)

The posted low bids were deceiving. What happened was that the seller canceled his eBay auction when a local buyer bought it on the spot.

 

[CuppaJoe]

Thanks, NW-B, that versatile table reminds me it's lunchtime.

 

[unallowable]

Louise

Good point. Lurkers like pictures too.

 

[kat]

That's great news!! You've been looking and hoping for awhile!! I can't wait to hear your stories!

 

[Westernskies]

Drat! BTW, did I ever confess my intense love and very strong desire to see you soon?

Can I watch?

 

[NW-Bound]

Glad you finally made the decision, NW-B; I'm amazed at how careful many are, I mean about purchases. When I want something, it takes me about 1/2 day to go ahead and buy...

Previously, I never took this long to buy my cars, and since they were bought new, they cost more than this used RV. I just knew I wanted a generic minivan or SUV, then took but one weekend to look and buy whatever I thought the local dealerships gave the best deal on.

This RV is really different. I need to be sure that we will like this travel style. Where do we go, what do we see, where to stay? Same as a home ownership, it comes with maintenance w*rk. Of course, if I was fixated on getting a new one that costs $80K+ even for a class C, I would still be vacillating because the stake would be higher.

Once I decided that a nice "gently used" one should be what I bought, then the waiting was due mainly for the right one (length, floorplan, mileage, etc...) to come along. In fact, we are not ready to travel yet due to our schedule, but the timing is still right. I need time to prepare it to my liking.

It gives me something to do. But, but, will it distract me from my other "stuff"? I still have the roof leak in my city home to take care of. We have to go up to our boonies home to see how it survives this winter. It's not the RV by itself, but this is on top of existing "stuff". So, I had to be careful...

 

[audreyh1]

Front window leaks aren't that unusual for front windshields with gaskets. If you can't fix it, just about any glass place can.

Congrats! You've been patient and finally found your RV!

Wow - you are very lucky about private RV sales not being taxed in AZ!!!!

There are lots of things that can cause a generator to run rough. The simplest - letting the fuel tank get too low - I think you end up getting some air in the line. This happened to us, and I think it took like a year to work that kink out. Well - at least the starting was rough - maybe not the entire running - not sure.

Audrey

 

[NW-Bound]

In my case, I suspect the leak is between the window frame and the RV wall. I have seen a youtube video showing how it is a simple procedure to remove it and reinstall with butyl putty tapes. Look fairly easy as long as you have two guys to make sure the window doesn't get dropped. I will need my son to help out here.

Or, it may be the rubber gasket between the glass and the window frame, as you suggested. I will take another look. If this is the case, I do not yet know how to do that myself.

Regarding the generator, it is running really well now. The carburetor was gummed up from stale gasoline sitting there. On the Web, people have called theirs the "generator from hell". Some said each time they needed service, it was $500-700. One said over the course of a few years, it cost them $3000. Another RV'er ran out of patience and ripped it out to replace with a portable Honda generator. No, I want to keep my remote electric start capability, and not going out in the rain or at night to mess with a hand-pulled generator. Isn't RV'ing about comfort? And TV? And Internet? In your own little cocoon?

I had no experiences with the Onan gensets, but asked myself that if this brand were so bad, how could it be the premier and the preferred brand for RV genset? So, perhaps they simply need maintenance or little repairs and the unfortunate owners were simply gouged by unethical RV mechanics.

Of course, there were testimonies on the Web of people saying that they had very little problems with their Onan generators, and that theirs ran for years.

In my case, all it cost me was 1/2 day messing with it and a can of carburetor cleaner costing $2.59 before tax! And by the way, the clock on the genset said 211 hours running time. I think that is pretty low.

Now, I have heard of diesel generators for RVs. That would be beyond my shade-tree mechanic abilities.

 

[audreyh1]

We always get our Onan (diesel) genset serviced once a year, and try to run it once a month. The only issue we ever had was the one I mentioned above.

Congrats on diagnosing the problem and getting it cleaned up. It's really nice to have a genset when it's hot out and you are on a long road trip.

Audrey

 

[REWahoo]

And by the way, the clock on the genset said 211 hours running time. I think that is pretty low.

It is low - and the likely source of your problem. A genset needs to be exercised frequently and run under a load to perform at it's best.

The original owner of our RV did a lot of boondocking using the genset. It was 6 years old when we purchased it and the (Onan diesel) had 2,695 hours on the clock. Ran perfectly then and still does 2+ years later. I make sure to start it and run both air conditioners/heat pumps for a minimum of a hour once a month.

 

[NW-Bound]

It is low - and the likely source of your problem. A genset needs to be exercised frequently and run under a load to perform at it's best.

Yes, the manual says to run it 1/2 hr each month under the load of the A/C in the summer and an electric heater in the winter (no heat pump but a gas furnace in this class C). I believe the previous owner did do some of that, but failed to keep up at the end. Else, no way the thing would even run after sitting there for a year or two. The carburetor jets would be plugged up solidly.

Anyway, a gas generator wouldn't last as long as a diesel one, but I have not done research to see what life expectancy to expect, out of curiosity. I do not expect to wear this one out.

 

[Nords]

I had no experiences with the Onan gensets...

[Beavis-Butthead]Heh-heh... he said Onan... (*snicker*)[/Beavis-Butthead]

It makes me think of the company founders picking a name by consulting the Bible. "Hey, nobody's used 'Onan' yet!" How appropriate for a pull-to-start generator.

OK, sorry for the hijack, back to generator maintenance!

 

[REWahoo]

Nords, your DOM certificate is in the mail...

 

[audreyh1]

[Beavis-Butthead]Heh-heh... he said Onan... (*snicker*)[/Beavis-Butthead]

It makes me think of the company founders picking a name by consulting the Bible. "Hey, nobody's used 'Onan' yet!" How appropriate for a pull-to-start generator.

OK, sorry for the hijack, back to generator maintenance!

Originally a US company founded in the 1920s. Owned by several other US corporations from 1960s onward. Now owned by Cummins.

So - yes, one wonders!!!!

Audrey

 

[Westernskies]

. What if some board lurkers happen to live in my neighborhood and I have posted something to piss them off in the past?

Park it in my driveway for the pictures if you want. You won't have to worry about the "what if"

 

[NW-Bound]

Park it in my driveway for the pictures if you want. You won't have to worry about the "what if"

Oh, thank you for the offer. But it is not just the house I do not want to publicize.

I have been thinking that perhaps my RV and I should remain anonymous. It is fun to be a bit secretive and mischievous, just like some people here who have been surfing the forum with their cloaking option turned on.

Heh heh heh... In their RV travel now, they will have to wonder if the nerdy-looking guy with a class C parked two rows down from them might just be NW-B.

 

[NW-Bound]

[Beavis-Butthead]Heh-heh... he said Onan... (*snicker*)[/Beavis-Butthead]

It makes me think of the company founders picking a name by consulting the Bible. "Hey, nobody's used 'Onan' yet!" How appropriate for a pull-to-start generator.

OK, sorry for the hijack, back to generator maintenance!

No one will ever confuse me with an expert on Biblical references! Just picked up and added the word "onanism" to my vocabulary.

 

[NW-Bound]

I have not done much on the RV, other than installing the rearview camera. The LCD monitor, I have not found a way to install it permanently yet.

I pried off the SS "wheel simulators" (got to love this RV parlance ), and was able to check tire pressures of the dually rear tires with a newly purchased gauge that is fancier than any I ever needed to own).

I will try to remove a window frame today, then reinstall it with butyl putty tape. Can't drive it up to OR and WA states with any hint of a leak at all, don't you agree?

I need help here! It did not come with a tire-changing jack. The RV got to come with one, right? After all, there is a spare tire. I have been looking for a scissor jack on eBay, but they all appear to be 2-ton, and I think I would need more. Usually I use floorjacks for my car repair, but do not own one beefy enough to trust to this job. What do you RV'ers do? Rely on road assistance?

I believe that with a class A, one cannot change the flat tire himself, but it is possible with the class C and I am of the type who likes to be self-reliant.

 

[RonBoyd]

I need help here! It did not come with a tire-changing jack. The RV got to come with one, right? After all, there is a spare tire. I have been looking for a scissor jack on eBay, but they appear to be all 2-ton, and I think I would need more. Usually I only use floorjacks for my car repair, but do not own one beefy enough to trust to this job. What do you RV'er do? Rely on road assistance?

Two, most likely, dumb questions but...

1. Did you look in the engine compartment?

2. Did your unit come with an "Owner's" Manual? If not, would one be available on-line?

As I wrote this, I wondered if there is website dedicated to <your make/model> owners? I would ask there if it exists.

 

[REWahoo]

Did you look under the front passenger seat?

 

[NW-Bound]

The RV came with a plastic pouch with a lot of manuals. The only thing that would be relevant is the one from GM regarding the engine and chassis maintenance. The location they described for the jack storage does not apply to this cab cut-away chassis.

The remaining manuals were really appliance manuals like microwave, water heater, etc... and there is no manual that describes the overall "house portion" of the RV. There must be something missing. But I have found hospital and general health care info (not personal info) left in there. Must be one of those "sad" RV owners again, as described in another thread.

By the way, I did not buy from the owner, but from a reseller. So I couldn't call for info. Perhaps the previous owner would not be able to use it anyway, and planned on calling for roadside assistance, so left all the tire-changing kit out of the RV basement compartment to save weight.

From the picture in the GM chassis manual, the factory scissor jack does not look much different than the ones I had in the past. Perhaps a 2-ton capacity is all I really need. I will bring some jack stands to be sure. Thought about buying an 4-ton floorjack (I already have a pair of 2-ton floorjacks), but these things are heavy.

 

[NW-Bound]

Another disappointment regarding the resetting of the RV windows. From this youtube video, I asked myself how hard it could be.

YouTube - Resetting an RV Window - How To

Well, the g*d-d*** thing is stuck to the wall of the RV, instead of falling "right out" like the guy in the video demonstrated. What kind of glue did this RV maker use? Grrrr...

After pounding from the inside with my fist (my wife is outside on a ladder trying to catch it), then prying with a crowbar, I decided that it would be dumb if I should break a window, or dented the wall of the RV before even taking a trip. So, back to scratching my head on what would be the best caulk to use. It's a good thing I try a small window first, instead of tackling the bigger and longer ones.

Help!!! What brand of silicone caulk is best for exterior use that money can buy?

And what are other uses of butyl putty tape (that I paid $20 for a roll)?

 

[REWahoo]

I'd suggest going over to iRV2 or similar forum, posting what type Class C you have and asking other owners where their jack is stowed.

 

[NW-Bound]

How about my "caulk" question?