Firestone R4Tech Air Suspension System
Ken Freund
January 15, 2013
Pickup trucks designed to tow heavy trailers usually have heavy-duty suspensions — as in sometimes harsh riding — especially when the truck is unloaded. If you find that even your dog doesn’t want to ride with you, you know there’s a problem. Necessity is the mother of invention, and to solve... Read more »
Truck Sag
January 14, 2013
Q: I tow a 35-foot Open Range fifth-wheel with a 2011 Ford F-250 four-door crew cab powered by a 6.7L diesel. When I hook up the trailer the back of the truck sags about 4 inches. The trailer is level when towing and when I make turns there is ample clearance between the truck bed and the trailer. My... Read more »
Slideout Slickers
January 14, 2013
When we got a new fifth-wheel, we ordered it from the factory with laminate wood flooring. We had wanted this type of flooring for a long time. However, we did not know that when the slideouts came in, they actually scratched the floor in places. For a while we used carpet scraps to prevent scarring,... Read more »
Battery Drawdown
January 9, 2013
Q: I have a 2009 Skyline Malibu 24-foot travel trailer and have been careful not to leave the shorepower connected for more than four days at a time for fear of “cooking” the battery. I disconnect the battery at the end of the season, take the battery in the house and put it on the battery charger... Read more »
Fifth-wheel Handrail
January 7, 2013
To improve the accessibility of the four exterior steps of our fifth-wheel, I formed a handrail out of 6-foot pieces of 7/8-inch aluminum tubing using a conduit bender. First, I attached the tubing to the existing handrail using two 1/4-inch bolts with lock washers and thumbnuts. Then, I detached the... Read more »
Slideout: In or Out?
January 1, 2013
Q: We leave our fifth-wheel trailer at the campground for extended periods of time because we have a yearly camping spot. My question is, should I leave my slideout room extended, or retract it each time before we head home? There are times the camper sits empty for two weeks at a time. Some of our camping... Read more »
Polyurethane Bushings for Better Handling
Tom Morr
December 31, 2012
When the tail starts wagging the dog more noticeably than normal, RV owners often point to their tow rigs’ hard parts: shocks, ball joints and such. But like cartilage in the human body, a tow vehicle’s suspension and steering system bushings absorb movement and friction between hard parts. Those... Read more »
Delaminating Sidewall
December 31, 2012
Q: We have a 2005 Jayco Eagle 281RLS fifth-wheel trailer and have noticed an area at the front, left-hand corner sidewall, just behind the front cap, that appears to be delaminating. My question is whether or not this is repairable. The area is 3 feet by 2 feet in size and it is noticeable when looking... Read more »
Intermittent Trailer Brakes Tip
December 30, 2012
Q: In the Oct. 2012 issue, Dave Arrasmith of Warsaw, Mo., talked about having intermittent trailer brakes. I had a similar problem with my 2002 Montana fifth-wheel. After lengthy troubleshooting I found the problem to be in the brake wiring that goes through the axles from one side to the other. After... Read more »
Water Heater Failure
December 28, 2012
Q: We have a 2009 Fleetwood Formula toy hauler with a 10-gallon Atwood gas-only water heater. Last year during a trip we noticed water coming out on the floor from the water heater area and found the water heater dripping from the bottom, not the fittings. This messed up our trip due to keeping the water... Read more »
