Trailer manuals

[DickWells]

Just noticed something down in the 6600 Forum that tickled a thought.
We've been full-timing for some 8 years or so, now, and so, I've had more than a fair share of need to get into the travel trailer repair/maintenance/modification business. One thing I've learned from all this is that really comprehensive manuals on YOUR model of trailer are somewhere between hard-to-find, and nonexistant. I've asked about wiring diagrams for my trailers, and found that such things are pretty much generic. If you can't find your way around your trailer with a VOM, then you're hurting. Guess that's why RVer's tend to be pretty self-sufficient folks.
The tough ecconomic times are not helping the RV community, either. My neighbor, here in the park owns a very nice Alpenlite 5th wheel, and he tells me that the company is out of business. If he needs stuff for his trailer, he's going to have to make some substitutions, now.
Got started again, didn't I? Yuk! What about under-rated axles for a given trailer weight? LR-D tires, where LR-E's should be. Oh, here's a good one.
The 90+% of trailers that leave the assembly line with out-of-allignment wheels. Like the left front of my Mountaineer towing out 5/8 of an inch!:eek:
Good preachin, but I've gotta stop.
Later.
Dick Wells:)














1

[a5150nut]

Dick,

I used to work for a company that set up and modified rv, trailer, and modular home factories. There are no manufacturer manuals because they are constantly changing things. Not always by design. Just make it work and then there is the language barrier. Some gets lost in interpretation.

There aren't that many different suppliers though. So a good RV repair manual will get you through the appliances and hardware. I've got Trailer Life's RV Repair & Maintenance Manual by Bob Livingston. A good multimeter and a multi tool screw driver for the almost square head screws. And a large dose of patients. Been in my fifth wheel for 8 years, one fridge, one water heater and two control panels, sail switch on the heater. :D:eek::D

[rustyk]

Also, a tone generator and probe, like this (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FTADX0) can be a big help in tracing those unlabelled, undocumented wires.

My Barth had an erection diagram with the 120 VAC all diagrammed, but the 12 VDC system, including the engine harnesses, is absent.

[MacDR50]

:eek: Every time I read a trailer post here or in other forums I get a nagging feeling I should have bought a boat. I just read and contributed to a thread in another forum concerning shackle wear and replacement. Most owners found their shackles had worn badly between 15 - 20k miles. There were pictures of broken shackles with the bolt holes worn right out (elongated). If this was a truck or car with this type of problem the government would be forcing a safety recall. With the industry in a tailspin it is a sure bet that more corners will be cut "Let the Buyer Beware" was never better advice.

[DickWells]

I do have the manuals, and they are a great help. Have both a digital and analog VOM's, and they've managed to let me find any electrical problems over the years. But, it gets frustrating to keep finding little nagging issues that you'd almost never see, in your tow vehicle, for instance. I tend to check behind the scenes in all the RV's at the shows, and it's appalling what you'll find in even the higher-end units.
DW