eatSleepWoof gets a Winnie

[Todd n Natalie]

Interesting. I don't think I've ever seen a trailer with an exterior 'backer location' like that before.

I've just seen them on the inside for mounting TV's, haha

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Interesting. I don't think I've ever seen a trailer with an exterior 'backer location' like that before.

I've just seen them on the inside for mounting TV's, haha

TV mounts is exactly what these are normally used for.

They're fairly common, just not always "labeled" with a sticker on the outside.

I actually reached out to Winnebago and they sent me a framing diagram which showed the location, dimensions, etc. of the plate before I did the install. That really helped confirm what I was "seeing" with the stud finder.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

That really helped confirm what I was "seeing" with the stud finder.

And you of course did this move in front of your partner, right? I believe it's law when using a stud finder....

 

[eatSleepWoof]

I've had a bad smell in the bathroom for weeks. Kept sanitizing both black and grey tanks, dumping them, plugging drains, checking vents, having a jolly old time. Today I pulled off the toilet, found absolutely no smell coming from the black water tank, but also found the problem.

The problem is the defective Dometic 300 toilet itself. The toilet is composed of numerous pieces, and two of those pieces assemble together with two gaskets at the joint. Well these gaskets somehow allow urine to pass through, and it builds up inside the toilet body. This is all explained very well in this unnecessarily long video. It's a simple DIY fix, but a frustrating one to have to do.

In my case, I brought the toilet outside the trailer and can clearly see up to an INCH of standing urine inside the toilet body. Well that sure explains the stink!

Before proceeding with the DIY fix, I called Dometic to chat about warranty. This trailer is less than 9 months since new, and has probably around 20 nights camping in it.

The guy on the other end wasn't the least bit surprised to hear what I described, he probably takes these calls every day. He quickly offered to send a replacement 300 toilet, but after I inquired about upgrading to the 310 (much better model), confirmed that it's an option for an extra $75 USD fee. No-brainer, as that 310 is porcelain (vs. my super squeaky plastic 300), has a soft-close lid, and a design that does not suffer from the problem I'm dealing with. (Which would develop again on the replacement 300.) The cheapest option to buy a 310 is $400 CAD + tax, so this warranty-exchange gets me the same toilet for less than a quarter of the price.

Fired off all necessary info to Dometic's email, now the wait begins.

While I was down there, I also added an inline shut-off valve for the toilet's water hose. Typical, corner cutting Winnebago couldn't be bothered to install one at the factory.

They also overtightened the base plate, resulting in numerous cracks in the plastic, and a piece of it missing entirely. Yeah...

 

[CRYA]

I really appreciate this thread…but for the wrong reasons. It has completely turned me off from ever purchasing one of these POS’s. I rented a 18 BH over the summer and thankfully I did. And guess what, upon preparing for return the gray water gate was totally seized. The owner even tried to sweat me over it like somehow I was supposed it fix it for him. Not my problem. What a piece of junk!

 

[eatSleepWoof]

I really appreciate this thread…but for the wrong reasons. It has completely turned me off from ever purchasing one of these POS’s. I rented a 18 BH over the summer and thankfully I did. And guess what, upon preparing for return the gray water gate was totally seized. The owner even tried to sweat me over it like somehow I was supposed it fix it for him. Not my problem. What a piece of junk!

Hah! Can't blame you.

I'm actually quite happy with this trailer. It packs a lot in a small (and in my case, not all that expensive) package that works very well for our specific needs. It's definitely not a "forever" trailer, but for the time being, we're enjoying it.

Our last trip out involved about 80km of FSRs. Some parts were reasonably smooth, others were littered with more potholes than a war zone. I had the trailer's tires at 18PSI, it was a shockingly smooth drive in the mirrors, and not a single thing fell out, not a single screw backed out, no drawers opened, etc.

The approach to the campsite was a trail tight enough to pinstripe both sides of the trailer simultaneously, and this is where the 7' width really played a key role. There were numerous very tight 90-degree corners, off camber descents (and ascents on the way back), and a tight spot for maneuverability at the site itself. Larger, 8'-wide trailers simply wouldn't get to this spot (as evidenced by all of them being setup on the other end of the same lake).

With some work (basically what I've done to date), it becomes a pretty viable option. It definitely serves our use case/needs, especially since I've been able to fix/improve just about everything to date. In fact, I'm running out of things to modify!

 

[CRYA]

I know I know. It would work for my family too, especially the FLX option, but I have zero desire to become an RV repairman.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

I know I know. It would work for my family too, especially the FLX option, but I have zero desire to become an RV repairman.

I've come to form the impression that becoming an RV repairman is basically a necessity if you want to own an RV/travel trailer. They all have things that go wrong and need fixing, even $200k Kimberley Kruisers.

Here in North America, 99% of the trailers use the same exact appliances, manufactured by the same crappy vendors. Everyone uses Dometic, Atwood, Suburban, Lippert and a handful of other brands. This means the functionality (or not) of virtually all tech in your trailer is not actually up to the trailer manufacturer, but rather the luck of the draw with the specific appliance. The $100k BigFoot and $20k Jayco use the same exact Dometic kitchen stove, and the same Atwood/Suburban furnace which will vibrate apart/fail in the same exact way.

Some manufacturers make their own frames (BigFoot, Outdoors RV, a few others), which gives them a leg up on the competition. Some have nicer finishings or better built cabinetry. But at the end of the day, if you use them, they will break. These are essentially houses that are subjected to road-going travels every time they're used. And they are all built in a rush, to get them out the door as quickly as possible.

The overland-specific options are certainly better built, but you will not only pay twice as much, but will also have half the room, features and convenience. For some folks that pay off is worth it, for us it's definitely not. Sure, you'll have the option of hauling the trailer well into the bush, where no other trailer can go. Will you? Most people will not.

Trailers are all about compromise. You started off the right way by renting that 18BH. I'd keep going and rent another 4-5 trailers with different layouts and from different manufacturers - see what works for you, what's needed, what's not. Trailer choice is a very, very personal decision. That initial ~$1000-1500 rental cost can save you many thousands in frustration down the line.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Replaced both blinds in the bedroom with the same roll-up blinds that I previously installed in the kitchen. These give proper black-out, and are much easier to use.

Before:

After:

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Called Dometic last Wednesday, and had the new (310) toilet in my hands this morning, which is the following Tuesday. Not bad at all, especially considering shipping to Canada! Well done, Dometic!

Five minutes to install, colossal improvement over the 300 model!

Also recently got rid of the inconvenient towel bar and installed this rack instead.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

Also recently got rid of the inconvenient towel bar and installed this rack instead.

I've thought about doing that as well. But, I'm so paranoid to screw into the wall for fear I'll end up with screw poking out of the back of the trailer.

Any idea what the wall thickness is or can you advise what length of screw you used?

 

[eatSleepWoof]

I've thought about doing that as well. But, I'm so paranoid to screw into the wall for fear I'll end up with screw poking out of the back of the trailer.

Any idea what the wall thickness is or can you advise what length of screw you used?

I typically pull out an existing screw somewhere on the same wall and use its length as a gauge of what's safe.

Here I used 1" screws.

You can also get an idea of wall thickness by opening up any external storage cubby compartment, and measuring the wall there. You can use a digital caliper to get a precise measurement. If the "lip" of the cubby's frame/opening is in the way, grab two pieces of 1/2" plywood (or any other material, really) and measure the thickness of the wall + those two pieces (which will protrude thicker than the lip), and then simply subtract the thickness of those materials.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

I typically pull out an existing screw somewhere on the same wall and use its length as a gauge of what's safe.

Huh. Well that's using your noodle. Good call. Thank you.

 

[brogo]

I've come to form the impression that becoming an RV repairman is basically a necessity if you want to own an RV/travel trailer. They all have things that go wrong and need fixing, even $200k Kimberley Kruisers.

Here in North America, 99% of the trailers use the same exact appliances, manufactured by the same crappy vendors. Everyone uses Dometic, Atwood, Suburban, Lippert and a handful of other brands. This means the functionality (or not) of virtually all tech in your trailer is not actually up to the trailer manufacturer, but rather the luck of the draw with the specific appliance. The $100k BigFoot and $20k Jayco use the same exact Dometic kitchen stove, and the same Atwood/Suburban furnace which will vibrate apart/fail in the same exact way.

Some manufacturers make their own frames (BigFoot, Outdoors RV, a few others), which gives them a leg up on the competition. Some have nicer finishings or better built cabinetry. But at the end of the day, if you use them, they will break. These are essentially houses that are subjected to road-going travels every time they're used. And they are all built in a rush, to get them out the door as quickly as possible.

The overland-specific options are certainly better built, but you will not only pay twice as much, but will also have half the room, features and convenience. For some folks that pay off is worth it, for us it's definitely not. Sure, you'll have the option of hauling the trailer well into the bush, where no other trailer can go. Will you? Most people will not.

Trailers are all about compromise. You started off the right way by renting that 18BH. I'd keep going and rent another 4-5 trailers with different layouts and from different manufacturers - see what works for you, what's needed, what's not. Trailer choice is a very, very personal decision. That initial ~$1000-1500 rental cost can save you many thousands in frustration down the line.

This is perhaps the most accurate statement I’ve ever read about RVs/campers. Cheers!

 

[Downytide]

Replaced both blinds in the bedroom with the same roll-up blinds that I previously installed in the kitchen. These give proper black-out, and are much easier to use.

Before:

After:

Good sir, can you kindly point to me where you got those? that is exactly what I need in order to sleep in.