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Old 10-27-2014, 03:00 PM   #1
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Default A long month wait

Hey I’m Walt from Alabama. We just purchased a 2007 FF 240X that, other than a couple small issues its awesome shape. We previously had a 17ft hybrid cub but sold it once the kids were consumed with sports during the spring and fall, (Camping in the summer is no fun in the south). So now the kids cut back on sports we have a lot more time, hence the new FF.

Now to the trailer. Had to replace the porch light because the cover was a lose fit. Replaced with an LED version. Heater didn’t work so I replaced the thermostat and bingo. The past couple of days I’ve performed all the maintenance to include washing and waxing, rubberized roof treatment, doused it with a water hose at every seam/joint (no leaks), ordered a cover, and resealed suspect looking seems, and checked all systems. Now the hard part, WAITING until Thanksgiving to take it out.

Couple questions. I winterized it just in case of a rare freeze. Like my last camper I use the compressed air method and anti freeze in the pee traps. This camper has a water sanitizer canister. Does this have to be removed for winterizing? I did remove it but there was no water left in it so I would assume it would have been safe to leave in place, Thoughts??

2nd question. My driveway isn’t level. As longs as I don’t run the fridge and chalk the wheels any harm (structurally) storing/parking on a slant?
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Old 10-28-2014, 10:09 AM   #2
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Default Winterizing

Unfortunately, we've spent a lot of winters in Canada where winterizing is not an option - it's mandatory. I have used the compressed air method, but always made sure to have the low point drains open for the hot & cold water and also make sure holding tanks and fresh water tank is drained properly. Some times if there's extra water in the holding tanks, it will gather down at the valves and they break pretty easy when they freeze.
On the sink P traps, I used windshield washer antifreeze, rather than RV antifreeze. It's a lot cheaper and works fine. Make sure you have bypassed your water heater so you don't put antifreeze in it and then make sure to remove the plug to drain the water heater (1 1/16" socket).
Never had a water sanitizer, but if it doesn't have water in it, shouldn't be an issue.
Parking on a slant shouldn't hurt anything. We always park our trailers in storage with a slight up or down hill slant anyhow so water doesn't pool on the roof.
Another winterizing thing we had to do was to put Bounce fabric softener sheets in the cupboards and other areas to keep little rodents (mice) away. Don't laugh, it seems to work. Also, leave your fridge and freezer doors open a bit so it doesn't get all stale in there.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving.
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Old 10-28-2014, 11:26 AM   #3
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Thanks for the reply. Is this forum always this slow? I guess I’m used to the folks at the Pontiac Trans Am Forum. Anyways, yes I drained the HWT and bypassed it. I need to find the low point drains. Is there a common place to look? I’ll try the bounce idea, hey it’s cheap and what can it hurt?

I’ve been reading a lot of other posts about the good and bad of FFs, but I’ve got to say this seems to be a well built trailer. It’s a lot better than the cub hybrid we had. Of course it helps that it’s a one owner and they really took good care of it.

Anyone going camping for Thanksgiving? I’ll be at Goose pond in Scottsboro, Al. Anyone else there look me up.

Walt
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Old 10-28-2014, 08:13 PM   #4
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Hello Walt,

We're pretty new to this forum as well and I agree with you about the fact that it does seem to move a little slow now and then (and of course, I'm comparing it, much like you, to the highly utilized Ram truck forum). We just recently took delivery (Oct. 9th) of a new 2015 214WSD but haven't used it yet since we discovered our truck wouldn't pull it up our steep driveway when it was wet. It's a long story with a very happy ending ....

http://www.funfinderclub.com/phpBB2/...?p=10836#10836

DaveNSherri gave some good advice ... our FF214 has the low water drains tucked up under the side skirt (end caps red & blue if I remember correctly) near the right side rear and they were a bit hard to find and access but draining them at that point provides the peace of mind I was looking for. This is our third TT and since it was the first we had owned one with a suction hose and diverter valve right at the water pump enabling the antifreeze to be pulled directly into the lines from the pump was really efficient from a time and volume standpoint. I've never used air as I don't trust the tenacity of water and gravity. I just drain everything completely and pump antifreeze out every faucet, toilet fill and outside hose connection (coiled pressure hose and nozzle for washing stuff). Then pour about a cup of antifreeze down each sink drain to fill the "pee trap". Also drain the grey and black tanks of residual antifreeze based on my technician's advice at the dealership.



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Old 10-29-2014, 05:54 AM   #5
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Congrats on the new camper and truck. Any day that there’s an excuse to get a new tool or toy is a good day. So you taking the new 214 out for Thanksgiving, you should have your new truck by then?

I have a 2006 Chevy 5.3 1500. I didn’t pull the 240 far, just from where I bought to home but it does seem to pull better/easier than the cub we had. The cub was much smaller but single axle so I’m guessing the double axles reduce the actual pulling friction/drag.
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Old 10-29-2014, 08:15 AM   #6
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Actually, the truck probably won't arrive in time to take it by Thanksgiving. It takes 3 to 4 weeks usually after coming off the production line. It will sit in a QA lot for a couple days and then possibly have an update "flashed" to the ECU before it goes to another lot for staging for a train. The trains are a bit unpredictable based on the volume of goods they already have scheduled and it will have to wait until there's room and then if there's lots of room, it will have to wait till it's full before it will leave. Then it may have to travel through Chicago on its way to Atlanta which is a giant train bottleneck (it can take a week just to get through there). Then it sits in a staging yard south of the Atlanta airport until there's enough of them to fill a truck heading north to dealers. Then the dealer will need time to prep it and check it over and install some stuff that it is shipped with it, like the hitch for instance. Then it will probably take another day when we pick it up to transfer the shell from our trade in over to the new truck. In any case we're expecting him the first week of December. This will give us some time to put some miles on him before we leave on our next planned trip, the second week of January .... snowbirding to Florida. This will be our first outing with the trailer ... that's why I winterized it so soon.

Also, I'm pretty sure that the double axle trailer has more rolling resistance and friction than the single axle trailer. If you've ever tried to move a double axle trailer by hand with a caster wheel on the front, you'd have a great deal of difficulty. A single axle trailer with a caster wheel can usually be moved by hand (side to side) depending on the weight of course. The resistance that the double axle trailer puts up to side movement is one of the reasons they are much more stable and less prone to sway compared to a single axle going down the road. The additional weight also stabilizes the trailer and it takes a greater amount of force to displace that weight (such as hitting a bump). This is our 3rd trailer in 15 months (we've finally figured out our actual needs and requirements) and each one has been heavier than the one before it. With our first trailer (T@B), it weighed about 2,100 lbs loaded and it bounced on really rough roads. That movement was transmitted to the truck and we could feel it. Our next trailer was 3,500 lbs loaded and it was much smoother going down the road and we only noticed it "bouncing" on very rare occasions when we hit a really big bump. Our new FF unloaded is about 4,800 lbs and it towed smooth as silk. On the 50 mile trip home, I never felt it at all other than the initial resistance on take off.



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