Strange small things go wrong --- your experience?

[precorguy]

hi all:

well we really love our sunline 2553 --- i think we have taken to calling her Sally (i have no idea why, but it came to me in a haze of some sort of vodka drink on our last trip) anyway, enough of that ---- we have noted a few small things that we have now taken to the dealer with:

> bathroom hot water tap - sink - is difficult to turn and the handle keeps coming loose

> shower head stop feature doesn't work --- which we use when dry camping quite a bit

> the awning has a large section of loose material in the middle

> front window leaks when it rains (ok this is not a little problem)

there have been no major issues - thank goodness - i actually think that it is a well built trailer - considering the build quality of our last trailer - a forest river product (it was junk).

anyway, i have a couple of general questions:

> have you had or experienced small silly problems?

> how do you reglue the sunline logo when it starts to peel - the one on the back of the trialer?

> how do you keep the steps from getting all stuck --- i have used a loosner spray and then used a white grease - the back step (bedroom) is so stiff, we sometimes don't bother with it - suggestions?

> how often do you clean and relube the support jacks?

i want to keep this trailer as long as possible - i really like it and we have looked at a lot of trailers since buying this one ---- the only thing that comes close to getting our attention are montana 5th wheels and well who has the money for that!!!!!

have a great one!

 

[tinybluetj]

Each individual camper has it's own little quirks. (our shower handles won't stay on!) I think that is part of what makes camping so fun!

 

[Tweety]

We've had some quirks as well. The hot water bathroom faucet is really tight and squeeks. There was a leak under the sink. (fixed) The step is a pain - I believe someone else finally settled on baby oil as the best solution to lube it. We haven't had any major issues though. Nothing even worth towing it back to the dealer for. (& the dealer is 5 minutes away

 

[emam]

I'm knocking on wood here, but except for the little goofy things like the shower handles being on the floor every few thousand miles (I sort of expect that) we have had no minor - major - or any problems in over 15,000 miles!!!

Then there is Cindy's Baby Oil trick on the steps. One of our steps kept sticking like you talk of, and no matter what brand or type of lube I tried, it would only take a few miles before it would be stuck again. Then Cindy squirted Baby Oil on it, and it was stick free for a few thousand miles...The whole time with her telling me how much time and money I wasted on those various lubes.

I personally dont like one of our drawers under the sink. It's one of the types that folds forward for some extra storage and is very hard to fold down. On a bumpy road, everything in the storage compartment falls into the silverware drawer below it anyways. At the meet and greet, I noticed that Hutch and Mary have a storage compartment where we have this pull down drawer. I think I might make ours a compartment like theirs.

Other then that, I cant complain one bit except for the fact that I dont have a Aluminum roof like Kitty, and that burns my A$$ every single time I have to crawl up there and inspect the rubber roof

Kitty, why didnt I find out about this forum before I ordered our Coach?!?!?!

Pat

 

[ROC-REQS]

> the awning has a large section of loose material in the middle

Hi percorguy,

Not sure exactly what you mean by loose material in the middle, but you may want to check to see if a center awning brace might help. Typically a center awning brace is recommended if you have an awning 19' or larger. We have had one on our last 2 Sunlines and they've kept the center of the awning snug when open. Also provide additional support to the awning roller when closed to keep it from sagging.

This is our 3rd Sunline and no major problems with any of them. We put 30,000 miles over 7 years on our previous Sunline with only normal maintenance (e.g., tires, brakes, etc.) We had a few minor issues when new with each Sunline that were easily resolved, either by us or the dealer. During the 1st year of any trailer, there’s a few bugs that need to be shaken out of them. But once that’s done, you’ll have many years of trouble free enjoyment with your Sunline.

Happy Camping.
Hutch

 

[Bobo 3008]

When we took delivery this spring, the majority of the problems we found were cosmetic. Mainly wall tape that was coming up and staples showing on the ceiling. The only somewhat major problems were the discharge line on the water pump was disconnected causing a wet floor when we tried the pump and a blown speaker on the stereo system. I solved that problem when I replaced the stock speakers with coaxial speakers.

So far everything else has been flawless. I've yet to try the oven but we will find out Labor Day wknd. when I make baked potatoes for my nozzlenut camping friends.

Any questions or problems, this is the place to find the answer. I have learned more from this forum than the walk through with the dealer.

As for the steps, the first thing I did when I got home was to break out the WD-40. From the ball hitch to the rear stabilizers.

Bobo

 

[precorguy]

hey all:

love this forum --- always such interesting information - i agree that outside of the front window the stuff is minor and typical of new trailers, from my limited experience.

i am going to clean the back step and try the baby oil thing and will report back ---- i am so hopeing to be amazed by this.

Queste ----> that is exactly the problem with our bathroom sink tap - i will let u know, if i remember, what the dealer did about the tap.

Hutch - awning --- wel when the awning is rolled up - i can pinch about 2 inches of material (length) between my thumb and fingers --- there is slack there - i have heard that the awning centre rafter/support is on awning over 19' - our is 19' so didn't get one and if you stand back and look at the trailer - there is no centre place that would be useful to place one - those darn tires are in the way as are a couple of windows (small issue on the windows).

as such, i am looking at having a centre craddle placed on the awning for travel to avoid any dip in the awning tube itself.

thanks again all for your words of wisdom.

 

[Sunliner]

Precorguy

If you do not do anything else fix the leaky front window. Every thing else is a nusiance but water leaks will destroy your Sunline over the course of just several years.

Had a friend that had the entire front of their trailer sag right into the propane tanks. They were getting ready to go out for the first trip of the season when they relized they need to cancel the reservations or buy a new rig . They had had a leak between the roof and the front wall. This caused a massive structual failure of all the front framing. All the wood was rotted out. I would not of beleve it if I had not seen it with my own eyes.



Hiller

 

[precorguy]

Water leak - we totally plan on having it repaired, even if it costs us to have it done - no way i want any type of water leak that could totally ruin our home away from home.

the other stuff i still plan on having looked at and or fixed if needed.

the dealer is being great about this stuff, so off to a great start.
alex

 

[chuck & lori]

We have also found several of the faucet handles are loose. Also have a small leak under the bathroom sink - haven't found the source yet, as the leak is intermittent! Also the valance came off one of the windows. Our step was also sticky, but spray lube fixed it. We experienced none of these problems with our '02 1950. We really like our Sunline, and were most disappointed to discover they went ot of business.

 

[doug.fedeli]

We don't have the faucet handle problem. The only thing that comes to mind is when we turn off the shower at the shower head, it turns off OK. When you turn it back on for the first few seconds we get straight hot water. We just need to turn it back on slowly.

 

[Tweety]

Well now that's wierd. When we turn our shower off at the shower head then turn it back on we get straight COLD water for a couple seconds. I wonder what's with that !

 

[SteveC7010]

We don't have the faucet handle problem. The only thing that comes to mind is when we turn off the shower at the shower head, it turns off OK. When you turn it back on for the first few seconds we get straight hot water. We just need to turn it back on slowly.

Same problem here. I can't help but wonder if the faucets used in the '99's have some kind of defect.

 

[nasa42a1]

Folks.....

Faucet and/or Shower Handles loosening ==> If yours is the type which uses a tiny allen-wrench-tightened setscrew onto a nylon peg...blame it on the faucet manufacturer (it's not just in Sunlines). I finally lost patience with mine and used a Dremel & tiny drill to drill a hole thru the pegs...and put in small sheet-metal screws instead of the allen-screws. No problems since.

Cold water/hot water surge from shower after using the turnoff valve ==> In our late-90's Aerolite, we had the same type of hand shower. .... and the same effects. Nature of the design....when turned off at the shower itself, whichever (hot or cold) line ended up w/ slightly higher pressure would end up in the hose. Just the opposite effect in the newer Sunlines and our Que. The new shower design won't turn off completely (think of a slow leak thru the showerhead) at the showerhead....so you're wasting some water.....BUT you no longer get the surge of hot or cold water. Nothing's perfect!

Frank

 

[tinybluetj]

Well now that's wierd. When we turn our shower off at the shower head then turn it back on we get straight COLD water for a couple seconds. I wonder what's with that !

Ditto!

 

[Sunline Fan]

I can't confirm anything here. I haven't taken a shower in a Sunline since, well, 2001!!! That shows how much I actually use the Sunline's! The last one was in the 2653, and the reason I hadn't taken any in mine is because we're usually boondocking with it and showers are the last thing you think about when you have limited water.

Jon

 

[40_Acre_Mule]

The sticking steps thing...

I have found spray type gun oil works way better than WD-40.
It is designed to keep mechanical parts working even when dirty.
Buy it at Wally world. They usually carry Remington gun oil in the sporting goods department.
I also use it on any outside door, storage compartment, and hitch locks. Works great and lasts a long time.

 

[tinybluetj]

Folks in these parts swear by Baby oil!

 

[HappyCampers-SUN]

Well as far as small problems we have been pretty lucky.
The decal on the front of my T-295SR was almost completely gone when I purchased it, but a call to Sunline and viola, a new decal. I'm picky about that kind of thing. Also some of the little "swooshes" on the side of the trailer were coming loose, not much I could do there, they didn't have any of those decals.
Both the 295 and the F-304 have the same issue of straight hot water after you turn the shower head back on. Just have to be careful not to get burned.
The mattress in the 295 was a little thinner (and harder) than the 2053 and the 304. But a pillow top pad helped this issue.
The rubber gasket on the bottom of the glass shower in the 295 and the 304 leak a little at the corner, but a carefully placed towel takes care of that.
For the most part our Sunlines have been wonderful coaches, which is why I've had three of them. Hopefully the 304 lasts me for quite a few years.