Wow! Thanks for the intimate tour of your rig. I've never heard of a propane system inspections in the U.S. Canada must watch out for consumers better than the U.S. Here they'll sell you lead and assure you it'll float!
There is an end to end rain channel on each side of the roof with down spouts on each end and also gutters and down spouts above the slide out and the awning. I added gutter extenders when I first got the rig to try and keep the stream off the sidewalls - ruclips.net/video/Svpuvw83beQ/видео.html Cheers, Ray
Thanks we actually have mostly LED lights, just did an update on them after 6 years of use - ruclips.net/video/WA2c6GwQNno/видео.html Funny, the light I turned on was incandescent, its above the bathroom mirror, my wife demanded that one stayed non-LED, as the LED light made her complexion look bad compared to the rosy glow of the regular bulb. :)
Thanks Ray, I was listening to it as maintenance reminders. An interesting tidbit, an RV dealer wouldn’t let me go up on our trailer roof while it was parked on their property for warranty work, I wanted to go up for a different reason, not to inspect, but i was told no “it’s a liability issue”. So then if I were purchasing a second hand trailer from a dealer, and hearing them say “roof is fine, any issues when you get it home and you can let us know and well fix it”. Buyer beware, if there is a patch job that’s concerning to you after you buy the trailer, don’t assume they will fix anything they can’t see. I would make sure that they put in the buying contract that if your not happy with the roof condition you can return the RV for a full refund. But even with that clause you could end up with a fight on your hands to get your money back. Just food for thought. Cheers 🍻
Great video Ray! I like some of the recommendations in other comments. My only add would be to check the tires for wear, cracking and also date. May give you some discount if they are really worn and need to be replaced soon or even safety immediately.
You touched on it briefly about feeling stuff, but something you didn't share was engaging all your senses. Smells and sounds can tell you a lot about a rig. If it smells musty, or things really make loud grinding sounds, these indicate issues that may be concerns. Years ago, I was watching some other RVers who were fixing a 5th wheel they bought and the side was so bad. They knew it had a lot of musty smell, but thought it was minor. They had to replace the whole slide floor.
Hey, thanks for posting this. We actually just put a downpayment on a 2010 324RBL. In regards to the slides, do they droop a little bit? They also didn't have rear support sands thus made the rear slide shake a bit. Salesman SAYS thats normal. Curious if. it that is the case. We are first time buyers of course. Thanks!
The slide roof may have a slight downward slant to it, to help keep water away. Yes, its normal for slides to not have supports. There are after market stands but I don't recommended them, they can easily harm the slide or push it out of alignment. Cheers, Ray
@@LoveYourRV Amazing, thanks for all the information you've put out there. INCREDIBLY helpful as we essentially have the same RV. Hope to cross paths soon.
Good points Ray, I watched how to spot a lemon when buying an rv from rv swap shop, and the went over a few things that you pointed out, such as pointing out inside cabinets, checking soft spots, soft roof.
Also look at the ratings for the wheels (rims). The wheels on mine were rated for 1900 pounds (4X1099=7600 pounds) and the trailer is rated at 10,000 pounds. My wheels and tires are now both rated at 2,850 pounds.
Very comprehensive video Ray. Once you own an RV its good practice to run through your entire rig at least once a year checking for leaks. We coated our EPDM roof about 3 years ago in lieu of replacing it and are very satisfied with it. A lot of things can wear out on your rig but in my experience water intrusion has to be the biggest downfall to all types of RVs. The manufacturers simply don't design proper terminations at the edges and transitions and they only last for a few years at best. Always enjoy your instructional videos. Be safe!
Nope, hanging onto it, new RVs are too expensive and most are junk from what I keep hearing, I'll keep on fixing this sucker and hope nothing major happens. The devil you know. Cheers, Ray
Nice, Ray. I did my roof last summer and used the DIcor (sp?) and some tape (not much), with a whole coating over the membrane to add some years to it. I have some shrinkage (let's leave off the jokes) around the window rubber, but haven't figured out how to correct that. I'll be working on all of this, along with the 43,000 other things you've recommended for our improvement of the RV. Cheers!
I bought a 2003 Cougar 241 as a get away RV. I cleaned the roof today and nearly all the white on the rubber roof is gone. I have in mind to recoat with a roofing product from Dicor, Hengs, Tropicool or other. I plan on removing vents completely and replace with better fans in the bedroom and bathroom. There is no damage to the rubber roof, it’s integrity is good. So are the edges. I want to use Eternabond on them. Should I recoat first or put the tape on first? Remove the old Dicor (most of it)? I’m planning to Dicor the edges unless unnecessary. I’d appreciate your opinion and any suggestions.
I think I would clean extremely well and tape first then coat everything. Friend of mine did his and it came out pretty good. www.loveyourrv.com/worn-rv-rubber-roof-henry-tropi-cool-coating/
No, no weep hole. The original WH had sealed the seam with a layer of silicone. When I changed the water heater after the original packed it in I decided to use the tape versus silicone. www.loveyourrv.com/leaking-rv-water-heater-replacement/
So far I haven't seen one in action or had a friend with one to pick their brain but they look promising. Would be an option I would consider if our Dometic packs it in again. I see that Furrion has one furrion.com/products/furrion-arctic-10-cu-ft-12v-refrigerator
An infrared meter should never be used for an air temperature reading such as a refrigerator or an AC unit. These are for surface temps only, like wheel bearings, brakes, tires, your Blackstone grill, anything that has a surface that reflects. Air does not reflect. Your refrigerator inside walls, AC plastic vent, freezer fins are not indicators of the working air temp of the unit. Use a regular refrigerator thermometer for the fridge and an analog pocket thermometer like those HVAC techs use for the AC. It may take a little longer but will be accurate.
Thanks, makes sense. The IR gun in my tests actually come pretty close but I guess its hitting the surrounding material that has been cooled. Cheers, Ray
A good place to start a Roof inspection is at the infield at a NASCAR race ! The more people on the roof the better the party ! ! Join that party ! ! !
Hi Ray: Why is there a loop in the drain line from the condensation tray on the back of the fridge? I have always seen them going strait to the outside. Frank
By looping the hose you form a P-trap in the drain hose trapping some water in it. The water blocks warm outside air from traveling up the hose and into the fridge. Helps improve cooling efficiency. Cheers, Ray
Link to the full blog post - www.loveyourrv.com/things-to-check-when-buying-used-rv/
*LYRV Maintenance Tips* www.loveyourrv.com/tag/maintenance-2/
Wow! Thanks for the intimate tour of your rig. I've never heard of a propane system inspections in the U.S. Canada must watch out for consumers better than the U.S. Here they'll sell you lead and assure you it'll float!
You're welcome. :)
Thanks for a great video! We’re going to look at a fifth wheel in the next couple days and this was very helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
Ray this information is GOLD! Thanks for the efforts, keep up the good work.
Thanks, will do!
On the roof I didn't see a rain channel and downspout, but pretty well sealed.
There is an end to end rain channel on each side of the roof with down spouts on each end and also gutters and down spouts above the slide out and the awning. I added gutter extenders when I first got the rig to try and keep the stream off the sidewalls - ruclips.net/video/Svpuvw83beQ/видео.html Cheers, Ray
very few used RV’s pass all those points. But hey most are easy fix and lower price if issues aren’t too bad. 😬
Great vid Ray, I think a lot of people need to watch this video.
Thank you so much. Very helpful.
Great video Ray, really helps looking at any type used RV's
Great info.... did notice you didn't have led bulbs, well at least in the one light you pulled the cover off
Thanks we actually have mostly LED lights, just did an update on them after 6 years of use - ruclips.net/video/WA2c6GwQNno/видео.html Funny, the light I turned on was incandescent, its above the bathroom mirror, my wife demanded that one stayed non-LED, as the LED light made her complexion look bad compared to the rosy glow of the regular bulb. :)
Very good video Ray very well done 🇨🇦🛠️🇨🇦🛠️
Thanks!
Thanks Ray, I was listening to it as maintenance reminders. An interesting tidbit, an RV dealer wouldn’t let me go up on our trailer roof while it was parked on their property for warranty work, I wanted to go up for a different reason, not to inspect, but i was told no “it’s a liability issue”. So then if I were purchasing a second hand trailer from a dealer, and hearing them say “roof is fine, any issues when you get it home and you can let us know and well fix it”. Buyer beware, if there is a patch job that’s concerning to you after you buy the trailer, don’t assume they will fix anything they can’t see. I would make sure that they put in the buying contract that if your not happy with the roof condition you can return the RV for a full refund. But even with that clause you could end up with a fight on your hands to get your money back. Just food for thought. Cheers 🍻
Good pointers. Since towing is important check the pin box/connections etc. Thanks for the tips!
Great video Ray! I like some of the recommendations in other comments. My only add would be to check the tires for wear, cracking and also date. May give you some discount if they are really worn and need to be replaced soon or even safety immediately.
Thanks Todd, great point.
You touched on it briefly about feeling stuff, but something you didn't share was engaging all your senses. Smells and sounds can tell you a lot about a rig. If it smells musty, or things really make loud grinding sounds, these indicate issues that may be concerns. Years ago, I was watching some other RVers who were fixing a 5th wheel they bought and the side was so bad. They knew it had a lot of musty smell, but thought it was minor. They had to replace the whole slide floor.
Excellent advice, thanks!
Great video
Hey, thanks for posting this. We actually just put a downpayment on a 2010 324RBL. In regards to the slides, do they droop a little bit? They also didn't have rear support sands thus made the rear slide shake a bit. Salesman SAYS thats normal. Curious if. it that is the case. We are first time buyers of course. Thanks!
The slide roof may have a slight downward slant to it, to help keep water away. Yes, its normal for slides to not have supports. There are after market stands but I don't recommended them, they can easily harm the slide or push it out of alignment. Cheers, Ray
@@LoveYourRV Amazing, thanks for all the information you've put out there. INCREDIBLY helpful as we essentially have the same RV. Hope to cross paths soon.
Very thorough from an experienced RVer Ray.
Well done!
Good points Ray, I watched how to spot a lemon when buying an rv from rv swap shop, and the went over a few things that you pointed out, such as pointing out inside cabinets, checking soft spots, soft roof.
GREAT inspection video. Thanks Ray. Frank
On the tires you may like to see if they are correct rating and are relatively new as per DOT stamp date.
Good tip, thanks.
Also look at the ratings for the wheels (rims). The wheels on mine were rated for 1900 pounds (4X1099=7600 pounds) and the trailer is rated at 10,000 pounds. My wheels and tires are now both rated at 2,850 pounds.
Thanks
Very comprehensive video Ray. Once you own an RV its good practice to run through your entire rig at least once a year checking for leaks. We coated our EPDM roof about 3 years ago in lieu of replacing it and are very satisfied with it. A lot of things can wear out on your rig but in my experience water intrusion has to be the biggest downfall to all types of RVs. The manufacturers simply don't design proper terminations at the edges and transitions and they only last for a few years at best. Always enjoy your instructional videos. Be safe!
I recommend using a pinless digital moisture meter. Klein has one for $40.00. Could save you thousands by preventing purchase of a water-damaged unit.
Thanks for the tip!
Awning material highly recommend Sunbrella, it will never fade crack. Bring a moisture meter.
Never say NEVER, Never....
So many great tips!! I wonder about how to spot delamination? I was surprised you didn't mention that.
Sounds like Ray is getting ready to put his RV on the market. Pretty good advertising video. Lol
Nope, hanging onto it, new RVs are too expensive and most are junk from what I keep hearing, I'll keep on fixing this sucker and hope nothing major happens. The devil you know. Cheers, Ray
@LoveYourRV nice choice ray, especially these days in the states with prices on everything.😵💫😭🤮
Nice, Ray. I did my roof last summer and used the DIcor (sp?) and some tape (not much), with a whole coating over the membrane to add some years to it. I have some shrinkage (let's leave off the jokes) around the window rubber, but haven't figured out how to correct that. I'll be working on all of this, along with the 43,000 other things you've recommended for our improvement of the RV. Cheers!
Thanks Joel. :)
I bought a 2003 Cougar 241 as a get away RV. I cleaned the roof today and nearly all the white on the rubber roof is gone. I have in mind to recoat with a roofing product from Dicor, Hengs, Tropicool or other. I plan on removing vents completely and replace with better fans in the bedroom and bathroom.
There is no damage to the rubber roof, it’s integrity is good. So are the edges. I want to use Eternabond on them.
Should I recoat first or put the tape on first? Remove the old Dicor (most of it)? I’m planning to Dicor the edges unless unnecessary. I’d appreciate your opinion and any suggestions.
I think I would clean extremely well and tape first then coat everything. Friend of mine did his and it came out pretty good. www.loveyourrv.com/worn-rv-rubber-roof-henry-tropi-cool-coating/
Great vid. Ray, Why did you eternabond the front end of the h2o heater. Isn't there a weep hole there. Cheeers.
No, no weep hole. The original WH had sealed the seam with a layer of silicone. When I changed the water heater after the original packed it in I decided to use the tape versus silicone. www.loveyourrv.com/leaking-rv-water-heater-replacement/
@@LoveYourRV Thanks Ray .Enjoy your summer!
Saved to favorites 👍🏼
Ray what are your thoughts on the Ever Chill 12 refrigerators with compressor, some RV's are being built with them? They are like 10 cubic '
So far I haven't seen one in action or had a friend with one to pick their brain but they look promising. Would be an option I would consider if our Dometic packs it in again. I see that Furrion has one furrion.com/products/furrion-arctic-10-cu-ft-12v-refrigerator
Thanks Ray!!
An infrared meter should never be used for an air temperature reading such as a refrigerator or an AC unit. These are for surface temps only, like wheel bearings, brakes, tires, your Blackstone grill, anything that has a surface that reflects. Air does not reflect. Your refrigerator inside walls, AC plastic vent, freezer fins are not indicators of the working air temp of the unit. Use a regular refrigerator thermometer for the fridge and an analog pocket thermometer like those HVAC techs use for the AC. It may take a little longer but will be accurate.
Thanks, makes sense. The IR gun in my tests actually come pretty close but I guess its hitting the surrounding material that has been cooled. Cheers, Ray
Excellent. :-)))) :-)))))
A good place to start a Roof inspection is at the infield at a NASCAR race ! The more people on the roof the better the party ! ! Join that party ! ! !
Hi Ray: Why is there a loop in the drain line from the condensation tray on the back of the fridge? I have always seen them going strait to the outside. Frank
By looping the hose you form a P-trap in the drain hose trapping some water in it. The water blocks warm outside air from traveling up the hose and into the fridge. Helps improve cooling efficiency. Cheers, Ray