johnwen

Just got our D21 replacement today...no blue locktite, whatsoever, on the screws on the new unit purchased from Dometic. I loosened the new stove's screws and put on red locktite, hoping it never loosens in the future!

I went with red after drilling out the burner cover and installing bolt through the top with nuts below. But my threads were trashed so I redrilled the holes slightly larger and installed bolt with nut and red locktite...not caring if ever I can get back apart as I'll replace the whole stovetop with sob. I could cut the bolt head off if absolutely necessary. Thanks per SNY SD UP :)

Just a long shot here Kirk...do you remember the bolt dimensions? I will modify as you did (bolt holes are now stripped). Thanks John

Welcome from #996...hope to "see ya'll out there" someday. John

I so agree, Bill....just trying to offer an alternative. I've seen the comparison...many have not. I agree with slick and shiny!

How do you like the Trim Lok seal? Our original seal is starting to look a little raggedy. John.

Ron, I was going to point that out :) While my experience has been mostly observing tire marks, it does make sense that oil/grease could also be forced to the road. In any event, I see them coming slightly ahead of time and am now slowing when I approach them. I was thinking that trucks with adjustable axles, such as cement trucks that lower their additional axles when fully loaded, were the culprit as I've seen some pretty low to the road when not fully retracted. But I'll have to defer to Google :) Thanks for the info.. John

Ditto...I can't keep up with waxing like I did with our Casita. We just had our 2nd treatment and it looks as good or better than the 1st. We also had or 2019 Silverado treated. It is possible to clean both vehicles in less than 2 1/2 hours (by a 71 year old) :) I do stay up with bug removal on 90% of our stops every travel day. We do full time so that's a lot of bugs!!! We probably average 3 "wipe downs" a month. The CGI guys are TOP SHELF! You won't be disappointed with their work. They are as hard working and courteous a team as I have encountered. "Is CGI ceramic coating worth it?" If they didn't offer the reduced rate on subsequent visits, I would probably wait for 3 to 4 years, instead of 2, for retreatment. The work is not cheap but it's our home and I just can't keep up with the waxing anymore. Our Casita was difficult to keep shiny and void of oxidation with my waxing attempts. For us...yes it's worth it. If you are happy with your results with the marine products then maybe no for you. You could always go to them at a later time if you find out it's becoming too hard to keep up. I would offer this suggestion...find a trailer that has been done by CGI and compare it to your trailer right after you finish your clean and wax job. Best of luck with your decision, John

GJ We are all over the country and we encounter those massive dips in many states but mostly in Louisiana. We strive to use roads other than interstates but have to use the interstates every once in a while. I'll slow to 60 (from 62) while traveling and give much more respect to those dark streaks on the roads. They almost always indicate a dip worth respect. At times the TV bottoms out on the front end and I feel as though the trailer has at times come close to weightlessness. I'm anxious get the shocks replaced on the truck (121000+ miles) and start out again in January. Will update the forum early next year. John "lead me to believe the failure was during compression of the shock and then when the trailer came back down and bounced off the highway/road, the shock would be extending with extreme force. Likely the structural failure occurred as the bottom separated from the top of the shock." I think you are correct, sir :)

Just to be clear about this picture...these are Oliver stock shocks on Oliver stock springs on Oliver stock 3500lb axles taken off at 42000 miles. Both from the front axle with one severely cupped tire and one lightly to moderately cupped. Rear tires were fine but replaced anyway. John

GJ, I read your link...I needed 2 beers before I understood that I don't understand :( "Tau" and "race sag" did me in I quit reading toward the end of the article when I realized I will not be able to change the shocks oil viscosity... John

Yes

Thanks, John....hope that is in the future. Thanks, all, for your help and info. About the wheel bearings...Hull 996 picked up on 13 Jan and been back to Oliver twice now for annual service. They have checked the bearings as good and I have as well. No wobble at all. After severe cupping on one wheel I changed all tires for 4 new ones. Trailer had over 42,000 miles at that time. Then on to Alcan where the 5th strut failed on the way. Actually after finding total failure of the front two struts, I just replaced them all. Here are the original 2 that I removed after the severe cupping started. We are safely on the road to SC with good struts...for now :) Is it possible the numerous severe dips in the road can cause fluid from within the strut to be forced out with a really large compression and over time become dry inside the cylinder, where it no longer is effective at all? GJ...I'm going to need a beer before I start reading your reply :) Probably tonight :) Thanks for your help. John

Hi GJ, I haven't had the Alcans but for only a couple of weeks (Colorado to Mississippi). Tucker did say he wouldn't be surprised if the stiffer springs would HELP with absorbing more of the road oscillations and make it a little easier on the shocks. We travel with the cruise on 62 mph...max. And most of the severe dips occur on the interstate for us. I try to use the tell tale signs of trucks black tire marks around those dips I'm talking about, but with a few floaters in my eyes I sometimes don't see them as fast as I should. A few on the back roads but mostly on the interstates. Potholes are the main surprise on the back roads, not so much on the severe dips. We attempt to avoid interstates if at all possible...fewer crazy drivers, better roads, and much better views (we don't need to get anywhere fast). We will continue to replace the shocks as needed for I feel they do smooth the ride out for the trailer (IMO). I could tell a difference when living in our Casita. Things remained in place better for the ride down the road. I have experience with and without shocks for the Casita. I'll take the shocks! I may take the speed down to 60mph...I'm in my own world at those speeds anyway :) Could be that the Oliver could benefit with a redesign to accommodate larger shocks similar to that of a vehicle. I need to find and test out a Bulldog shock, if I can find one. I'll post back in a couple of months to reveal my experiences. John

Probably won't get the TV shocks changed until Dec and won't know the effect until our trip out to Quartzsite mid January. Will follow up!

JD Tucker at Alcan shares that view as well....that's why we don't mind driving with the bad one removed until I can replace it. Good point about extras. I'm getting pretty good with the changeouts :) My bad experience was having to change out the severely cupped tires that I suspect was the fault of the sheared shafts on the front 2 shocks (previous post). Hopefully changing out the TV shocks will help.

Hi Kim and David, No on the recommendations. I like the lifetime warranty from O'Reilly but dislike the replacement frequency....don't know at this time if it is the TV causing the problem or the Monroe shock. Will provide update as time goes on. Next course of action for me is to replace all shocks on my TV. It appears the unavailable Bulldog may be the only option (but that is not much of an option if unavailable). I asked O'Reilly if 555001 leads to other option but they saw none.

We're in southern Mississippi just after traversing some pretty rough roads across Louisiana. We've retorqued the u bolts per Alcan's recommendations and then some. A few still need minor tweaking so I'll continue checking for another 1000 miles or so. The Alcans seem to be doing great and I'm glad we went that route. Lew and Tucker were a pleasure to meet and they taught me a few things :) I changed my Oliver shocks in July, in Maine, with Monroe Magnum 555001s. Upon completion of the springs install in Colorado, Tucker informed me 1 of the struts were blown and would not extend after compressing it. We continued on to our next destination without the bad shock installed and I re-installed another 555001 after a visit with O'Reilly (not a common stock item so had to be ordered ahead of time). All was going well until Louisiana roads...after reaching Lake Mary Crawford, a public fishing lake by Monticello, MS, I discovered 2 more shocks leaking, removed them and ordered 2 more from O'Reilly. Only 1 came in so I reinstalled the best of the 2. They would extend ok after compressing so I figure they has some life left, but had oil that had leaked from the top of the shock. I wiped the shocks down and will check on them from time to time until getting back to SC. I'm thinking the frequent severe porpoising through dips in the road for over 30+ miles may have forced the oil out and down the bottom outside cylinder. We will see if the struts continue to leak and report back at a later date. My TV now has 121000+ miles (over 21000 so far this year alone since leaving SC) on it and I'm seriously thinking about replacing the shocks on it when we get back. They're not leaking nor appear in bad shape but the truck seems to be a little more springy on hard stops and porpoises a little more than when newer. The tires are new so no unusual wear at this time. I have had zero problems with exchanging the bad shocks at O'Reilly's (lifetime guarantee...thanks Steve L) but am thinking I'll want to try another brand to see if it lasts a little longer. Still happy campers here... :) John

Thanks David, Springs are replaced, but 1 of my 2 1/2 month old Monroe shocks was blown (I replaced all 4 in July). Thanks to Scuba Rx my lifetime guaranteed shock from O'Reilly was ordered at the next stop and I replaced it...no problem).

Congrats, Jason B. Best of luck and we're looking forward to meeting you next time through :)

Appointment at 0730 at Alcan in Grand Junction, and plan to do the same with the old ones...after a thousand or so miles :)

Mike, Ours had 2 screws, 1 each side, just behind the lower faceplate...accessible only after sliding the cabinet out a little. Hope the festival was a good time! John

Buffalo National Grasslands is about 6 mi south of wall...park right on the edge of a cliff :) Boondocking of course.

Update... I've been able to separate the pleated material from the upper and lower grab bars so I should be able to now route the new string. One of Mike's pictures showed the blind separating from the grab bar so I persisted until it came apart. I can now access the area I needed to. Now to actually restring, adjust tension, and reassemble. Will post result in a couple of days :) (progress...I think) John

Glad ya'll are ok Bill. Ground zero during Hugo was certainly no fun but I fondly remember how everyone pulled together to get through the aftermath. Safety during cleanup was so important for all. Best of luck and prayers for quick recovery. John