Community Forums

MT flyfisher · 05-01-2008, 02:19 AM

When we went to Wilkins RV last week to purchase our new Kountry Aire that we had ordered through the dealer several months ago, I noticed that the dinette table (and the sofa) were permanently screwed to the floor, while the 4 dinette chairs, 2 of which can be folded and stored, are not secured.

It seems to me that you'd want to have a way of securing the chairs for travel, and to have a way to unhook the table so it can be moved when you are set up on-site. It is difficult to clean the carpet under the (pedastal) table now, plus there are times when it would be nice to be able to move it out from the wall to facilitate seating more people.

Does anyone know why Newmar does it this way?

The carpet in the trailer is now being replaced since it was damaged from (??? - perhaps the slide-out rollers) and the table and sofa have to be removed to do that, so I have asked the dealer to use a removable latch, rather than screws, on the table when it is reinstalled, and not to screw the sofa to the floor at all.

Your comments?

Thanks.

John

Since the carpet has to be replaced (it was a mess

MT flyfisher · 05-01-2008, 02:19 AM

When we went to Wilkins RV last week to purchase our new Kountry Aire that we had ordered through the dealer several months ago, I noticed that the dinette table (and the sofa) were permanently screwed to the floor, while the 4 dinette chairs, 2 of which can be folded and stored, are not secured.

It seems to me that you'd want to have a way of securing the chairs for travel, and to have a way to unhook the table so it can be moved when you are set up on-site. It is difficult to clean the carpet under the (pedastal) table now, plus there are times when it would be nice to be able to move it out from the wall to facilitate seating more people.

Does anyone know why Newmar does it this way?

The carpet in the trailer is now being replaced since it was damaged from (??? - perhaps the slide-out rollers) and the table and sofa have to be removed to do that, so I have asked the dealer to use a removable latch, rather than screws, on the table when it is reinstalled, and not to screw the sofa to the floor at all.

Your comments?

Thanks.

John

Since the carpet has to be replaced (it was a mess

footdoc · 05-01-2008, 02:56 AM

Probably a safety thing...In a bad maneuver, it's best for heavier things to stay put, although I wouldn't want to be hit upside the head with a flying chair either!...and actually on my sofas, they are NOT very firmly secured to the floor...a stout impact or G load would probably easily send them flying too...I guess it's a 'feel good' thing

69RoadRunner · 05-01-2008, 02:58 AM

The dinette and sofa have seatbelts, so maybe that's why they're bolted down? That's just a guess.

kneal · 05-01-2008, 03:31 AM

I think he is referring to a Fifth Wheel so seatbelts wouldn't be an issue. Not sure why they do it other than for keeping things from being thrown around during travel.

69RoadRunner · 05-01-2008, 04:34 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by kneal:
I think he is referring to a Fifth Wheel so seatbelts wouldn't be an issue. Not sure why they do it other than for keeping things from being thrown around during travel. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ooops! Sorry, I didn't notice that.

Shaun and Amy · 05-01-2008, 06:38 AM

Hi John,

The holddowns that Newmar uses are made so you can unlock the table from it's position. All you have to do is sorta turn it and the legs will come out from their fixed position.

I just think they do it so that in an emergency situation the not so stable item won't fly around.

Shaun

MT flyfisher · 05-01-2008, 09:22 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Shaun and Amy:
Hi John,

The holddowns that Newmar uses are made so you can unlock the table from it's position. All you have to do is sorta turn it and the legs will come out from their fixed position.

I just think they do it so that in an emergency situation the not so stable item won't fly around.

Shaun </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Golly durn! Now that makes sense!

Trying to get the correct info from Wilkins RV has been quite frustrating! Their "best" service guy told me it was permanently screwed into the floor. I hate to think how they'll remove it to lay the new carpet!

First, we were told at Wilkins that Newmar had discontinued making the KSCS model Kountry Aire -- not so, Newmar's regional sales manager told me that it's the top selling Kountry Aire model.

Next, we were told that if we did not order the electric steps (optional with this unit) that we would get significantly smaller entrance steps. What would we get, steps that would only cover half the doorway?

We were told that the optional Fantastic Fans were reversable models. So we ordered 2 of them and they exhaust only.

The 2 Lazy Boy chairs that we thought we were getting when we ordered our trailer actually came in a different fabric selection. We found it hard to believe that Newmar would change our fabric selections when Wilkins told us that Newmar can and does make such changes at their discretion. We late learned that Newmar doesn't do this and made a mistake in shipping these chairs in our case.

We requested (and it was included in our sales order) that all the tires on the trailer be balanced before we took delivery. Wilkins told us that the tires are balanced by the manufacturer before Newmar buys them. Later, they told us that was not correct.

Oh well, pound down all the pegs on one side of the peg board, turn the board over and there are an ever ending supply of pegs to pound down. However, for the moment, it looks like you just helped me pound down one of those pegs for the time being...Thanks, again, Shaun!

John

Shaun and Amy · 05-01-2008, 09:39 AM

Hi John,

So glad I was helpful. I think sometimes alot depends on which salesperson you get. During the purchasing of our last two Newmar fiver's I was on the phone alot with Newmar themselves.

I don't think I've EVER seen a trailer tire balanced unless it was asked to be done.

If I can answer any other questions let me know and I'll try my best from my small bit of knowledge.

Good luck.......remember it IS worth it.

jojolima · 05-01-2008, 10:38 AM

Call Fantastic Fan directly. I am not certain that your information is correct. I thought that all of their fans could be reversed. They will provide a solution to your problem quickly and at a very economical price.

MT flyfisher · 05-01-2008, 01:15 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Shaun and Amy:
Hi John,

So glad I was helpful. I think sometimes alot depends on which salesperson you get. During the purchasing of our last two Newmar fiver's I was on the phone alot with Newmar themselves.

I don't think I've EVER seen a trailer tire balanced unless it was asked to be done.

If I can answer any other questions let me know and I'll try my best from my small bit of knowledge.

Good luck.......remember it IS worth it.

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I formerly had an Airstream travel trailer, and not only are the tires on Airstream's balanced, many Airstream owners (me too) balance the entire "running gear". That's where you balance the entire tire, wheel and hub assembly mounted on the alxe. In addition, with my Airstream I had my tires "trued", which involves shaving off the high spots on the tire so that it is perfectly round.

Admittedly, all of that may be a bit much for Newmar's, but because Airstream's are so rigid with all those rivets and aluminum, it was beneficial with them, and I think if you checked on a larger RV forum you'd find that many other RVers do have their tires balanced.

John

MT flyfisher · 05-01-2008, 01:25 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jojolima:
Call Fantastic Fan directly. I am not certain that your information is correct. I thought that all of their fans could be reversed. They will provide a solution to your problem quickly and at a very economical price. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I believe that some of their models can be reversed, and some cannot.

I had two Fantastic Fans in my prior travel trailer (a 2004 Airstream Classic Limited), and contacted Fantastic Fan's customer service rep about doing just that.

He said that one of my Airstream fans could be adapted to reverse (that fan had all its controls on the face of the fan itself), and the other, which had wall mounted controls, could not be adapted to reverse.

He sent me the adapter for that one fan FOR FREE!!, and walked me through the installation while I talked to him on the telephone.

I believe that Wilkins is, or already has, ordered replacement fans that will work in both directions.

John

Ecker · 05-01-2008, 03:19 PM

John - I don't know about Newmar but its standard practice in auto and truck business to have Goodyear or Michelin or whomever supply mounted and balanced tires to the assembly lines. I didn't see any tire mounting facilities in my tour of Newmar but maybe I missed them. Not sure we'll be joining you tis year at the Edge. Have a great summer.

MT flyfisher · 05-01-2008, 04:59 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ecker:
John - I don't know about Newmar but its standard practice in auto and truck business to have Goodyear or Michelin or whomever supply mounted and balanced tires to the assembly lines. I didn't see any tire mounting facilities in my tour of Newmar but maybe I missed them. Not sure we'll be joining you tis year at the Edge. Have a great summer. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks, Leo. We'll miss you at the fireside. Chan has recently added a really nice webcam where you can see a number of differenet shots of the park, plus one of the fireside -- so you can visit us on line, if you're not there in person.

John