Community Forums

tr21r · 03-07-2010, 11:30 AM

Hi,

This is Mike. Based in the SF Bay Area (near Redwood City). Am days away from the purhcase of (likely) a 2010 Outlaw 3611. This will be our first ever RV (have rented a few times) and I'm so excited I can't sleep! :-). It will be my wife, three teenagers and me. We also ride dirt bikes and that's the main reason for the garage. This also means we'll be dry camping a fair amount. I've read many posts and appreciate the good nature and information from the group! That said, I'll go ahead and fire away on some questions - please reply with any thoughts you have.

Major question: As I prepare to pick up my unit, what are your top 2-5 tips on what I should request from my dealer and/or should buy from the dealer on Day One??

1. Anyone seen a "RV Check List" - a list of things I should buy, do, etc. in the first ~30 days?

2. I saw Don Shaffer's cable supported "porch" concept and love it. I will appreciate any specific instructions you have for that?

3. Am thinking I'd install the tie down racks - two on each side and one in the middle? Will take any other advice on that. I've used simply Lockhart chocks on utility trailer and have seen the Condor chocks... am thinking about those. Wonder if there are any chocks that don't require a bracket that must be screwed into the floor?

4. I take it you simply screw the screws directly into the floor? No leaks coming up from water underneath (maybe a dumb question?)?

5. Why are you folks adding a water pump? Where does it go?

6. How do you attach your Toyhauler Screen to the back door area?

7. Staying warm in colder weather (say in the 20-40 degree range)? When renting before, the unit's furnace depleted the batteries and then the CO2 sensor went off at 3AM (yikes, ugh). Is the furnace and aux battery strong enough to run all night - without the noisy generator? I've heard of folks using catalytic heaters to supplement? Thoughts?

8. We are likely to get a unit with the Queen Lift Bed in the garage. But, it appears that it will block the cabinets, some lights and vents in the garage. How does that work for folks?

9. Do you have sat TV? What is the cost and process for that?

Thanks for your time and thoughts. Hope I can return the favor one day.

Mike

buckeyeduffer · 03-07-2010, 09:36 PM

TR21r:

Good stuff man and welcome. I will only comment on two (2) items of you laundry list as I have no knowledge/expertise with the others.

.... what are your top 2-5 tips on what I should request from my dealer and/or should buy from the dealer on Day One??
........ get the PDI checklist from the dealer, and follow it to the nth degree. we took delivery about six(6) months ago and I was entirely too trusting of the PDI Tech and did not make him demonstrate everything. The checklist they use is very comprehensive but make sure you know that everything is working as designed. No flyovers. I knew better as I had good delivery experience with a 5er we owned previously but I "brain f___ed" this time around. Some key ponts to check:

1. Damons plumbing systems are suspect. I had to replace or repair every fresh water connection in our coach within the first 90 days. I am not the only one with this experience and you might check out Powerboatr's posts on the subject to see some other suggestions.

2. Damon does not warrant surface/finish flaws and scrapes identified during the PDI so make sure you get an agreement on that before the PDI. I was able to correct most of mine but spent sever hours doing so with my roommate in my ear howling about how much money she paid to give me the opportunity to work my butt off reapiring Damon's junk.

3. Check on your chassis or engine recaLLS and have you dealer get them up to date pre-delivery. I spent several days getting my recall actions completed.

... 9. Do you have sat TV? What is the cost and process for that?

..... We installed SAT (Winegard) post delivery and I am still not sure it is worth the investment. In most places we stay, they have cable with all local channels and major networks with the cost a part of the campground fee. I live on the west coast and during a trip to the east cost last November missed most of my favorite football games because we could not receive major network programming. Am currently trying to rectify this with Direct TV but have already puckered up gettin ready for the additional cost. OBTW, the grandkids love the fact that they can sail down the highway and watch TV, but grandpa is not so sure they need that capability.

Good luck and hpe you enjoy your Outlaw.

tr21r · 03-08-2010, 08:40 AM

Hi Buckeyeduffer,

Hmm, from your screen name shall I presume you are a Ohioan who plays golf? I was born in Lakewood (near Cleveland) and lived there until 11 when the family moved to Seattle.

Thanks for the good tips!

Surface finish issues. Are you saying that if I catch them during the PDI, then Damon or dealer may be responsible to repair them vs. after I drive away?

Sat TV. One, the Outlaw says it comes prepped for sat TV and has several TV's installed. Two, I have a Dish subsciption at home. Other than getting another box from Dish for the RV, what else do you think I'd need to do? Good tips on using the campground cable... but, I will be in the woods many times and might want reception...

Freshwater system checks. Hmm, other than having them run the various fresh water faucets (shower, sink, etc.), are there additional tests I should try to run at the PDI to catch any weaknesses?

Thanks again!

Mike

gasser 38 · 03-08-2010, 08:59 AM

PM this member he owns one DGShaffer

PNWGirl · 03-08-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tr21r

Sat TV. One, the Outlaw says it comes prepped for sat TV and has several TV's installed. Two, I have a Dish subsciption at home. Other than getting another box from Dish for the RV, what else do you think I'd need to do? Good tips on using the campground cable... but, I will be in the woods many times and might want reception...
Mike

Hi Mike,

WELCOME and congrats on your new rig. I know what you mean about being so excited you couldn't sleep

I hope that you, and your family, have thousands of hours of fun in her!

RE: your satellite question. I, too, have DISH. You can save money by just taking one of your home receivers with you. If that is too much of a hassle, you can pick up brand new or gently used ones on Craig's list.

You will need the actual satellite dish. When they say 'sat ready' they normally just mean internal wiring, it does not have the satellite dish.

I picked up a Dish 500 dish on Craig's list for $25. Can't beat that.

In terms of setting it up, there is lots of great information on this forum. I did p/u a tripod, for the dish, for $15 on Craig's, but like this set
up better sat

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f53/best-...ish-55328.html

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f53/newbi...ons-53047.html

Keep us posted on your adventures!!

Sheila

BpK9Miami · 03-08-2010, 07:35 PM

I can only comment on the chock issue (heck, I'm a newbie myself). Go with the Condor system. I've used two on my trailer and in the home garage (because they are so easily movable). I've re-located mine into the hauler area of my 3612 and (because I have the murphy bed), only used two of the rails. The Condor will actually hold the bikes pretty secure with a light tie-down.' There's NO need to screw them into the floor, they will stand alone and on the rubber mat they won't move when the bike is on the chock.

As for the SAT system, I had them pre-install a Direct TV Sat system...yeah, I know the campgrounds have cable, but when in the middle of nowhere it sure is nice to have commo.

All the best and welcome to the "Outlaw" crew.

tr21r · 03-09-2010, 08:34 AM

Thanks for the good info Sheila!

tr21r · 03-09-2010, 08:35 AM

I appreciate the tips Mack!

DGShaffer · 03-09-2010, 10:43 AM

Welcome to the board, and welcome to a new Outlaw owner as well.

I'll shoot you a PM with close up photos of the cable supports I made and how they're mounted. I'll make up 4 more of the mounting brackets and send them to you once I have your mailing address. You'll just need the 3/32" nylon coated cable and turn buckles. Making up the cables was the hardest part since you need to strip the nylon where ever you put a clamp, if you don't....

I changed my water pump with a sureflow 5.7 over the winter but have yet to use it. There's a great thread on how to set them properly. I changed mine because the one it comes with is noisy and low volume. It's located right under the large drawers under the stove top. I also have an Oxygenics shower head.

Another thing I did was to pull out the large flat screen TV to add a HDMI port in the A/V input on the wall. Works great for watching Netflix streaming movies off the laptop.

I also have the drop down bed in the garage. The fact that is covers the light and vents isn't as much an issue as the cabinets being inaccessible. I found that I only keep stuff in them I don't use often and that works out well.

My bike fell over once while in motion so I added a wireless backup camera above the entry door so I can keep an eye on things back there while I drive. Needless to say, nothing bad has happened since.

If you plan on getting a BBQ grill, the Coleman Road Trip is about the only one that will fit below in the basement storage. It works well enough and slides right in the top of the first compartment behind the entry door. Webbers Baby Q won't fit in any of the exterior compartments!

I have the three E tracks as you described and they work great. These are the chocks I installed less the mounting plate, for $50 they're a cost effective alternative to the Condor chocks. I screwed them right to the floor using these Part Number: 90192A132 so I can remove them in a hurry without having a nut and washer under the floor. The inserts accept a 3/8-16 bolt and work perfect. The chocks can be removed in minutes. Put a 3/8-16 set screw in the hole and you have a seal to the outside.

My Ford V-10 has been running great with plenty of pulling power so if this is what you have in yours you'll be happy. Hauling 4 adults, two touring bikes and all our gear we averaged 7.3 MPG over 1800 miles

DGShaffer · 03-09-2010, 11:26 AM

Here's something else I found that's worth it's weight in Hamburgers

It's a wall mounted wet / dry vac / blower. The one I mounted is not the same as this but you get the point. Mounted to the wall by the aluminum storage locker the hose reaches all the way up to the dash board. Wash you bike, put in on blower mode and you can blow dry it in minutes without scratching the paint. Good for blowing out debris from the garage as well.

tr21r · 03-10-2010, 10:18 AM

Hi Don,

Wow, excellent tips all around - very helpful (I've also peaked at your website - your rig looks well set up!). I'm scheduled to pick up the unit on Friday (I cannot sleep!). Yep, it will have a Ford chassis so thanks for the comment on the power. Am thinking about the Coleman BBQ so your comment has probably closed the deal on that.

Super nice of you re: the offer on the clamps for the "porch"! I'll take you up on that and hope to return the favor some way soon.

Thanks,

Mike

DGShaffer · 03-11-2010, 02:15 PM

Hey Mike,
As promised, here are the photos of the garage door "porch" as well as other things I did. Perhaps they'll give you some ideas. Click on the photo below to see a slide show of the rest of them.

BpK9Miami · 03-11-2010, 09:38 PM

Don, pretty amazing, and appear to be simple solutions to the ramp issue. DId I understand that you "made up" the brackets? I hate to sound innocence, but can an aluminum capable shop produce something like that?

The more I see of the ramp, screen, and cable, the more I'm convinced it's something I'll use in all kinds of practical situations. As far as the rest, for those of us with the 3612 model (with the murphy bed), I don't have as much wiggle room to add some of the other little features like the vac and holding brackets for the chairs and stuff. It was a reasonable trade off at this point.

Mack

DGShaffer · 03-12-2010, 03:23 AM

Yes, I made them in my shop so any metal fabricating shop should be capable of making them. I'll be running off another set for Mike in the next couple of days so making 4 more isn't an issue if you want them, just PM me your address and I'll UPS them to you.

I was looking at your model and they did a nice job with that bed back there. I plan on carrying two bikes quite often so it wasn't what I needed. Having the screen back there makes it really nice sleeping in the garage at night. I go to a camp site where I back up to a stream, with the porch setup I could fish off the back