 |
12-19-2014, 06:18 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: FL
Posts: 1,355
|
Nothing is ever easy (RV-related repairs)
So I decided to save a few bucks after dropping a bunch of money on the truck and new FW. The truck came with a gooseneck hitch and I need a regular FW hitch. I found a gently-used Reese FW head unit and rails, and found the frame brackets for a good price on Amazon. An installer told me 4 hours of labor to install everything and I suspect he was padding his hours because people on the forums said it's an easy 1-1/2 hour job. I read the mounting instructions and watched a couple of youtube videos and knew I could do the job.
I took a quick look at the gooseneck hitch mount, saw a few bolts and figured maybe a half hour to remove it, making the entire job 2 hours. Nay, nay, IT WAS A 4-HOUR JOB JUST TO REMOVE IT, and I had half my tools under the truck before I was finished! What a PITA. It took me less than an hour to install the new FW brackets and hitch. Moral of this story: I should have paid someone else to remove the damned gooseneck!
__________________
--2005 F350 Superduty Crewcab, 6.0, 4wd, short bed, 3.73 gears
--2016 Montana 3711FL, 40'
--SOLD 2014 Wildcat 327CK, 38'
|
|
|
 |
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
12-19-2014, 06:34 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,172
|
I would say you did well and had the skills and tools to do the job. Now you know how it is installed and where every nut and bolt is.
__________________
2014 Phaeton 36gh
2008 Jeep Rubicon or 2012 Ford F150 4x4 Lariat towds
or a couple of different trailers
Retired in Apple Valley, California
|
|
|
12-19-2014, 07:22 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 261
|
his first time took him just as long as you, now all you have to do is find someone who needs your help and recoup some of your cost
__________________
Paul & Megan 2007 Neptune XL 36 PDQ REK Bilsteins, KarKaddy, mini cooper, W/ Bear and Sedona
|
|
|
12-19-2014, 07:33 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,080
|
It just not possible to put a cost value on experience!!! That experience will look good on your resume !!
Russell
|
|
|
12-22-2014, 10:58 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Thor Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,893
|
It always takes twice as long the first time. Good on you for tackling the job.
|
|
|
12-23-2014, 08:29 AM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Huntsville, AL/Helen, GA
Posts: 1,611
|
I bought a Curt custom frame mount to mount my cross rails on. Needless to say, the holes in the mount didn't match the holes in my frame, and substantial drilling was required. It was a real pain in the rear end.
But the worse part of the project was assembling the components for the AirRide air suspension. The instructions were like reading German, and I'd have been a dead duck had the assembly not been shown on UTube.com. Mounting the air shocks was a breeze after putting them together.
Such jobs are so much easier if you have a lift to get the vehicle 6' in the air. Any repair laying on your back is going to take 3x as long.
|
|
|
12-23-2014, 08:43 AM
|
#7
|
Senior Member/RVM #90
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 56,009
|
But look at all the on-the-job training you got! 
__________________
Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
|
|
|
12-23-2014, 08:48 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: michigan-tip of the mitt
Posts: 1,444
|
Your signature says...retired and enjoying life. ENJOY!!
__________________
2003 Class C, 29' Gulfstream
Next stop? 
Previous rigs..2 Pickup campers,2 TT's, 3 DP MH's
|
|
|
12-23-2014, 10:50 AM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: MI
Posts: 1,094
|
Never knew you were going to have so much fun did you? Now you know.
2013 FleetWood Expedition 38B
|
|
|
12-25-2014, 08:03 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Out there, somewhere
Posts: 10,369
|
ralphie,
As you found out, nothing is what it seems it is. I have done extensive repairs etc. on our present coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with C-7 330HP CAT and, many times, I look at a potential project or, repair and, say, "well, this "ought" to take me a couple of hours". It never fails, it always takes me waaaaaay over what my estimates have been. And I've been doing this type of stuff since Jesus was a pup.
The replacement/rebuilding of one of the bedroom slide rams was a good example. That project was by far, the most serious pain in the a$$ job I've encountered on this or, any other motorhome we've owned. But, my point, you learned that there's always a possibility of hidden complications when doing a job. In the end, you tackled it, handled the "hidden" issues, did the job and the best part, you know the job is done right the first time.
The added benefit of saving money is a bonus. Of course we all like to save money and still get the job done. If you're one of those that's willing to look into the "darkness" of the unknown (taking on a job that you've never done before) based on your known level of expertise and tooling, then I applaud you. It's always nice to be able to save a little for the gas or, diesel tank.
Scott
__________________
2004 ITASCA HORIZON 36GD, 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 Toad '20 Honda NC750X DCT
 2018 Goldwing Tour DCT Airbag
Retired-29.5 yrs, SDFD, Ham - KI6OND
Me, Karla and the Heidi character, (mini Schnauzer)!
|
|
|
 |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|