I managed to get two shake down adventures in at the nearby state park before Covid19 shut everything down then one more here at the RV park I live in. Some things went bad of course so I made a list of those and the things I want to keep in the van always to make loading for a trip easier.
Fixed the water pump myself by installing a new diaphragm. The toilet water valve started sticking open so I replaced that and the floor gasket also myself. Neither job was very difficult.
I didn’t like how much sway there was in the van’s front end and steering so I had a mechanic replace the steering gear box, idler arms, and drag link. It’s nice and tight now!
Had RV techs replace the black and gray water valves due to it being so low under the van and though I have changed those before on my trailer, it’s not my favorite job.
Finally figured out what the extra curtain in the driver seat pocket was for. I was supposed to open up the closet doors on both sides of the center aisle and attach that curtain to the Velcro™ across the bottom of them to form the missing bathroom wall when needed. I took the curtain I added for that down then realized it could still be used to block off the AC to keep it in the bedroom area when sleeping. The AC is mounted above the bed and works fine for cooling the rest of the RV but misses the bed area if not redirected.
While at the state park, I met another Roadtrekker and had a nice long chat about upgrades they had done. Very nice and had great ideas. It turned out they read this blog. I have fans! Hi, Stacie and Barry!
Finally, I made some more upgrades on it this week. I bought the sink insert from another Roadtrekker. Insert was very cheap but postage cost a small fortune. Worth it to separate my hand washing from my dish washing. It pops in and out as needed.
Added a Harbor Freight LED independent light switch beneath the furnace control and close at hand in bed so I don’t have to fumble around in the dark for the small light in the ceiling corner.
Added 3″ concave mirrors from American Hardware via Ebay to my van mirrors so that when I am backing into a site I can see the cement patio on one side and the utilities on the other. I was backing blind without those.
I also added a 10″×8″ plastic wide angle lens by Cipa, USA to my inside rear window in the center. Just wet it and apply. It makes a HUGE difference in what I can see behind me and doesn’t block too much or bother me when driving. We’ll see if it stays on in the heat of the day.
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