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Leo B

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4508

Topic: Salem-mod
Posted: 31 May 2015 at 10:29pm

Doug, looks nice!!

Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171

techntrek

Admin Group - pHp

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 at 10:47am

Thanks, I've been busy! And more to come... shelves in the closets, tires & wheels coming any day, bearings & tires to be lubed/installed later this week (at a dealer), new smoke/CO/LP detectors, and more. I want to get it all done early this year. The last 2 summers I was killing myself between camper and home chores right up until we left for vacation.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

techntrek

Admin Group - pHp

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059

Posted: 05 Jun 2015 at 9:43pm

Two more upgrades, this time courtesy of the local dealer. I bought the tires + wheels online and had them install them since they were greasing the bearings. Of course they charged me $50 to swap the wheels even though they had to take the wheels on/off anyway to do the bearings. Ummm, yeah. I also had them check out the toilet, we were having an odor issue on the last trip and I thought a seal was going. They thought it was just the sewer vent caps. I could have done that for $10! Oy.

I like the new tires, it felt like it rode better, didn't bounce around as much. 6 ply vs. 4 ply with the old tires.

Oh, and one gratuitous shot of our new kitten asleep on my shoulder.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

fwunder

Senior Member

Joined: 04 Oct 2013
Location: New Jersey
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1676

Posted: 07 Jun 2015 at 7:00am

Somebody got a new furry friend! Thumbs Up

fred

2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6
Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!

Leo B

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4508

Posted: 07 Jun 2015 at 7:35am

She looks quite content!!

Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171

Guests

Guest Group

Posted: 08 Jun 2015 at 8:11am

My black tank roof vent is close to my bathroom fan opening, also. I've noticed when the wind is blowing right, I get vent odors if my fan is not running. I have to either close the vent or turn on the fan.

Your mods are looking good!

techntrek

Admin Group - pHp

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059

Posted: 08 Jun 2015 at 3:15pm

New kitten - my wife watched someone throw her out of their car in a heavy rainstorm, when she stopped to see what it was, she came home with a new cat. She is great, loves attention and was easy to house train.

Vents - dumb design to put them right by the vent, yes! But in this case we smelled sewer gasses inside the bathroom with the fan on. The service tech said there was a gap where gasses could have entered the wall from above (??) so hopefully it is fixed now.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

techntrek

Admin Group - pHp

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059

Posted: 08 Jun 2015 at 3:26pm

I forgot a few more mods from the last few days, no pics for these. New baskets in the shower for our shampoo, new shelves in the closet the kids share so they can keep their stuff separate, new LED replacements for the tail lights (brake + running lights), new CO and LP detectors (both were well past their replace-by date). I bought a new smoke detector but it turns out I still have a year or two left with the current one so I may put the new one in the garage, where I've been intending to install one for years.

I still have a long punch list so more to come.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Guests

Guest Group

Posted: 09 Jun 2015 at 7:33am

Do you have a recommendation regarding the tires you purchased? I am into the 6th year on mine and plan to replace them next spring. I have 6 ply now (made in China)and have had no issues.

I upsized my old MaxAir vent cover to the MaxAir II and the new one does flow a lot better. Also, it eliminated a low level "howl" noise (like blowing across a soft drink/beer bottle).

Also, both of my batteries gave up during Memorial weekend. (Also, into their 6th year) Fortunately, I had the generator with me. They would go flat in less than 24hrs.

I am also wondering what you purchased for your brake/running lights?

techntrek

Admin Group - pHp

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059

Posted: 09 Jun 2015 at 12:05pm

[edit 9/25/16, do not buy Taskmaster. The tread started wearing unevenly immediately and less than a year after mounting them two of them detonated within miles of each other (I had 2 spares, happily). Replaced with D-rated radial (the ones below were bias) tires and after 8000 miles cross-country there was no odd tread wear. Brand is Duraturn.]

The tires are Taskmaster brand which I bought through eTrailer, pre-mounted on the wheels. For older steel wheels I think that is the way to go - I worry about rust causing problems with the bead but that could just be paranoia. I think I got duped though, etrailer said they were 6 ply which I thought was odd for C rated tires, but the sidewall says they are 4 ply + 2 ply on the sidewalls. That is what I expect for C rated tires. I probably should have held out and found D rated tires knowing now that I still only have 4 ply. That said it felt more solid on the drive home than it did on the old tires.

A howl would be ultra-annoying! Did you have true deep cycle batteries? I would expect them to last longer than 6 years.

The marker lights on the sides, and the combo tail/running lights were just random suppliers on Amazon. I paid about $11 total for 2 orders of 10 for the marker lights (of course I only needed 11 so I have 9 spares). https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00877SL2M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$3 for the tail lights https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KL7RS52/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My only minor complaint is since they are all cool white lights and much brighter than before, the marker lights that are orange are a bit washed out now. More yellow than orange. No real difference with the red lenses. But really since the point is visibility and they are brighter, I'll deal with the color change.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
Leo B Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4508	Topic: Salem-mod Posted: 31 May 2015 at 10:29pm
	Doug, looks nice!!
	Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 01 Jun 2015 at 10:47am
	Thanks, I've been busy! And more to come... shelves in the closets, tires & wheels coming any day, bearings & tires to be lubed/installed later this week (at a dealer), new smoke/CO/LP detectors, and more. I want to get it all done early this year. The last 2 summers I was killing myself between camper and home chores right up until we left for vacation.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 05 Jun 2015 at 9:43pm
	Two more upgrades, this time courtesy of the local dealer. I bought the tires + wheels online and had them install them since they were greasing the bearings. Of course they charged me $50 to swap the wheels even though they had to take the wheels on/off anyway to do the bearings. Ummm, yeah. I also had them check out the toilet, we were having an odor issue on the last trip and I thought a seal was going. They thought it was just the sewer vent caps. I could have done that for $10! Oy. I like the new tires, it felt like it rode better, didn't bounce around as much. 6 ply vs. 4 ply with the old tires. Oh, and one gratuitous shot of our new kitten asleep on my shoulder.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

fwunder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676	Posted: 07 Jun 2015 at 7:00am
	Somebody got a new furry friend! fred
	2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!

Leo B Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4508	Posted: 07 Jun 2015 at 7:35am
	She looks quite content!!
	Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Posted: 08 Jun 2015 at 8:11am
	My black tank roof vent is close to my bathroom fan opening, also. I've noticed when the wind is blowing right, I get vent odors if my fan is not running. I have to either close the vent or turn on the fan. Your mods are looking good!

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 08 Jun 2015 at 3:15pm
	New kitten - my wife watched someone throw her out of their car in a heavy rainstorm, when she stopped to see what it was, she came home with a new cat. She is great, loves attention and was easy to house train. Vents - dumb design to put them right by the vent, yes! But in this case we smelled sewer gasses inside the bathroom with the fan on. The service tech said there was a gap where gasses could have entered the wall from above (??) so hopefully it is fixed now.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 08 Jun 2015 at 3:26pm
	I forgot a few more mods from the last few days, no pics for these. New baskets in the shower for our shampoo, new shelves in the closet the kids share so they can keep their stuff separate, new LED replacements for the tail lights (brake + running lights), new CO and LP detectors (both were well past their replace-by date). I bought a new smoke detector but it turns out I still have a year or two left with the current one so I may put the new one in the garage, where I've been intending to install one for years. I still have a long punch list so more to come.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Posted: 09 Jun 2015 at 7:33am
	Do you have a recommendation regarding the tires you purchased? I am into the 6th year on mine and plan to replace them next spring. I have 6 ply now (made in China)and have had no issues. I upsized my old MaxAir vent cover to the MaxAir II and the new one does flow a lot better. Also, it eliminated a low level "howl" noise (like blowing across a soft drink/beer bottle). Also, both of my batteries gave up during Memorial weekend. (Also, into their 6th year) Fortunately, I had the generator with me. They would go flat in less than 24hrs. I am also wondering what you purchased for your brake/running lights?

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 09 Jun 2015 at 12:05pm
	[edit 9/25/16, do not buy Taskmaster. The tread started wearing unevenly immediately and less than a year after mounting them two of them detonated within miles of each other (I had 2 spares, happily). Replaced with D-rated radial (the ones below were bias) tires and after 8000 miles cross-country there was no odd tread wear. Brand is Duraturn.] The tires are Taskmaster brand which I bought through eTrailer, pre-mounted on the wheels. For older steel wheels I think that is the way to go - I worry about rust causing problems with the bead but that could just be paranoia. I think I got duped though, etrailer said they were 6 ply which I thought was odd for C rated tires, but the sidewall says they are 4 ply + 2 ply on the sidewalls. That is what I expect for C rated tires. I probably should have held out and found D rated tires knowing now that I still only have 4 ply. That said it felt more solid on the drive home than it did on the old tires. A howl would be ultra-annoying! Did you have true deep cycle batteries? I would expect them to last longer than 6 years. The marker lights on the sides, and the combo tail/running lights were just random suppliers on Amazon. I paid about $11 total for 2 orders of 10 for the marker lights (of course I only needed 11 so I have 9 spares). https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00877SL2M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 $3 for the tail lights https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KL7RS52/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 My only minor complaint is since they are all cool white lights and much brighter than before, the marker lights that are orange are a bit washed out now. More yellow than orange. No real difference with the red lenses. But really since the point is visibility and they are brighter, I'll deal with the color change.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual