2002 Dip, first MH to cut our teeth on

[JDCrow]

Thanks for your insight. Sorry yours was a PITA

I have a Geico slide, so easy a caveman invented it.

No cables, just 2 small rollers and a single center motor with a gear/track setup.

The crown moulding comes in/out with the slide. This is probably a cheaper setup for sure.

 

[Tom Cherry]

13 minutes ago, JDCrow said:

Thanks for your insight. Sorry yours was a PITA

I have a Geico slide, so easy a caveman invented it.

No cables, just 2 small rollers and a single center motor with a gear/track setup.

The crown moulding comes in/out with the slide. This is probably a cheaper setup for sure.

 

Your pictures are great. All I can say is this. I was warned by P. J. McCants, who was one of our go to tech guys in Elkhart to "CHECK" before you installed any plates and I have given Chris this feed back. I have three sets of custom plates that Chris made up for me and I did all the work and Chris' products are top quality.

What WAS not clear and I failed to take that into account, was that there was no adjustment on my wardrobe slide. It has plastic, NON ADJUSTABLE, rollers and yours looks like it might be the same....no adjustment....just lock it down....

So whatever piece of the wall or a slide frame  that is above the top of the slide MUST have adequate clearance and not rub or bind AFTER you install the plates. I always have a little noise or creaking with all my slides. But, it was MY fault that I did not pick up the "pop" or the excessive noise of the slide extending and the top of the slide hitting the crown molding. I DID figure that out, later, but did not have sufficient tools or such to correct it in the field. I made it better and lubed it....but the damage to the one cable was already done.

In your case, I would carefully verify that the top of the slide, assuming from your pictures, that there is NO adjustment on the bottom two rollers, that there will not be a clearance or tolerance issue....  Now, IF the bracket is adjustable and you can "lower" the bracket or the rollers, then you have options. Mine DID NOT....and it took a LOT of "work" to get it half way usable. But, I think that the stress of the initial retractions and extensions damaged one cable and then that had to be fixed.

Since yours appears to be a direct motor drive, then the gearing or transfer box or such "could" be damaged. A little looking and checking ahead of time might prevent you from inadvertently doing some damage to the gears or such...

I say this without any disrespect to your skill set. Quite the contrary, your approach and work, as a "newbie" is unbelievable and we all learn...

[JDCrow]

LOL, no skill set at all, so no offense. I’m a learn as you go type.

My Grandfather grew up poor, as did we. It was instilled in me very early to take care of, and fix my own stuff. He taught me how to take stuff apart, analyze issues and repair what I could. He would tell me stuff started out in pieces, and was put together by someone before, so it can be done again. 
 

He was amazing, I wish I had his electrical knowledge though. He was a tube man. He built his own Ham Radios and we’d spend evenings talking all over the world. 
 

My biggest problem is time. I’m not afraid to tear anything apart, it’s the time to put it back together, fixed, that ends up biting me. I have projects all over the place. 
 

Again, thanks for chiming in. I appreciate extra eyes on my work, especially those who know more than me. This is new territory for me. 

And my rollers do adjust a little. I have them cranked up. The factory had zero lag bolts in the bottom of the left roller. I had the shim it up to get the slide to come in even. That’s the side the Filon is cracked on. 
 

I will double check clearance when installing the plates. After we dropped the Bed 6”, it’s pretty easy to acres the rollers as we couldn’t put the false bottoms back in.

[JDCrow]

TRW box and pitman arm are in the mail. Well UPS. 
 

I am going to sub out next week the Monaco Watts, cross bars, shocks, and TRW to a shop that has done some work for me in the past. I need to jump on irrigation and getting our property rolling for work. 
 

I’ll get some pics of those items, and current ones I’m doing after work. 
 

 

[JDCrow]

Started in on the rear AC as the sun was out. After looking at it 100 different ways, I tried to shim up the “lowest” of the low spot. There doesn’t appear to be any framing around the AC in the rear that spans to the sides. The back square tube stops. 
 

Does not look like much of any water has gotten in over the years. Old gasket is a PITA for sure 

On a high note, just got to work and I’m knee deep in steer axle rubber and keeping between the lines will be easier 

[JDCrow]

After advice about the absorb refer, I started down the rabbit hole of a Residential fridge. We love ours in our 5vr, however the task of getting one in the door of the Dip looked crazy. 
 

Found JC Refrigeration. They make kits to update Norcold/Dometic.

I figured it upgrade to a straight 12V package for our current Norcold 1200, but opened up the back of my fridge, and PO had a JC update done to this fridge. While it’s still LP/AC, I will sleep better knowing that it’s a solidly built system. I will still be upgrading to the 12V package, the lower  power consumption is alone is well worth it. But I have some time now, and funds to dedicated elsewhere.

 

 

[JDCrow]

Rear AC gasket done. New covers both AC.

Front AC gasket will have to wait till I have more time. Off to the shop for Suspension mods after I get the hoses buttoned on the new surge tank. sensor for it came in today. 

Edited April 16, 2021 by JDCrow

[Tom Cherry]

18 hours ago, JDCrow said:

After advice about the absorb refer, I started down the rabbit hole of a Residential fridge. We love ours in our 5vr, however the task of getting one in the door of the Dip looked crazy. 
 

Found JC Refrigeration. They make kits to update Norcold/Dometic.

I figured it upgrade to a straight 12V package for our current Norcold 1200, but opened up the back of my fridge, and PO had a JC update done to this fridge. While it’s still LP/AC, I will sleep better knowing that it’s a solidly built system. I will still be upgrading to the 12V package, the lower  power consumption is alone is well worth it. But I have some time now, and funds to dedicated elsewhere.

 

 

You will dig the hole deeper and wider for the money you will pour into the Norcold.  The door gaskets are a known issue. You can NOT buy new gaskets....just the doors. $1200 or so. Many have had to do very strange and exotic and time consuming things.  Some have had to find the buzzer or chime when the dreaded DOOR signal comes on.

Same for the control board. Many have installed the Amish cooling kits. NO SMALL JOB. You are better off to just pull a window and put in a Samsung. YES....getting it in the door is a PITA. Some have had to pad the dash and such. The techs that did mine popped out a window and used a fork lift and moved the Dometic out and the Samsung in. 

Your call...but how OLD is the actual cabinet and the electronics and the plastics and such. 

As much time and money as you have invested, I would certainly give some thought to a rabbit hole that got me out of the never ending cash pit of the Norcold...

Typically a professional install will be in the $1000 range. If you have a furnace or such under the Norcold, that complicates it. The only solution there is to go to a $2000 refer or maybe $2400 or so... Payne and somebody makes one. A. J. Madison is a large and reliable supplier that many have used for refers.  However, 95% have figured out HOW to make a Samsung work...

Good Luck...

[JDCrow]

Thanks, your right, I haven’t got that far into researching the Norcold.

I guess I’ll cross that bridge eventually. A lot will depend on solar as well. I have a smaller footprint on the roof. Ideally, we want to be able to extend stays without shore power, and not run the genny for hours a day.

Thanks again. 
 

[Tom Cherry]

6 hours ago, JDCrow said:

Thanks, your right, I haven’t got that far into researching the Norcold.

I guess I’ll cross that bridge eventually. A lot will depend on solar as well. I have a smaller footprint on the roof. Ideally, we want to be able to extend stays without shore power, and not run the genny for hours a day.

Thanks again. 
 

typically with a good set (4) Trojan 4-105 (225 AH per battery), you can run the Genny around 2 - 3 hours per day and be fine. That assumes you go energy stingy and use the energy mode, Ice off, LED interior and also turn off the "Standbye" modes (kill the power) to your HEC.  You MIGHT get by with 36 hours or so....but then you will have to do a 4 hour recharge to peak out the bank. 

Others will have to chime in. Solar $/watt ain't cheap....consider a 3 bank of batteries.

 

[bikedavem]

On 4/16/2021 at 9:36 AM, JDCrow said:

After advice about the absorb refer, I started down the rabbit hole of a Residential fridge. We love ours in our 5vr, however the task of getting one in the door of the Dip looked crazy. 
 

Found JC Refrigeration. They make kits to update Norcold/Dometic.

I figured it upgrade to a straight 12V package for our current Norcold 1200, but opened up the back of my fridge, and PO had a JC update done to this fridge. While it’s still LP/AC, I will sleep better knowing that it’s a solidly built system. I will still be upgrading to the 12V package, the lower  power consumption is alone is well worth it. But I have some time now, and funds to dedicated elsewhere.

 

 

I have the Norcold 1200 with the Dutch Aire cooling unit in my Endeavor also. I've installed the Fridge Defend controller for added safety. The integrated fan controller is a bonus. https://www.arprv.com/index.php

2002 HR Endeavor 

Edited April 18, 2021 by bikedavem

[JDCrow]

2 hours ago, bikedavem said:

I have the Norcold 1200 with the Dutch Aire cooling unit in my Endeavor also. I've installed the Fridge Defend controller for added safety. The integrated fan controller is a bonus. https://www.arprv.com/index.php

2002 HR Endeavor 

Thanks very much. Will look into it. 

[JDCrow]

Just got the Dip back. While is was hard to hand the suspension work off, I’m glad I did. Time, time, time. 
 

If you are on the fence or have not done the TRW box, take the leap. 

No more play in the wheel. None, zero, zilch, nada. 
 

I put it though some curves, it held the road very nice. The under steer lean is way more manageable 

 

Anxious to get it on the freeway, but we don’t have any our town. 

[JDCrow]

Cleaning up and remembered I had them change the serp belt. Glad I did 

[JDCrow]

Was able to get sometime off. Working my way out from the back.

Yes, the 1/4 hole was the right hole for the W/D vent. Cut and installed. 

[JDCrow]

Screened for unwelcome visitors, some coin floor and a pan. Will grab a coupler and reinstall the drain tomorrow. 

[JDCrow]

Some easy work before bed. Finished the dimmable light swap to LED. Started switching out cabinet knobs 

[FuzzyD]

Looking good. Great job

[JDCrow]

1 hour ago, FuzzyD said:

Looking good. Great job

Thanks, getting there 

[JDCrow]

Little more done:

Took out old Microwave. New one vents a little different, so had to build 2” base to push it out.

Had a good friend paint the Lower Cabinets. Reinstalling the sink cabinet. No shut offs for the water, so added some. Built a frame for drawer in sink cabinet. And new faucet 

In case you wanted to see how the micro comes out 

[JDCrow]

Micro build out and install

And I know most are down on the Norcold, wife wanted a little change, and plastic panels were easy and look great 

[JDCrow]

Finally got to the couch today. Not a bad couch, it’s tri-fold for if guests show up. I had to modify the bottom as our slides are shallow. Took off the 2 cross braces and added a piece of 3/4 plywood. Used the bolts that held the seat belts 

[JDCrow]

Replaced  a sconce after work

[FuzzyD]

Where did you you get the sconces from?

[JDCrow]

56 minutes ago, FuzzyD said:

Where did you you get the sconces from?

From Recpro. They specialize in RV remodels 

 

https://www.recpro.com/rv-dinette-led-light-brushed-nickel-12v/