Well here it is already May 5th. It seems I've been home for over two months and haven't cleaned out the garage yet. Most all of that furniture and those boxes are still sitting there. Oh I've gotten into a few of them, as evidenced by the now EMPTY boxes looking like Mount Whitney, piled high to the ceiling. What can I say ... I'm a BOX SAVER. I'm pretty sure that came from my mother who even saved my 8th grade graduation dress, which I finally got rid of when I was 45.
It was a noisy morning as I looked out the windows. Someone had the oldest, LOUDEST generator in the history of generators, running right across the street at 4:00 in the morning. It didn't bother me since I was already up. Maybe the neighbors slept through it. I think they ran it all night long because I heard it on and off. Who could sleep inside with that noise? Yes, it's a rental. After a week in one, most newbys decide AGAINST buying an RV.
Although a little chilly, I laid out in the sun catching some rays. That last 2 mile run, followed up with shoveling the sand from the corral, made for some really sore shoulder muscles. The sun felt OH SO good ... until a cloud passed over and chilled me to the bone.
Mr. Cooper slept like a rock. Oh to sleep like a puppy!!
It's Cinco de Mayo day, one of celebrating the good food of Mexico. It marks the victory of Mexican troops over invading French forces in the Battle of Puebla. That was Napoleon they beat ... quite the triumph. Mexican Independence Day is NOT Cinco de Mayo however ... Independence Day for them is September 16.
They say this classic celebration calls for a Paloma. Tequila, lime juice and grapefruit soda. I've never heard of it. I thought margaritas were the drink of the day. The next time I'm at the Elks Lodge, I'm going to ask for a Paloma and see what happens!!
What better way to celebrate than to crawl under your RV. Lucky for me, mine rides a little higher than the old Class A. Yup .. the spare tire is still there. Did I check the air? No. I forgot the gauge, and it was all I could do to get back OUT.
What I was looking for are the tell tale marks of a cracked frame. Grand Design seems to be inundated with claims over their frames used to build their rigs during the entire CoViD thing. The signs of cracks are long thin runs of rust. This was the first thing I found, which just appears to be a scape when it was first painted.
Any suggestions on how I can fix this? Just paint over it or do I have to somehow find a grinder (which is way above my pay grade) and clean the rust off first? Lucky me, I didn't find any other suspicious rust anywhere I looked. I think I need one of those lay-on-your-back trolley things.
I may be wrong, but might many of those cracks be from overloading your trailer, then driving 70 mph down the horrible roads we have in the U.S.? It sure seems to me that might be part of the cause. Anyway, not that I know exactly what I'm looking at, but I don't seem to have any of the problems shown on several videos I watched on the subject. THANK GOODNESS!!
Dinner came quickly (I think I fell asleep on the couch) ... and of course it had to be Cinco de Mayo food. I grabbed a bit of smoked pork, my new bag-o-grated on-sale cheese (that took me 15 minutes to find ... I thought maybe it didn't get in my shopping bag) and even made a quick salsa to go over a taco and a tamale. It was made by a REAL Mexican lady who can cook from scratch!! She's also a big Bingo player!! I'm sure I bought her last set of cards from the dozen tamales I got.
It was delicious ... but I think I needed that Paloma to go with it, or at the very least, a margarita. Here's to a happy celebration of food and drink. Today I'm back to the Elks Lodge for the Safety Inspection. Besides which .... Mother's Day is coming up quickly. It's this weekend guys, so here's a HEADS UP!!
Mr. Ed said the cracks that you’re referring to on grand design will be on the welds were one piece of steel meets the other . Most of it is due to and experience welder grand design needs to take most of the responsibility simply because Libbit builds the trailer to their design. If they use an inferior welder, and the world is not certified which none of them are that’s where you get the cracking a certain amount of flex is normal and built into that design you’re absolutely right think of a washer and dryer and God knows what else hanging over the fifth wheel pin, which was not designed for but put in anyways because that’s what the customer wanted most of the cracking that you’re going to find is on and under the bedroom area where it meets the jackstands it’s basically nothing you’re going to see because it incases the upper trailer frame
ReplyDeleteon a standard pull behind trailer, the cracking and bending there is done by the A-frame that attaches to the trailer ribs and again you’re putting a washer and dryer and all the heavy stuff right over the ball hitchpoint
as for the black an rust spot that you have just take some sandpaper a can of rust oleum and have at it the original black paint is basically heat treated baked on enamel and was probably there when they built the trailer when they moved it with a forklift
That’s really an asinine spot to put the Spare tire on grand designs part obviously they’re engineers. Don’t change tires
it should have said,
Deletemost of it is due to inexperienced welders
Another part that I left out is 90% of the welds are by computer animated does appear to be OK only the key components where they turn.. is when it’s welded by an uncertified welder, or somebody that uses the wrong welding rod for the job
Computer welding is better than hand welding, except where certified experience welders are used
You’ll find basically the answer in here and watch that trailer manufacturer back tracks. if you notice, the owner never lets the photographer out of his sight Also at the same time look at the logistics of how the frame is built, pretty shabby to put it bluntly. you’re building 1000 trailers a week you can’t possibly generate quality control at that rate watch the 3 part video.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF-lsJ7c8vg
DeleteI still think most of that is caused by overweight, not level and driving too fast. I've never heard of one that had a washer dryer near the hitch point, but then I have a smaller fifth wheel rig, not a trailer. That could be the difference.
It's cold here today Nancy!
ReplyDeleteHope you have a good day!
Frances:)
So chilly here my heater came on. Haven't heard it in weeks!
DeleteLooks like Mr. Ed answered your rust question. That is more or less what I would have said as well.
ReplyDeleteMost all of the problems I have heard about are from the longer heavier rigs. I doubt I will have any problem with mine, but I wanted to check it anyway.
DeleteYour handyman can probably get rid of that rust and then either of you can paint it...be sure to put down a tarp.
ReplyDeleteI know you don't follow NASCAR, but Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Ca, won by .001 of a second. I called my sister and asked if she called 911 because I was sure Arny was having a heart attack over it!
Another photo finish!! I bet Elk Grove is proud!!!!
DeleteMr Ed seems to know what he is talking about and since he isn't a talking horse maybe he is on the money, he knows more then I do
ReplyDeleteI don't think I will have a problem since I don't overload my RV. That's a common cause of many problems.
Delete🐴 👍
ReplyDelete