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AirstreamCSH · 06-28-2017, 10:12 AM

We've been reading the forums for the past 7 months and after changing TV vehicles and testing the AS on some long weekends, we've headed out on a 6,000 mile shake down cruise. As a newbie, we relate to the concerns, apprehensions and excitement unique to those trying something for the first time before experience colors your memory of what was and wasn't a problem; or just those eureka moments. So before we forget what we wished we knew before we started, ......

AirstreamCSH · 06-28-2017, 05:12 PM

Thanks to posters here, we planned to travel through metro areas in early morning at 3am mid-week to avoid traffic on our Montauk, NY to Cape Flattery, WA trip. Glad we followed advice to pre-cool refrigerator and remembering to clear the gas lines by briefly lighting the stove top.

First problem popped up when recording tire pressures as we set out. Long story short, factory valve stems are rubber/plastic and despite 65psi aren't the high pressure rubber/metal ones. Spent the next 250 miles stopping every 30min to top off 10-15lbs with the portable VIAAR 450p. Reached Jack Williams tire chain in Pennsylvania just as it opened where they tank checked the tire, installed a high pressure valve, balanced rim and torqued to 110. Refused to charge me. Highly recommend this chain - great & knowledgable people!

Lesson learned was to carry a valve core tool in case it was simple fix ($6 at Flying-J), that the 450p was money very well spent because it hits the pressure without straining and waiting forever, that the Stanley allen key set SAE/Metric ($9) made it possible to remove the TPMS sensor dongle and finally, that the Tire-Aid ramp ($32) should come with the AS as it is a safe, uncomplicated and fast way to lift the AS when removing a tire.

NOTE: We have dealer installed TPMS and these dongles may have put too much pressure on the cheap valve stems. We will replace the other valve stems with high pressure ones but we have another 8,000 miles to go before we can make that happen.

Mollysdad · 06-28-2017, 05:53 PM

Good tips.

slowmover · 06-28-2017, 07:29 PM

That's a helluva shakedown!! Won't hurt to put Jackson Center on the proposed itinerary while all is fresh and records/photos at hand.

larryglarson · 06-29-2017, 02:33 PM

Take your time, make check list and use them every time. Hope you have Newby book and Airstream Life's book on maintanes.

We have been at it for 6 years and we have had so many great times. Just about the only time we had trouble was when we got in a hurry and did not use check lists.

In time you will relax and have some many great moments.

**jcanavera** · 06-29-2017, 07:40 PM

A 6,000 mile shake down is a heck of a first trip. Have you been out at all with the trailer or spend a night at the dealer's (assuming he has a hookup spot). I'd just hate to see you have an issue early on that might have been caught on a much closer shake down trip. A major problem would be a real downer especially if you are far from an authorized service provider.

Jack

**Hans627** · 06-29-2017, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcanavera

A 6,000 mile shake down is a heck of a first trip. Have you been out at all with the trailer or spend a night at the dealer's (assuming he has a hookup spot). I'd just hate to see you have an issue early on that might have been caught on a much closer shake down trip. A major problem would be a real downer especially if you are far from an authorized service provider.

Jack

These are my thoughts as well. I'd try to do a shorter (in miles and days) trip to make sure things work as needed for a 6,000 mile trip.

TravlinMan · 06-29-2017, 08:09 PM

You'll be fine I took my bullet off the lot the day it dropped before the dealer even had a chance to wash it. Said no thanks to the orientation and headed west to California. On my way back now about a year later and so far so good. Just found this forum recently and boy it's great.

Gas water heater stopped functionin on account of a bad motherboard, I got that one fixed in Tucson, they just ripped a motherboard off a new one and said they'd fix that one later so I could get on the road.

Lost my keys before I took the spares outta the trailer, Coachnet picked the locks right there at my forest campsite. I was in pretty quick and now I have a lot of spares.

Also if ya find a very ambitious key cutter, they can get it right. Ya don't have to spend more than 5 bucks a spare.

Had some concern about the belly band not being well glued/grouted in spots, got that one fixed up at Airstream in Los Angeles, and they also took care of a few other minor things that were buggin me. And tried to take care of a couple things that still need takin care of.

Batteries died on me in Grand Junction, stopped at Interstate Battery and they fixed me up under warranty in 30 minutes for zero dollars.

I think my propane regulator ain't telling me when my tank is empty, dealer says I can stop at any RV shop that does warranty work.

Point is... as long as ya just go with the flow and try to take your time, most problems can be fixed pretty quickly and painlessly.

Have a great journey!

AirstreamCSH · 06-29-2017, 10:35 PM

Installed a Wilson 4G-X OTR before we left home and was so concerned about antenna and equipment mounting that once it was all brilliantly set-up and ready to be plugged in, we realized the power cord termination was for a 12v cigarette lighter. Of course the Amazon 120v plugin for 6V arrived the day after we left. Lesson learned was that KOA will happily receive UPS packages for you; meaning with a little planning, there is very little we can't get either on the road or in small Wyoming towns. It is not that we plan to stay at many KOA's seeing how we will be at Cabela's tonite and a National Park the next, just knowing that KOA does this gives flexibility for forgotten things or essentials you can't get in just any town like medications and glasses.

TravlinMan · 07-01-2017, 09:10 AM

Yep, you'd be surprised how many folks are willing to receive packages for ya. Most campgrounds will do it, not just KOA. And in small towns, the post office will do it usually, if the carrier is willin to deliver there. USPS general delivery has been a great thing for me.

I had a lady at an outdoor store near Durango tell me I could have packages sent there while i was stayin in town and I had a gal at a coffee shop in Nevada do the same.

Also, Walmart and Home Depot ship to store options are great cause they'll hold your order for a week and cancel it if your plans change.

I've found pretty much anything is possible on the road on account of friendly, helpful folks. You'd be surprised how many businesses and neighbors are happy to help when you're on the road.

OTRA15 · 07-01-2017, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TravlinMan

. . .
I've found pretty much anything is possible on the road on account of friendly, helpful folks. You'd be surprised how many businesses and neighbors are happy to help when you're on the road.

Very well said in your last couple of posts!

Thanks,

Peter

AirstreamCSH · 07-01-2017, 01:30 PM

Making lemonade out of lemons, we purchased a 12v ARB refrigerator and permanently mounted it in our F250 as NYS requires one camping items to get passenger plates on the pickup as opposed to commercial. In NY, it's a big difference. So, far from being a sunk cost, turns out it is something I would have wanted to do. Up and down western mountains means the AS refrigerator would be out of level and not work and/or shorten lifespan. With the ARB, we can keep stuff that just needs to be cool in the AS and cold items in the truck fridge. Moreover, we can go shopping for anything we want when the AS is parked and we are coming back from trailhead or excursion. Eliminates looking for ice, soggy stuff and draining water. Last but not least, in winter months it does the reverse keeping food hot.

Staying on food, the crockpot worked perfectly on the inverter. Deboned chicken thighs, pineapple salsa and a cup of rice provided a meal at the end of the day for 5 and needed no serving items beyond a large spoon. All while driving our sprint distances of 700 per day.

Lesson learned: need a 9' extension cord to reach the inverter switch when the crock pot is sitting safely in the sink and have a short bungee (the kind about 6" long from HD in a jar) to hold the top in place on the side handles.

TravlinMan · 07-01-2017, 03:01 PM

I have had my ARB fridge in various vehicles for over 10 years and it may be my best purchase I ever made. You won't regret it, the thing is a tank. I have left it sittin outside uncovered in the desert for a week powered by an aux battery and solar panel and I have left it outside in thrunderstorms that brought 3 inches of rain. It just keeps goin. Don't matter if you're at sea level or at 13000' or if your parked at a 45 degree angle. It just cools away and uses almost no energy until ya set it down to below 10f.

Just know that if ya leave it plugged into your tow vehicle for a day or two without startin, you'll run outta juice. But the fridge will.quit before it kills your battery and you can choose whether it quits at 50% or 20%.

I run it off an aux battery and solar panel and it just never dies. Good work.

thiel · 07-01-2017, 09:46 PM

I dunno... I did six nights of pretty hardcore shaking-down before leaving on a major trip. During the shakedown exactly zero things broke, but now that I'm actually traveling, there is something new breaking every day. Just lost my porch light tonight.

I'm making a big list. I'm handy enough to fix or make do with things while I'm using the coach, but I'm writing down ALL the details of things to fix with the hope of leaving the trailer at the dealer in mid-October and letting them have it for a month or so to fix.

**Rocinante** · 07-01-2017, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thiel

I'm making a big list. I'm handy enough to fix or make do with things while I'm using the coach, but I'm writing down ALL the details of things to fix with the hope of leaving the trailer at the dealer in mid-October and letting them have it for a month or so to fix.

This is exactly the right approach. [emoji106]

AirstreamCSH · 07-01-2017, 10:32 PM

On the road since Wednesday with a 2016. Bathroom mirror door latch screws pulled out of the laminate dumping all the contents on the floor. Main closet hinges refuse to stay latched. Bottom cabinet hinges unscrewed themselves. Ceiling vents continue to drop. Water pours from the belly pan when flushing the black tank. Needed new tire valve on the first morning of the trip. Dividing wall won't catch when extended. Stove folding top with special square bolts vibrated lose and scattered bolts and washers all over.

Lesson: carry a complete toolkit with the special screwdriver tips, Small Allen keys, epoxy for laminate to repair enlarged screw holes, Adseal for leaks and in general expect to fend for yourself.

Worth the hassle, though.

**Rocinante** · 07-01-2017, 11:08 PM

All annoying, but the scary bit here is the water from the belly pan when flushing the black tank. I would not wait on finding / fixing that.

AirstreamCSH · 07-02-2017, 10:43 AM

I'm in Yellowstone. Not many options for AS service. What does this leak imply?

TravlinMan · 07-02-2017, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AirstreamCSH

I'm in Yellowstone. Not many options for AS service. What does this leak imply?

AirstreamCSH there is an Interstate specific thread goin right now where folks have the same issue and it is on account of a broken or poorly installed back flush valve.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169040

If your trailer is new, it came with Coachnet and you can make em come to Yellowstone and fix ya. They may take a while so only do that if ya got the time, otherwise just don't flush the black tank til ya can get to a service place. I'm guessin you're dry campin at Yellowstone anyhow? so shouldn't be an issue. but I'd be concerned about left over moisture from that water.

**Rocinante** · 07-02-2017, 11:44 AM

TravlinMan likely hit the diagnosis nail right on the head. We've never had much luck with CoachNet, but you could certainly give them a shot. Perhaps they will give you a pleasant surprise.

Water where it should not be is the single biggest threat to the current and future health of your Airstream. This is a big deal and must be fixed, but it should *not* stop your camping trip as long as you don't use that feature again until it is working properly.

So, for now report this issue to your dealer immediately, place a call to Coach Net to see whether they can help you out, and as has been suggested, do *not* flush the black tank again until you get this resolved. You can certainly empty the black and grey tanks as normal, just don't use the flush feature for the black tank.

In the mean time, you may also want to use your campground bathrooms for, shall we say, "solid waste". (Not a requirement, but probably a good idea, as that will make your life easier until the black tank flush is working properly again.)