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Messages - Biewers on the go

#16
Interesting perspective, but all of the paperwork has disclaimers throughout from the dealerships.  I thought it interesting that Livin Lite actually said they were not truck experts, only campers though when I contacted them.  One would think that they would have at least one truck expert on staff to make sure they don't design something that no truck made is legally supposed to carry wouldn't you all? 

Well, they are not the issue, the dealership is if it is anyone.  I am still undecided on how to deal with this all just yet myself.  I have been searching for a truck all over the south for the past week, and dually's that have the "standard 6.5 box" are a rare beast indeed.  I have even had salesman tell me no such thing exists.  I then marched them into their managers to educate them so now they know! 

Other problem with the standard box length dually is that the cab they put on the only ones made with the standard box is friggin huge, and so that takes back some of the payload I would have otherwise had.  Sure would be nice if I could afford new, but not realistic.  Even then I would have to wait over 2 months for it to come in.  There would go my summer in NY state at least.  Ha ha.

Thanks for all the advice.
Rayne
#17
I may just do that David, thanks.
Rayne
#18
Well, even modified, my camper is still too heavy for my truck.  So, now I have been looking into getting a beefier truck, but I am running into one HUGE major problem.  My camper is designed for a short 6.5' box and not a long box.  I have been trying to find anyone making a dually with the in between box size I need and not a long box but so far no luck.  Even without the Dually but say a 3500 by anyone and I haven't had any luck. 

Anyone know of any that were made and what years they were etc.?  I would appreciate any and all suggestions.  I cannot afford a new truck, and I would get taken to the cleaners if I sold my camper.  Wish Livin Lite would take it back and help me get fitted with one of their others that are actually lighter, and bigger than mine and can use a long bed.  That would be so awesome, I could maybe just pay the difference????  I am so frustrated!!! 

Help?
Rayne
#19
You can actually delete your own replies and posts if you really want to DavidM.  LOL.

I have decided to upgrade my truck then see if it can handle the load of the camper.  If it can, I will then be looking into trying to upgrade the data on the truck to reflect a new GVWR if at all possible.  If it doesn't work, THEN I go buy a different truck that is a 1 ton, and hoping I don't have to go to a dually. 

Regarding the salesman, I think I told him what I had for a truck, and told him my deceased husband had already said that our truck would carry it no problem.  In retrospect, I think my poor husband only assumed it would since it could tow nearly ANYTHING.  Not the same thing as we now know.  We had a 1 ton Ford, w/o extended or crew cab years and years ago, it held our then camper that was all wooden cupboards, had the sitdown shower in the backend too, and we towed our aluminum 17 foot boat full of gear along with it every year on vacation without an issue.  But, that was before they changed the options on trucks to such an extent that the GVWR was drastically reduced from the old days too.  So, I am somewhat to blame.  But, I too think their should be responsibility by the dealership since they did acutally load it, not me, the day I brought it home. 

Anyone know how to get the GVWR re-evaluated on a truck? 
Rayne
#20
I am so frustrated, when I called interested in buying one of these Livin Lite "ultra light" campers, I told my dealership what kind of truck I had, bed length etc. F-250 XL, Diesel, 4x4, extended cab.  I was never ONCE told or asked for my GVWR nor GAWR to determine IF my truck should be able to haul anything this heavy.  Well, I now have a camper that weighs 3,027 lbs UNLOADED, and a truck with a GVWR beyond it's own weight of only 2,325 pounds!!! 

Since legally the GVWR can't be raised by modifying the truck suspension, and if anything happens when I am loaded with the pickup camper on my truck, since I will be over the GVWR, my insurance doesn't have to cover me.  LOVELY, I get it on the insurance end, but why don't ALL Truck Campers say you MUST have at least a 1 ton truck, and it must have a GVWR that is above the weight of the truck camper you are buying???

I know, they have a little disclaimer in the Livin Lite book at the end of the section on how much your vehicle can carry etc. that it is the owners responsibility to only haul what is appropriate for their tow vehicle.  LOVELY, now I am screwed and have to try to find a truck that CAN carry my brand new camper.  Meaning, I can't really use my camper now until I have sold my truck and gotten one that is correct.  Of course they don't list this information on the for sale web sites either, I have to call and ask. 

I think that this policy and practice on the side of the dealerships is absolutely appalling.  I am furious as a newly widowed person trying to be able to maintain some of my departed husband and I's former hobbies like camping.  This makes me so angry I am seeing red!

So, I live in central NYS currently, and if anyone knows of trucks that can fit and carry the 3,027 plus options of Air conditioner, ladder and roof rack and larger refrig, so probably closer to 3,500 pound camper, the 2017 model 8.4S in their truck bed (mine just fits it and it is a 6.8 foot bed, gas engine, and not 4x4 or diesel, as those weigh more and use up more of the GVWR because of that, and in really good shape, towing package and electric windows and A/C preferred, please let me know.  It do need the extended  cab though since I would like to take my grandchildren on occasion.  Thanks, and beware of this folks. 

Rayne
#21
In a pickup camper, there isn't anything on the bottom as it may be sitting on a truck bed.  The tank is also fully enclosed somewhere inside the darn camper too, at least I think it is.  And if there are no exterior ways to access it, then if you have to drain it from somewhere inside and get the water to the outside, that's just nuts.  IMOP.   I ended up using the outside shower to spray and wash my car with the fresh water in the tank.  Took a lot to use it up though.  Then I finally thought of just leaving the exterior shower hose open and it emptied a whole lot faster.  It actually jumped from 3/4 full to 1/4 full all of a sudden too.  One of those ultra sensitive gauges I'm guessing. 

I did search on YouTube and saw some doing that, but I have nothing I can see that looks like a little spigot to use either. 

Thanks though.
Rayne
#22
I need to empty my tank to take the truck and camper to be weighed today and didn't realize my freshwater tank is still mostly full.  I cannot find this on the forum, nor for this company on YouTube either, and of course, there are no photo's or specific instructions to identify the drain anywhere in our "owners" Manuals either.  can anyone help me, I was supposed to leave 30 minutes ago to do this.

Thanks,
Rayne B. 

I have done it many times in my old campers but this one is a mystery somewhat.  I have attached a photo of my only external compartment to access the plumbing and grey and black water tanks.  I know there are the three pipes on one side, but the caps do not seem to be removable, and how would I connect a hose to them without getting everything wet before it was on and tight too?
#23
General Q & A / Re: Tank monitoring system
May 24, 2017, 09:45:47 AM
How odd, but you are correct apparently.  Why the battery light wouldn't be green as in "GO" the universal use for green lights is beyond me.  So, I thought I had emptied my entire fresh water tank by using it all up.  And as you said, nope, it's still full.  Now I cannot seem to find where I am supposed to drain it from to empty it.  It just says "drain the tank" in the manual and shows no location of the drain, or any indicators as to where the drain for that nor the hot water heater tank is. 

Help anyone???
#24
What did you use to remove the stickers?  I want the one from our RV place off of there asap, and I currently have an issue with gooey duct tape remains too.  What a mess.
Thanks,
Rayne
#25
General Q & A / Re: Tank monitoring system
May 23, 2017, 11:51:06 PM
Since I had completely emptied all of my fresh water tank it registering full makes no sense as I said originally.  Yet has all for dots showing red for that, and the battery charge.
#26
General Q & A / Tank monitoring system
May 23, 2017, 01:15:58 PM
Help, where are the instructions on this option that came with mine in the XL living package?  I ask because the battery is new, plugged in for over a week now and still reads RED on all 4 dots all the way to the top.  Same as my fresh water tank-and that is empty so that makes no sense to me either.  Grey and black water only have lowest dot showing and it is RED also. 

I have gone through the manuals numerous times and checked my literature as well and I swear I saw it somewhere but cannot find it now. 

Thanks,
Rayne
#27
Good heavens, where do these people live?  Thank you for the clarification Dan, but is the faucet valve they are referring to in the instructions the one I think it is per my initial post here?  like the one I use to water the garden with a hose right?

Thanks,
Rayne
#28
Hi All, I have been trying to figure out what this water inlet on the side of my camper is for, and I finally did but on other forums.  Anyhow, it was confusing because it has a CAUTION sticker above saying, "Do not use the tank flusher valve unless the FULL WAY TERMINATION VALVE is in the open position.  Seriously???  So, since I could not find this full way valve mentioned anywhere in my literature other than the page explaining how to use my flusher I next went to the website of the company that made the Flusher and had made the instructions sheet which says something entirely different but much clearer. "Sewar valve must be open when using this inlet."  still not perfectly clear for sure, but better.  Guess what, they do not have FLUSHER instructions on their site anymore, they are listed but the link has been removed.  WWW.BandBmolders.com (no caps).  So, now I am wondering if this is the correct one in my tank after all???  Oh, and ther instruction sheet separate from the manual also says to turn on the open the faucet valve and flush until water is clear from the discharge hose???? 
Which faucet valve are they referring to?  The one at the other end of the hose attached to the utility pole at the campground or at home?  Thanks, these things make me crazy, just use plain English please.

Dan Miller, can you address this? 

Thanks,
Rayne
#29
Hi Dan, Sorry those were sideways, I didn't realize they were.  Anyhow, I didn't want to risk removing the bolts until I was at the dealership which hasn't happened yet because they are already backed up past Memorial day and said I will have to leave it two weeks if it ends up needing any parts that is.  If I remove the handle I will have holes left from the bolts where water will enter for sure.  The darn duct tape the dealer told me to cover the top of the handle brackets with left an awful mess since it was on there since last November when I brought it home too. 

So, I am sure the bolts have been compromised a bit, but I will go and try to screw them in tightly and see what happens.  But, in my opinion, this will happen again as soon as I use the handle at all when the camper is on the truck so I prefer to have a more traditional handle just below the top bracket for this handle.  One I know I can use to leverage myself up if need be.  Not 100% of course but close. 

It was recommended that I use spray on car wax to remove the residue from the duct tape too, so am hoping like heck that this works because what a mess.  I already tried simple green and no luck. 

Thanks,
Rayne
#30
Hi Dan,
I said the handle mounting brackets pulled away and disrupted their weather sealing caulk, they did not pull the self tapping screws they were mounted with.  However, with the weather stripping seal no longer holding, water is able to get in where the screws attach depending upon the direction of the rain, intensity, etc.  Not to mention that if I kept using them to "pull" myself up into the camper when on the truck they would eventually pull out for sure. 

Here are some photo's to illustrate my set up.