Articles About RV Problems and Modifications

Over the years I have owned several RVs. You can see some photos and statistics in this article, Good Times on the Road.

RVs always have problems. Mostly they are minor but occasionally a manufacturer makes a major mistake. There are also tweaks that RV owners like to make to their rigs. This area of my website details all the problems and modifications I have made to various RVs over the years.

Select from one of the topics to the right. Below are the most recent articles.

Thanks for visiting and please leave comments.

Bobby

Recent Articles

	Grover Air Horn Forest River Wildcat > Truck Modifications I purchased an air horn kit for about $200. It consist of dual air horns, a 1 gallon air tank and a 12 volt compressor. I mounted the horns on the frame rail of my truck.
	Cracked Spring Hanger Forest River Wildcat > Problems On a popular Wildcat internet forum, someone posted that their right rear spring hanger had broken free of the frame. Several people then checked their Wildcat and found the weld joint was cracking where the spring hanger is attached to the frame.
	Towing Mirrors Forest River Wildcat > Truck Modifications I tried 2-3 types of the clip on mirrors and none of them worked well. They vibrated so much I couldn't see anything. I tried bungee cords, weights, more support, etc to stabilize them and nothing worked.
	The Sheet Metal Panel on the Slide Out is not Flush With the Camper Forest River Wildcat > Problems The Wildcat has about 1 foot of metal that extends downward from floor level. The metal 'rolls' at the lower edge underneath the camper and gives it a nice finished look. However this metal does not roll correctly on the slide out. At the vertical joint where the slide out meets the body of the camper the 'rolled' part of the metal on the slide out extends away from the body of the camper by 1-2 i
	Additional Switch for the Front Landing Gear Jack Forest River Wildcat > Outside Modifications The electric jacks are great but life is too short to stand for a couple of minutes holding the button to extend or retract the jacks. They are very slow. Here is how I added double throw double pole switch to the circuit so I don't have to stand and hold the switch on my Forest River Wildcat RV.
	Black Tank Pipe Mount Forest River Wildcat > Problems If you do nothing else to your Wildcat, fix this quickly. The 4 inch pipe is loosely supported by a thin strap that wasn't even tight on my unit. I know of at least one person who had the 4 inch pipe break loose from the black tank because of the lack of support.
	Wireless Thermometer Forest River Wildcat > Inside Modifications I found a wireless thermometer that works well and I really like it.
	Backup Lights Forest River Wildcat > Problems The local camping that I do usually involves leaving after work and school on a Friday afternoon and arriving at a campground after dark. I have added several lights to make backing into a campsite after dark much easier.
	Extra Table Space Forest River Wildcat > Inside Modifications With two small boys there never seems to be enough space on the table top while we are eating. I've solved that by adding two TV trays to the camper.
	Rear Stabilizers Forest River Wildcat > Outside Modifications Easy way to lower and raise the rear stabilizers.
	King Pin Mount Forest River Wildcat > Problems I had trouble hooking up the Wildcat to the fifth wheel in my truck. I had to manually pivot the fifth wheel in the truck so it was level horizontally, then raise or lower the Wildcat so the king pin would slide into the fifth wheel without moving the fifth wheel out of its level position. This is a design problem. My Dad and I fixed it.
	Battery Disconnect Switch Forest River Wildcat > Problems The power converter in the Wildcat does not have a 'smart' battery charger. Leaving the Wildcat hooked to 120 AC for days or weeks can overcharge the battery, evaporate the sulfuric acid and eventually ruin the battery.
	Shampoo and Liquid Soap Dispenser Forest River Wildcat > Inside Modifications I found out early in my camping travels that we preferred liquid soap. It just seemed more convenient. The problem is there is no good place to store the bottles in the shower. A liquid soap shower dispenser solved the problem.
	Wiring for a Generator Forest River Wildcat > Outside Modifications In North Carolina the summer months can get very hot and muggy. When my boys and I travel, we use the camper frequently on the road for meals, bathroom breaks, etc. I like going into a cool camper on a hot muggy day. I have a Honda EU3000i generator that I carry in the back of the truck. I run the generator while I'm on the road so I can run the air conditioner in the camper.
	Protection of the Water Proof Fabric Above the Tires Forest River Wildcat > Problems While I was comparing brands of fifth wheel campers, I noticed that everyone uses the black fabric material for the underbelly. I also noticed that only about half the manufacturers placed metal over the fabric directly above the tires. I think that over time the tires will pick up enough small pebbles and grit from the road to damage or puncture the fabric. This is my fix.