|
|
Post by laknox on Aug 13, 2018 19:09:59 GMT -5
For the most part, we had a great time. The water situation I wrote about in another thread will have to be addressed before we do this again, for sure. The only other real thing that I want to comment on is the very real lack of air flow through the trailer. Will only 2 windows that have slide panes to open (each end of the street-side slide), and the extremely limited opening of all the rest of the windows, our trailer was uncomfortably warm; much more so than our old Komfort. The Komfort had several fewer opening windows, but one in the living area, the E exit, opened fully. All the rest had panes that gave a much larger opening than does this KZ. In the bedroom, only 1 window opens and that only about 5" total, which is the E exit. We were hampered by the front vent cap that I dinged and not being able to open that, which did give much less ventilation. The ludicrously short arms on both the E exits are, well, just ludicrous. Both the E exits in my old Komfort had 10-12" long arms, providing a much larger opening for ventilation, as well as making them easier to operate. This rig did not come with a Fantastic Fan over the front vent, which also hurt us. Even at its lowest speed, it provided noticeable ventilation in my Komfort.
I know there's a learning curve, but this is something that is just a no-brainer, and should have been designed differently, IMO. A =lot= of people boondock or dry camp, and even at 7,000+ feet, it can get warm. Add on the tan color and the stupid black nose cap, and all you do is heat up things more than necessary. You can =feel= the heat in the bedroom due to the cap and when you open either of the 2 wardrobe doors, it's like sticking your hand in an oven. This =does= come through inside, no matter what KZ says. I'm =seriously= considering having most of the front cap pained to match the body, with only minimal black trim.
Lyle
|
|
|
|
Post by skismuggs on Aug 15, 2018 16:20:05 GMT -5
You might try lining the nose side of the wardrobes with Reflectix to reduce heat infiltration.
|
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Aug 16, 2018 11:45:23 GMT -5
Lyle I think you will find the fans more helpful with air flow if you had them (just my thinking), we use them when I open window to draw air thought the trailer ... I agree that the windows do not open much, even the emergency windows do not open as much as are old coachmen 5th wheel ... Since we do not boon-dock hardly at all an when we do we have a 6.5 Honda Generator that I run to keep the air conditioner going, our ruffing it is no sewer connect LOL ... As the OP stated you might try Reflectix to reduce heat infiltration an put some in your sky light in the bathroom to reflect heat, even with the air conditioner running when in the bathroom during the day I can feel lots of heat when it's 90 plus during the day  Safe Travels  Chuck |
|
|
|
Post by laknox on Aug 17, 2018 10:14:21 GMT -5
Reflectix would help in the ~2.5' of width that are the wardrobes, so what do I do about the other 5.5'? Frankly, I'm seriously thinking of painting the front cap tan to match the rest of the body. FWIW, I remember reading a post on rv.net several years ago, when these tan and grey rigs started popping up. Guy and his wife go to a dealer to shop and he has his temp gun in is pocket. Feb. day, in the low 60's (wherever he was) and he started checking inside wall temps. 3-4 degree difference in 2 units interior temps, one white and one tan. Exterior temps were on the order of 10-12 degrees different. I'd take an all-white unit any day, but they're getting harder and harder to find. While the black cap looks great, especially being towed by my black truck (which I dislike, but =she= likes), I'd rather settle for ugly and comfortable. :-) Sorta like my favorite jeans/boots/jacket/shirt...
Lyle
|
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Aug 18, 2018 10:33:46 GMT -5
While sitting here in a camp grounds outside of Milon/Dundee Mich I look around at all the white older rigs in the part, then the new rigs that are tan or a few motor coaches that are dark colors, so as you say Lyle many older rigs are all white ... I think that the MFG's are now trying to attract the younger campers with colors an as I call it Bing an glitter thinking they will bite on buying their brand of trailer, I believe this is very true with full body paint, they look wonderful but how many do you see out in the middle of no where boon docking, most are in parks with full hook-up an the air on like the DW an I do when out an about, thus Glamping not camping LOL ... So I agree that light makes for better reflective color an less heat in your rig, looking at this years newer modes at the Kz factory the paint colors on the caps have changed but they still have the dark colors along with some silver mixed in ... But looking behind the cap they have added some Reflectix completely across the front cap to reduce heat infiltration of heat so they are learning ... Lastly if you added a white paint job to your cap at least we would know who you are going down the road or in a camp ground,
no mistake about it LOL
Safe Travels
Chuck
|
|
|
|
Post by laknox on Aug 20, 2018 10:54:13 GMT -5
Chuck, if I ever =do= paint the front cap, the Durango decals will come off, first. Likely some big-a$$ John Deere sticker might go up instead.  Lyle |
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Aug 20, 2018 12:49:43 GMT -5
Hey, Hey, hey no swearing on the form  , always remember Red is Right 
Chuck
|
|
|
|
Post by laknox on Aug 21, 2018 15:32:20 GMT -5
Hey, Hey, hey no swearing on the form , always remember Red is Right
Chuck
Actually, I found a really =neat= pic of UP 4014 that would look pretty cool, too. Or maybe a big traction engine pulling hard on a plow. Found a couple nice, smoky shots of a Case 110 and a big Avery. Lyle |
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Aug 22, 2018 7:39:25 GMT -5
LOL Well I have to say it would be different that's for sure
Chuck
|
|
|
|
Post by laknox on Aug 22, 2018 10:10:43 GMT -5
LOL Well I have to say it would be different that's for sure
Chuck
Better than the company advertising they make =us= pay for, dontcha think?  Lyle |
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Aug 25, 2018 15:45:27 GMT -5
Well this past week they put a new front cap since they cracked the old one taking it off on our 384 at the factory an we have a prettier lettering job now than before LOL ... It now has a Silver/Gray tint to it with a black outline, so we will call it a 2018 an three quarter cap an lettering Was also a good way to get rid of all the bugs on the old one Safe Travels Chuck |
|
|
|
Post by jetzen on Aug 25, 2018 17:53:04 GMT -5
Well this past week they put a new front cap since they cracked the old one taking it off on our 384 at the factory an we have a prettier lettering job now than before LOL ... It now has a Silver/Gray tint to it with a black outline, so we will call it a 2018 an three quarter cap an lettering Was also a good way to get rid of all the bugs on the old one Safe Travels Chuck So what did they find wrong after they took the front cap off?
|
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Aug 26, 2018 8:05:28 GMT -5
It was stated that it was close in standard (not over)but they did some reinforcing an did some welding ...
As I see it I may have less flex than I did before possibly not sure yet, hooking up at the factory it look like it... But time will tell, I only
pulled it from the factory back to the camp ground ... We will see what it looks like after Monday when we leave here headed back to
Washington State an after a few thousand miles of I-80, I-84 an I-5 ... Do I believe there was or is a problem with the way the frame was designed, possibly, still not sure but I'm not a structural engineer, did Kz step up to the plate, yes, again they went above what was needed to make sure I had peace of mind no questions asked As I have stated I know there has to be some flex otherwise the trailer frame would crack an brake. do I believe owners should have theirs looked at, that is up to them, they like me are grown men an women an can make up their own minds with no help from me nor anyone else for that matter ... I myself needed that peace of mind, would I do it again, yes, an again I didn't need anyone to convince me to do such ...
The DW an I paid allot of money for this trailer an it will be our last in this life time so I want it to be the best it can be, after seeing what was done this past week I believe it will last me an the DW till we decided to give up Glamping an traveling which I hope will not be for some time to come ... Safe Travels Chuck |
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Aug 26, 2018 12:51:36 GMT -5
There was no double talk to it Yes it was at a 1/4 inch which is just within acceptable tolerance with no leeway, but just ... Nothing cracked to my knowledge, but there was some re-welding of the frame nothing missing but supports added for less flex ... You are correct that some movement of the expansion joint is normal, this is correct Chuck |
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Aug 27, 2018 8:17:18 GMT -5
I am only telling you what I know second hand from a Kz tech working on the trailer an not by the LCI Tech an have not received any calls from LCI telling me anything .... I have no work sheet to prove otherwise ... What I do have now is a record of my complaint
that if this gets worse or was not addressed properly in some manor I can go back on Kz an LCI an say it wasn't fixed properly or they avoided a known issue ...
Is there an issue with your trailer or others in the 300 series I do not know know, only doing what I had done will prove if there is a problem or not with any one trailer or multiple trailers or is a design flaw ... What I can say looking at other MFG I do not see the flex along the the front of their trailers where the decals bunch up along with the seal ... What I have now seen so far with ours is less but again we only moved it a mile or so ...
Do I believe Kz will stand behind their product, yes, do I believe Kz will go out of their way to help owners, yes, do I believe this is a problem across the board with flex I'm not an engineer an can not make the determination, but I now have a record of on file of our trailer ...
Safe Travels
Chuck
|
|
, always remember Red is Right 
