The Money Pit

[Tabitha]

Boy oh boy oh boy. So I've been working on the trailer and video taping as I go and find new issues. I just started putting them on youtube too. Well yesterday I was looking at the galley lid through the cabin, actually i was looking at the shock supports because they looked off and then I saw why. Our galley lid is smaller on one side then the other. i mean we are talking it is very pronounced. I wanted to cry.

We not only have to replace the hinge but rebuild the lid now too. I can't begin to tell you how upset I am, just when I think I'm getting ahead I find another short cut or crap job they did building this trailer. There are no straight lines and the back is narrower than the front, the left side is higher than the right, and now not even the galley lid fits properly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6pdebXmJwQ

You can see it on this video too which I took when we got it back after they claimed to have fixed the leak.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eumdlpjQSw

[dogscats]

If you got this trailer in Calif. get hold of consumer afares . You have to have a manufacturer license and maybe a dealer license.

[Gage]

Tabitha, rebuild your hatch to the tear. The height difference between the sides won't matter that much. You can see how I build my hatches HERE

[Tabitha]

Oh thank you Gage. Sorry I've been so crazy fixing the dang thing I put this as a future project after I get the back wall in. It's coming along very nice and this last weekend I finally made and added curtains and got rid of the ugly white doors.

I'm going to upload some photos to my albums so you can see how far I've come. There is still so much to work on it seems like it's two steps forward and three back but I'm much more comfortable working on it and I've even put a few tweaks in. At least now I don't hate it anymore when I look at it.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/your ... 4689255852




I added a fan.


Our new trailer hitch. This is secure!

I started having some fun and transformed our weather station. My hubby had to have one after he heard how you were caught in the storms.



Little things make a difference and I'm so glad not to look at the ugly white doors that didn't match anything.

[Tabitha]

Well I suck at posting photos to a feed but I uploaded them to my albums.

I also have weekly updates on my blog.

http://crybabyteardrop.blogspot.com/201 ... oh-my.html

[oakinteriors1]

I am in awe of the crap I see in your videos... the hatch is a nightmare...could the hatch be slid over and add wider aluminum trim to the outsides to cover the sides?....A piece of rubber under the hinge extending to the outer edge could prevent leakage...

Im no expert at trailers But I know Square when I see it... that is inexcusable! A seasoned Cabinet Maker "which I am" keeps that in mind throughout the entire build! I have build cabinets for 30 + yrs., furniture, room additions to my own house etc. and with one trailer almost under my belt I know this is the most thought provoking undertaking I have done ----besides designing my daughters house....


Back to the hatch Steve Frederick's design idea is the most water resistant I have seen....More labour intensive...

[Shadow Catcher]

Any luck in recovering some of the cost? I would be billing him for the time you have spent fixing his work.
The one good thing about this it will really be YOUR trailer!

[Tabitha]

There have been so many issues we have been wrapped up in fixing them. It is becoming our trailer with each weekend and each new project. I haven't even showed you all the underside of this hot mess. Baby steps and keeping my receipts.

One thing I'm changing is our stereo. We purchased an XM stereo for the trailer and it never worked from their wiring. We've taken the trailer out on a couple trips and this last one I brought along my XM Roady from my car and my extra cables. I plugged it into the trailer and into my ipod speakers since I haven't wired the speakers in yet and it was awesome to have satellite radio and it got me to thinking why pay for another subscription why not use my Roady since I won't be using it in my car when we camp. The Roady is smaller so I can add more cabinet room and I already have a subscription so it makes more sense. i did have to order a 12 volt amp for the speaker volume but it will be behind the wall next to the fuse box and I think I may create a small rotating wall to spin from the cabin to the galley.

[S. Heisley]

You're camp-able and you're getting to the finish line, Tabitha!

[Shoprat]

Looks like you already got booted... Should have paid those parking tickets!!

[Tabitha]

Yea I'm loving the way it looks now and sleeping in it now is like night and day to when we first got it and took it out. We're taking it down with us today for a charity BBQ competition we're entered in tomorrow.

I'm hoping to have most of the rest done before July 4th when we take it up to the North Rim.

[Tabitha]

I wanted to give an update on our hot mess. Today I finally finished our galley! YAY!!! We still have a long way to go but it feels good to have a little part done. We found out by surprise at the beginning of the year that the builder cut and welded our axle! By the grace of God we found it by accident one day when I decided to use my new selfie stick to video the under carriage to see what I needed to do to seal it and fix the spare tire mount. The builder cut the axle and added an 18 inch piece of pipe and welded it so bad that is had cracked, bent, and was broken in one spot. Our tires were wearing funny and I snapped a picture of them and started researching why they would wear like they were and it said it was from a bent axle but I thought we don't put anything heavy in the trailer then when I was looking over the video of the under carriage I saw the broken welds.

I was stunned, the work was horrible and we were NEVER informed he had modified the weld. We found a wonderful company, Pacific Trailers in Chino that wanted to build us a new axle for the trailer. Every company I contacted reacted the same way, "You're kidding me, I have got to see this.... can you bring it in?" I felt like a circus sideshow freak! We had the two headed cow and everyone wanted to see it. The guys at Pacific Trailer were AWESOME and after seeing the hideous two headed monster I think they took pity on us and made us a custom axle in less than 3 hours.

There is nothing left from the builder but the skin and galley lid now and very soon I will rebuild the leaky lid. These other 911 issues have kept me from working on it but now "knock on wood" we are in a place where I can finally fix the lid.

I'm at a spot where I love our trailer and can't wait to take it to a gathering to show it off. It's taken me a long time to get here because I am disabled from work injuries and can't use my hands and arms like I should or used to. I take breaks because I know my limits and every time I work on my trailer I have to take pain meds that night and use my TENS unit. I have a long way to go I don't kid myself but with each project I get closer.

[Shadow Catcher]

Tabitha
I fully understand your frustration and the amount of work you have had to put into this, but it is now very much more yours.
Ours is now in the shop getting a new ceiling due to water leaks as a result of improper sealing from day one and next winter it will get a new passenger side skin because it has delaminated.
You might want to report him to the NHTSA for modifying the axle and its failure. This could have caused a catastrophic failure and accident.

[S. Heisley]

Tabitha
I fully understand your frustration and the amount of work you have had to put into this, but it is now very much more yours.
Ours is now in the shop getting a new ceiling due to water leaks as a result of improper sealing from day one and next winter it will get a new passenger side skin because it has delaminated.
You might want to report him to the NHTSA for modifying the axle and its failure. This could have caused a catastrophic failure and accident.

I think Tom is right. While you probably could sue him, I doubt it would do you much good if you won as I'm guessing that he probably lives hand-to-mouth.

Glad to hear that you're making progress and are able to use it, now.

[Adventure Time]

Hey Tabitha,
I watched your video on youtube about your galley hatch. The hatch appears to be the right size, it just needs to be slid over. Then there needs to be retainers to hold it from sliding to the side again. Yes this builder is not a detail oriented operation. But from the video, it doesn't appear you need a new hatch just a little modification. If you ever go through San Antonio Tx, I'd be happy to lend a hand. You can contact me through my gym thedistrictsa.com or my equipment business
run-rocket.com
I am at the point in my build that I am figuring out how I am going to seal that part of my hatch that you are having problems with. My hatch is not a perfect fit right now. But I will post pics of how I will tweak it into place and make it fit exact.