Random tips.

[Rolff]

I thought there might be a need for a thread of just general tips - not needing a catagory? If people agree they can post here. If not or it has a lot of back and forth like the caulking thread no harm done - just electrons being displaced.

 

[Rolff]

pipe and tank treatment.

I had read in a trailer magazine that if you add 2 cups of water softener, like White King, to a gallon of water and then pour into your drains, plastic sinks, and toilet bowl it will make the surface slippery and less likely for debris or grease to stick to it also if added at the start of the season as ot sloshs around the holding tanks it does the same for them. I have done this every time I have drained the holding tanks or at the start of the season and I think it has worked. When I drain the gray water it seems gray and not to have had any of the black oily discharge when I first bought it.

 

[Rolff]

Window cleaning.

I had bought some AMSoil waterless car wash on the recommendation of a friend. He said it was great on windshields and that rain would bead up and run off. It worked pretty well. When I bought my Hi Lo it had a lot of hard water spots on the windows on one side. I used the waterless car wash on the windows and with some work it removed the spots.
This summer we had left our trailer at an RV park the roads are dirt and when we went up the next time the windows were very dirty. I got out the windex and paper towels but thought I would try my "California duster", those car dust mop things. I used it on the windows and all the dust and dirt came right off. I didn't need the windex and it took 2 minutes. My wife thought I had really scrubbed them. I let her think that too.
I think any waterless car wash or Rain X would work with the duster as well.

 

[Rolff]

I got tired of the stuff in the storage trunk in front of the rear bumper getting wet. So I used a piece of rubber pond liner from home depot and lined the underside of the lid with it. I used some aluminum strips and pop rivets. now it doesn't get wet in rain storms.

 

[Rolff]

This says it all:

 

[robobd]

now this is a great addition! just keep the people who talk about their aunt mabel instead of why the fridg doesn't work onto a different catagory

 

[Rolff]

Less dust while driving

PopRichie77 mentioned that he makes sure the vents are closed when he is driving so the trailer doesn't pull in the dust as much if the seals aren't snug.

 

[sayhonkmon]

Love Bug Removal

Love bugs down South will eat the paint off of tow vehicles and campers if left on the surface of your vehicle.

A fellow camper told me to buy a box of those Bounce cloths that you use in a dryer for anti-static prevention. You simply dampen a "Bounce" cloth with water and rub the love bugs off of the finish, then hose off the loose love bugs with water and car wash soap. This really works!

We have oodles of these bugs down South; I don't know how far West or North they go, but this will save your paint.

 

[Rolff]

Easy Fresh Water Tank draining

One of the threads mentioned that Hi-Los newer than mine had the fresh water tank drain valve on the outside front. Mine is between the tank and water pump under the corner of the couch. I bought a new valve and added it to the outside end of the pipe underneath the trailer. Now instead of tearing the couch up to drain it I can easily just reach under from outside and do it.

 

[Rolff]

Penetrating Oils

Machinist's Workshop MagT recently published some information on various penetrating oils that I found very interesting.
Some of you might appreciate this. The magazine reports they tested penetrates for break out torque on rusted nuts.

They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist. They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrates with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a "scientifically rusted" environment.

*Penetrating oils ........... Average torque load to loosen*

No Oil used ................... 516 pounds
WD-40 ..................... ... 238 pounds
PB Blaster .................... 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ...............127 pounds
Kano Kroil .................... 106 pounds
ATF*-Acetone mix............53 pounds

The ATF-Acetone mix is a "home brew" mix of 50 - 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Note this "home brew" released bolts better than any commercial product in this one particular test.

Our local machinist group mixed up a batch and we all now use it with equally good results.
Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is almost as good as "Kroil"
for about 20% of the price.

Steve from Godwin-Singer says that ATF-Acetone mix is best,
but you can also use ATF and lacquer thinner in a 50-50 mix.
*ATF=Automatic Transmission Fluid

 

[Rusted Tongue]

This is the coolest thing I have ever heard!

Thank you so much. I have been a proponent of Kano Kroil for years and I can't believe there is such a simple mix that can do so much. Not to mention I have both chemicals readily available at all times.

Thank you,
Matt