Posts that are helpful to fifth wheel trailer owners
Over the 2021 summer months, I’ve been applying loads of TLC maintenance to our 10-year-old Keystone Cougar fifth-wheel trailer. Projects have included a new slide-out roof membrane, a new air conditioner gasket, coating of the main rubber roof, and reseal of the rear slide-out window. Next on the to-do list? Repairing some minor wood rot … Read more
In this video, I show off my latest little gadget called the Flowtool Shaker Siphon. The shaker siphon is a handy low-cost tool for transferring liquids via gravity siphon. Recently I needed to remove 25 gallons of marine gas out of my wife’s boat as it had gotten too old and needed to be disposed … Read more
Three years ago, I installed several different RV cooling fan products from a Taiwanese company called Titan. The fans weren’t exactly on the cheap side but decent quality and rated IP55 for water and dust resistance. They have performed well over the 3 years, helping to keep our absorption RV refrigerator cooling well even during … Read more
In this video, I pull out one of my slide-out windows and inspect it for any leaks or water damage. Then I remove the old butyl tape sealant, clean, and reseal with fresh butyl tape from Alpha Systems. The job is fairly straightforward, and the window was small enough to do myself. First, I unscrewed … Read more
After cutting up the EZ Snap shade material for my RV windows, I had a little bit leftover. So, I used a small rectangle of it with 6 snaps to cover my shower skylight. It makes a huge difference in the amount of heat that can come through but still lets in a reasonable amount of light. … Read more
Our Keystone Cougar fifth wheel recently turned 10 years old. Over the years, I’ve always done a decent job of cleaning and maintaining my roof. Spending a lot of time on the rainy west coast, it is a priority to prevent leaks or else end up with a moldy, rotting camper. So. I was happy … Read more
In this video, I install an inexpensive 12VDC wireless switch to turn my Renogy 40 amp DC-DC charger on and off remotely. This will be a nice option to have when towing the trailer. In hot weather, stop-and-go traffic, or while pulling a long steep hill, I may rather have the DC-DC charger off to … Read more
In this video, I remove a valance and a set of RV day/night shades from one of my slide-out rooms windows. Recently the blind stopped functioning correctly after one of the strings broke. I show you the contents of the United Shade repair kit I bought and how the shades come apart and the restringing … Read more
This video shows you how I remove old faded, cracked decals from our 2011 Keystone Cougar fifth-wheel trailer. First, I hit the decal with a bit of heat from my heat gun set on low. If I can, I try and peel the graphic off by hand, which tends to take the adhesive with it, … Read more
In this video, I attempt to install an aftermarket Lippert friction hinge onto my Keystone Cougar fifth-wheel trailer’s entrance door. Unfortunately, the hinge turns out to be incompatible with my particular Challenger brand model of door. I discover the Lippert hinge is a little smaller, so it won’t fit flush. Anyway, I was curious and … Read more
Recently I repaired my broken RV wireless remote control system by upgrading it to a newer generation called the Lippert Linc system. To do it I had to upgrade both the control board and the remote. My 2010 Keystone OEM wireless remote system failed when suddenly it would not retract things. The OEM wireless remote … Read more
In this video, I install an auto RV screen door closing device called the Screen Shot. The Lippert Screen Shot is designed to fit right-hand hinged Lippert screen doors. It consists of a spring and a cloth strap inside a plastic tube. At each end of the tube are plastic mounts specially designed to fit … Read more
In this video, I install several more exterior window shades. This time on the passenger side of the RV, which is exposed to the mid-day sun at our summer campsite. Outside window shades block heat/UV before it enters the windows keeping the RV cooler plus enhancing our privacy. I again went with the EZ Snap window … Read more
I know from viewer feedback over the years that people appreciate it when I do longer-term updates of my various product reviews, repairs, upgrades, and modifications. Sometimes when a mod for a period of time can I discover drawbacks or benefits I didn’t think about beforehand. In this video, I go through nine modifications I’ve … Read more
In this video, I go through the current state of my RV boondocking power systems. Over the last year or so, I’ve added more solar panels, a 40 amp DC-DC charger, and a new 40 amp MPPT solar charge controller. With all these recent additions, a major reorganization to the existing system and wiring was … Read more