PDI Questions

[LockChuck92]

Going in the next month to pick up our ACE 30.2 Bunkhouse, and we've arranged for the dealer to let us spend the night prior to driving it home (the dealer is in another state). They are installing a Safe-T-Plus stabilizer on the front, a roadmaster rear sway bar, a blue ox tow bar and SMI stay-n-play on our 2013 Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep has a 3" lift on it and oversized wheels and tires; not sure if that makes a difference or not. I have a pretty thorough PDI checklist that I found online, and I plan to go through all of it with the dealer. I was wondering if any of you can give me some specifics, based on your experience, to look out for on that first night before we drive 'er home the next day, as well as what to check on the tow bar/brake system install. Any insight would be great! Thanks everyone!

[SuperD]

With a lift kit your Jeep will be sitting pretty high, your tow bar needs to sit level so make sure you have a proper height hitch ball. If your tow bar isn't level it can affect your braking. If your Jeep has a locking steering wheel (I don't remember what year they quit having them) get a dummy key without a chip, lets you unlock the wheel but your Jeep won't start.

A through PDI is very time consuming, take your time, look at and operate everything including doors and drawers, check all the latches.

Hope everything goes smoothly for you!!!

[sky_blue]

From what I understand, the tow has to be within 3" of the tow bar. Blue-Ox makes both a 4" and a 6" drop/raise receiver that you can add to make your situation work. Be sure to get the locks to eliminate movement or you will get shimmy and noise.

[be happy]

Most dealers will not have your unit hooked up to water for the pdi. Your first night make sure that everything dealing with water works.

[nosticks]

Low point drains.

Slide controller locations and how to over ride the controller when your slide does not retract.

Awning override procedure when it fails to retract.

Winterizing valve locations.

Tire pressures.

Inspect heat outlets. (On one of mine, the duct was cut too short to reach so they just aimed it toward the outlet)

Try wipers, horn, turn signals, head and parking lights, and clearance lights.

[SuperD]

Originally Posted by nosticks

Low point drains.

Slide controller locations and how to over ride the controller when your slide does not retract.

Awning override procedure when it fails to retract.

Winterizing valve locations.

Tire pressures.

Inspect heat outlets. (On one of mine, the duct was cut too short to reach so they just aimed it toward the outlet)

Try wipers, horn, turn signals, head and parking lights, and clearance lights.

Excellent and often overlooked points!!!

[penguin]

Check everything with the coach plugged in and with the coach in dry camping mode. My experience with 2 separate dealers is their overpriced PDI inspection absolutely sucks. You must check all operation of the coach in all environments. They typically do your walk thru on shore power so any issues off of shore power wont be caught until you experience them yourself. Make sure you get a full tank of gas and a full tank of propane.

[Oneilkeys]

Originally Posted by penguin

Check everything with the coach plugged in and with the coach in dry camping mode. My experience with 2 separate dealers is their overpriced PDI inspection absolutely sucks. You must check all operation of the coach in all environments. They typically do your walk thru on shore power so any issues off of shore power wont be caught until you experience them yourself. Make sure you get a full tank of gas and a full tank of propane.

Start up the generator and check to see if all the 110v stuff works and if the generator or shore power is charging both the house and chassis batteries. Shut down the generator and start the engine and see if the engine alternator is also charging the chassis battery. Don't let them tell you that it is normal if they do not.

[blw2]

I'd suggest making a standing reservation for a service bay the next day, just in case. Hopefully it won't be needed, but safe bet you'll find at least a thing or two that first night.

I wish that i would have asked them to do whatever prep they wanted two days prior, then not plug in my coach for a full day or so before I arrive, so that I could have done a load test on my battery. I don't know how realistic this would be though. My battery was basically shot but held enough charge to make it seem like it was ok.....

I tested everything in every mode. Fridge on LP, fridge on AC. Water hooked up and water from pump. I filled the tanks to check for leaks. Verified the transfer switch worked between generator and shore power, etc.... I crawled under, over, and through everything I could and spent way more time with it than they usually do. Just about the only thing I couldn't test was the cable TV connection
.... and I still found a few little things that first night in the campground (loose or missing screws, missing velcro over the windshield for the night curtain, stuff like that..... but by then it was Sunday AM and they were closed.
Then of course other things I found even later.
My advice is to don't be shy about asking questions, and using every feature in the coach. Check caulking, flip every switch, etc.... don't take them at their word.

[mcars302]

Check the shower for leaks. Seen a lot of post, and had it happen to me. Trap wasn't tight and the enclosure wasn't caulked (Glass Portion).

[Travelin' Texans]

Do homework, read how to operate some of the basic systems before you arrive, I've been rving for a lot of years & some, well most, of the people showing you how to operate don't have a clue. When at a park/campground & have problems ask your neighbor, most are very helpful & we've all been newbies.

[tnedator]

Originally Posted by Oneilkeys

Start up the generator and check to see if all the 110v stuff works and if the generator or shore power is charging both the house and chassis batteries. Shut down the generator and start the engine and see if the engine alternator is also charging the chassis battery. Don't let them tell you that it is normal if they do not.

How can you tell the house batteries are being charged in each mode of operation (shore, genny, engine running)?

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by tnedator

How can you tell the house batteries are being charged in each mode of operation (shore, genny, engine running)?

Check the voltage on the battery. It will be ~12V when not charging and 13+V when charging.

[Pete'sMH]

And even after all of this, plan on spending a number of hours with a flashlight and a screwdriver opening access covers and fixing stuff - and cleaning up construction debris. Also, try to keep a positive attitude. It's just the way theses things go. Once you have things fixed you'll get a lot of good service from the machine. And, if you are "handy" you might just make a list and fix things yourself. You'll save yourself a lot of service department frustration and you'll learn a lot about your machine. Enjoy your travels!

[LockChuck92]

Thanks everyone! Great, great info. Please keep em coming...I'm taking a creeper, a toolbox, a notebook and a ladder with me. I'm gonna climb all over, under, and through the thing.

[SuperD]

You might not be able to get a creeper under the coach, suggest you take a big piece of cardboard instead.

[Oneilkeys]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

And even after all of this, plan on spending a number of hours with a flashlight and a screwdriver opening access covers and fixing stuff - and cleaning up construction debris. Also, try to keep a positive attitude. It's just the way theses things go. Once you have things fixed you'll get a lot of good service from the machine. And, if you are "handy" you might just make a list and fix things yourself. You'll save yourself a lot of service department frustration and you'll learn a lot about your machine. Enjoy your travels!

Absolutely true. And there are always people around in this forum willing to help. It took me two weeks to figure out that Thor had miswired my battery charging system so shore power/generator did not charge my chassis battery. But when I finally figured it out, I knew more about the system than I ever wanted. Without help from this forum and several others I never would have fixed it.

[ComputerChips]

I have some of that going on in my ACE what was the cure for your charging?

[tnedator]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Check the voltage on the battery. It will be ~12V when not charging and 13+V when charging.

With a multimeter or is there a gauge?

[DogLovers]

By all means check everything. Plan on taking a whole day doing it. No matter how good things seem to be I can almost guarantee after your first road trip of a week or more you will have a list of issues for the dealer to fix. My first trip was almost 2 weeks long and a great distance from home (big mistake) the coach developed lots of problems and we were very upset not being within 600 miles of a Thor dealer. I had to drive the coach 3 hours away to drop it at the dealer when we returned from vacation. It's still there as they work through my final list of 30 problems that included no roof AC, no 120 power and a roof that leaked so bad we stayed up all night changing the pot and pan water catchers. First few trips shakes the problems into light so the dealer or Thor can fix them. Count on your dealer because Thor is not fixing any owners new units until September. Get a commitment "in writing if they will do it" from your selling dealer saying they will get you in for service within a day or two and fix any problems your coach has in the first few months. Mine got me in immediately but I had to drive 3 hours to get there and leave it for a week. That costs you money also, make sure you get a commitment. Not from a salesman but a manager!