Aluminum Camper Forum

My new VRV 6x15 has some craftsmanship issues that I need to address.  Namely, the back door on the outside, at the very bottom where the springs for the door mount, they obviously put a screw in the wrong place and then moved it down to where it should be as there is a perfect screw sized hole just above where the center screw goes on the 3 screw plate that holds the spring to the door.  It's a painted surface (mine is orange) but I want to fill this hole to stop it from getting any worse. 

It appears that what is inside the hole looks to be some sort of fiberglass and I can stick the tip of my index finger into this hole about half way up the fingernail...it's that big and deep.  They must have covered it up with some cheap filler and painted it as I never saw it until I started to work on it.  There are a few other small spots where it appears that the paint is "bubbling" and if you scratch it, it powders and falls off leaving what looks like a rusted spot (it's not rust but aluminum rusts just like steel only it looks different).  I have no idea how or what to use to repair these things.  I also don't have touch up paint. 

My nearest dealer turns up on the Livin' Lite website as down in Key Largo, which is 9 hours+ from here.  Yikes!  The door to the cabin has a defect that was done in the build (no other way possible for this type of damage) and the rear door is the same.  I'm fine fixing them myself if I could find out what materials were actually used in the making of them.  Good luck finding that on their site! 

Anyone have any idea what they use?  My guess for the rear door/ramp is a thin painted sheet of aluminum (just like on the roof) with some plastic or fiber material inside.  I've seen video of Livin' Lite driving a front-end loader onto the ramps of these things so it's super strong whatever it is. 

Thanks.

Lots of posts today after a 4 day trip using the camper out in the wilderness and completely off-the-grid where I didn't have a pressurized water source.  I learned a few new things about using this camper with just my fresh water tank and a generator which led me to several questions.

Now, before I ask my questions I'll tell you that I live in Central Florida (Tampa) and that nearly year round (save for the few days a year it gets cold enough on camping weekends) we have to run AC.  It's either humid or hot or both.  Those are standard fare for the camping folks here.  So, my generator is running nearly around the clock when I'm camping.  I bought a new Honda EU3000i which runs the entire camper without issue after buying and trying to use one of the smaller quiet Ryobi 2200/2000 jobbies.  That worked fine the first use, ran the AC on high but couldn't use much else, then subsequent trips the AC would overload and blow the circuit on that little guy.  So, I upgraded to the bad larry that is the Honda.  No.  More.  Problems.  It even runs the Micro!  So...we established my gen is running non-stop so forget the problem of "well you would need to start your generator for that."  :-)

For the water pump, should this be left on all the time to keep the water pressurized?  I have been turning it on when showering and then just enough to prime it until it auto-stops for sink usage else it spits water from air in the line somewhere (sink only...the shower runs fine without spitting like that).  Any reason not to leave this on?

For the water heater, do people just leave it on or leave off and turn it on some 15-20 minutes before they need a shower?  Any reason not to leave it on?

Thanks.

Hi All,

There is 1 wall switch that is an illuminated switch (lights up red when turned on) that sits right where my water heater, tank levels indicators (fresh/gray/black/battery) and water pump switch.  What is it?  My guess is that it maybe switches the hot water heater from propane to electric but I really don't know.  Nothing makes any sound when it's flipped.   My camper came with zero guides or documents other than the silly magazine thing from Livin' Lite that is generic and made for all of their campers so it's not specific to mine.  I didn't get appliance paperwork or owners manuals either and I bought it brand new from a dealer out of state.  He had a horrible experience with Livin' Lite and now Thor and stopped carrying their products because he couldn't get support. 

Anyway...what the heck is that switch?  Anyone know?

Thanks much.
Scott

Hi All,

So, wouldn't you just know it, the original site disappeared with all the good information from other owners like you.  I had just figured out that I need to put a lift kit on my VRV 6x15 because it is so low to the ground that I cannot connect my new Fastway Easy Hitch Load Distribution hitch to it without a 14' drop shank which will then be only about 4 inches off the ground.  The plumbing and front leveling legs also only sit about 5 inches off the ground when level and not connected to vehicle.  They are 15' wheels so this was obviously made to haul toys from paved parking lot to paved parking lot.  I use it to haul dirt bikes to off road races where I have to drive onto private properties where the roads in and out are horrible and sometimes we have to cross uneven fields to park etc.  My plumbing will get ripped off soon.  So, some other owners put Dexter lift kits on theirs.  I ordered the 2-3/4 lift block kits (x2 since I have 2 axles) and am going to be putting them on soon and was curious if anyone here has done this and if there is anything tricky to keep my eye out for.  I have skilled machinists/engineers helping me with all the right tools (forklift, jack stands, etc etc) just not sure if anyone ran into something I should know ahead of time like having to lengthen wires or something. 

Because the old site is gone, here's the link to the Perfect Casita website that sells the #10 axle kits for cheap. 
http://www.perfectcasita.com/casita-axle-lift-kit.html

My VRV 6x15 required the #9 axle kits which I ordered directly from Dexter Axle by giving them the numbers off of the stickers on the axles under my hauler. 

Cheers and thanks!
Scott

Has anyone painted the top of their Livin' Lite camper to reflect UV and help with heat dispersion?  I've been told by several folks that it will help immensely since it's just a regular sheet of aluminum up there that hasn't been treated or painted. 

I'm ultimately wondering if it will somehow void my warranty if I paint it.  Getting a hold of anyone with Livin' Lite is next to impossible...does anyone have any contact numbers where people answer the phone for warranty questions?

Thanks.