View Single Post
Old 03-27-2003, 07:54 AM   #1
Sinclue
Site Sponsor
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SF Bay area
Posts: 87
Default IMPORTANT! Check your nuts...(and bolts).

We just returned from a 10 day trip to the Mojave desert (California) area.  First night out as we started to set up I discovered that one of the two nuts/bolts that hold the latch mechanism (the black thing with the rubber tip at the end of the swing arm) had fallen out somewhere.  Fortunately the mechanism  pivoted on the remaining bolt and was still holding (by the smallest of margins).  A good bounce probably would have allowed it to pop free while we were traveling...I don't want to think about what that might have caused.  At any rate we were close enough still to a town that a replacement bolt/nut could be obtained.  I checked all the other bolts (including the swing arm bolts) and discovered another one (in the same mechanism - opposite side) that needed tightening.  If you look at it you can see that there are four attachment holes with two bolts through.  One of the bolts is at the edge and is backed by the metal bracket so that a square nut can be used (and won't turn because of the metal), but the other bolt was not backed by metal and was more easily able to come free.  I used a lock nut to secure the replacement bolt and will replace the others with the same now that we have returned.

I'll post some comments/observations later about our new battery setup, the bed's comfort, Heater Buddy use, toilet experiences, solar panel use, screen door and other things I might remember.  But wanted to get this warning out ASAP.

Jim
Sinclue is offline   Reply With Quote