Vista 26 HE questions

[RoboticRV]

Just wondering if anyone has hardwired their GPS? I want to mount it on the dash and hardwire it somewhere.

Robo

[macnut]

I set my iPad on the cup holder on the dog house and connect it with a small cable to the radio. I use it for both music and GPS. I've thought about replacing the radio and mounting it in the same space...

[RoboticRV]

Thanks Macnut,

The GPS that I have is a Garmin RV 760LMT. It measures 7.4" x 4.5", about the same size as the radio. There is a Ram Mount cradle for Garmin 760 and nuvi 2700 series (RAM-HOL-GA54), that I was thinking of getting as a permanent installation.

[RonnTerF]

New to this forum and new to Rving have a 2013 Vista 26he. I had trouble with seeing the dash so added LED lights works really well. Added TV in bedroom 12volt and also bought a converter so I can watch when on shore power. Will be adding toad soon. Any experience with this would be appreciated.
Ron
St George Utah

[BBQ Judge]

RonnTerF,

Welcome to the world of RVing.

You didn't specify flat tow or dolly. After two seasons, I'm thinking of a dolly for my KIA Soul behind our 2013 Vista 26HE as we have encountered a few places a car would have been more convenient. I'll be following the answers to your post.

[RoboticRV]

I use a TowMaster dolly to pull my Toyota Matrix (Standard Transmission). It has been working great so far. I have installed a hitch on the Matrix so that I can move the dolly around campsites or trailer parks if need be. The dolly fits nicely under the back of the Vista when parked or, I just leave it hitched to the MH. You can often find used dollys at very good prices.

[RonnTerF]

Have a 2001 jeep wrangler. Am I going to need rear sway bar?

[rottenkid]

I would like to see pictures of where and how you mounted a TV in the rear of the 26HE.

[RoboticRV]

I can post a photo of my bedroom TV install, but I will have to wait till next week.

[rottenkid]

That will be great. Thanks

[Tricolor]

I just got my MH in my driveway. So now it's time for serious mods, one of which is removing that cumbersome 3rd chair. Then I remembered a post explaining how the owner moved the chair away from the passenger front one by using 2 of the original screw position.

After a second thought, I decided to give a try.

Wow! See now the two chairs are 4½" further apart!

For the cost of 4 new bolts: 2 mechanical that must be longer than the original, and 2 wood srews.

Another CHF!

[RonnTerF]

Rottenkid, Sorry I have been out Rving will get DW to take pictures of the TV. I had an RV dealer install the TV. It is on the drivers side up in the corner of the bedroom. They also put on an adjustable rack so it will pull/expand out and tilt down. So far so good!

[Rossi6998]

Originally Posted by Tricolor

I just got my MH in my driveway. So now it's time for serious mods, one of which is removing that cumbersome 3rd chair. Then I remembered a post explaining how the owner moved the chair away from the passenger front one by using 2 of the original screw position.

After a second thought, I decided to give a try.

Wow! See now the two chairs are 4½" further apart!

For the cost of 4 new bolts: 2 mechanical that must be longer than the original, and 2 wood srews.

Another CHF!

Were you able to remove the bolts without any hassle? I looked under the floor once and it looked like I would have to remove the breaker/fuse box (?) to get to two of the bolts.

Thanks

[Oldtrooper]

Hey there TriColor.....from what I can see two of the bolts are behind the fuse panel and the other two are pretty hard to get at over the box. I am looking a t the change myself, but just wondering how you managed with the nuts and bolts. From what I can see they are just that nuts and bolts, Im thinking when you loosen the bolt the nut falls off......Don't know about you but my arms aren't that long to reach inside and outside at the same time. lol Just curious how you managed that part. That and the fuse panel has to be another pain to deal with tool

[Oldtrooper]

Well, had some issues with the steps. They were a little erratic and would not retract some times and not deploy other times. Called the dealer, waited for a few weeks to get in, got in found out they need another part. Another month. Took it in and door switch replaced. Now the step works in Travel mode, deploys/retracts when the door is opened/closed. But when in camping mode and I flip the switch, the steps retract and stay retracted, whether the door is opened or closed. Me Thinks they reversed some wires.....back to the dealer.

[Garyp47]

Oldtrooper,

What switch are you flipping when in the camping (Off) mode? My rig has only and on/off switch. In the On position, the stairs are under control of the door switch and an ignition override which will retract the steps if you turn the ignition on. In the off position, the door switch will extend the steps when the door is opened and they stay extended all the time until you turn the switch back on and close the door or if the ignition is turned on. Ignition on overrides everything and retracts the steps.

There isn't much to the electrical circuit to get wired incorrectly. But anything's possible when you take the rig to the dealer. A bad door switch would cause your initial sporadic operation for sure.

It looks like the steps are made by Kwikee. Here's a link to a Kwikee pdf that I found with some wiring diagrams on it.

http://support.powergearus.com/techdocs/875.pdf

If the wiring underneath doesn't look like it's been tampered with, it might be a bad controller. But if I have a problem after taking anything in to have it worked on for any reason, I always look first at where the little hands were last.

[Tricolor]

Originally Posted by Oldtrooper

Hey there TriColor.....from what I can see two of the bolts are behind the fuse panel and the other two are pretty hard to get at over the box.
Im thinking when you loosen the bolt the nut falls off......

My rig was assembled in October 2012.

The 2 front bolts, the ones toward the center of the floor, screw in a nut that is welded to a steel plate.

Start by removing the front bolt closer to the steps, put a flashlight on top of the hole, go underneath the rig and locate the black painted plate: you should confirm that the 2 nuts are welded on that plate.

NOTE: When you put this bolt back in place, you will need a partner equiped with a 2 feet long stick to press on that plate while you realign the bolt into the nut... otherwise the plate bends just enough for the threads not to engage properly in the nut.

As for the two inner bolts, the ones closer to the wall and over the fuse box, may be I was in luck, may be the nuts are welded on the same plate... I was too enthousiast to even check how these nuts hold in place.

NOTE: Never remove all 4 bolts at once, try to keep at least one engaged in it's nut. Basicly, loosen one bolt at the time, re-engage it before loosening the next one, and evaluate the risk as you go alond.

If you give it a try, share your experience.

[Oldtrooper]

Garyp47

Yea, the my steps did work the same before I took it in for warranty. They have replaced the door switch and from what I can see "little hands" haven't haven't done a lot, except the magnetic door switch. I agree with you on the wiring, there isn't a heck of a lot to the whole system. I was thinking a wire got mixed or reversed, but looking at the wiring diagram and the actual wiring, its pretty dummy proof.....plugs can only connect one way etc. If you think about it, even if the motor or door switch got reversed it would make any difference. They mentioned when they first ordered the controller, that the switch would not match up. They wanted to "jerry rig" it but the manufacture but an end to that and said order the right switch. Now that said, when I looked underneath it didn't look like the controller had been replaced just the switch.

Any way, back to the dealer for some sort of resolution. You would thing after 3 trips in they would have it figured out. Trip 4 coming up.

On the bright side we were high stepping it to get in the MH, after a month we don't have to do that now. I can live with the step as is, but when camping with my grandson (8 years) you don't realized how many times that door gets opened and closed...........steps in and out eeeevvvvery time. Such is life

[RoboticRV]

Here are the photos of my Bedroom TV install. The TV is a 23" LED. I made a triangular mount out of plywood that is hidden behind the TV.

[RoboticRV]

Originally Posted by RoboticRV

I use a TowMaster dolly to pull my Toyota Matrix (Standard Transmission). It has been working great so far. I have installed a hitch on the Matrix so that I can move the dolly around campsites or trailer parks if need be. The dolly fits nicely under the back of the Vista when parked or, I just leave it hitched to the MH. You can often find used dollys at very good prices.

Here is the photo that I promised....