[A/S] Hope Trouble Only Comes in Threes!

["CRAIG COUGHRAN" <coughran@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All,
Been doing a little work with our local Habitat for Humanity and had a group of 
Care-A-Vanners come by to help on the last build. Great idea and a neat way to 
spend two weeks with a bunch of RV'ers that like to build things.
    
Got me to thinking about Daisy's wish list....checked out the A.R.E. DCU work tops 
and bought one. Had a bed slide installed and started moving all my building toys 
into the truck. Made a decision on which build to sign up for and then....things 
started to break.

First it was the crank mechanism on the living room vent fan. Didn't have any luck 
finding parts so I ordered a new Fantastic Vent Fan to match the one in the 
bedroom. 
    
Next item to break was the upper support arm for the fold out steps (and this 
right after all the step support talk a couple of weeks ago) so guess who else is 
now in the market for step support. I'm a litttttle larger than the average puppy 
so I'm sure a little preventive medicine was needed long ago. The bottom hole in 
the arm was round ...the top hole was an elongated oval and had snapped after the 
aluminum weakened. Called Charlie's old shop and they are drop shipping from the 
factory.
    
Third and hopefully last for a while....walked into the trailer after lunch and 
the door pull broke on the inside. Couldn't get out and no one could get in. The 
little potted metal finger that engages the latch mechanism broke and jammed the 
whole works.
Had to use a screwdriver and remove the inside plate, dig out the broken piece and 
using a screwdriver as a lever was able to exit my temporary cell. Outside latch 
handle worked ok after the jammed part was removed.

Called Trimark in Iowa ...makers of the door latch....talked to Ann in their 
customer service and hit a dead end. I tried to describe the offending part...but 
given their large inventory wasn't making any headway. I offered to drag out the 
digital camera and send a picture via email...voila.... and they say a picture is 
worth a thousand words...pfughy....it's a miracle, it's a crisis avoidance tool 
and it cures Excedrin headache #99!!! New part is on the way and only $14.65 for a 
new inside mechanism.

Probably all three could and would have been avoided with a little more frequent 
application of lubrication. My little oil can and I are now dedicated to a more 
frequent and thorough PM'img. Seeing as I now have all this extra time on my hands 
waiting for parts to arrive....guess I'll oil.

Hope everyone is not having as much fun as I am.

CraigC