3612 Shake Down to Gatlinburg, Tn

gpshemi

Well-known member
Well many of you watched my troubles getting a 3612 in my other thread
Getting ready to pick up 3612 tomorrow, found a problem.


We took the unit home a couple weekends ago, and loaded it up for the shake down this week. We're currently at Pigeon Forge Tn just outside of Gatlinburg despite a blown tire at 1am this side of Kentucky. it's a great place to visit if you haven't been there before. I recommend it for everyone for at least one trip.

In any event, just wanted to drop a line with some of my initial impressions. Keep in mind that I expect these to change over time of course.

1) After changing the one tire I got wishing I had two spares. With 6 tires the chances of two problems is just too great for me. I'm not sure what we'd have done if I'd have lost another along I-75. This of course is no fault of Heartland of course. I swapped the spare tire to the mag wheel, and bought another spare. This was the 6 still match. I then picked up another steel wheel and an extra spare. Now I have two. Probably never change another one in my life now (LOL), but that'll be well worth the money anyway. I think I'll look into another under carriage lift for the additional spare.

2) 3612 is a great floorplan. Despite some very nice rigs in this newer campground we seem to be the envy of many here. We've had several comments on the rig. The space is very usable, and it working out great for my three kids and Lab.

3) 3612 seriously needs a light switch at the inside doorway. When coming home to a dark trailer, all you can do is fumble for a cabinet, then fumble for the correct switch in there (of which there are many). Heartland DEFINITELY needs to address this oversight. I plan to tap the wires and install one myself. There are very few wall switches in this rig. Everything but the bathroom is on the light itself. for little guys like mine it means a walking through a dark trailer. This needs some redesign work overall.

4) TV's hook ups are great and easy enough to derstand. Heartland should include some labels on the ones in the bedroom though. Took a bit of fiddling to figure them all out. Worse then that though, the wall below the TV hookups doesn't seem to have any solid backer to it. It's just another aluminum tube running through there. I had a hard time figuring out what (or how) to mount a tv in there. Heartland should consider a 2x in there somewhere and give people a layout of it. Perhaps with a sticker. Lord knows there's a zillion of those on this thing. I have a book of them I've peeled off the rig already.

5) TP holder was for the birds. Bought a cheap one at Walmart that's considerable better and matches better. Seems like a rig this expensive shouldn't cheap out of such things. Once again, no backer to mount to in there.

6) Should put some thought into the cabinet in the master, the upper door hits the slide so it can only be opened about half way. Since it's a deep cabinet, everything is a stretch to get to. Not too great a move there.

7) It's near 90 here right now. the AC unit is running full tilt, but it's not keeping up during the heat of the day. Put some thought into 2 Ac unit's if it's in your budget, It's 86 outside right now, and 81 inside. Oddly it feels pretty decent though in here.

8) the docking station works great. Love how it's all right there. It could use some labels as well though. took me a bit to figure things out.

9) Unit comes with two wrenches. Not labeled either. Since I couldn't figure out what the one wrench went to, I almost left it at home. Don't do that...it's lowers the spare. wish they'd have made it common with the slide wrnech. Wouldn't be that hard. My slide wrench doesn't fit btw. Not sure why yet.

10) Table legs are a little high. Not sure why there's like that. It's not offensive, but I do find my face in my plate. Might have to knock an inch or two out of them.

11) Under the kitchen cabinet on the right is a panel going to the back of the hot water heater. I found myself fighting to get hot water. I figured it was in bypass mode since cracking the pressure relief gave hot water. Tried to take the panel out with a screw gun, but it's been stapled as well. So that'll take some work to get out. The only other way to get to the valves on the back is to take a drawer out on the side, be a contortionist and fumble around while on your belly. I'm young, so that works, but I have to think if they quick clipped the panel in, it would be a superior solution. I'll be changing that as well. If you buy a 3612...good luck. I just helped you out telling you there back there.

12) Wish I had a second toggle switch at the nose that light the exterior lights as well as those blue lights. That would be slick and is on mt mod list.

I'm sure I'll remember some other things, but this will do for now. Overall we love this unit. It's so nice to own.
 

dynaguy

Active Member
good advice and tips, sure this will help some prospective buyer and maybe the manufacturer will see the things that need to be corrected and make the necessary adjustments.
 

gpshemi

Well-known member
Excuse my typos...lil netbook is hard to type on. You get the jist though.

Anyone know anything about the check valave. We're hooked to city water and water started coming out the fill hole. I did a quick check on the tank and it was full. So our connection has slowly filled my tank. I have a pressure valve attached too.
 

Peteandsharon

Well-known member
Wow. That problem with the tire on a brand new unit is scarey. I'm taking a Texas trip this June from northern Illinois and it will be only my second "major" trip. The tire issue has me nervous. As to the light switch, my BH 3055 has one within reach just as you come in the door. It is handy. I did the TP thing too - IMMEDIATELY. Ended up using a little JB Weld to help hold it on the wall. It's still holding after two years. As to the A/C issue........... don't get me started. That and various fresh water related issues have been my only real issues with my rig.
 

robnmo

Well-known member
gp

The wife and I both agree on the water heater bypass valves...........real PIA to get to, I can't get to all of them the wife has to do it, I'm also going to redo the panel under the sink for easier access. Also agree the TP holder, etc in the bathroom are pretty sad, we left ours in the bag, think we're going with a free standing holder, and we put in an over the top holder for the shower, as for the light switches, we're kinda mixed emotions on that one, we like the switches all stored behind the cabinet door, gives a cleaner wall appearance to us, but I can see how with smaller ones wall switches would be handy. Also agree on the floor plan, we've had several people stop by the house to see ours, they've fell in love with it, it's definitely got storage cabinets, just gotta have a step ladder to access some of the deeper ones. Overall it's a great rig, we love it and only issue so far is the gap that's showed up, we're still waiting on an answer for that one. If you get a chance can you send me a PM on dimensions where you mounted the bedroom TV we need to put one up also, save us a trip to a dealer with a measuring tape. LOL Be safe
 

gpshemi

Well-known member
I'll do one better than that. I'll post pics of my tv install as soon as we get home from this trip.
 

tilleyjs

Member
I hope I don't have a blowout. I am going from Austin, TX to Gatlinburg, TN for vacation. By the way, I think the tires have a nice warranty for blowouts. Might be wrong on that one.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
tilleyjs, just a thought here, if a blow out is a concern, and you are lucky enough to have one, save all the evidence. Seems that tire people won't warranty with out having the pieces of the tire. Be certain to run the max psi molded into the sidewall.
Again, just a thought.

Peace
Dave
 

gpshemi

Well-known member
Sorry it took so long, but here's the pics. I took them with my phone, so they're not great.

The mount is a 1x6x10 with rounded edges off using the router. Spray bombed it black. I used Liquid Nails on the back, and ran 6 black polycoated screws into the aluminum tubing in the wall. I then used the screws that came with my mount (Meijers), to screw into the wood (actually through the alum tubing in the wall as well). Seems plenty strong. Later I went to the local fabric store, picked up some strapping and some buckles. I took the two center screws out, and using some fender washers, screwed the strapping to the wall mount. With the buckles, this holds the TV in place going down the road. Still looking for some ultra short RCA cables.

I think it's safe to scale it to get rough dimensions for one. Good luck.

mount_closed..jpgmount_open..jpg
 
Last edited:
Top