Just bought 2020 Mallard M33 - need help

[LandHearted]

Hi everyone! This is our first travel trailer. I'm looking for guidance on a few of the things that need fixing.

- Grey/black tank sewage drain hose. Where is it? I read somewhere it's stored underneath, but there's no hose and I don't see a place to store one.
- Power cord receptacle is pulling away on top. Screws are still there but pulled out. How to secure them, and how to seal around it?
- Some slideout sweeps are caught back in the slides, some are shredded or broken. Is this a diy job? (I hope so.)
- Spare tire jack and tools are missing. Do I need a set specific to the Mallard?
- The underbelly is sagging. It needs more screws, maybe along with some rigid strapping where I put new screws? What's behind there, metal or wood?

- Minor - I've been looking for new dinette cushion covers (that zip) online to replace these shredded covers. I can't find a site that has zippered covers. I need a full set (three full size back and bottom, and two half size back). Can they be ordered from Heartland?

And and all comments are welcome!

 

[Bogie]

Hi everyone! This is our first travel trailer. I'm looking for guidance on a few of the things that need fixing.

- Grey/black tank sewage drain hose. Where is it? I read somewhere it's stored underneath, but there's no hose and I don't see a place to store one.
- Power cord receptacle is pulling away on top. Screws are still there but pulled out. How to secure them, and how to seal around it?
- Some slideout sweeps are caught back in the slides, some are shredded or broken. Is this a diy job? (I hope so.)
- Spare tire jack and tools are missing. Do I need a set specific to the Mallard?
- The underbelly is sagging. It needs more screws, maybe along with some rigid strapping where I put new screws? What's behind there, metal or wood?

- Minor - I've been looking for new dinette cushion covers (that zip) online to replace these shredded covers. I can't find a site that has zippered covers. I need a full set (three full size back and bottom, and two half size back). Can they be ordered from Heartland?

And and all comments are welcome!

Welcome to the Forum.

Looks like you purchased the RV used. Heartland RV's don't come with sewer hoses. Look in the hollow bumper in the rear. If the previous owner left it behind, it may be there. In any case, that's where you would store it. It should have rubber caps on the end of the bumper to secure the hose. If not, they can be purchased.

You can try to put larger size screws in the power receptacle. If it were mine, I would release all the screws, use silicone sealant on the back of the receptacle everywhere it contacts the rv wall and re-attach. The silicone will give it extra holding power.

Replacing slide out seals can be a diy job. Here is a link to a resource to buy materials. They also have videos on how to replace seals.
https://www.steelerubber.com/camper-rv

Spare tire jacks are not included with RV's. I purchased a low cost hydraulic jack at Harbor Freight. I also welded an axle bracket to the top of the jack for stability. Jacking directly on the axle improperly can damage the axle. So do some research on the correct way in order to prevent damage.



There will be metal cross braces between the main I beams under the trailer. You can use self tapping screws with fender washers to secure the sagging underbelly. But, be sure you identify what is behind where you are drilling to avoid damaging something vital. It would probably be best to pull down the underbelly at the edge and look inside before proceeding.

Unlikely Heartland will have replacement cushion covers. But you can call customer service and ask. Have your VIN number ready before you call.

 

[jerryjay11]

-I would be replacing the sewer hoses anyway. Not too keen on finding out the leak on the first trip out.
-Slide sweeps are a DIY if you are handy. They can be tricky.
-Loose screws can be corrected with a bit of Elmer's wood glue and slivers of wood to fill the old screw holes. I wouldn't, myself, use larger screws because there is only so much wood stud for them to go into. I.ve used the glue/wood many times for this type of repair. I don't wait for the glue to dry as it will dry with the screws reinstalled.
-I also use a bottle jack I purchased, though I place it in position directly under the leaf spring, lifting with the leaf spring get the tire to clear the ground quicker. Never jack by the axle.

 

[LandHearted]

Thank you both! Great information. More questions to come, but lots of reading first. Big learning curve.