so impressed with new gateway!!!

[1_oldgoat]

View attachment 29304
Tried to get more pics from Umatilla Marina and RV Park to load but my wi-fi is slow as can be, anyway very nice park to stay over for a night or two. Views of the Columbia river, wild life, fishing, quiet and not stacked on top of each other like cordwood.
Weather is getting better so will install strongarm jack stabilizers this weekend, shocks and air bags are on the way as well.
Headed back to Wa next month and then Wy to try fishing the Salt River.
Safe travels everyone
Marcus Shelli and pretty boy Floyd

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

Hey Marcus,

I hope all is going well for you. I saw a Sundance that had the strong arms on it but I never did see the owner. I wanted to ask him if he installed them himself. Also are they doing what he hoped they would. But, I never did see him the whole weekend.

What kind of fishing are you going to do on the Salt River? Post pix when you can. Be safe.

Mike

 

[1_oldgoat]

Mike,
Jack stabilizers are an easy install, only an hr or so for front, probably be about the same for rear.
Salt River is an excellent fishery for trout, fall the big German Browns run for spawn from the Palisades res, its only open a short time then, supposed to have more fish per mile than any other river in the country, don't know how true that is but we will find out!! Tieing flies now so hopeing something works.
I'll post some pics,
Marcus

 

[1_oldgoat]

Mike, excellent tip on waxing the countertops, WOW, what a difference. I found some McGuiars ultimate wax, it is an aotomotive not a boat wax but it works amazingly well. I did one of the back countertops first just to make sure it was going to work and from there to everyone in the rv. I can not believe the difference it made, we have tried several different products on the countertips and while some work ok they always seem to streak when you wipe them down, with the wax so far that has not happened. I applied by hand let it take a set, used my buffer and then hand wiped with a microfibre towel, man does it shine now!!
Thanks for the tip, i will have my buffer and wax at the West Yellowstone rally if anyone wants thier counters waxed for free to see what a difference it does make.
Thanks again for the tip
Safe travels
Marcus Shelli and pretty boy Floyd

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

Hey Marcus,

It is a pleasure to share a tip and have it work out that well. Shirley bought me a buffer at WalMart the other day....for Fathers Day...a tad early maybe??????? I'm glad it shined up your counter tops also.I can't wait to try it on the shower surround!

By the way....what does a Marine say when he falls from a ladder and breaks his arm????????....Not much, it hurts too bad!!!!!!....lol..

Enjoy the rally and send pics afterwards!!!!

Mike

 

[1_oldgoat]

Trying to insert a photo of the kitchen countertop, what an amazing difference a little wax and a buffer make, i am.doing the shower surround now, its waxed just waiting for it to set and then buff. I have 3 buffers, could have saved you a little money and shipped you one for nothing. Not sure how i ended up with 3 but i don't need that many!!
Strong arms are incredible once you are set up correctly, i was not sure how tight to set eye bolts so played a little, seems to work now i have them.so they will turn with a screwdriver through the hole in the center, if you follow instructions and tighten up the strongarm t-bolts then bump the electric jacks the movement we had is gone. I can not push the front side to side and get the rv to move at all with them set correctly. Still need to install the rears, i called lippert and was told i can set with as much as a 45 degree angle so now i know i can set them back towards the rear of the trailer and get support front to rear as well as some side to side, if it would stop raining long ebough for me to get out and install i will.
Thanks agai for the wax tip, if you want to take that bufder back i will send you one of my extras. Let me know
Marcus

 

[1_oldgoat]

]
Couple pics of JT Strongarm jack stabilizers on the Gateway, wish they were black but it is what it is. You can feel a major difference just walking up the steps into the RV once they are set up correctly. Still need to install rears.

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

Hey Marcus,
Great looking counter tops!!!! The JT's look like they were factory installed!!!!!!! I can't wait to see the tub surround! Now all I need is for my broke arm to heal!!!!!!!! I wanted to polish my whole camper! Oh well, that will teach me not to call the ladder bad names!

That is mighty kind of you to offer the buffer!!!! The guy that waxed ours had two buffers,,,one with the application pad & one with the buffer pad!!!! So you do need two just to save time switching bonnets. If you want to sell me your extra one would be great. How much do you think shipping charges would be???????

Post pictures of the tub and the rear JT'S when you get time.

Take care,
Mike

 

[1_oldgoat]

Mike,
You actualy broke your arm?? Sorry to hear that, takes me a lot longer to heal now days than it did when i was younger, hope you are different than me!
Whats your zip code and address, the buffers i have didn't cost me anything so if you need one i'll send one out.
The JT's are well worth the money, the wife actualy noticed a difference yesterday when she was in the rv with floyd, so for her to say something without me asking her if she could tell anything was different, they must be doing thier job. Install is really simple, just crawling around on the ground and getting back up is the hard part!!
Safe travels and get well soon.
Marcus

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

Hey Marcus,

Yeah, sorry to say but I did break it.

I got into it with a ladder....he won!!!.....I was hand washing the Gateway. I was almost done!.....That's good news to hear about the JT's. That will now be on my to-do list. If Shelli noticed the difference that is all the endorsement you need!!!!!!
Here's my address. Thanks for doing that for me!!! I really appreciate you....Thanks!

Mike Kline
109 Hilltop Drive
Evergreen, Al 36401

 

[1_oldgoat]

Mike,
I will get that boxed up and shipped out thursday, the wife has a dr appt tomorrow morning and our post office closes at noon here.
I plan on washing and waxing our gateway the next nice day, its alot taller than our bumper pulls so i can see how easy it could be to take a spill. So sorry again. Hope it dosn't screw up your travel plans for the summer.
If you get a set of the JT's, i installed the arms backwards from the instructions, they show the inner tube attached to lower mounts and the outer to upper. I will try to post a pic of why i did it this way, the eye bolt or they call it a swing mount and the outer tube will bind up, i could have ran the mount on a lathe and cut a little of the curve off but then they would rust, anyway the way i set them up works fine.
I'll send you a note with a tracking number when i ship the buffer out.
Marcus

 

[1_oldgoat]

Sorry, i didn't get this picture to post, anyway also the instructions say to mount the arms so the t-bolts are on the upper side and the lable is facing outward, the front and rears have the label out and t-bolts up with the inner tube mounted on the upper mounts, the front sides, the lable is pointing down and the t-bolts are facing outwards, i have no idea why the instructions show the inner tube mounted to lower mounts as there is a drain hole in the outer tube so you don't have to worry about them filling with water from rain or while washing, i just wanted to give my reasons for setting them up the way i did before someone tells me mine are upside down!
As you can see the front side to side arms have the locking t-bolts on top, rears will be the same, its just my front fwd and back that are odd and as the other picture shows, the outer tube will bind up, so thats why i did it this way.

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

Hey Marcus,

The Dr. said I need to wear the cast for 6 weeks....that puts it in the week we are supposed to leave. I explained why that would be a problem and he said he might can remove it in 5 weeks. All the while I'm thinking....(you can remove it in 5 weeks OR I will!!!!!!) lol

The Gateway I saw with the JT's was at the rally...I'll ask him to send me some pictures....wait a minute, I think he posted some on the Gateway forum somewhere. I'll look.
But, if the way you did it works for you that means you have them on the right way.

I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate you sending me the buffer! Hopefully I can return your kindness one day.

THANKS.....
Mike

 

[1_oldgoat]

Mike,
Thats a bummer, must have been a bad break if you need a cast for 6 weeks. At least its not the middle of summer.
No worries on the buffer, like i said they didn't cost me anything!!
Today is beautiful and i am stuck in town. Should be home working or washing truck and trailer. I need to get some air bags on the truck, but found a new bow thats almost to good of a deal to pass on, have to come up with a great reason why i need it more than air bags!!
Have you seen or do you know anyone who has installed a wireless camera set up on the back of a gateway?? I am looking for one of those as well. Not sure if its a must have but though it might help backing this monster up.
Heal quick, i'll send you a tracking number tomorrow.
Marcus

 

[1_oldgoat]

Well i got the rear JT's installed and i couldn't find a way to mount them towards the rear of the unit the way i had wanted to, if there were sissor jacks it would be no problem, but with the jacks on it, there is no way so i mounted them towards the ftont of the rv and on the side rails lile the front set. So far the Gateway feels alot more stable than before, i need three fat men to come inside and jump around to know for sure, i guess floyd jumping off the couch or bed will have to work for now!!
I also need to know if anyone else has the offdoor slide not opening all the way, hopefuly you can see in the picture where the corner of the slide on the reas of the rv does not drop down lime the other side slide does, the dealership adjusted it a little and when closed is more even around the entire outside and its not making as much noise opening and closing but that bottom corner does allow alot of air flow past it and it looks funny sitting up like it does.

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

LOL...I'll try to come up with a reason you need that Duramax/Allison 3500!!!! but wait, none of the reasons I come up with have worked with my wife!!!! Soooo, good luck with that...you on your own!!!!!!

The break couldn't have been a clean break, the way it crushed the sucker, it may be a problem.

I have not seen any cameras on a Gateway but someone in the forum installed one where the 3rd brake light went and he liked it so much he was going o put one on the rear of his trailer. I'll see if I can find out who that was.

Take care,
Mike

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

Well i got the rear JT's installed and i couldn't find a way to mount them towards the rear of the unit the way i had wanted to, if there were sissor jacks it would be no problem, but with the jacks on it, there is no way so i mounted them towards the ftont of the rv and on the side rails lile the front set. So far the Gateway feels alot more stable than before, i need three fat men to come inside and jump around to know for sure, i guess floyd jumping off the couch or bed will have to work for now!!View attachment 29667View attachment 29668
I also need to know if anyone else has the offdoor slide not opening all the way, hopefuly you can see in the picture where the corner of the slide on the reas of the rv does not drop down lime the other side slide does, the dealership adjusted it a little and when closed is more even around the entire outside and its not making as much noise opening and closing but that bottom corner does allow alot of air flow past it and it looks funny sitting up like it does.

Well, the JT's look good. I can volunteer for one of the three fat men....well, maybe even two of them! Floyd and I would qualify as the 3!!!!!!!

the slide doesn't look correct, that's for sure. If it is still under warranty I would ask for a appointment where you wait on the RV.

Take care,
Mike

 

[1_oldgoat]

Mike,
Hope there are no further problems with the arm, last time i broke my leg, the fifth time, it was bad, had to put plates and screws in to hold everything in place, have had several surguries on it since as well. Motorcycle mishaps were the cause of my broken bones for the most part. The nose from a fist or two!!
I was looking at a web site tadibrothers.com for a camera set up, don't realy need one for the trucks but thinking one on the back of the rv might be nice, one i am looking at has a range of 65 feet, reverses the image and has night vision, they have a 30 day guarantee on everything they sell so if it doesn't work i can get a refund. Several different sized monitors, the one i want is 5 inch.
The camera is a lisence plate mount so should be easy to install, i think i can pick up power on a running light and since i run my lights when towing it would be on all the time, might be nice to see behind me when on the road. Some of the stuff they sell has audio as well so i could hear the wife while backing up, don't know if i need that!!
If i end up with a set up i'll post how it works.
Safe travels and heal quick
Marcus

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

Marcus,

I had a feeling you probably could share some knowledge learned the hard way. I'll go back to the VA Doctor on the 15th. He said to have another x ray and then he will know what is the next step. That camera set up sounds neat. Let me know how it works out.
When is your next camping planned for?

Take care,
Mike

 

[Tallyrver]

Hey Marcus,

The Dr. said I need to wear the cast for 6 weeks....that puts it in the week we are supposed to leave. I explained why that would be a problem and he said he might can remove it in 5 weeks. All the while I'm thinking....(you can remove it in 5 weeks OR I will!!!!!!) lol

The Gateway I saw with the JT's was at the rally...I'll ask him to send me some pictures....wait a minute, I think he posted some on the Gateway forum somewhere. I'll look.
But, if the way you did it works for you that means you have them on the right way.

I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate you sending me the buffer! Hopefully I can return your kindness one day.

THANKS.....
Mike

I installed mine the same way,except I noticed you have them upside down ,the instructions say to put the big tubes to the top and slide the small tubes up inside to keep water from running down inside the tubes. I mounted my rear arms towards the front also ,they work great.

Wayne