Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

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Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

October 21, 2016, 07:33:36 pm

After a very disappointing day at the Pomona RV show, Cyndy and I visited the Lazy Daze office again in our quest for the almost perfect RV. We sat in the 27 MB for about an hour and tried to imagine traveling in it. We opened drawers and cupboards, imagined where we would put our stuff, and tried to imagine whether it would seem a little tight without a slide. We sat in the dinette, lay in the beds, stood in the shower, sat on the head, etc. We compared it to the 24 repeatedly. We took it out for a test ride, and it is much easier to drive than my beloved F350 diesel 4X4 with a huge Lance camper that we have traveled in for the last 8 years. (Other than being overweight, top-heavy, tight, and tippy the camper suits me fine. The Lazy Daze likely will make my bride happier on the road however.)

3 specific questions:
1. How do the drawers in the Lazy Daze function with time? They don't have side mount ball bearing drawer slides, only a slide at the bottom that was full of white grease. Do the drawers pull smoothly when you fill them with stuff? Has anyone retrofitted the drawer slides to side mount drawer slides?

2. Has anyone had trouble with the outside location of the dump valve and opening? I am concerned that it may hit the ground when we gently travel on dirt roads. We often travel in the southwestern deserts and look for nice dry camping sites, (motorcycling and FJ40 exploring) but this often means driving, slowly, over ruts and little berms in the road. Is that dump location OK and does the valve avoid obstacles? Shearing off a black tank dump valve and cap would be catastrophic. The location of the dump on the 24 is a deal breaker for us. The one on the 27 is better, but still a concern.

3. Can anyone recommend a good fix for the trailer hitch receiver. We pull a 2500 lb. enclosed motorcycle trailer, which should be fine, but the 4000lb FJ40 might tax the wimpy little stock trailer hitch.

I appreciate the opinions and experience from the owners on this site. You already know the things we are trying to anticipate and figure out.

Harold

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #1 – October 21, 2016, 08:05:19 pm

After 8 years fulltiming in my MB, the drawers still work smoothly. I have not altered them in any way, but I sure have them full.

Given that the black and grey dump valves are fairly close to the rear tire, I think it would take a helluva rut or berm to hit it. Not impossible, I suppose, but I wouldn't want to be driving over this kinds of surfaces.

Lots of info on beefing up the hitch has been posted by others. I applaud you looking into this rather than just driving with too much weight on the hitch.

Ken F in NM

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #2 – October 21, 2016, 11:29:23 pm

How do the drawers in the Lazy Daze function with time? They don't have side mount ball bearing drawer slides, only a slide at the bottom that was full of white grease. Do the drawers pull smoothly when you fill them with stuff? Has anyone retrofitted the drawer slides to side mount drawer slides?

I have never been able to keep the drawers closed on our '02 31'. I hate those slides. I've tried everything everyone on this forum has suggested over 14 years, and they still won't stay shut. I now have baby locks on the kitchen drawers. In such a quality coach, I can't understand why the slides are not upgraded to roller bearing ones.

My whining aside, this is the only real gripe I have about the LD. Everything else has worked wonderfully over the years. And I certainly would not let my dislike of the drawer glides keep me from buying another LD. As you have already heard, there are owners who have absolutely no problems at all.

Chris

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #3 – October 21, 2016, 11:38:01 pm

The key to keeping the drawers closed is to fill them up. They need the weight. If I am going on a short trip and don't need all the drawers I put my extra throw rugs in there. If I forget and travel with the drawers empty they will often come open.

Stephany Smith
2007 MB

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #4 – October 21, 2016, 11:45:32 pm

Sold my 1992 Midbath three months ago. The drawers still worked great and I really loaded them. Actually I have owned a furniture store for over 50 years and center drawer glides are very traditional. The really old name manufacturers don't even use metal, just wood on wood. That said the drawers do occasionally slide open while driving but I sure I didn't properly close them.

I should add that we bought a new to us 2004 midbath. The floor plan really works for us. There are many reasons it is the most popular!

Lisa

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #5 – October 22, 2016, 12:25:15 am

Thank you to Ken, Chris, Stephany, and Lisa.
I'm glad to hear that the drawer slides work well for some, whether they have to be full or not. We are also boaters and many boats, including ours, have a drawer modification that requires the user to lift the drawer prior to pulling it out. When pushed all the way in, the drawer is locked in position, a good thing in rolly seas. I'll look into what kind of modification might be necessary so that the drawers don't open when we are driving.
We do explore areas where high clearance is a plus, but we will just have to be more cautious in order to miss the drains. I'll check into the previous posts regarding the hitch.
Thanks again for your replies.

Harold

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #6 – October 22, 2016, 02:01:46 am

" We are also boaters and many boats, including ours, have a drawer modification that requires the user to lift the drawer prior to pulling it out. When pushed all the way in, the drawer is locked in position, a good thing in rolly seas."

Harold, I have 98 MB and that's how our drawers work, you lift up on the drawer slightly to pull it out and when you close you push it in past the detente. That's why some weight in the drawer helps to keep it closed.

~Liam
98 26.5 - MB

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #7 – October 22, 2016, 10:09:08 am

What Ken said.

No problems with the drawers. You will learn the secret.

The dump valves on the MB are NOT a problem on very un level roads.

Been towing 4,000 pounds for 94,000. No worries. I had it checked last week. He noted NO metal fatigue or paint that showed signs of being bent. Guess it's not as wimpy as it looks to you.

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #8 – October 22, 2016, 10:44:34 am

3 specific questions:
1. How do the drawers in the Lazy Daze function with time? They don't have side mount ball bearing drawer slides, only a slide at the bottom that was full of white grease. Do the drawers pull smoothly when you fill them with stuff? Has anyone retrofitted the drawer slides to side mount drawer slides?

I have a 2014 Twin King. At first we had the exact opposite problem - drawer sticking shut. We took it back to the factory to have it fixed. I was told the drawer was cut a tad to large. They fixed it. We have no had any problem since.

2. Has anyone had trouble with the outside location of the dump valve and opening? I am concerned that it may hit the ground when we gently travel on dirt roads. We often travel in the southwestern deserts and look for nice dry camping sites, (motorcycling and FJ40 exploring) but this often means driving, slowly, over ruts and little berms in the road. Is that dump location OK and does the valve avoid obstacles? Shearing off a black tank dump valve and cap would be catastrophic. The location of the dump on the 24 is a deal breaker for us. The one on the 27 is better, but still a concern.

This brought a smile to my face. We tend to camp deep in National Forests and BLM all over the West. Seems sometimes I'm following a pair of deer tracks. Been over some very 'washborady' roads. In facts I've learned when asking a Ranger about the roads if they say its a tad 'washbaordy' that means it will rattle your fillings out. If they said there is a slight hill on the road that means you are going over a cliff. I've worried off and on about shearing off the tank dump valve but it hasn't happened yet.

3. Can anyone recommend a good fix for the trailer hitch receiver. We pull a 2500 lb. enclosed motorcycle trailer, which should be fine, but the 4000lb FJ40 might tax the wimpy little stock trailer hitch.

We don't tow so I have no idea or opinion.

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #9 – October 22, 2016, 10:53:37 am

Liam and Don,
Thank you for your replies. It is sounding like the drawers may not be something to be concerned about.

Don, After 94,000 miles of flat towing, if it hasn't bent, it probably won't. In 35 years of pulling boats, I bent too many bumper mounted hitch receivers before I went to a frame mounted class 5 hitch. Since that is our norm, the Lazy Daze hitch looks pretty light. But if it has worked for other owners who tow, I'll reduce my level of concern. Pulling the FJ40 four wheels down is a lot less stress than the 10,000lb three axle trailer.
Thanks again for both of your replies. I appreciate your experience and willingness to share with a newbie.

Harold

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #10 – October 22, 2016, 10:57:48 am

Thank you ColdDog,

You are our kind of campers! I appreciate your experience and reply.

Harold

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #11 – October 22, 2016, 11:25:30 am

"Don, After 94,000 miles of flat towing, if it hasn't bent, it probably won't. In 35 years of pulling boats, I bent too many bumper mounted hitch receivers before I went to a frame mounted class 5 hitch. Since that is our norm, the Lazy Daze hitch looks pretty light. But if it has worked for other owners who tow, I'll reduce my level of concern. "

If you do want absolute peace of mind, and are in the SoCal area, Eckharts Hitch & Welding, with several locations, can do a frame mount mod and upgrade that will tow anything that the rest of the coach will allow. -- Jon

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #12 – October 22, 2016, 01:27:08 pm

Thank you Jon,
Did you do this mod to your Lazy Daze?
I'll check them out.

Harold

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #13 – October 22, 2016, 01:32:23 pm

If you do want absolute peace of mind, and are in the SoCal area, Eckharts Hitch & Welding, with several locations, can do a frame mount mod and upgrade that will tow anything that the rest of the coach will allow. -- Jon
[/quote]

Wow, and four locations even! I'm keeping this site for future reference- thanks!

Eckharts Trailer Hitch & Welding, Inc. SINCE 1944

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #14 – October 22, 2016, 02:39:12 pm

"Thank you Jon,
Did you do this mod to your Lazy Daze?
I'll check them out.

Harold"

Yes, as an afterthought when I had them build a rack for hauling our Vespa. I've never used it to tow, though, so I'm taking their word that it is good for 1K lbs vertical and 10K towing. Of course, the rest of the rig would make those capabilities superfluous 😉 -- Jon

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #15 – October 22, 2016, 02:44:55 pm

Quote from: Blueox25 - October 21, 2016, 07:33:36 pm

1. How do the drawers in the Lazy Daze function with time? They don't have side mount ball bearing drawer slides, only a slide at the bottom that was full of white grease. Do the drawers pull smoothly when you fill them with stuff? Has anyone retrofitted the drawer slides to side mount drawer slides?

In our '04 front lounge, we had problems with one of the large drawers under the fridge. Since our rig is small, we keep a lot of heavy but necessary junk in that drawer, and on full extension, it would frequently pop out of its track, which had bowed out over time. The large drawer above was iffy too. I replaced the slides for both with similar bottom mount ones which are designed for more extension and more weight, and have a LOT more balls to roll on. Since they were not RV types, I had to design my own drawer retention system. So far, they work and feel just fine now. Here is a link (if it works):

https://xa.yimg.com/df/lifewithalazydazerv/drawer_slide_repair.doc?token=4-JHGk_pp3FBshrRG0Zncdin0nDpAzwhsaw3kDIsq8NXaDZXtFkAojUQyCSkXAxNgx1EsmPLkmhAFg01MSwURByWYhq-j7us3py6i60ymAgdxqvhnloSvd83a2c6rSoXUraAIlhWFx9LCSke144-2P8U8Kwz0YZTayUD&type=download

Steve

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #16 – October 22, 2016, 04:44:33 pm

Quote from: Steve - October 22, 2016, 02:44:55 pm

In our '04 front lounge, we had problems with one of the large drawers under the fridge. Since our rig is small, we keep a lot of heavy but necessary junk in that drawer, and on full extension, it would frequently pop out of its track, which had bowed out over time. The large drawer above was iffy too. I replaced the slides for both with similar bottom mount ones which are designed for more extension and more weight, and have a LOT more balls to roll on. Since they were not RV types, I had to design my own drawer retention system. So far, they work and feel just fine now. Here is a link (if it works):

https://xa.yimg.com/df/lifewithalazydazerv/drawer_slide_repair.doc?token=4-JHGk_pp3FBshrRG0Zncdin0nDpAzwhsaw3kDIsq8NXaDZXtFkAojUQyCSkXAxNgx1EsmPLkmhAFg01MSwURByWYhq-j7us3py6i60ymAgdxqvhnloSvd83a2c6rSoXUraAIlhWFx9LCSke144-2P8U8Kwz0YZTayUD&type=download

Steve

The link doesn't work for me.

Jim

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #17 – October 22, 2016, 08:50:40 pm

That was a link to a document I had posted to 'Files' in the old Yahoo group. I'll see if I can figure out how to post it here:

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #18 – October 22, 2016, 09:09:13 pm

This downloaded into my download folder quite easily as a 706 kb Word document. At least the icon looks like Word. I did not open the document.

Virtual hugs,

Judie

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Quote from: Steve - October 22, 2016, 08:50:40 pm

That was a link to a document I had posted to 'Files' in the old Yahoo group. I'll see if I can figure out how to post it here:

Re: Specific questions on two Lazy Daze features

Reply #19 – November 02, 2016, 10:21:29 am

I want to thank all of you who replied to this post one more time. Your replies were really helpful to me as we looked at the 2014 MB yesterday. One drawer pull and one closet door have to be repaired and I feel more confident about the drawer detents. Weight will likely help.
Don's comments on the strength of his hitch were re-assuring as I looked at the wimpy little hitch receiver. I will replace all of the fasteners and give it a try just the way it is. Perhaps I'll look back and realize that the hitch was just fine for towing an enclosed MC trailer and an ancient 4X4 four down.
Next projects will be installing a battery isolator and an inverter so my bride can grind COFFEE in the morning.
HD

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