Travel trailer propane line repair

I thought i would post this in the interests of those of you that may have a travel trailer checking up on your propane main pipe.

So my trailer is pretty new not been on that many trips yet doing inspection last fall before winterizing, i noticed a number of the "brackets" (if one can even call them that) that hold the black propane pipe in place along the main I beam down the one side of the trailer, broken. In my opinion not only did they not put enough on the position of those they did permitted the long length of pipe to oscillate and vibrate and break their value engineered brackets to pieces.
This could have been a real snafu if i had not spotted it and the pipe come down while on a trip. We could have been flaming down the highway.
Here is a pic of the broken brackets you be the judge of quality.


Here is what i am going to replace them with and in better locations and greater numbers. This pipe aint going nowhere after i am done.

There will be a short piece of 3/8" rod between the two and Loctite to secure the locknuts.

But it also brings up the safest process to travel with and that has to be to let the pipes burn clear by shutting propane at the tank prior to traveling and only turning off the appliance when the remaining propane has burnt out. A pain in the rear but better safe than sorry.

So if you have a travel trailer take a peek at how your propane is reticulated to your appliances and ensure you don't have a similar issue before heading out again.

Btw all the above brackets available at your HD in USA or Lowes in Canada. Cost per attachment around $4 CDN inc nuts excl. rod.

Be sure you use something at each one to keep it from rubbing through.

Yes I love RVing but they are almost all junk.

Rob, Just remember most of the refrigerators run on propane too (dunno if yours does), don't let your food spoil between stops. ;-)

Nice fix to the issue though, those should hold up much better. Surprised they didn't use a flexible line anyway.

Garry Foster said:

Be sure you use something at each one to keep it from rubbing through.

Yes I love RVing but they are almost all junk.

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Thanks Gary, i do plan to see if i wrap some rubber over the pipe before its clamped.

You right about them all being junk. After getting under the trailer to take old straps off, i saw a bunch of other things, main electrical harness just hanging in mid air all the way from front to back. Going to have to sort that out too. Then sensor wires on the two tanks are tangled with hoses and propane pipe . Its a miracle they have not snapped off.
Its all value engineered to bits and built poorly.
Very poor reflection on US manufacturing.
It would be interesting to compare volumes of trailers sold to a single auto manufacturers low end basic model in quantity.
Would seem to me that there are way more parts and cost involved in producing a basic vehicle yet market price is even less than trailers.
So somewhere something don't stack up in the cost quality equation. The interior is only made to look good on the showroom floor. Durability definitely not a feature.

Anyway it is what it is and all is relatively easy to rework should have bought second hand and made a project of it. Lol.

@ Darren, i was also surprised they did not use flex. Would have thought weight factor would have swung it. But i guess cost was higher than black pipe especially when you putting in 4 terminations (two t fittings and either end.)
Thought crossed my mind to change it out. Would allow me to get propane pipe further away from road level and more protection.


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Its all value engineered to bits and built poorly.

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That pretty well sums it up. The RV business is very competitive. Unreal how many brands of RVs are on the market.
I have owned a number of camper trailers and most had copper tubing for the propane lines. Bad news, leaks happened. Yes, turning off the propane at the tank before hitting the road was routine. Downside is forgetting to turn back on fast enough and letting the refrigerator get warm.
Looks like a promising fix, Rob. However, RVs take a lot of bouncing and vibrating while on the road, much can go wrong despite all your care.

Thad brought me home a couple of magazines from England and it was easy to see they were
built to a better standard there.

Canada has made some better units and airstreams used to be beter quality, don't know any more.

Yeah, they do pretty much anything they can to keep the weight and cost down. Pretty much just a project waiting to be upgraded in certain ways.

Garry Foster said:

Thad brought me home a couple of magazines from England and it was easy to see they were
built to a better standard there.

Canada has made some better units and airstreams used to be beter quality, don't know any more.

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I'm not happy with the U.S. bashing this thread has turned into. As an American I certainly do not want more governmental interference in our lives. The government does not exist to pamper us and do our thinking for us. As a consumer we all have, or should have, a responsibility to shop carefully and make our own choices. Free enterprise is just that, free and (in theory) without restraint.

Frank Fusco said:

I'm not happy with the U.S. bashing this thread has turned into...

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I don't see it a U.S. bashing, Frank. Other than the one post suggesting Brits might do it better, it's been quite factual. American (and virtually all other) manufacturers quite often minimize the quality of parts and efforts of workers in the interest of bringing a less expensive product to market.

It only becomes a problem when it either becomes a safety issue or a dissatisfied customer notices it and calls it out - which is what happened here.

As for careful shopping - how many potential customers would crawl under a trailer to check the fastening security of tubing and wires? Not many, for sure. How may auto buyers would know that the manufacturer used a 2¢ part to make the auto cheaper, rather than using a 5¢ part that would be more reliable?

Free enterprise isn't without restraint. There are regulations and standards to follow, and it crosses the line when the corner cutting becomes potentially dangerous. At that point, governmental interference, as you put it, may become necessary.

Okay, rant off...

Very poor reflection on US manufacturing.

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And the general tone of this thread.

Sorry about that Frank but I don't see it as US bashing. I have had at least 8 RV's over the last few years. They all had good points but they alll had stupid mistakes made while being built. Bashing poor work is not bashing a country.

Garry

Frank Fusco said:

And the general tone of this thread.

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I agree with Frank.
Because someone had a problem with something made in the USA, blaming US manufacturing in general is ridiculous. Maybe starting with the specific company that made what you bought is the responsible way to go.

Bob Gibson said:

I agree with Frank.
Because someone had a problem with something made in the USA, blaming US manufacturing in general is ridiculous. Maybe starting with the specific company that made what you bought is the responsible way to go.

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Thanks. The greatest civilization and nation in the history of the world was built largely on trying to limit government in our lives. Now, we are bashed at every turn because of that success. Don't like American products? Buy elsewhere.

Bob Gibson said:

I agree with Frank.
Because someone had a problem with something made in the USA, blaming US manufacturing in general is ridiculous. Maybe starting with the specific company that made what you bought is the responsible way to go.

Click to expand...

I don't see it as American bashing. It's really a comment on manufacturing in general, and the need to cut corners to remain competitive in the market.

BTW, in today's 'worldwide economy,' there's hardly anything truly made entirely in any one country. Parts and components are typically sourced from all over the world, and assembled in the 'host' country.

Well i spent most of day Sat under trailer and got the brackets holding propane pipe replaced.
Yesterday i sorted out the electrics and readjusted the hitch/sway control arm setup to suite the F150. Hard to believe but its towbar is 2" lower than the Jeep.
Then took the trailer out for a local ride just to see how the truck hauled it and all i can say is " oh yeah" . Its as if i don't even have a trailer hooked up. And the integrated brake controller is very very cool. Its adjustable in digital steps with result being displayed on the dash display. Way more control on the adjustment than i have on the aftermarket controller fitted to the Jeep. The other wow was the telescoping mirrors what an enormous difference, simply undescribable.
Looking at taking a weekend trip this weekend to Niagara to give it a run on the highway. That will be the ultimate test will also check on how gas consumption does.



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Quite a difference using a vehicle that's designed with towing in mind, huh Rob?