2017 T@B Max S Outback - Issues, questions, observations from "virgin" RVers.

OffWeGo

We are "virgin" RVers and just completed our first two days testing a new 2017 T@b Max S.  Our dealer was relatively new with this product and while the orientation was helpful, we have a number of issues and remaining outstanding questions that I thought I'd just put out there for anyone who can either offer guidance or benefit from our observations:

* We are really really pleased with the T@b overall.  As first-time RVers we had no idea what we were getting into - at least in terms of first-hand experience.  What follows are questions that either weren't addressed in orientation (or we forgot the answers.)

* Fresh water questions:  When connected to a fresh water supply (not relying on the supply tank), is there anything we need to do before turning on the Alde system to ensure there is water everywhere it needs to be other than  bleeding the air out of the system by running the sink on both hot/cold settings?

* When you are "between trips" during months after de-winterizing, what is the full-on checklist for all the systems?  A generic RV book we have says to leave the refrigerator open, but the Norcold manual seems to say to leave the door shut.  Is it best to leave the battery switch in the "green" position or the "red" position?  Keep all windows fully closed and sealed or leave any of them in that position that allows a tiny air gap? Drain fresh water tank completely? (If so, how for this model?)

* The T@b branded wooden cutting board has warped after only 2 days of camping.  What's up with that?  Is that covered by the warranty? Since the countertop is so small and this insert helps provide additional workspace, having one that doesn't warp and wobble is important to us.  Maybe some man-made material would be a better choice for this insert?

* When running the A/C in a hot and humid environment, is it best to keep all windows and the roof vent sealed up tight or slightly open one of them?  We had a lot of condensation inside our first night with the A/C on highest setting with high outside temps and humidity.  This improved it seems when we had at least one window or the roof vent open a small bit, but it makes no sense to me.  The A/C is supposed to remove humidity from the air, right? So why would introducing an additional source of hot/humid air to the interior improve operation?

* The A/C "fan" switch that we understand is somehow important, seems to cause some interference affecting the picture on the TV - or so we observed when watching a movie.  I assume that's just an unavoidable situation with the proximity of the two devices.  What exactly does the A/C fan do and if we were running the A/C without this turned on for a couple of hours, would there be any problem with that?

* We had levels installed at the corner of our unit and were level-set at our camp ground, but the A/C didn't really drain the condensate water until the levelling was altered when preparing to leave.  Our A/C is a "Danby" unit.  I think the most effective draining happened as I was cranking up the jack to get ready to hitch up the trailer (or was it when I was lowering the hitch onto the ball?)  Dang, I can't remember.  Would be nice to know for next time so I could tweak the leveling to favor efficient draining of the condensation.

* Day 1 we tried leveling using only the starter kit "lego" style blocks.  Huge mistake.  Go ahead and buy one of those curved tapered trailer levelers that you set in front of the "low side" wheel and pull up onto.  Makes leveling side to side so much faster and easier to finesse.  The "lego" blocks continue to be useful to us for the stabilizers.

* Hinges popping out. Several of the cabinet doors that open vertically with the spring-loaded/compression piston had a problem.  It seems that piston was applying so much force that the hinges were popping completely out of the cabinet door.  Our dealer added a couple of additional screws in the bottom of that "cupped" portion of the hinge plate that seems to have helped hold the hinge in place for now.  We'll keep an eye on it.

* The back of the U-bench that folds flat or also can lock in at the mid-point for a semi-reclined support was not locking in on one side.  Appears the hinge mechanism on one side was bent upon initial installation.  Something to watch for if you are shopping.  The tech tried to adjust but he said he only has it working about 60% of the time.  Not good enough for a brand new purchase.   Resolution pending.

* Battery issues? There's a switch in the front where the battery I stored.  Green for on and red for off as I understand.  We were on shore power for 2 days and I left the battery in the green position.  I thought that was necessary to keep it charged.  We left the battery in the green position when driving home.  We set up our new camper in our driveway (only temporarily because we live in a fussy locale) to show our family.  I connected to our house with the regular 3-prong adapter that came with our starter kit so I could keep the fan running.  When I later disconnected the 120 electrical service, I expected the fan to continue running off of battery but the fan just stopped and the battery read zero from the panel by the sink.  Not sure what's happening there. Any thoughts?

* Things we haven't yet tested:  The gas cooktop - It was just too hot to deal with this.  The shower (we had a great bath-house at our camp site). Gas powered operation of the Alde or Norcold refrigerator.  Also, our blank tank was actually only a "yellow tank" if you know what I mean.  Again, we had a great bath house and saw no immediate need to fully test that aspect of our T@b's systems.

* Partially tried: We watched a DVD one evening on the Jensen system and listened to the radio and a CD. 

Sorry for such a long first post, but I wanted to get it all out there while still relatively fresh in my mind.  One more item: We are towing our T@b with a 2013 Subaru Outback 3.6.  One thing I wish I'd done was have someone from the dealership drive my car with the T@b attached and say, "Yes, this is what it should 'feel' like to pull a trailer.  All is well."  Since I didn't do that, I'm only assuming.  Sure felt strange to me as a first-timer.  We have a brake controller installed and I had it adjusted based on the dealer's tech guy's instructions.  I just stuck to the right lane and tried to keep it at 65 or lower despite the 70 mph limit and the larger rigs whizzing by me on the left towed by pickup trucks of various sizes.

What an adventure and how tired we are after this first outting.  Can't wait to do another!

Cheers!

Ramrod

The answers to your questions and comments are in this forum. Keep reading and enjoy your new camper. P.D. Our homeowners associations should pay us to keep our T@b's on our driveway.

Fatman1966

I have a Outback on order so I really enjoyed your write up. I'm sure I will have the same type questions in the future. From reading on here it's real important to be at the correct position (of leveling, I can't remember the angle) for the AC to drain correctly. Some have been at an incorrect level and the AC drained back into the cabin area! It's a bummer to see the AC fan interfered with the TV picture. Did the AC cool well? The most concerning commits are around the screws pulling out from the cabinets as that's been discussed on here before. Let us know how the dealer corrects it as these units are too expensive to have issues of that type. 

Nomad

If you browse thru the various categories over on the right and review the various post titles you'll find a wealth of info. You can also use the search function in the upper right. You're also better off single single issue posts or the answers can get pretty unwildly and it's hard ti get a feel for what's been answered.
That said, here's a few responses...If you search, there's more on each of these topics within the forum as well as the ones I haven't addressed...

Cutting Board - Yep, the board warps. Believe it's because of the moisture in the sink drain. Many have replaced with synthetic/plastic cutting boards.

A/C Drain - The drain is on the front right of the drip pan so being ever so slightly low on the front and right will direct drips to the drain.

Condensation - Haven't heard about much condensation in the summer with A/C but in cooler temps have. There's a lot of moisture in your breath and the T@B is a small space. I have never had any but those that do, crack a window or vent.

A/C Fan - It brings outside air in for the unit which exhausts the hot air outside thru the vent on the side of the T@B

Lego Blocks - I'm a block advocate and find them quick/easy if you have levels that have tick marks to match. I'm in many situations where neither the Anderson or BAL levelers will work. What works for any one person depends on where/how you camp.

ethelouise

Welcome OffWeGo!  Interesting to read about your experiences.  We too are new T@bbers and new RVers figuring things out, so I don't feel qualified to provide info on much.  I do have some input on the cutting board.  

We saw a warped T@B cutting board in a show model and read about the cutting boards warping (from moisture coming up the drain), so we immediately removed ours to a dry place in our home and replaced it with a Camco 43857 Sink Mate Cutting Board (White) from Amazon. Also available from Camping World.  The T@B Board is better looking, but the Camco plastic board works great--it has rubber feet that adjust for a snug fit and a cut-out corner, so you can dump liquids into the sink.  We are very happy with it. 

If our T@B cutting board had warped immediately, as it seems yours has, I would ask the dealer for a replacement.  Don't know if they will replace, but wouldn't hurt to ask.   We may use our T@B board as a cutting board in our home or simply hold on to it and put back in the T@B if/when we sell it.  

Photomom

* When you are "between trips" during months after de-winterizing, what is the full-on checklist for all the systems?  A generic RV book we have says to leave the refrigerator open, but the Norcold manual seems to say to leave the door shut.  Is it best to leave the battery switch in the "green" position or the "red" position?  Keep all windows fully closed and sealed or leave any of them in that position that allows a tiny air gap? Drain fresh water tank completely? (If so, how for this model?) 

I can tell you what we've been doing. We are able to keep the trailer on our driveway between trips.

I leave the fridge door closed with a small bowl of baking soda inside. 

The battery cutoff switch breaks the circuit from your T@B battery to the electrical things inside the trailer. If you are plugged into house mains, have the switch in the green position so the converter can charge the battery. Once it is charged, turn the switch to red so that the parasitic draw from the Jensen, propane detector, USB outlets, etc. do not drain the battery. You should find that once charged the battery will hold its voltage for quite a while in the red position. A couple days before a trip we plug the trailer back in and turn the battery switch back to green so we can cool down the fridge and make sure the battery is charged.

I keep the vent fan open (we have a Maxxfan so rain can't get in). I keep the windows open with handmade awning covers to help keep the heat out.

The fresh water tank should be drained. There is a small petcock under the step.

GrandmasKid

We are new 2017 Outback owners and just got back from a 6,000 miles in five weeks multi National Parks camping trip. The only problem we had while on the trip was with the hinges popping out of the cabinets. I spent some time devising a temporary fix by making double stick duct tape and pounding the pegs back in the holes lined with the tape. That fix for the first cabinet is still holding. When the other cabinets started popping out I just shoved the hinges back in their holes because I didn't''t want to spend my vacation time on this. Does anyone have ideas about how to permanently solve this problem? I may try to get the dealer to fix this under warranty but if I can fix it myself I will. The dealer is not that close to me. I've looked at the posts about replacing the supports. That's definitely something that I feel Little Guy should take care of. Is there a glue that would hold the hinges in their holes, or do the supports have to be replaced?

  Before the big trip we mistakenly left the refrigerator on battery power which completely drained our AGM battery. My battery may die earlier than it should but I didn't have any trouble keeping it charged with solar panels and our tow vehicle while on the trip. My suggestion for new owners is they read all they can about maintenance for their type battery.

  

ColoradoJon

GrandmasKid - same problem on my 2017 Outback.  I mixed up some high strength two-part epoxy and glued those suckers in.  Haven't had a problem with them since.

Tabaz

Search "How to remove the air conditioner" for some photos of the drain location.  I've read that the aux A/C fan should be on when running with the A/C unit (it is a small computer fan above the A/C unit).  When hooking up to city water, make sure you have a pressure valve on the hose so excess water pressure doesn't blow out your T@B's plumbing.  Check that your tow vehicle's lug wrench fits your T@b's wheel lugs.

lapowers57

Cutting board, we have found it tends to unwarp as it dries and that setting it upside down on a flat surface with a small weight helps this process.  I plan on using mineral oil on mine as was suggested in another thread.  As much as I like the look of wood, from a practical standpoint the best solution would be to to get a good thick plastic cutting board and route and cut it to shape.  

Jfrost6

I had the same problem with the hinges popping out.  All I did was take a few drops of gorilla wood glue to secure the plastic screw fittings to the wood and haven't had any issues since.  Only outstanding issue I have since taking delivery of our T@B a month and a half ago is the tank sensors are off.  Had a flooded shower and tank only showed 65%.

Nomad

Has anyone commented anywhere on the tank gauges being accurate? Can't recall any off the top of my head. One of my brothers has an rPod and his sure aren't.

Verna

My tank gauges seem to be very close to being true. Marvin installed them at the factory before Tearstock. It is really nice to know with the gray water tank. Black...you can see. The fresh is nice to see on the last day of camping in a site so I know whether to add more fresh water for a shower or just let it be. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Does anybody know if NuCamp/PV has changed the cabinet door struts?  It seems like there have been issues with the hinges popping.  

ericnliz

PXL, I have to ditto Verna, mine seem to be fairly accurate as well. The fresh water seems to be a little tricky when filling because of air pockets, so you have to be patient when filling & jiggle the trailer a bit to get the air out. After filling, I usually wait for about a half hour before getting a pretty accurate reading. The rest seem to be pretty spot on.

Nomad

Cool

Bosox

We just learned that the tires we bought the trailer with are a notoriously unreliable brand.  Looking to replace with Goodyears.  Can we do better.  THANKS folks!!!

dragonsdofly

@Bosox, the original tires on our 2017 sofitel (320 S) were great. Hearing that original tires are of poor quality and don't last long from everyone who we met rv'ing, we replaced with the Goodyear at about 22/24,000 miles. The tech replacing our tires said they showed little or no wear and he would have kept them on the trailer and run at least double the miles. I'm more cautious and did the replacement anyway. The Goodyear tires have only been on 9 months, and have 8,000 miles on them (we had a low mileage year). They look and feel showroom new. The ride was different and took a few small trips to get used to, but either way, all was good. I do all of the towing, and both sets of tires traveled well, just have a somewhat different "feel". Keep your air pressure in the recommended range, keep your speed under 65 and your trailer payload slightly forward of the axle and most tires approved for use in the U.S. will give you good service.
-Denise

Bosox

Thanks Denise.  I just replaced the tires for new Goodyears.  Discount store told me that the spare was just bolted in.  Thought I read I needed a special tool to insert into a hole and turn.  Apparently just need a socket wrench for bolts.  (Agree?)  Apparently there is a steel U shaped bracket for placement of a low profile hydraulic jack  (Sound right,?)  I have a 2017 T@B Max S.

rajamar

Bosox said:

Thanks Denise.  I just replaced the tires for new Goodyears.  Discount store told me that the spare was just bolted in.  Thought I read I needed a special tool to insert into a hole and turn.  Apparently just need a socket wrench for bolts.  (Agree?)  Apparently there is a steel U shaped bracket for placement of a low profile hydraulic jack  (Sound right,?)  I have a 2017 T@B Max S.

Assuming your 2017 T@B S spare tire is set up like our 2016 here are pictures of ours with removal steps and sockets required:
https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/104512#Comment_104512

Bosox

I knew it couldn't be so easy.  Yet, Discount Tires insisted the spare is just bolted and sold me the Gorilla Wrench.  Hard times ahead?
  

dragonsdofly

@Bosox, yes the spare is just bolted. Read the thread from @rajamar provided with the link. I think the removal method described is really great. My husband can attest that supporting the spare, unbolting it and lowering it without hurting yourself is quite tricky, and not for the faint of heart or slight of muscle. Rajamar's solution is brilliant. Many people have moved the spare to the front/tongue area. Use the search function in the upper right of the screen for spare tire mount. So much information it will overwhelm you, but good info if you're interested. We carry ours under the rear seat most of the time. If needed it is in a clean, dry easy to reach place. It is stored away from UV rays, dirt and temperature extremes that way. It seems a flat or blowout never happens on level, dry ground during a clear mid 70°F day.

Bosox

Thank you for clarify why I need a removal method.  I understand now.

N7SHG_Ham

On the tires, I am considering switching to the Goodyear Endurance as I hear they are quality, HOWEVER for the 400 Boondock they do not have an exact replacement size, nor an "off-road" trad pattern. I have on order a TST 507 TPMS system and will install that this spring. Maintaining tire pressure and being able to monitor pressure and temperature in real time will go a long way toward avoiding a catastrophic failure. No 100% guarantees but hopefully money well spent.

Regardless of tire brand on a trailer axle, it is highly likely the tires will time out before they wear out. I think a lot of catastrophic failures of tires with often times a lot of vehicle damage is due to older tires and not watching what is going on, both with a TPMS and a physical exam before each day of towing. I have physically seen a tire starting to fail and split on more than on occasion that I noticed during a pre-trip or during a rest area brake. I drove carefully to next tire shop and got it taken care of.