New Skylark Owner

[4miles]

We are newbies and Looking to buy 2011 skylark fkv asking price is $14k with a torn canopy. We liked the design but curious what is the fair price to offer and what should we look when inspecting the rv? Thanks

[Stan&Sharon]

Welcome to Jayco Owner's Forum from New Hampshire.
Regarding the price you ask about, that could be fair price... depends upon condition.

You can compare with this link is from RVTrader and this link is from NADAGuides
Nice floorplan, looks great too.




Have you owned a camper before?

[4miles]

No, we are really newbies.

[Stan&Sharon]

Great! You have a lot to look forward to. I see where you live too and WOW what a great place to go camping. I'm sure you'll be having fun.

There are many experienced folks here. Keep using this forum when you have questions.

We've owned several older campers. Water damage is the worst thing while most everything else can be overlooked or repaired. All roofs leak if they are not well taken care of.

I suggest you look out for any water damage before you decide.

Tires cannot be too old.... tread wear is not often the worry, but age is. Look on the sidewalls and you'll see DOT... and some numbers...look for numbers in a circle.. for example 2117 within a circle... that means 21st week of 2017 (when the tires were made) You may see two circles with numbers... it's the one after "DOT" that's the date. Basically if the tires are over 4... some say 5... years old, replace them.

Get the wheel bearings greased. If it has brakes, get the brake pads checked.

Get yourself an anti-sway hitch (maybe also a load balancing hitch with anti-sway bars) so you don't worry about it fishtailing behind your vehicle.

Oh, and get out there... live is short and the days are getting shorter too before the winter.

[4miles]

Great points. We saw the TT today and ww are happy with what we saw, and about the tires, it is new but we will definitely check again. We will pick it up tomorrow. So excited and anxious at the same time. We'll keep you guys posted cause I am sure we'll have more questions.

[us71na]

As a 2011 Skylark owner, that price is pretty high regardless of condition. A new awning will be pretty expensive. I would think $10-11,000 would be reasonable for a 10 year old trailer. I have the same model and we really like it. I tow with just a sway bar with a 2012 Honda Pilot with no issues. Be careful how much weight you put in the storage compartment and don't tow very far with a full water tank as that puts more weight behind the axle. You also have to be careful on steep grade changes as the skid bars on the back of the frame will drag. They are easily damaged. DAMHIKT. If yours are damaged or missing, check under the trailer for damage. The trailer has a heat pump so insure it runs in both heating and cooling mode. Also check to insure the spare tire rack under the front of the trailer will slide out. Check all the windows for cracks as replacements are likely not available.

[JFlightRisk]

snip...

Originally Posted by 4miles

We saw the TT today and ww are happy with what we saw....

Congratulations! The awning fabric is fairly easy to replace yourself, with a couple of friends to help. There are many You Tube videos that walk you through an actual replacement.

I don't have any affiliation to them, other than being a customer. but the DW and I bought a new fabric for our TT from Tough Top in Washington state. Very happy with the quality, and the people there. I called them with a question, and the owner answered the phone.

https://www.toughtopawnings.com/

[4miles]

I am interested on the sway bar you put on your trailer. We are driving the TT from Washington to Texas soon and looking at Equalizer sway bar brand. Not sure if they will fit on the TT, worried about windy roads along the way.
This is our first long ride and first time to drive TT. All tires good and inspected, axles and bearings newly pack, spare tires check. Only sway bars is need.

[JFlightRisk]

Here's some videos from their website that show the installation and adjustment of the Equalizer hitch. if you haven't watched them already.

https://www.equalizerhitch.com/blog/...allation-video

[Stan&Sharon]

I've used the Equalizer hitch for 8 years on our 24foot TT and it was outstanding. There was one issue with it... it's weight. I'm 70 now and my back isn't as strong. It was killing me to remove the assembly off the truck between trips... and just attaching the bars wasn't as easy as before. If anything happened to me on a trip, my wife would have no chance of lifting it.

If we had kept the TT, we planned to replace the Equalizer it something lighter. I had found just the one, the Andersen 'No-Sway' Weight Distribution Hitch.

No question the Equalizer is a good investment. It's not the best choice for everyone. Search for some youtube review videos for both and compare, if weight is an issue for you, Andersen is the way to go.

[us71na]

Unless your tow vehicle is squating in the rear when connected to the trailer, you likely don't need an equalizing hitch. When I purchased my Skylark, the dealer that sold it to me and the local deal both said all I needed was a sway bar.

I originally towed our Skylark with 6 cyl Mazda Tribute (Ford Escape) and it worked just fine, but the distance between gas stops was way too short. We upgraded to a 2012 Honda Pilot and it tows it just fine and has a larger gas tank so we can go further between gas stops. The sway bar eliminated the side push from passing trucks and buses.

[Misbubsc]

We have a Slylark with the front kitchen that we purchased in early 2021 for $10k. Was kept in a basement garage when not used and is in very good shape.

Fake leather started bubbling and peeling off the seat bottoms, so my wife disassembled those and sewed in new brown fabric to match. Now the seat backs are starting to bubble, so they are next.

I also read about the folding plastic faucet problem. Ours was still in great shape so I proactively replaced it with the Dometic folding metal faucet, and sold the plastic one on ebay.

Mounted a fan under the cabinet so we now get airflow in the bed area.

Replaced stove igniter with a battery powered gas grill igniter, and the wife really likes that upgrade.

We tow with the Andersen hitch setup. Works great 65 mph and less.
70 and faster and we feel it when the tractor trailers pass by.

Thought seriously about lifting the camper, but after using it, we really like the low profile. Much easier to get in and out of when low to the ground. Bottoming out while towing has not been a problem.

I need to research venting the range hood to the outside. When you burn something cooking the stink lingers.

[Riverlightwalk]

Hi
Just new to the forum. We have had our 21FVK for about 3 years and was wondering how many are out there still in Canada and the U.S.
Cheers
Bryan

[Yooper906]

Originally Posted by Riverlightwalk

Hi
Just new to the forum. We have had our 21FVK for about 3 years and was wondering how many are out there still in Canada and the U.S.
Cheers
Bryan

FVK? Anyway we sold our FKV 2 years ago, it was an outstanding trailer, but we outgrew it because camping with grandkids now. We put over 13000 miles on it with no problems. We've been camping over 50 yrs, so I know that sounds crazy.

Great fit and finish inside and out. My thinking it's one of the best trailers Jayco has produced.

[Misbubsc]

We try to take ours out every month for a long weekend with the exception of Dec through Feb, towing with a 2012 Honda Pilot.

We plan to keep the Skylark until we are too old to camp!

Earlier this year the Pilot pulled the Jaylark up the dreaded Amicalola Falls incline in the North Georgia Mountains with no problem!

[us71na]

Originally Posted by Misbubsc

I also read about the folding plastic faucet problem. Ours was still in great shape so I proactively replaced it with the Dometic folding metal faucet, and sold the plastic one on ebay.


Replaced stove igniter with a battery powered gas grill igniter, and the wife really likes that upgrade.

We have a 2011 FKV that we really enjoy.

I would be interested it a link to the folding faucet you used to replace the plastic one.

I would also like information on replacing the push button igniter.

[Misbubsc]

Faucet is Dometic AC542, and I paid $135 for it new. Sold the original plastic faucet (Dometic SMEV 3313070.001) on ebay for $90.
(Had to slightly grind on the left lid plastic stud for clearance. We could have turned the faucet mounting position 90 degrees counterclockwise, but this orientation allows you move the spigot in any direction.)

The igniter is from Amazon and costs $12:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075RR471P

Fan is a high quality Canadian made marine fan that moves a lot of air for $49.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016013JK

Cell phone holders 2 pack for $15:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DLNWLYB
(We cut them down to mount on a angle.)

USB chargers (the ones I purchased can be turned off when not in use):
-No Volt display unit inside cabinet - $10:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PPQDCV3
-Volt Display unit outside cabinet (we paid $12 for one - looks like they are a 2 pack now)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B098KD2G8F

The Jensen JWM62A is a bluetooth radio I purchased for our old camper, then swapped radios when I bought the Skylark. Can control the radio from an app on your phone, which is convenient when sitting outside the camper.
I bought it from Crutchfield for $199 2 years ago.
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-YfJ5aW...en-JWM62A.html

[LVJJJ]

Originally Posted by us71na

We own a 2011 Skylark. We've owned ours since new and love it. We've towed it over 6,000 miles on one trip alone with our Honda Pilot. We averaged around 14 mpg for the trip. We've also taken it to Texas, Maryland, Connecticut, Canada, etc from NW PA.

I've done several mods. The first was to add an LED light in the storage area. There are extra fuse slots in the panel and I ran the wire down through the floor through and existing hole, across the underside and up through an exiting hole on the other side. I have a push button LED light mounted inside the door to the right.

The second mod was to remove the plywood top of the bench seat, cut the lid in half, add a finger hole and a piano hinge to gain additional storage under the bench seat. Here is a link.

Our outside door light burned out, it was an incandescent bulb for some reason. I replaced it with an LED panel with the same type of wedge base and got a useful amount of light.

On our most recent trip we noted that the fold down sink faucet was leaking. It turns out it is plastic and cracks relatively easily, which research shows is a common problem. A new one costs $160. I am trying some superglue and a small worm type hose clamp to see if we can get more life out of ours.

I find that ours tows well as long as you stay between 55 -62 mph. The trailer develops a bit of oscillation at around 65, particularly if there is any cross breeze. Yes I have a sway bar and it does help.

We use white storage bins to keep supplies from wandering around in the cabinets in the kitchen. I also made some racks for the glasses and cups so they stay put. I made a divider for silverware in one of the kitchen drawers.

We bought some plastic tubs (Omni Box 15L 17 x 11x 6.6")that stack two high for our clothes so we can use the upper cabinets more efficiently.

We use a rubber maid tub to store our Rhino Flex sewer hose in the storage compartment since it won't fit in the factory storage tube.

I added a towel hook on the back of the bathroom door and another on the side of the kitchen cabinet for dish towels.

I added a roller catch to the medicine cabinet since it didn't have one and stuff came out on every trip. We use plastic sandwich containers to keep things organized in that cabinet, other wise stuff falls out when you open the door.

And last, but not least, we purchased some hot air balloon spinners to alert you when you are about to bash your head on the awning support arms. I made some hooks from stainless steel wire to hang them from arms.

The microwave convection oven is really nice, but takes some getting used to. We have a manual for it.

71, sorry to resurect an old thread, but our fold down kitchen sink faucet broke and completely flooded the whole unit. Got ServPro out here now. But I need to replace the faucet, where did you find a metal one for $160?

We only had the TT for a week before it got flooded, so haven't been able to camp in it yet.

[us71na]

Our original fold down faucet is still working. Here is a potential replacement that folds down.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ST6J62V..._prsubs_0?th=1

[Discovery]

Our fold down faucet had gone bad while on a two week trip, and no quick replacement to be found so I patched together.

Over the winter I removed the sink and faucet and replaced with much larger single sink with side drain from Ikea that works great. Added a Grohe high goose neck faucet with pull out nozzle. Used multiple times this summer and currently on cross Canada trip with no issues. The larger sink and normal kitchen faucet is such an improvement!!

I raised trailer 4 inches. We use the Andersen hitch system and absolutely no issues in wind or passing freight trucks at speed. Running 215/75 14 goodyear endurance tires that are nearing 35000km's (so far 15000 kms since beginning of Sept) and still good thread. Thinking of 15 inch wheels next plus the Goodyear's.