garykd

Hi Graybeard315, I carry a fully mounted spare tire. For my coach the size is 275X70X22.5 tire. I've always carried a spare tire (since 1978). On the coach in my signature, I've changed a tire 2 times. The first is a right front and the second time was the right rear inside tire. I do have roadside assistance. The reasons I changed the tires is another story and I do not want to detract from the topic of this thread. I will continue to always carry a fully mounted spare tire, for the reasons Brett mentioned in his post. For me, plan A is to have roadside service make the change. Plan B is for me to do it. For those about to post on the dangers of changing a tire, I carry all the correct equipment for making the change safely.

Hi Troy, I know of a Newmar coach that is being sold due to the owner's health. It is well within your price range. It is a 2004 Mountain Aire Gas. 37', 3 slides, all maintenance records and maintained professionally. The coach is in excellent condition. This is a coach located in Florida. If you'd like to contact the owners, PM me. I can provide their contact information. I know of this coach because they belong to the same chapter of the Newmar owners club I belong to.

Hi Bill, Go to http://www.turnpikeinfo.com/florida/tolls/sunPass.php and read about the mini. It explains why the mini needs to be stuck to the windshield. Go to http://www.floridasturnpike.com/TRI/index.htm to read about the tolls for different axle vehicles. I have been told, by the Turnpike people, the axle count is done based on the timing of the axles traveling over a measuring point. I was never asked how many axles the vehicles have when I got my Sun Passes (I have 3). Since an axle count is done at the time of entry, the "set up" may be a moot point. Just in case you are wondering, from a toll point of view it is cheaper to drive the coach and toad separately through the toll points. When I am towing, I get charged more than if the vehicles were separate.

Hi All, Back in November (Thanksgiving week) I chased my tail around and around for a few days. Hopefully, y'all can benefit from my experience. 1. The symptoms are: 1a. The coach batteries are not being charged while motoring down the road. The chassis batteries are charged when motoring down the road. 1b. The chassis batteries are not being charged when the coach is connected to shore power. Coach batteries are charged when connected to shore power. 2. Voltage readings at the BIRD and associated solenoid/relays were okay. 3. Removed all 4 coach batteries and took them to three (yes 3) different battery/auto parts stores to get them tested. 3a. The first place said all were okay. 3b. The second place said 2 of the batteries were dead. 3c. The 3rd place said they were all fully charged but could not be load tested. 4, I removed the two chassis batteries and took them to my local AC Delco battery place. One of the chassis batteries was bad. Even though it was fully charged the machine said it was bad during the load test. I purchased two 12 VDC AC Delco batteries for the engine. I installed them. I also reinstalled the coach batteries. With one chassis battery not coming up to full charge I can understand why the coach batteries were not being charge while motoring down the highway. The one chassis battery being bad may also explain why I felt the chassis batteries were not being charged when connected to shore power. Maybe the Iota charger just couldn't handle the bad battery + the other five batteries. Time will tell. Some side thoughts: 1. The engine never delayed starting on the one battery. Every start was quick and never gave me an indication one battery had given up the ghost. 2. These batteries are very heavy! It would be interesting to know how much weight they add to the left rear axle, being that they are about 8' behind the rear axle. As of the date of this post, the coach has been on one trip (for one week) and has been plugged in (as usual) 100% of the time. All the battery readings are back to normal. During the two days of travel, everything charged as advertised. Hind sighting this problem, the only indication I had that a chassis battery was bad was the VDC reading on the chassis batteries was not the same as the coach batteries after being connected to shore power for a couple of days. With the BIRD, they should be the same.

Hi bronxboy, Welcome to the FMCA forum. Answer the questions in Bill's post. If we know more about who is traveling and what you like to do, there are many suggestions within 1 or 2 days driving from Orlando. North is colder and South is warmer. Give us some clues.

Hi marksheinkopf, There are many, many CGs in the DW area. Some to consider are: 1. Kissimmee KOA 2. Tropical Palms 3. Ponderosa 4. Sherwood Forest When you call, make sure they know your setup and can provide what you need. Stay away from: Merry D RV Sanctuary Orange Grove Both of these CGs are very tight with turns and short sites that may not accommodate your rig and dolly. There are many more CGs in the area, but these I have personally visited.

Hi Per3110, Based on the conditions in your OP, consider: 1. Set the t'Stat really low, maybe 40 degrees if it goes that low. 2. Open all the cabinet doors to let the air circulate. 3. Place a saucer of water (just 1/2" or so) near the water lines and in the utility bay in the basement. Check the saucers when you are uncomfortable with the temp. Water in the saucers should freeze before water in the plastic pipes. If the saucer water is still liquid, just leave everything as it is. This should minimize propane usage and provide reassurance that everything is okay. One could also purchase a stay and play. Then one could hook up an external propane tank. These are much easier to re fill than the tank in the coach. Go to http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/...le-deluxe/30340 and see a sample of this connection.

Hi edraff, Welcome to the FMCA forum. I had the belts changed earlier this year in my rear radiator coach. Normally I'd do this kind of preventative maintenance. However, after looking at what is involved, I decided I would give myself a present and have a Cummins shop do the work. I watched the techs (notice the plural) do the job. With a top man and a bottom man it still took them 45 minutes to get the belts changed. I kept the old belts for emergency purposes. I figure If I have the part I'll never need it. With a rear radiator coach, consider letting the pros do the belt change.

Hi karaokegal, Welcome to the FMCA forum. While all the posts can be true, to start, let us keep this simple. If you own a digital volt meter and are comfortable using it do what Brett suggested. Next, before plugging into shore power, measure voltage at the house battery with a digital voltmeter. Plug in and verify that the voltage rises-- unless batteries are deeply discharged, voltage should rise to 13.2 14.5 VDC. If it does not, check voltage at the inverter/charger." And report back here with the results. We need to take this one step at a time. If you are not comfortable using a meter, it is time to call a professional.

Hi Goldenbear, Welcome to the FMCA forum. Go to http://www.fmca.com/members/benefits and scroll down to the benefit about Emergency Evacuation. FMCA is about to change the carrier and benefit as of January 2011. To get the most current information consider calling FMCA at 800-543-3622.

Hi Per3110, Welcome to the FMCA forum. Job well done, congratulations. This is the first time I have seen a computer used in this setup. You have provided me a very good option when I am ready to do as you have done.

Hi Gary-Val, My assumption is the refer works on electric, just not very well. I also have the two door Dometic. I also experience, to a lesser amount than you, the same problem. What I did was raise the control (in the refrigerator part) to a considerably higher level. Moving the slider physically higher means a lower temp in the refrigerator part of the unit. I set the outside temperature selector at #4 (the next to highest setting). For more than a year, this has worked well. The slider should be on the last right hand cooling fin in the refrigerator part of the unit. The top of my slider is about 1/2" from the top of the cooling fin.

Hi 101 worst, Welcome to the FMCA forum. Items not needing to be wrinkle free are washed daily. It can be a set it and forget it. Start the wash before leaving for the day's activities and when I return everything is ready to be put away. For items needing to be as wrinkle free as possible, I wash on days when the activity schedule allows me to be around the coach. Following the previous posts, there are several ways to ensure wrinkles are kept to a minimum. For me, the smaller loads work best.

Hi DonAgar, Welcome to the FMCA forum. This is an additional question, to add to Brett's post. How much water do you use when flushing the toilet? I use chemicals made for the RV black tank. For me, I have many people of a wide variety or ages in the coach. It is not possible for me to monitor their flushing and paper use habits. The chemicals seem to help my macerator stay clog free. The grey tank can smell as bad as the black tank. There are chemicals you can add (down the drain) to help with this. Running water through the tank with the valve open doesn't do much for keeping the tank clean or preventing odors. Allowing the tank to fill and then dumping is what I have found works best. Do this once a week or so may eliminate the odor. Otherwise, I leave the grey valve open when parked for an extended length of time. When the black tank gets to 3/4, I close the grey valve. I've found they will get full pretty much at the same time. Then dump black then grey.

Hi hopmarcollinfam, TPMS technology is a commodity. All of them work. Consider understanding what each system measures and what you must do to install and maintain the system. How do you interact with the system? Is the display easy to read/interpret when driving down the road? Then purchase the system that best meets your individual needs for interacting with it. The same advice is good for several of the items we purchase. Wireless Internet, Sat TV, towing systems, TPMS systems and steering stabilizers are just a few examples of commodity technologies that work. One just needs to find the one that works for them.

Hi aztec7fan, As preventative maintenance, I did all my roof seams about 3 years ago. I used EternaBond. Go to http://www.eternabond.com/RV-Leak-Repair-Products-s/22.htm and read about it. Once done, the seams are protected for 10 years. If you use EternaBond, drop a chalk line along where you want one edge to run. You get one chance with EternaBond. Once it sticks, that's it, there is no changing it.

Hi mitchellstone, Welcome to the FMCA forum. If you do not already have reservations, consider: 1. Stage Coach RV Park in the St. Augustine area. They are just off I95 exit 318. Their contact information is 904-824-2319. It is a short drive into St. Augustine and Camping World is at the same exit. 2. Sunshine Key RV Resort - Located at mile marker 39. It is a little farther south than Key Largo. Go to http://www.rvonthego.com/Sunshine-Key-RV-Resort.html to read about the resort. For me, the benefit is that Key West is 39 miles away . One can go a bit North or South and find many Key type activities. Bahia Honda state park is about a mile south of the resort. At the north end of 7 mile bridge (about 10 miles from the Resort) there is a restaurant with the best Key Lime pie.

Hi schoolsout2, I've installed many of these radios. You have the right idea to get the antenna up on the roof. However, running the antenna wire anywhere it will get pressure put on it may result in a quick failure of the antenna. The wire is very delicate. What I do is: 1. drill a hole in the roof just behind where the antenna is to be mounted 2. run the antenna wire through the hole and down the driver's windshield pillar support (behind the molding) 3. under the dash to where the radio will be located I epoxy the antenna directly in front of the hole drilled for the wire. There is about 1/2", or less, of the antenna wire exposed to the elements. I also put epoxy over this exposed wire and close the hole with epoxy. I've never had a failure installing antennas in this manner.

Hi Shagsf16, I have a service contract with National Warranty of Florida. Their contact information is 888-756-5529 or 800-439-4861. I have had 4 claims and they were all closed to my and the repair shops satisfaction. All the repair shops were amazed at how fast and simple the approval and payment process was. I would make the same purchase again.

Hi all, I have an extended warranty through National Warranty of Florida. I've had 4 claims. They were all paid quickly to my satisfaction and the shop's amazement. Each claim was paid before I left the shop, basically the same day. Their contact information is 888-756-5529 or 800-439-4861. My claims have added up to about what I paid for the policy. For me, I'd rather not have any claims at all. But, coaches do have troubles and for that I'm thankful I have the policy.

Hi ISM500, Consider Googling "305-0953-03 control board repair". The response will provide quite a few companies that do this. I do not know if they can help you, but it might be worth a try.

I've been on the road since early June. What the J lacks is a consistent fueling process. I'll wait and see when/if the truck pumps are once again opened to providing the RV Value Card the cash price and discount at the truck pumps. For me the RV pumps are a safety hazard with 63 feet of coach and toad. I used to be 100% J. Now I stop there only when it is necessary. Maybe we will get another letter saying the truck pump fueling process is now consistent with the RV pump fueling process. When that happens, I'll once again be a 100% J customer.

Hi Phil, When I lived up North this is how I would answer your questions: 1. Should I extend the jacks and get the weight off the tires for the winter? Leave the jacks stored. Put the tires on wood, plastic, etc. Do not leave them on concrete, grass or dirt. 2. Should I remove the batteries or leave them in and plug the bus into a 50amp circuit all winter? Fully charge the batteries and let them stay in the coach. Plug the coach into shore power if a trickle charge capability is available. 3. Mice? Moth balls, Fabric softener sheets? How do you keep the critters out. If you have had a history of critter problems, then ad a deterrent you think best. They all work, sometimes, and not all work with all critters. If you have not had the problem, then do nothing. 4. Fridge, Baking soda and leave the doors open? Turn the fridge off, clean the inside and leave the door open. 5. We are removing all blankets, towels and etc. This is personal preference. All our stuff stays in the coach. 6. Engine- does it hurt the 8.3 to sit all winter or should I start it periodically, note I will have to plug it in to warm up the block. Change the oil and filter. Change the fuel filters too. Let the engine sit idle until you are ready to use the coach again. 7. Anything else ? Don't forget the generator. Do the same for it that you do for the engine.

Hi LivingLikeEachDayIsMyLast, Your coach weight may require the tires to be inflated to 95 PSI. If you know your coach's weight and check with the tire manufacturer's web site it may answer the question. In general, I find tire dealers inflate to maximum PSI just to be on the safe side. Tire dealers might be taking the position that the customer will not be diligent about tire PSI. Starting the customer out at maximum PSI and recommending they keep it there would allow the maximum amount of time between when the customer needs to check the tire PSI.

Hi presh47, Welcome to the FMCA forum. If after completing the items in the previous posts, you remain dissatisfied, post here again. There are after market devices that can help. I should know, I've installed about everything on the market.