hermanmullins

Roger, From what I an see there was a metal failure and not a weld. It looks like the fracture is in the rectangle tubing. Can you see if the fracture is fresh or does it look as if has occurred over time? Such a break can be repaired but it will take a very good welder along with good dimensions and drawings. Please be sure to look at the other side for signs of structure failure there also. Like many things I wonder what caused a failure. You can replace a blown fuse but what caused it to blow. A structure like yours can be repaired but what caused it to fail in the first place. Find Scott Zimmer and see what he has to say. Good luck and glad there was no more damage. Herman

Rodger, Welcome to the Forum. Sorry for your problem. Are you speaking about your tag axle? There was a recall on the single axle but not on the tag. The unfortunate thing is that the recall was when Monaco owned the company but since it has changed hands the warranty on the older units are not applicable. You mentioned pictures but none were attached. Can you post them. It will give folks a chance to give better answers. Herman

RH, Welcome to the Forum. We have an M&G Engineering brake on both our Silverado and Saturn Vue. Works well on both. Herman

Bill, I think a lot depends on how you use your tow vehicle. We have towed a standard 4 X 4 Wrangler, a Yukon 4 X 4 auto and now tow a Silverado 2 wheel drive auto with a drive shaft disconnect. All fit our needs. From what I have seen you have the expertise to tow any type vehicle. The Jeep has had its problem lately so I would be careful on them for now. Some people may think I'm foolish but if I had a vehicle with a locking steering wheel I would remove the locking pin so I could lock the vehicle. I know you will make the right choice for you. I plan on p/m you later about a TV and dish. Herman

Yes Michael I will be there. You may not know, but I am the Southern Region Vice President for the Six-State Rally Association. I will be all over the place. Are you going to be in Security or working in the vendor area? Look me up if you can. Herman

astmi, Sorry for your problems. Thetford has had severe problems with their model 1200 fridge. Might I suggest that rather then replacing a $600.00+ circuit board that you might consider replacing the entire unit. With the cost of the board you will be almost a third of the cost of a residential unit. I believe the Samsung RF 197 will fit with very little modifications. But please don't condemn the entire company for one division's problems, Thetford make many great products that have had no problems. Good luck. Herman

Michael, is your counter top Corian? If so you might contact a counter top company for suggestions. Herman

ultraglide, Congratulation on yours and you wife's up coming retirements. I am not trying to be flippant but going full time requires sizing down, really sizing down. You may want to consider keeping the bricks and sticks so you can maintain the items you don't want to get rid of. Full timing is a life changing endeavor. It requires disposing of items that may mean the world to you. We down sized this last year. We sold our 3,600 sq. ft. home and moved into our 1,600 sq. ft. mobile home on our acreage. We have since built a home and are in the process of moving into it. When we sold the big house we asked the kids what do you want. It turned out not much. So we moved it into our storage building and will now ask one more time what do you want. After that what we aren't using we will sell. There are lots of thing we have acquired over the past 50 years and some we want to keep. We had thought of full timing but wanted to keep some "stuff", so we have a place for it and the MH and we can go when we want and stay home when we don't. You and the wife will make the correct decision for you two. Go, have a good time no matter what you decide. Good luck and happy travels. Herman

John, Welcome to the Forum. You can and should find a new carrier. We just switched to Safeco. They saved up close to $600.00 this year. I had nothing but good things to say about GMAC, who just priced themselves out for me, and Kemper. I had a claim and they handled it quite well. However my agent sold their Family business and went to straight commercial. The agent that bought it asked if they could shop around for better coverage. They did, got us with Safeco and saved us close to $600.00. Use an agent and they can shop around for you. Good luck and watch your mirrors and camera. Herman

Rich, Thanks for keeping the Forum Family up dated on the very potential problem. You mention several time that coaches made in 2002 and after are better equipped to handle Bio diesel. How does this effect coaches that were made in 2002 but may have engines that were made in 2001? I haven't been keeping up on diesel fuel, does all diesel now contain Bio Crap, like gasoline contains up to 10% ethanol. Keep up the great work and tell everyone in Redmond on the Parking Crew I said Howdy. Herman

Just my 2 cents worth. The IR gun may tell you more then just tire temp. If you have one tire that is much hotter then the others it could mean you have a brake dragging or a bearing ready to go out. These can also elevate temp. Herman

washtech, 160 from Walsenburg on I-25 will take you through some beautiful country. Alamosa, South Fork, Wolf Creek Pass (10,850 feet) with a tunnel, on into Pagosa Springs and into Durango. On our last trip through Alamosa we had breakfast at a strange but very good place. It was the coffee shop of a motel, sorry I can't remember the name. Wolf Creek Pass is a good road but very steep with several sharp curves. Just have the DW take pictures so you can see what you missed by keeping an eye on the road. In Pagosa Springs there is a wonderful park, Wolfe Creek Run. It may seem a bit pricey, $50.00 per nite, but it is well worth it. There are only 27 spaces, all concrete roads and pads. Each is owned by RVers and the Resort rents them out when the owner is not there. We stayed 3 nights just before Labor Day three years ago. When we checked in they said to come to their Hi and Howdy time. We figured it was their Happy Hour. It was and a lot more. They had sandwiches, chips and dips and a great group of folks. They also had a continental breakfast and we thought, sweet roll and coffee. No they had home made biscuits and gravy, home made cinnamon rolls and cakes. If you go to the hot springs take a bathing suit and towels that you wont want to keep. The hot sulfur will not wash out. While you are in the vicinity don't pass up Pueblo. There is a monument for 5 Medal of Honor recipients there, the most of any town in the USA. Go and enjoy the great area. Herman

10-4 Still you might try finding a web site on CCs. Herman

Rich, You are talking about your coaches engine? Herman

nelsokelso, From the picture I don't believe those are your returns. A return panel will have a grill of some sort and will be hinged(piano) at one end and are held up with some sort of spring clip. I think what you have are decorative panels and agree with you that you should NOT try pull them open. If you can find a Country Coach web site (faq) some one there may have the answer to your quest. Good luck, Herman

Good morning Tom & Louise. We have missed you back in Texas. Loved your blogs on you trip down under. Jeff, Tom has given you a great tour guide from Denver to St. Joseph Missouri. We have gone North and south then East and West in Kansas. You can always find fuel in the mid sized cities (the cost is sometimes higher). Where the Interstates have some hills they have tried to level them out in most cases. On the secondary roads they have kept the roads up with the landscape. If there was a hill before there is a hill now. There are not many passing lanes and very small shoulders. However we have found that the condition of the roads are in good shape. On any given Monday morning when you top a rise you can see all they way to Thursday. You can find a WalMart in quit a few cities along the way. So go, take the route and you can say, here's that town Tom mentioned or darn that Herman, where's the fuel. Have fun and enjoy the adventure. Herman

Ron, On our coach we did get a lot of information in the owners box. I have set the code on the coach with the instructions provided. I will get the card and relay it to you later today. Hope it will help. Herman

Doug, Cut down on the Coffee. Herman

Roger, Welcome to the Forum. Thank you for your Service, from one ole airdale to another. Herman

Tony, Your Smart Wheel is made by "Vehicle Improvement Products, Inc." vipwheels.com or 847-395-7250. When you go on their wed site look for a matching picture of your steering wheel. Click on to it and download the manual and copy. When you have done this call VIP and speak with a tech. Tell them your problem and they will tell you what page and paragraph to go and how to preform the correct test for your problem. Good lick, Herman

Tony, I will get you the test information when I get home. The mfg. Is great with help. Herman

Amby, Give Peggy Grist a call at MCD. I know that they have locations around the country that installs their shades. They have several coach Mfgs. that use their shades. If you are going to Redmond MCD will be there and if you call them they will have a solution for your problem. Let us know how you make out. Herman

No one ever questioned your thought process Jim. It is right on the money. Herman

bh2aman, Welcome to the Forum. Call FMCA to make your reservation and they will tell you what is available. There will be Honey Wagon service and FMCA can tell you the cost. However when you arrive in Redmond please have your Holding and Gray water tanks empty and your Water tank full. Be conservative, use the public facilities as much as possible and you will be OK. Go, enjoy and have a good time. Herman

nelsokelso, Yes it is acceptable for the tires on a tag axle to be different makes. An older tire and a new tire on the tag will not be a problem because they roll independent of one another. This is not true of the drive axle and the tires should not be mixed, by age. Age and mileage wear on drive axle should be the same. As stated before "always have your best tires on the steering tires." As for the cost of tires I always remember what they say Neil Armstrong said just before blast off, "This thing was built by the lowest bidder." Herman