wolfe10

Lyle, No problem. All it takes is the proper supervision. And I have someone who is VERY well qualified.

CJ, First question is whether this is the Caterpillar supplied sender/gauge or the chassis maker supplied sender/gauge. Most coaches have both.

creativepart, We are on the road right now, but recall in last month's FMCA Magazine an article stating that the new HRV is towable 4 wheels down with the manual transmission. It should also state that in the owners manual, but have not checked. Let us know what you find.

Yes, you want 50/50 vinegar/water. Sounds strange, but I used an old water heater drain plug. Drilled it to accommodate (tight fit) an 8' piece of hose-- basically, the largest diameter clear plastic hose that the plug will accommodate. Use a ladder to raise it to near roof level. Put a funnel in the top end of the hose to make pouring the vinegar easier. Open the pressure relief valve to allow air to bleed out as you pour in the vinegar. When five gallons are in, open the faucet nearest the water heater, turn on the water pump until the water heater is full/air bled out. I would turn on the water heater until it turned off. Let it sit for an hour to cool down and then drain and flush. If in the desert SW, this is an annual job. Hard water really does a number on the water heaters.

cwaldon, Welcome to the FMCA forum. Please let us know what year model and make chassis you have.

Sorry for the delay-- driving today. Yes, check the belt tension for the V belt that drives only the water pump and has a manually adjusted idler pulley. Check it from underneath on the driver's side very front of the engine/back of the coach. And, access the front of the CAC (inside fan shroud/between fan blades). Shine a strong flashlight at the CAC (much easier to see at night). Make sure the perimeter, particularly lower perimeter is as clean as the center (the fan blades sling the dirt to the perimeter. If both those are OK, next thing I would do is replace the thermostat(s). Caterpillar calls them regulators and recommends replacement every three years.

What information did they provide you that indicated that there was coolant in the oil. Was the pressure test a pressurization of the cooling system? Since you mention #3 cylinder in conjunction with the pressure test, was this a cylinder leak down test?

This discussion raises two interesting questions-- one easily answered, the other for those with an electrical engineering background: 1. With the key in the required position for towing, does the brake pedal (via the Brake Buddy) activate the brake light? A two minute check should answer that. And, if so, the EE question: 2. What will supplying the same voltage from two sources change in the light or that circuit?

Basic fact of business: Extended service policy providers are NOT in business to pay out more than they take in! As Bill said, if you can stand the risk, statistics are in your favor to have a fatter wallet if you do not buy them. Particularly true if you do your own maintenance.

Don't have Aqua Hot, so no advice on that. For generator (Onan 7.5 QD) running one roof A/C I figure .5 GPH.

Because the air bags on your chassis are inboard where they are protected from UV light, it is likely that they will be OK, but yes, a good idea to check. Also check RIDE HEIGHT, which is important, not only for ride and handling, but also longevity of suspension and driveline components. You can get the ride height specs for your chassis by calling your chassis maker (?Freightliner?) with our VIN. Adjustment is easy, but do not do it without proper safety stands! Another, often neglected component of the air brake/air suspension system is the AIR DRYER. How long since it was serviced or replaced? If you will be at the Madison FMCA Convention, come to the "Suspension, coach and handling" seminar. I will be going over a lot of this kind of stuff.

RJ, In addition to sealing the dryer vent and around the engine compartment, the other major thing you can do is insure that you have positive air pressure inside the coach instead of a vacuum. Run with the dash HVAC on outside air, not recirculate. Do not have any windows or roof vents open, as they will lower inside air pressure. Also verify that you do not have an exhaust leak. Check for soot between head and exhaust manifold, manifold and turbo, turbo all the way out the side of the coach.

It is use of the coach WITHOUT running the generator that calls for a larger battery bank. And, 4 U2200 golf cart batteries will give you a TOTAL of about 450 ah @ 12 VDC. And, for long battery life, do not discharge below 50%. That means that even when brand new and fully charged, you would want to recharge after using about 225 amp-hrs of power.

If you do not camp without shore power or plan to run the generator, the single 12 VDC battery may be enough-- what size/group is it? There is a wide range of capacities, all 12 VDC from small car batteries (not deep cycle) to 8D starting and 8D deep cycle batteries-- BIG differences. And, were you to change to a pair of 6 VDC batteries, you would need a battery cable to go from the negative post of battery #1 to the positive post of battery #2. Then the positive wire to house to the positive terminal of battery # 1 and the coach ground wire to the negative terminal of battery #2. Think of those two 6 VDC batteries in series as "a 12 VDC battery in two pieces". If you did a lot of dry camping, yes, four 6 VDC batteries would be a good idea.

Chopper500, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. It is unusual for the tires to be so badly worn (unless just let go) that they could not be rotated and used on one side in back. And, no balancing weights of any kind on the front wheels-- interesting? Would be interested in a "before/after" of the alignment. And, even if you have to buy two tires (and have them balanced), and alignment, should be no where near $4000.

Roy, No, to calculate towing capacity, subtract loaded weight of motorhome from GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating), not GVWR. Be aware that this may not be the limiting factor on towing. The LESSER of the number above, the hitch rating or towing capacity (often stated as a separate number) dictates maximum towing capacity.

Dave, Your choice. But, you HAVE to do the trailing arms. Yes, the guys at Source are very good, and their trailing arms look more robust than the Monaco ones.

Dave, I would ask Source Engineering for the name of a service facility near you. If they don't have anyone to recommend, I would ask Monaco the same question. Third choice (and still a very reasonable one) is any shop that works on truck suspensions. There is nothing technical about replacing the trailing arms IF you have the right equipment-- everything is just BIG and HEAVY. This is a safety issue and I would not drive it except to a shop to get this work done. If you bought it from a dealer, I am really surprised that they did not know about this safety issue and fix it before selling it. If you are not happy with the ride and handling after driving it for awhile, yes consider the ride enhancement kit.

Cliff, Until they find the root cause everyone is just speculating on the cause AND who should pay. Sure, it could be related to modifications you have made and so you may have to pay. But, if they find the root cause is not related to the modifications, it should be covered by the regular warranty. Bottom line, you should agree to pay for the diagnosis. After the root cause is determined, then and only then can/should the decision be made in terms of who pays.

We have the PressurePro on this coach as well as the last one. Again, make sure whatever system you get will accommodate all motorhome AND toad tires.

First question is are you towing? If so, you will want a system that will cover your motorhome AND toad!

Ken, Unless you are traveling WAY off the beaten path, two spares is likely one too many. We always carried one when we traveled in Mexico, as our size was not common down there. But, in over a quarter million miles, have never needed a spare. YES, I take good care of the tires and have a tire monitor system!

Best suggestion-- empty water tanks and go over any local scales and take the weight receipt. In Texas, you have to do it to register a motorhome. No big deal-- every county tax office should have a list of local scales.

Dave, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Sorry, I can not answer your specific question. If you can't find it and no one else with the same model posts an answer, call Monaco with your VIN: 877-466-6226 BTW, be sure to check this trailing arm issue: http://community.fmca.com/topic/569-important-safety-problem-monaco-holiday-rambler-safari-chassis/

Yup, two very "unrelated" issues here: Mechanical considerations. Driver considerations. Irrespective of how good a coach is mechanically, if this is your first experience with mountain driving, this is not the "beginner slope". As posted before, there are TWO aspects to whether a particular road is "OK". One is coach. The other (and more important) is the DRIVER. If this is your first heavy vehicle/mountain driving and you are not already comfortable with driving your vehicle in real mountains, seek an alternate route. If you have "been there, done that" go for it.