wolfe10

Don, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Was not aware of a big issue/class action suit with the Bendix brakes. Could you provide us a link?

ktbaillif, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Check U-joints for play. Check ride height-- that short drive shaft is particularly susceptible to out of spec angles. What suspension do you have-- Velvet ride or air? Check lug nuts-- make sure the wheels are properly torqued.

You need to verify that the "not towable" applies to dolly towing, not just to 4 wheels down towing. I would start with the service manager of a Honda dealership-- he is likely to be more knowledgeable than the kids auto manufacturers hire to handle "customer contacts".

Alain, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. What brand and model power reel do you have? If this is a Shoreline product:http://www.trci.net/contact-us Technical SupportAt TRC we pride ourselves on our Technical Support for our products and services. You may reach a member of our Technical Support team by calling: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST Please call Tech Support at 800.780.4324 x 20311 or 727-812-0578 or Send a Message to Technical Support

Carluv, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. That is a puzzler. Either generator or shore power should provide exactly the same "power" to the battery/batteries (house for sure, perhaps chassis as well) through your converter, charger or inverter charger. Said another way, your charging device only knows that you supplied it with 120 VAC so should be no difference based on shore power vs generator. The first question is: Which battery bank, house or chassis powers the slide motor? The next step is to check voltage at the battery bank that provides power to the slide motor-- both at rest and when the motor is engaged. Something as simple as a loose terminal (metal SHRINKS as it gets colder) could cause too much voltage drop. The last test would be to check voltage at the slide motor terminals both at rest and when someone is engaging the slide motor. AND, a cold battery provides less power than does a warm one. Also, as Ray pointed out, seals are stiffer in cold weather. The combination of "all the above" may have done exactly what Ray suggested-- overload the resettable breaker.

Southwindtrails, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. I guess the best answer is that Caterpillar calls for the first valve adjustment around 30,000 miles in an RV application.

When replacing batteries always replace all batteries on a bank with the same (new) kind/technology. OR, that one old battery having one cell go bad can cause your converter or inverter charger to overcharge all the batteries in an attempt to turn that now 10 VDC battery (one dead cell on 12 VDC battery) to 13.2+ VDC. No average life for batteries-- depends on initial quality, how deeply and how often they are discharged, if they are equalized, water level kept up, etc.

Be sure to put only ONE filter between the tank and lift pump. So fuel tank, primary filter/water separator with course filter (10-30 micron), lift pump, secondary fuel filter (fine element 2-5 micron depending on engine specs) then engine or injector pump.

Good job. Welcome back to the "way less sway" camp. A very easy thing to check visually and also easy to replace. Only tools are a pair of vice grips to keep the end link from turning and a wrench to remove the top and bottom nut. As long as you are on flat ground, no need for jacks, etc. You can lower and raise the sway bar with your little finger as long as the two wheels are on the same level. If the main bushings need to be replaced, be sure to lube them. The marine green, sticky grease works great.

Yup, they have been long-gone. So that sway bar is getting a "free ride"/not helping control sway. Replace them with Polyurethane bushings-- you will need all 8 of them.

Kurtden, I would talk with a Cummins tech or Cummins Corp to VERIFY that there is no special bleed procedure when changing coolant. Many engine DO have to have the thermostat housing bled when changing coolant. In fact many engines are set up with a line from thermostat housing to overflow reservoir for just this reason.

I have heard of vehicle with too little front end CASTER doing that. It was not recommended to tow early-model Subarus because of that. Push a grocery cart backwards at speed and find out what too little/reverse caster does for stability.

We may be talking about two different things here: After-cooler, aka Inter-cooler, aka Charge Air Cooler (all the same thing) is an air to air heat exchanger that takes intake air from the turbo (up to 300 degrees F) and cools it down to close to ambient temperature before sending it the engine intake manifold. Yes, in marine applications, it can be water cooled. Never seen a water cooled one in an RV application. Many HD diesels have a built in OIL cooler that is cooled by circulating coolant. Wonder if that is what they are talking about??

ObedB, Racor makes a very wide range of size filters. Quite certain they have one that will work great as a primary fuel filter/water separator on your coach.

Dusty, With a DIGITAL VOLTMETER (a real necessity on any RV and they start under $20): With everything off: At the chassis batteries At the house batteries At the starter Fully charged is 12.7 VDC. 50% discharged is 12.2 VDC. If not fully charged, start by fully charging them. Same places with someone trying to start it. Begin at the chassis batteries. If they drop over .7 VDC while cranking have the batteries load tested. If all the above OK, then start checking connections from battery to starter. Don't forget the ground side.

As an RV professional will evaluate, an ATS has two "IN" circuits-- one from generator and one from shore power. Only ONE "OUT" which goes to the coach 120 VAC breaker box. You can only have one source of 120 VAC (because it is alternating current) at a time. The job of the ATS is to choose only ONE source and be able to switch between them.

Actually, with 6 VDC batteries, the HAVE to be in SERIES, as everything in your coach is 12 VDC. So: House positive to positive terminal of battery #1. Negative of battery #1 to positive of battery #2 and negative of battery #2 to house ground.

So, absolutely, start by diagnosing the solenoid/relay.

George, Have you turned OFF and back ON the on-generator breakers? If they are good, next "suspect" is the ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch). IF, repeat IF you are safe working around 120 VAC, remove the cover to the ATS. With a voltmeter, check for power "IN" from the generator and for power on the "OUT" contacts. Or, have this diagnosed by someone qualified with 120 VAC RV electrical systems.

But, is the rocker switch the ON/OFF for the solenoid/relay or is it THE ON/OFF switch. Easy to tell. If small gauge wire (like 14 gauge or smaller) it is likely the "controller" for a solenoid. If it is 8 gauge or larger, it is likely a manual switch.

Dave, Get from Spartan the correct RIDE HEIGHT for your chassis. I would NOT deviate from that except for very short runs at very low speeds. Air suspension were not designed to raise and lower while driving-- they are NOT low riders!

Dusty Shipper, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Is your house battery disconnect switch (aka salesman switch) that is usually near the entrance door MECHANICAL or does it activate a SOLENOID/RELAY? If solenoid/relay and you have a voltmeter or even test light, easy to diagnose: There will be two large lugs (one from battery bank) and (one to house 12 VDC fuse box). It may have one small lug (positive signal from switch) or two (one is the positive and one the ground). If only one, the solenoid grounds through the body of the solenoid itself. So, with batteries at 12+ VDC, when the switch is on, the small signal lug should have 12+ VDC. And both the battery side lug AND the other large lug should have 12+ VDC. Let us know what you find.

Remove the gas cap and SMELL IT. If it smells like gasoline you are good to go. If it has "turned" and has a varnish-like smell, drain and start over.

Monaco should be able (call with your VIN) to tell you complete cooling system capacity. They both designed and built the chassis and whole cooling system.

Larry, There is really no "this is always the best braking system": Do you have a DP with air brakes or do you have hydraulic brakes? Do you change vehicles often or keep one for a long time?