wolfe10

I would start by reading the installation instructions for the base plates you are considering so you can decide what brand you prefer. Then ask the manufacturers for THEIR recommendation for shops that install their baseplates in your area. Brett

Scott, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. It can be mounted anywhere. In our Ford Focus, it mounted in the truck up on the side out of the way, with only the small brake pedal air cylinder/puller under the driver's seat.

Jim, Welcome to FMCA and the FMCA Forum. There are some other threads showing a number of ways to mount the oval. At the top right of this page, type "Kiley Mold" in the "search box".

Jim, Welcome to FMCA and the FMCA Forum. Here are some threads dealing with just that issue: http://community.fmca.com/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=search&fromMainBar=1

Bill, You are absolutely correct. A disconnected neutral will allow voltage to range widely, since there is no "reference". It would likely not be a steady 240, but could sure range way above 120 VAC. Ran into that in an RV resort in Vermont. A broken neutral in a line supplying half the CG (found three days later). When I checked the outlet when we arrived, voltage was 160, then 90, then 150. Moved to another section of the park.

Bill, 240 VAC on one leg means the outlet was REALLY wired improperly, as the only way to get 240 is for the second hot to be wired to the NEUTRAL! A huge mistake. Example: L1 hot plus neutral hot= 240 VAC. That is your basic old (yes not today's code) dryer connection.

Bill, Yes, we are getting deeply into philosophy. Many do not believe in doing Preventive Maintenance-- some, including myself do. And, over the years, I have found the 120 VAC components (ATS and 120 VAC breaker box) to be a high enough chance of failure to invest the time in PM'ing them. But, then I spent today replacing unbroken parts on Dianne's dad's car-- 9 year old serpentine belt, transmission fluid, filters, etc. Yes, this was still while the car was running properly.

Bill, I do lots of mechanical inspections on coaches. Loose connections/screws in the ATS and 120 VAC breaker box are reasonably common. And as you know that leads to heat which leads to more resistance which leads to more heat........ Should an owner make this 10 minute job part of their annual inspection-- IMO YES. Not sure about blame, but the vast majority of these issues are very preventable. Vibrations going down the road (particularly the state of today's roads) makes checking the connections/screws very important. So, not a lawyer's answer as to who is to blame, but from a practical standpoint, it is easy to substantially minimize the issue. Been doing this on my coach for over a decade. A well-spent 10 minutes. Brett

jimann33, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. When you started smelling the hot electrical smell, did you check the tightness of the connections in the ATS? Loose connections are the #1 cause of problems in ATS's and 120 VAC breaker boxes. A VERY good idea to spend 10 minutes once a year and check all connections in ATS and breaker box (of course with shore power, generator AND inverter OFF). Brett

Yes, if you leave the dump valve open and hose connected to the sewer, insects CAN get into the holding tanks. I would not use a petroleum-based insect spray around the rubber and plastic. Guess I would flush the tanks very well with water and drain. Add a couple of gallons of water. Add half a cup of bleach and let sit 30 minutes. Flush with water. Yes, chlorine can also be bad for rubber and plastic, but you are only leaving it in there long enough for the chlorine gas to kill the insects, then flushing it out. BTW, it is not a good idea to leave the black tank valve open all the time. Better to leave it closed until tank is at least 1/2 full and then dump.

Bill, Be aware that the CHASSIS MAKER, not engine manufacturer specs the air filter. All the engine manufacturer is tell the chassis manufacturer the CFM requirements of the engine.

I installed mine (2 8D Lifeline AGM's) in April 2005. They are still going strong.

JoAnna, With an extended service policy, best answer is to call the extended service policy company and ask them for THEIR recommendation for shops in your area they work with. That should smooth out the process and verify that they will cover the repair. Oil change on the generator-- just about anyone who can hold a wrench (assuming you have access to the drain plug (and oil filter IF equipped).

If you are reasonably handy, and can follow directions, installing a new cooling unit is not that complex. Several of the cooling unit manufacturers/remanufacturers have installation instructions on their websites. You would probably be the best judge of whether this is something you want to tackle. Of course, the other question is what is the condition of the rest of the refrigerator. Hate to see you put in a new cooling unit, then be faced with a new PC board, gas valve and burner.

murphydc, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Best advice is to read your chassis manual-- there is a section in the back on recommended chassis maintenance schedules. Basic maintenance is on an annual (one year) basis for oil and filter, chassis lube, check SCA level in coolant, etc.

Igniter clicking for 5 seconds and then shutting down indicates that the thermocouple did not sense a flame. Did you have a flame during that 5 seconds? If not, light the stove to verify good propane flow and try again. If you did have a flame, your thermocouple may be mis-aligned or dirty, have mud dubbers nest on it, etc. Start by cleaning the burner tube and checking thermocouple alignment.

Ya, Chris, not their problem, as they have the electronic controlled Allison 3000. I second the "replace fuel filters FIRST. That is both an inexpensive step and one that causes by far the most issues where power is limited, but engine runs fine at lower throttle settings (when less fuel flow is demanded).

Before deciding to treat one of the symptoms (transmission temperature) please make sure the root cause has been addressed. On a rear radiator DP, start by VERIFYING that the front of the CAC (Charge Air Cooler) is clean. This normally needs to be cleaned annually. Raise the bed. Shine a strong flashlight inside the fan shroud/between fan blades. Verify that the perimeter, particularly lower perimeter is as clean as the center (the fan blades sling the dirt to the perimeter). Often, restricted air flow through the CAC and radiator causes your symptoms and a simple cleaning can restore your cooling system to its original capacity. The Allison MD3060's torque converter is locked up in "high" second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth gear, so the transmission is not a big heat factor, even on steep grades. But, higher coolant temperatures in the radiator DO affect transmission temperatures. As a side note, be sure you grease the zirk on the fan hub on your Caterpillar 3126. It is between the head and the pulley. Brett

Mel, For a LONG time, Allison standard answer is that after the first change to Transynd (or equivalent) , the next change interval is as if it had Dexron III in it. After the second change, THEN go to the extended change interval for Transynd. Brett

Mark, Thanks for the update. A leak within the unit should be VERY easy to both identify and if too short a hose very easy to fix. To identify: Use a golf tee or other solid "plug" to plug the vacuum line going to the engine at the Invisibrake unit. If that fixes the problem, that says the vacuum leak is in the unit. As I remember, all you need to open the Invisibrake unit is an allen wrench. I would NOT suggest anyone do anything beyond checking for a short/leaking hose-- any other work inside the box should only be done by Roadmaster, or at Roadmaster's recommendation. This is just basic 101 troubleshooting!

Tom, No apologies needed. If they fit, the are a very good choice. Brett

Tom, Actually, the Trojan T145 has the same FOOTPRINT as the T125, but is TALLER. T105 is 10 7/8" tall. T145 is 11 1/2" tall. If you have the height available and the cost increment is not excessive, the T145 is a good battery to consider. Brett

Gary, Please tell us what coach you have and what chassis and model year it is.

Terry, Have them try this part number at the Caterpillar dealership: 119-5150

And some have a relay that is switched on and off from the driver's area.