wolfe10

pjibs, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Safest answer is to crawl under and copy the Allison model and serial number off the transmission plate. Then give Allison a call: 800 252 5283.

If there is no uneven wear, no reason to rotate motorhome tires. If uneven wear (which is more common on front than rear tires), THEN do rotate them. Rotate both front tires to ONE side in back-- the side with the tires in better condition. This is usually the drivers side rear, as they hit fewer curbs, potholes, etc. Move the two rear tires from that side to the front. Direction of rotation does not matter unless they are directional tires (very rare in an RV application and will be clearly marked on the sidewall).

In a word NO. 4 220 amp hr 6 VDC batteries hooked in series and then each pair of series batteries in parallel gives 440 amp hrs @ 12 VDC. Similar size foot print 12 VDC batteries would be very close to the same. Generally, wet cell deep cycle 12 VDC batteries are more expensive than 6 VDC golf cart batteries. If you are looking at high end batteries such as AGM's, the price difference is not large. The house bank in our coach is two 8D Lifeline AGM's which are 12 VDC batteries.

Sorry, need a better description: No fuel and the generator should not start. And as to affect of being connected to shore power-- most coaches are wired so that the generator is the "favored" source so if generator is started, the load transfers from shore power to generator. BUT, the ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch) could be wired so that shore power is the favored source. You can NOT have two sources of 120 VAC power at the same time. If you do have fuel (over 1/2 tank), turn off your main breaker in the 120 VAC breaker box. That will prevent a heavy start up load. See if the generator stays running. If not, check oil level, check for fault codes.

Ron, Strange that blowing in the overflow showed it clear/unobstructed, yet it does not function as an overflow. Only explanation I can think of is that you have an anti-siphon valve at the top of the loop that allows you to blow air, and may have a blockage between tank and anti-siphon valve. And, be VERY careful filling until this is remedied. Hydraulic pressure in a fully full tank can do tremendous damage-- easily lifting the floor of the motorhome.

John, Actually many coaches do NOT activate the brake lights when using just engine brakes-- I know ours does not. But, it would be very simple to wire from just the service brake switch were that desired. I also like the M&G brake, but there a limited number of vehicles with enough room to install them between the toad vacuum boost and master cylinder. I know they are not offered for our Ford Focus. I would be the first to agree that there is no one best brake for all vehicles/situations. Heck some companies offer 3 or more different braking systems.

What part of the country?

jdhagan, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Yes, it may help others to post photos of the old and new trailing arms. Were the new arms indeed made by Source or were they the "new Monaco" designed arms?

John, Sorry, I did not understand that you have MAINTENANCE-FREE batteries. Though they were just hard to access.

It is the arms themselves that fail, not a weld that is repairable.

John, The are not quite 50% discharged. If they have not been charged in awhile, they are likely OK. But, you DO need to check water level. Can you use a mirror and flashlight to check? And many use an old ketchup bottle with 3' of thin clear plastic hose that just fits through the "spout" to add distilled water-- cost around $1.

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Some RV's have an ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch) that sends EITHER shore power or generator power to your 120 VAC breaker box. In others, particularly older entry level ones, you must physically change the plug from shore to generator. Do any 120 VAC appliances work in the coach? Any outlets. If not, and you have the ATS, start by turning the on-generator breakers (usually two) OFF and back ON.

Tom and others, If you receive a PM (Private Message) the envelope icon at the top right of the page will show a number corresponding to the number of unread PM's you have received. BTW, I just sent you a test PM, so you should have at least one. Brett Moderator

Andy, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Yes, many would be delighted for you to write up and take photos of the process and post them here. Thanks.

The multiple regional conventions vs national convention issue is complicated. Many come for the vendors and many, many quality technical seminars. Companies like Michelin, Allison, Cummins, etc can easily justify sending quality presenters to give seminars for 1500+ coaches in ONE location. Same for coach manufacturers. Much more difficult for them to justify attending 10 regional events. Said another way you will get (and should expect) far better vendor and seminar presentations at large events. Yes, the downside is that more total people would likely attend 10 regional events than a single large one. But the cost of 10 small ones would probably exceed that of the single large one. So, IMO no clear answer, but believe there is a place for the National Conventions.

If you have the bad design, the only safe fix is to replace them with the new much stronger designed arms. The metal is too thin-- welding would not cure that. If in doubt as to whether you have the defective trailing arms, take it by a Monaco dealership, and/or compare your arms with the photos in this discussion.

Tom, Best answer is to have the code(s) read and KNOW what triggered the check engine light. Could be something as simple as a coolant level sensor, or could be something that left un-repaired could damage the engine.

Look closely at the way the shower is constructed-- in many the walls overlap the floor pan. If so, it does not require any sealer. Others do just butt up and do require a sealant.

TMass, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Please tell us what kind of coach/chassis you have. Does anything that normally only works with the ignition on work-- dash HVAC fan? Does the engine start? The more details you give us the better we can help.

From Monaco, get the ohm readings empty to full for the fuel sender unit. You can buy those value resistors at a Radio Shack for a buck or two. Plug them in at the tank end after removing the wire from the sender unit. That will tell you very quickly if you have a wiring/gauge problem or a sender unit problem.

Counter-point. The extra cost of wire is not huge and cost of labor is the same. And, yes, the longer the wire run, the larger the gauge needed. Predicting your electrical needs a coach or two in the future may not be worth it. As an example, your next or 2nd coach may be all electric and you may choose to use it as a guest house when family/company visits.

There are several storage facilities in the League City area (about half way between Houston and Galveston). Here is one that has indoor storage with power in individually lockable stalls. New metal buildings on concrete floors. Has water and dump station. No idea if they currently have space and if so if they would do a short term lease. League City Boat and RV Storage 3000 Fm 646 Road League City, TX 77573 (281) 332-6335 If not, there are several within a few miles of it-- all within 6-8 miles east of I45.

Go to: http://www.fmca.com/motorhome/towing Click on: Towing Guides-- towing four wheels down. Then on the model year you are interested in. Yes, you have to be signed in and be a member of FMCA to access this. Remember, the towing guide is the recommendation of the vehicle manufacturer and may reflect both their answer from a mechanical standpoint AND from a legal standpoint. Said another way, there are vehicles that can be towed four wheels down from a mechanical standpoint, but the manufacturer has deemed them not towable for other reasons. Particularly if under warranty, we AWARE!

Bigtuna, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. What area of Houston-- the Houston metro is basically 100 miles N-S and E-W? What height/length coach? Outdoor? Covered? Indoor? Electricity?

Fzeuner, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. I would not choose/eliminate a braking system because of battery discharge. That can be overcome by running a charge wire from coach battery to toad battery. Yes, fuse at both ends and I like to see it run through a relay with an ignition hot source being the trigger for the charge wire to charge the toad battery. Brett