wolfe10

Mike, I suspect that is the Allison 4000. Brett

Mike, Yes, I just called my contact at Cummins. All but the lowest HP ISX's (like under 400 HP) come with an engine compression brake (aka Jake brake). Could a coach manufacturer special order an ISX without an engine compression brake-- YES. In fact, I know that Foretravel orders theirs without the engine compression brake and fits all their coaches with the Allison Transmission Retarder. The Jake brake on the ISX functions exactly as does the Jake brake on your DD. Brett Wolfe

The fuel your 460 will burn in 30 minutes would run your generator for many hours. With a smart charger, that's the way I would go. Brett Wolfe

Harvey, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. A couple of suggestions. Drive the rear wheels up on boards to give a little extra clearance. Put safety blocks under the frame (if at home, a couple of logs cut the right dimension work well). Measure your vertical clearance under the engine. Buy Rubbermade container large enough to easily hold the oil capacity with "reserve room" at the top that will fit under the engine. I usually put it on an old cardboard box to make it easier to pull out from under the coach. After refilling the crankcase, use a coffee can and large funnel to pour the used oil from the container into the gallon jugs for recycling. Put the gallon jugs back in the case they came in for easy handling. Be sure to verify the proper fuel filters (do NOT ASSUME the ones on there are necessarily correct) and check SCA level in coolant with the little test strips before determining what coolant filter (if yours has one) to use, as they come with different quantities of SCA. Brett Wolfe

We really need a little more information to be able to give you reasoned advice. First, we don't know what engine you have. The amount of fuel used at high idle by, say a Cummins B engine is a LOT less than by, say a GM 8.1 liter gas engine. What engine do you have? There are significant differences between 45 amp converters. "Smart" converters start in bulk mode which is at higher voltage than standard converters. Said another way, they can get closer to really putting 45 amps into deeply discharged batteries. What converter do you have and does it have a smart feature/module? Also, be aware that it is better on batteries to charge them at a lower rate-- so 2 hours at 45 amps would be a lot easier on them than 45 minutes of charging with a 150 amp alternator. If you have a larger output generator, run it for 2 hours. Plug in an electric space heater to provide heat and load. The generator is better off working under a load. Of course, if you have a small portable generator, the converter may provide adequate load. The more information you give us, the better we can advice you. Brett Wolfe

Beautiful work, both mechanically and cosmetically. Thanks for sharing it with us. Brett Wolfe

Natasha, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Three ways to power a residential style refrigerator: Shore power, generator or a large battery bank powering an inverter (that turns 12 VDC from the batteries into 120 VAC). The size of the battery bank needed depends on amp draw of the refrigerator (should be posted on sticker in refrigerator), amount of time it runs-- in winter, perhaps 40% of the time, and how long you want to run it without shore power or generator. What size/number (or amp rating) house batteries do you have? Do you already have an inverter? Brett Wolfe

FRED's fit in a notch between gas and DP(diesel pushers). Yes, they have diesel engines (small but adequate size), smaller series Allison transmission, leaf spring suspension vs air on DP's, hydraulic vs air brakes on DP's, etc. I see them as a step up from a gas chassis, but a step down from a DP. But, as Herman wisely said, only you can determine what coach/chassis fit YOUR needs. Some have a great time in a 20 year old gas rig, others "have to have" a 42' coach with 4 slides. Same as stick houses-- find what you like and can afford. And even as a certain price point, you can go new lower end or used higher end. Brett Wolfe

David, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Synthetic oil is just fine for your engine. Give your brother a homework assignment: Find documentation to support his claim. BTW, I have used "pure synthetic" oil in my gasoline powered vehicles for the last 40 years. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Part of that decision will be based on where you live. If travel is not an issue, my STRONG recommendation is to attend one of the FMCA International Conventions-- the next one in Albuquerque in March 2010. The Conventions offer several important things for buyers: The ability to look at your choices back to back (and back again to compare)-- all in the same location. The opportunity to actually drive them, on the same route, same day, etc for a REAL comparison. The ability to look at bare chassis, attend chassis maintenance seminars (free) etc to see more of that is "underneath" the coach. The ability to walk up to owners of coaches on your short list (who are camping at the Convention) and ask them for input and have them be able to answer your questions. Brett Wolfe

As I suggested, the first things to do are verify that the lens and bulbs are clean and that voltage is close to chassis battery voltage. If voltage is not close to that of the chassis battery, "powering" them with a relay (applies to an even greater degree to the headlights) directly from the chassis battery is relatively inexpensive. You just use the existing wire to the bulb to turn on/off the relay, with power to the relay and then the bulb coming directly from the battery with a large enough gauge wire to have minimal voltage drop. Supplying a light bulb with 13.8 VDC instead of, say 13.2 WILL give you more light. Same as interior bulbs brighten when you plug in and turn on your battery charger. But, if everything is "up to snuff" and the lights are still too dim, upping the wattage of the bulb WILL give you more light. A couple of caveats: There are restrictions on how bright tail lights can be, there are restrictions on the wattage that the wiring can supply-- not a danger, as they are fuse-protected, but too large a bulb (too large an electrical draw) will cause a voltage drop in a small gauge wire, which may lead you back to using a relay from the battery to supply the lights. You can upgrade the bulb to larger-wattage incandescent bulbs or to LED's designed for that socket. Brett Wolfe

Soap and water is the best "leak finder." While it could be the bag itself, lines and connections to them is more likely. And Rexhall should be able to tell you what aftermarket bags they fit (if indeed this was a factory installed part). While you are under there checking for leaks, see if there is any identification on the air bags as to their manufacturer. Firestone made a lot of them: http://www.firestoneindustrial.com/riderit...10&rfk=2070 Brett Wolfe

With each successive generation of engines (both Ford and GM), the manufacturers have done a better job of maximizing air flow through the engine. So the newer the generation of engine, the less there is to gain by after-market devices. You have to determine how much you are willing to pay for how much increase in performance. As DoggyDaddy said the 8.1 (496 CID) has enough power for most. And very, very few report increases in MPG. Brett Wolfe

Tom has you off to a good start. Make sure the lens and bulb are clean. Is this just tail lights (running lights) or is it stop lights as well? While in there, turn on the lights with the bulb removed and verify voltage. If not very close to battery voltage (around 14 VDC with engine running) you may have a problem with the 12 VDC positive or ground. If voltage is more than .5 VDC less than at battery, we can talk you through using a relay to get voltage back to where it should be for the lights themselves. You can also look at a higher-wattage bulb or for more $$ LCD lens packages. Brett Wolfe

Bill, Given that you have to reset the GFI to restore power, the refrigerator is the likely cause of the GFI tripping (When the refrigerator/ice maker is not plugged in the GFI stays ON. And when the refrigerator/ice maker is plugged in it trips the GFI). Have you isolated it to the ice maker vs refrigerator? If refrigerator, the most common issue is a bad heating element. It could be nothing more than a mud dabber nest that is partically grounding the heating element to the flue. To diagnose: Disconnect the refrigerator 120 VAC. Remove the two leads from the heat element (part way up the flue). Use an ohm meter to check for any continuity between either wire and the metal of the flue. This should have no continuity. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. No secret recipes here. While dry camping, it is common (best economic use of generator without materially shortening battery life) to discharge a battery bank down to 50% and recharge to 85%. Repeat... Charge to 100% at least every 10 days. You will need to look at the electrical demand of the residential refrigerator along with all the other items you plan to run along with battery bank size (in amp-hrs) and see if it will work for you. WATTS is the easiest way to calculate this, as you don't have to convert from 12 VDC to 120 VAC. You do need to know that power you have to "invert" from 12 VDC to 120 VAC is only about 92% efficient. For most, an all-electric coach is great for being plugged in with occasional dry camping. For extended dry camping, a less electrically demanding option may be better. You have to determine what is best FOR YOUR USE. Brett Wolfe

Gary, Assuming you have the W chassis not the P chassis: http://www.roadmasterinc.com/vehicle_guide/index.php Brett Wolfe

And before buying two more 12VDC batteries (VERY hard and expensive to find deep cycle 12 VDC batteries) look into two 6 VDC golf cart batteries that you would install in SERIES instead of PARALLEL-- well under $100 each and true deep cycle batteries. Around 220 amp-hrs @ 12 VDC. Cosco, Sams, Golf cart shops, etc stock them. Brett Wolfe

Yup, Dawn dishwashing detergent works well and is a lot less harsh to the metal. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. I would question the advice you have received. There is NO battery bank of 4 6VDC or 2 12 VDC batteries that will last a week while dry camping unless you are EXTREMELY frugal. The least expensive quality deep cycle batteries (the proper battery for the house battery bank) are 6 VDC golf cart batteries. Yes 12 VDC deep cycle batteries are available, but are quite a lot more expensive per amp-hr as they are relatively unique compared with golf cart batteries. And 12`VDC deep cycle batteries come in a wide range of sizes (in amp-hrs), so, depending on what 12 VDC battery was recommended, you may or may not be stepping down in capacity. Marine or combination start/deep cycle batteries are a BIG step down for deep cycle use from true deep cycle batteries. Avoid them. Most define their battery bank size as "proper" if they can go overnight without discharging the batteries below 50% (1/2 their rated amp-hr capacity). If dry camping very often, the equation becomes overnight while discharging the batteries from 85% to 50%. That is because it is a lot less efficient to top off the last 15% than to run them from 50% to 85%. And discharge below 50% materially shortens battery life. Check with your local Sams and Cosco as well as golf shops. I will pay a little more for Trojan T105's than "standard" GC batteries. If you don't plan to run much on an inverter or run the furnace (the furnace fan is a 12 VDC power hog), you may be able to get away with a single pair of GC batteries (around 220 amp-hr capacity @ 12 VDC). To give you a good starting point for comparing, most 6 VDC golf cart batteries are around 220 amp-hrs. So you currently have about 440 amp hrs @ 12 VDC. If you discharge to 50% that gives you a max of 220 amp hrs @ 12 VDC available. Add up your electrical needs and see if you can do with less. Brett Wolfe

Just a reminder: If you have "low silicate coolant for diesels with SCA's" (we can call this "regular" coolant for your engine) as opposed to a long-life coolant like Caterpillar ELC, YOU MUST TEST AND REPLENISH THE SCA AS IT IS USED UP. This is the coolant that came from the chassis/coach maker in all but a handful of cases. Failure to keep SCA's at proper level hampers cooling and on larger engines with replaceable cylinder liners, can lead to cylinder wall erosion. Test strips are available in small quantities: Fleetguard CC2604-A 4 pack. NAPA FIL4105. NAPA and other parts houses that cater to the OTR truck trade stock them. Go into a suburban NAPA and they might stare you like a deer caught in the headlights or ask you to buy a whole box of the individually wrapped strips. They are date sensitive, so MAKE SURE THEY HAVE NOT EXPIRED. Expired strips can give false results. They are easy to use-- just follow the directions-- dip in coolant, wait, read. Do NOT just use a set amount of SCA additive (it comes as a liquid and for coaches fit with a coolant filter, in different quantities in filters). Overdosing is almost as bad as under-dosing. If you do have a coolant filter, they come with different number of "units" of SCA. When adding SCA's it is always safer to slightly UNDER dose the system and re-check it with the test strips after a few hundred miles and re-dose if necessary. The test strips also test for freeze point and pH. If either is way out, it is time to drain, flush and change coolant. And even if everything tests OK, coolant still needs to be changed every three/four years (per coolant manufacturer's recommendations). Said another way, the strips do NOT test for all the anti-corrosion additives that are important to your engine. If, as many of us have done, you switch to a long life coolant such as Caterpillar ELC at your next coolant change, there is no SCA testing. After 3 years a "booster" is added. The ELC is then good for another 3 years. Your cooling system is important. If the simple testing and additive steps required of ALL diesels (Caterpillar, Cummins, Detroit Diesel, etc) are followed, the "inside" of your cooling system will give you many years of trouble-free service. And while you are there, particularly if a rear radiator, access the engine from the top and shine a strong flashlight inside the fan shroud/between the fan blades. Make sure the perimeter of the after-cooler (that is what you are looking at) is as clean as the center. The blades "sling" the dirt to the perimeter. Brett Wolfe

Bill, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Most refrigerator 120 VAC outlets (heating element and ice maker) are GFI protected. With the outlet for the refrigerator in a semi-exposed area (outside refrigerator door), moisture can get in there and trip the GFI. And the GFI itself can be located anywhere, with the bathroom and basement being two common locations. BUT, from your post it sounds like the power comes back on without you having to reset a GFI or breaker when the ice maker is unplugged. THAT IS PUZZLING. Are any other circuits affected by this? And anytime you have an issue like this, spend the 10 minutes it takes to re-torque all the connections in the 120 VAC breaker box (with power off of course). If you can think of anything else that will help us identify the culprit, let us know. Brett Wolfe

A word of caution here. The hitch rating itself may OR MAY NOT indicate the towing capacity. Again, the weakest component determines capacity. The hitch may not be the weak link. Brett Wolfe

Eva, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Yes, the effect of side winds, passing trucks, etc is in direct relation to the amount of "sail area" the side of the coach offers. Particularly, that portion behind the rear wheels (think of the wind vane on the barn roof-- that little bit of surface area in the tail of the wind vane points the whole vane toward the wind). Alfas are very tall, so products like the Airtabs would have more positive effect on your rig than shorter ones. Brett Wolfe

Gerry, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. The weakest link dictates your coach's towing capacity. It may be the hitch, the hitch attachment (particularly if mounted on a frame extension vs the frame itself), brakes, etc. The safe answer is to confirm GCWR (to be compared with your actual coach plus toad weight) and towing capacity with both your chassis maker (Freightliner I suspect) and Tiffin. Brett Wolfe