wolfe10
-
Content Count
7937 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
81
Posts posted by wolfe10
-
-
How do I find out when our membership renewal is due ? I know it is our fault, but we got so very little out of our membership that we probably will not join again. We joined to get into the forum and meet other owners of type "B" motor homes. For various reasons we have not attended any rallies, so we have met no one. Also, the "B" forum is almost totally inactive.Attending an FMCA Convention or joining an FMCA chapter are great ways to meet others with similar interests.
Have you looked through the Chapters to see which ones have interests that align with yours -- Including Class B's?
I remember at the Perry GA FMCA Convention this last spring a whole field of Class B motorhomes parked together -- and having a great time.
Many systems, travels, and lifestyles of Class B owners are the same as Class C and A's. So, you are correct, the "exclusive Class B" forum is not very active, BUT questions on any appliances or systems, destinations or general comments certainly could be posted by others with Class B coaches- in the appropriate subject area.
Most FMCA members do not really look that closely at what their neighbors drive-- you will find 1.5 million dollar coaches right next to and spending time with those with 20 year old small coaches. But, yes, you can find "exclusive groups" sure, if that is what your are interested in.
To answer your other question about your renewal date, once you have signed in (as you are when you post here), scroll over "Members" drop-down menu at the top of the page right side. Then click on "Renew Membership." It will show you when your membership expires. If you are signed in and select "Update Membership," you will see your membership "valid thru" date there as well.
Brett Wolfe
-
We do "ALL OF THE ABOVE".
When in storage, there is a dehumidifier onboard set to 45%.
When we travel, the dehumidifier stays home and we do as Tom does.
Brett Wolfe
-
Thanks, Brett.I was told that the chassis would support the HP upgrade.
You commented about increased fuel consumption. Would this be due to the computer requesting more fuel be injected at a specific rpm to get the increased HP and torque?
Amby N
I don't know what chassis you have, but if you read comments in the summer, there are a LOT of overheating complaints, particularly from rear radiator chassis (especially if the inter-cooler is not cleaned frequently). Making more HP/burning more fuel does increase the amount of heat an engine produces AND that the cooling system must dissipate. Agreed, the rest of the drivetrain itself (Allison 3000 and rear axle) will be fine.
Yes fuel consumption will go up. No free rides. To produce more HP/torque any engine requires more fuel.
The only conditions where MPG could go up is if you drive in areas where you don't have sufficient power and.even in economy mode. the transmission is constantly downshifting to 5th to pull grades. Adding just enough power to keep it in 6th all the time would save a little fuel. But overall, consumption will NOT go down.
Brett Wolfe
-
I'm told that I can have a CAT dealer up my 2004 300 hp C7 to 330 hp with a computer firmware change.I like the idea of having more torque (less drop off) as the RPMs increase. But I wonder what the down side might be. The cost is around $450 now that the warranty has expired.
Thank,
Amby N.
Amby,
First, peak torque does not change -- it remains 860 lb-ft at 1,440 RPM.
Any time HP is increased, it means two things -- you will burn more fuel and you will produce a greater heat load on the cooling system.
The first issue is one that you can answer -- am I willing to pay more fuel for a little more performance?
The second issue is more complex. Basically, you are asking if the chassis maker originally "OVER-SIZED" the cooling system enough to handle additional heat loads. Where most would use the extra HP is climbing those long grades -- exactly the same place that your cooling system is already stressed.
Another way to approach the decision is to ask what you want to achieve? For most, if it will not allow you to go 5 MPH faster up those 6% grades, it is likely not worth it.
Caterpillar Corp has an excellent document to determining FACTUALLY, what additional HP will do for you in terms of speed on a 6% grade.
https://ohe.cat.com/cda/files/287140/7/LEGT5364.pdf
Go to page 7. Determine which coach (GCW) you have and see how much additional HP it would take to get you those 5 extra MPH. Note: the HP in the table is all "AT THE REAR WHEELS" HP, as Caterpillar had no idea what size A/C compressor, alternator, cooling fan, etc your chassis maker would fit. Figure about 1.30 engine HP= 1.00 HP at the rear wheels.
After looking at the FACTS, the decision on "what it is worth to you" is-- indeed yours.
Brett Wolfe
-
Amby,
What brand are the slide awnings? Have you contacted them?
Brett Wolfe
-
Our 2005 County Coach came with a household all electric Amana fridge which we now have to replace. We have had plenty of power and inverters to run this fridge over the past years. Although the actual cabinet space is 28 1/2" deep, the old fridge was only 26 3/4" deep. I have found a new fridge that is 27 3/8" deep and my wife really likes it. How much clearance is needed between back of the cabnet opening and back of fridge? Salesman said new fridges don't need clearance at back for venting because they vent in front of unit at bottom. I can't seem to find specs on this new LG fridge on their web site. Any advice about clearance needed for safety and venting purposes? Thanks Don Everhart 12/4/09Don,
Welcome to the FMCA Forum.
Only reliable source for clearance requirements is the refrigerator manufacture's owners manual or contact LG and ask for rear as well as side clearnaces for any models you are interested in.
Brett Wolfe
-
IF vandals did drain the oil, they are the most industrious vandals I have ever heard of.
Most vandals are VERY lazy and would not go around with wrenches in their pockets and crawl under vehicles to drain the oil.
Go back to where you store the coach or were last parked. One would assume that a vandal interested in draining the oil to cause mischief would have just pulled the drain plug-- kind of hard to imagine a vandal draining into a container and taking it to recycle!
Brett Wolfe
-
Here is an excellent Workhorse Custom Chassis Service Bulletin Number: 50902â€I
Subject: Safety Recall 50901â€C Interim Repair Procedure
Models: All W20, W21, W22 Models Produced from July 24, 2000, through December 19, 2007, and Equipped with Bosch ZOPS or ZOHT Hydraulic Disc Brake Assemblies.
http://workhorse.com/Portals/0/50902-I%20B...L%209-23-09.pdf
Brett Wolfe
-
Does anyone know how much oil the Cummins ISL motor take???Welcome to the FMCA Forum.
For the most reliable answer, call Cummins 800 343-7357, 0 with our engine serial number.
Brett Wolfe
-
Brett,The coach has the allison 4000 6 speed with 2 overdrive gears.
Thanks,
Mike
Yup, on all Allison 3000 and 4000 series, 4th is 1:1. 5th is a .75 OD and 6th is .65 OD.
Brett
-
Brett,I have emailed the dealer and waiting on the reply.
As you can tell I am new to the rv forum, and have lots of questions.
You are probably right about the Allison 4000.
With the Cummins ISX 600 and the Allison 4000, mountain grades should not be a problem?
Thanks, Mike
Mike.
Power (HP) to weight ratio is a better indicator of climbing ability than just looking at HP along.
For an excellent discussion on coach performance, go to this Caterpillar Corporation document (applies equally well to any engine):
https://ohe.cat.com/cda/files/287140/7/LEGT5364.pdf
Brett Wolfe
-
Brett,Thanks so much for the reply.
The coach that I am interested in is an Country Coach Affinity. The dealer says that it has an engine brake, but I think that it has the Allison 6000 Transmission. I am not sure about the tranny.
Thanks,
Mike
Mike,
I suspect that is the Allison 4000.
Brett
-
I am presently looking at a motorhome with a Cummins ISX 600 in it.I have been use to traveling the country in an 18-wheeler over all 48 lower states, on different mountain grades. The 18-wheeler had a Detroit Diesel 500-horsepower engine with a Jake Brake. How does the engine brake on the Cummins compare to the Jake Brake on the Detroit Diesel?
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
-
Thanks for the info, Brett. Engine is a 460 Ford, 1995. Converter is a 9245 Progressive Dynamics, with the dongle. After reading your response, I'm believing perhaps a half hour charging off the alternator followed by a long charge off the converter might be the way to go. Any thoughts?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
-
]I have always changed my own oil on any of the gasoline powered vehicles that I have owned and that includes the 2 different RV's that we have had.It will be a new learning experience next summer changing the RV oil as we have moved up to a new to us previous loved diesel coach. Collecting and disposing of 25 quarts of oil will be a challenge as well as the 5 or 6 filters that need to be replaced. We are new to FMCA as well even though we have had a motorhome for the last 25 plus years.
Harvey
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
-
Given this scenario -- Been dry camping, just woke up to find house batteries kinda low (12.3V) due to lots of furnace use through the cold night. We have two options -- turn on the genny and let the 45-amp converter pump up the batts, or turn on the engine and let the alternator do it. I think the engine solution is best, as the alternator can push out a lot more current than the converter, and simultaneously heat the coach, too. Anyone ever looked closely at this?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
-
Yes, I plan to change my own oil as I did on my last rig (Chevy 454). My brother mentioned that he had read that using pure synthetic oil might be hard on the engine seals. Does anyone have a thought about this for a Ford V-10 engine?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
-
We are thinking about stepping up to a motorhome and have thought about going to some of the shows to look. Anyone have any suggestions about which show might be the best to go see?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
-
Brett, I have earned my living as a mechanic in my youth(too long ago to think). I am interested in your thought on a higher wattage bulb. How do you go about looking for such a bulb? As am example, do I just go to the parts house with a 1057 bulb and ask for a higher wattage? I have always looked for bad connections and dirty sockets but didn't know about the higher wattage bulb, thanks for the hint.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
-
I've got a 2002 36-foot Rexhall motorome with manual air bags; valves are on the side of the coach. The chassis is Ford. I have a slight leak in my right side. I've checked the valve and line for leaks and can't find one. I'm suspecting the raising chamber itself. Is there a way to check this? If it turns out to be leaking, is there a fix or do I replace the bag itself? If that's the case, where can I find one?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
Mold in freshwater hose
in Water and Holding Tanks
Posted · Report reply
Particularly if you camp where the water is not chlorinated, water plus sun= algae.
Pour 3 to 4 ounces of plain Clorox or other no-additive bleach in the hose and fill with water. Let stand for a couple of hours and flush with fresh water.
Brett Wolfe