wolfe10

We have used small house-type dehumidifiers on our motorhomes and boats for many years WHILE IN STORAGE . Basically, they are small A/C's with both condenser and evaporator (where the water condenses) in the room. Not familiar with a quiet one. I would question that enough moisture would buildup while living in the coach (with proper ventilation) to keep any area wet (other than glass areas and other areas that remain cold-- below the dew point of the inside air. Have you searched for water leaks from potable water system or sink drains? Brett Wolfe

And as you gain knowledge, ask SPECIFIC QUESTIONS here. There are literally millions of miles of motorhome experience here. The more specific your questions, the more factual/less opinion-based the answers. For example, a general question such as "what is a good 40' DP" will generate mostly "opinion" answers that will likely do you little good in determining what is the best coach for YOU. But ask a question such as what coaches come with XYZ layout-- we really like that floorplan or what kind of performance can we expect from XYZ engine in an XYZ weight coach will give you more meaningful answers. Brett Wolfe

Grab a flashlight and mirror. You can usually see "between the duals" well enough to read the date code. Brett Wolfe

Give Allison a call on Monday. And if you drive between now and then, see if the symptoms are the same with mode ON and OFF (little light by mode button ON= Economy Mode). You can also use the shift pad to check for codes-- your Allison owners manual gives the easy procedure and meaning of each code. Brett Wolfe

Jim, The chassis builder chooses and installs the tires. I have not seen different trear design tires fit on a particular chassis as OE equipment by either Ford or Workhorse. Sounds like someone may have replaced the rear tires. Tell us exactly what tires you have-- if all Michelin XRV's, they should all have the same tread pattern. Be aware that the complete DOT number (with molded in date code) is only on one side of each tire sidewall. Have you verified that it is not facing inward on the rear tires? With your concerned, I would crawl under and verify what tires and build dates you have on all tires. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA forum. Best answer is to call Allison on Monday: Allison help line 800 252 5283 Please verify what engine/transmission you have-- is the the Allison 3000 6 speed? And does it do this in both regular and economy modes? Brett Wolfe

A macerator toilet uses an electrically driven macerator rather than gravity to move toilet contents to the holding tank. They are also used in marine applications and in residential applications where the toilet will be installed below the sewer drain level (like in a basement). Here is one manufacturer: http://www.saniflo.com/Default.aspx And the best answer is to contact the maker of your toilet and ask their advice. Brett Wolfe

Dianne and I have spent 6 winters in Mexico in our coach and have never had a problem. We enjoy experiencing another culture as well as the great food and people. As suggested, the violence in the press is focused on those in the drug business. Brett Wolfe

YES, there are RV specific tires-- no sales gimmick. That does not mean that non-RV specific tires should not be used, but there are legitimate "RV specific" tires. You might want to look at these two Websites for information on the Michelin XRV and Goodyear 670RV: http://www.michelinrvtires.com/michelinrv/...fo.do?tread=XRV http://www.goodyear.com/rv/products/g670.html Brett Wolfe

Actually, with the exception of the Michelin XRV and Goodyear G670RV tires, to my knowledge ALL tires are "dual use" (truck and RV). And it is easy enough to compare prices of the RV vs "other series" tires at any tire dealer. BTW, we do purchase our tires at a tire dealer specializing in trucks-- simply because they have the equipment and expertise to handle our size rig and it's tires and wheels. One other point when buying new tires-- make sure they ARE new. I do not accept any tire whose DOT.... number indicates it is older than 3 months old because you will likely be replacing them based on TIME, not tread wear. The last FOUR DIGITS of the number molded into one sidewall of each tire indicate the WEEK and YEAR of production. So a DOT number of DOT...........2308 were made the 23rd week of 2008. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. With a 1993 coach, it is likely that you have the Allison MD3060 6 speed transmission (unless very early 1993 model) with TWO display shift pad. If this is your set up, the left display indicates the "pre-select" gear. So when you hit "D", it shows "6". If wired properly, the exhaust brake, when you hit the switch AND the throttle is closed the left display will go from "6" to the "pre-select" gear for exhaust brake activation which is generally "2" or "4". Yes, it can be any gear, but those are the two most commonly chosen gears by chassis makers. AND you should feel the transmission start downshifting as soon as you turn on the switch and close the throttle. At the same time, the right display will begin showing lower gears with downshifting occurring as soon as it will not over-speed the engine in the next lower gear. If closing the throttle and hitting the exhaust brake switch does not change the transmission display/cause transmission downshifting, suspect an electrical issue. If the display changes and transmission does start downshifting, but you can't really tell a difference in braking, here is an easy test: Use the down arrow to select a gear that activating the exhaust brake switch would choose (lock it in the gear that the right display indicates). NOW, turn on then off and back on the exhaust brake. Feel for a difference in braking HP. You have eliminated the transmission as a variable. If no difference in braking, the exhaust brake may not be receiving the electrical signal to close at the solenoid controlling air to the exhaust brake, OR the brake may be physically seized from disuse/lack of lubrication. If you do not have this transmission, please let us know what drivetrain you have and we can go over it's operation. Brett Wolfe

truckr44, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. To add to Jack's excellent infomation, let me make a suggestion. You are likely to get better answers if you ask specific questions. That way people will know what you are concerned and be able to address those issues. Layout, CCC, drivetrain, warranty, etc. If you include how you plan to use the coach (i.e. full time, tail gating, occasional weekend) that may help in focusing the answers on YOUR needs. Brett Wolfe

If what you are concerned about is engine RPM's/shift points, I BELIEVE (please confirm with the Allison number below-- I have no phone service where we are this week) that the Allison ECU makes "shift decisions" based on engine RPM. So tire size should not change shift points from an engine RPM standpoint, though of course it would be at a slightly different actual road speed. Allison help line 800 252 5283. Brett Wolfe

Jim, Good information. Thanks for the post. Do you have a link to the recall or a number for those with Samsung microwaves to call? Brett Wolfe

The most accurate reference when discussing "effective change in gear ratio" -- economy, performance, etc is REVOLUTIONS PER MILE. Check the tire manufacturer's websites/publications for this information. Do not rule out going to a metric replacement for the 12R's. Brett Wolfe

I asked Ford Customer Service for the latest information on this-- this is what I received today 10/23/09. Brett Wolfe Thank you for your correspondence. The information that you are seeking is not available in hard copy since the introduction of the 2010 model year Escape, but I took the liberty of copying relevant sections of the 2010 Escape owner guide which contain the information that you are seeking. The supplement provided guideline designed to prevent damage to the transmission due to overheating if a customer measured the transmission fluid at the wrong temperature: 1. Transmission fluid level must be checked at operating temperature of 185 °F - 200 °F (85 °C - 93 °C). At this temperature, adjust fluid level between minimum line and the minimum hole at the bottom of the hash marks on dipstick. This level is within the safe operating fluid level and does not require the customer to have the fluid level readjusted after flat tow operation. (Figure 1) Figure 1 - Article 09-20-13 2. Maximum towing speed is 65 MPH (105 Km/h). 3. Do not flat tow the vehicle for greater than 6 hours at a time. 4. Start and run the engine for: - 5 minutes before towing each day - 5 minutes every 6 hours or less. 5. While running the engine at idle for 5 minutes, with foot on the brake, shift through all gears. If your 2009 Escape was built prior to 10/28/2008, your transmission dipstick may not have the minimum and maximum lines outside of the hash marks. If this is the case, your dipstick can be replaced under warranty to assist with proper measurement of the transmission fluid if frequently four-wheel down recreational towing. The part number required is 9L8Z-7A020-B.

Sounds like excellent dimensions. But, don't make it too plush. You don't want your coach to think it can rest there all the time! And even if you can't plumb into the septic system, consider a slopped floor to center drain to small leaching field and sealed concrete for occasional washing or driving it in when raining. If that isn't practical, slope floor gently to door. If there will be room to park another coach in front of the storage building, consider another 30 or 50 amp outlet by the door encase you have others visit in their coach. Agree 14' (actual clearance) insures that this and future coaches well fit without antenna damage.

What area of the country (low temperature important)? What is the size of your current motorhome? What is the largest motorhome you are contemplating? Can you tie into your house sewer system in the garage area or in drive to it? Can you bring 50 amp or 30 amp 120 VAC into the area? Brett Wolfe

To contact them: http://scsfrigette.com/hvac-systems-recrea...al-vehicles.php I am confused by your statements. If no 12 VDC to the motor, how do you conclude the fan motor is dead? Have you jumped 12 VDC positive directly to the motor-- that would run the fan on high, as the resistor is what gives lower fan speeds? Brett Wolfe

I am running about 60% "logged in" when I click on the Forum on my "Favorites" menu. The remainder of the time, when I click "log-in, it instantly recognizes me-- no user name or password needed. I then just click on "Forum" and generally on "View New Posts." Brett Wolfe

Lilly, Are you talking about a shield in front of the GRILL-- where air enters the radiator? If so, has that been suggested as a cause of the failure? If so, I would like to know how the transmission fluid is cooled when the vehicle is towed-- i.e. is the fluid circulated through the cooler??? And, if it is, would adding a large transmission cooler for $100 be an answer??? "Inquiring minds want to know"! Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. To take any significant weight off the tires by deflating them after blocking the axles, you would REALLY have to lower PSI. And that would have the tires stored in a very "out of round"/deformed condition and basically little more than flat. That is hard on the tires. Were you going to "lessen the load" on the tires, it would be better to use the jacks to raise the chassis and block the chassis to axles or chassis to ground-- remember SAFETY FIRST while you are under there. Many of us also use the jacks to relieve some of the load on the tires and suspension. We take about 50% of the weight of the vehicle with the jacks-- and have done that when storing for the more than a decade. We have HWH jacks-- OK per them and we have never experienced a problem. Check with your jack manufacturer to make sure it is acceptable with your jacks. The following is from the Michelin RV Tire Guide. Go to http://www.michelinrvtires.com/michelinrv/...ce-material.jsp. Click on "RV Tire Guide." LONG TERM STORAGE AND RV TIRES Unless the RV owner is a full-time RV-er, the vehicle probably spends some time in long-term storage. But what the RV owner probably didn’t know is that rubber tires age when not being used. So, if the owner must store the RV, a cool, dry, sealed garage is the best bet. Also, some storage surfaces can cause tires to age faster. That’s why Michelin recommends placing a barrier (cardboard, plastic or plywood) between the tire and the storage surface. Here are some other steps the RV owner can take to help reduce the aging effects from long-term storage: 1) Thoroughly clean tires with soap and water before placing into storage. 2) Cover tires to block direct sunlight and ultraviolet rays. 3) Store out of a high ozone area. Note: When a vehicle is stored, tires should be inflated to the inflation pressure indicated on the sidewall. Before removing the vehicle from long-term storage, thoroughly inspect each tire ��" this includes sidewalls, tread area, and air pressure. If the tires have lost air, be sure to inflate them to the correct pressure before driving. Brett Wolfe

Seajay, You need to find out why both battery banks are not charged by the alternator. Often, it is just a failed solenoid or isolator. Having both battery banks charged by the alternator gives you welcome redundancy and sure beats having to run the generator to charge batteries while driving if you have heavy 12 VDC loads on your house batteries-- like running the furnace(s) while driving. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. That is a safety practice most of us follow. All you need to do is see one RV turned into an "aquarium" with water pouring out the entrance door to know it is safer to not have city water on when you are not in the rig-- EVEN WITH THE PROPER PRESSURE REDUCER IN PLACE. Brett Wolfe

No, Mike. I have only researched the technical end of this. The company that makes the "strong" style replacement arms (see my post above) would certainly have a price on the parts and what amount of labor is involved. They may also have the name of shops in your area that have already done the replacements. Brett Wolfe