wolfe10

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

Congratulations on solving your problem. Two problems occurring at the same time (open wire and bad motor) is unusual, but as you did, just approach it logically. And glad you replaced the open hot wire from the fuse box-- those always scare me. Sometimes one or two strands of an open bare wire (which can happen if a wire is broken) can contact ground and while still not drawing enough current to blow the fuse turn those few strands red hot and start a fire. 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

I was just talking with the Chief Designer for Roadmaster Suspension Solutions yesterday to answer another suspension-related question. He related a story of one of these trailing arms that broke as an owner was driving up to to his home. The rear axle skewed so much when the trailing arm broke that it broke an air bag and could have lead to his total loss of control. PLEASE, if your coach has these defective REAR TRAILING ARMS-- REPLACE THEM N O W! Brett Wolfe

What aftermarket dash HVAC (including fan) do you have?

Any Ford dealer should be able to get you a wiring schematic for your dash HVAC fan. Armed with that, troubleshooting will be a lot easier. Brett Wolfe

Caterpillar RV Engine Owners Club Update: We have just received confirmation from Caterpillar Corporation that Cat RV Club members will receive "10% off all genuine Caterpillar parts for your RV at authorized Caterpillar dealers" for 2010! As in the past, Caterpillar will issue the discount cards in December to Club members who are current on their dues. Per Club bylaws, dues are due November 1 for the following year. The Club has worked very hard to make renewal quick and easy using PayPal. Click on: http://catrvclub.org/renew_membership.htm. Of course you can mail it in as well: Click on http://catrvclub.org/membership.htm. Select "Renewal Form-Mail Check". Have a Caterpillar engine in your RV and want more information? Find out more on the Club Website: http://catrvclub.org/ Hope to see you at a Caterpillar RV Club Rally this year. Dianne and I plan to attend both Amarillo and Newport. We will have in depth RV Maintenance Seminars as well as a great time. Brett Wolfe

To bring everyone up to speed on this, here is my post on this SAFETY RECALL over on the FMCA Forum-- Class A: http://community.fmca.com/index.php?showtopic=569 Here is some information that I have pieced together after combing multiple sources. I will update this post as additional information becomes available and post updated date at the bottom. DISCLAIMER: Though I have spent a couple of hours researching this, I by no means hold myself out to be an expert on this. If you have one of the following chassis, it behooves you to follow up! Look forward to more information being posted on this subject! According to my information, there are THREE different suspensions under the R4R and RR4R chassis over the years. ONLY ONE IS AFFECTED. The recall affects Rear Suspension Trailing Arms ONLY ON THE R4R and RR4R CHASSIS with the "Monaco Gold" or sometimes referred to as "R-Way" suspension. It is an in-house copy of the Neway suspension. It does NOT include any suspension systems made by Neway or Reyco. The recalled R-Way arm goes UNDER the rear axle and is made of 3" square tubing. They are on either side in the rear. The rear air bag is bolted to the rear/back end of the trailing arm. The center of the trailing arm is bolted to the rear axle with a large u-bolt and plates and the front is bolted to the frame. The cracks happen on the upper or lower portion of the center of the trailing arm where the u-bolt holds it to the axle. You can identify the Reyco rear suspension (NOT AFFECTED BY THE RECALL) by the trailing arms that go over the axle rather than under. If you have the FOUR air bag suspension and your trailing arm goes OVER the AXLE= Reyco= no problem. If you have the FOUR air bag suspension and your trailing arm goes UNDER the AXLE= Neway OR R-Way= MAY, repeat MAY. BE SUBJECT TO THE RECALL/problem. If the trailing arm is 3" square tubing, it is R-Way and is part of the recall. The Neway was used basically from 2000 thru 2002 and those arms are identified by the fabricated weldments using multiple pieces of plate welded into a box assembly (Not tube) and is NOT part of the recall-- there are no problems with this design Monaco had a previous recall on the trailing arms because of bad welds. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE ARMS REPLACED UNDER THIS EARLIER CAMPAIGN ARE STILL THE OLD DESIGN THAT ARE SUBJECT TO BREAKING-- I.E. THEY ARE THE 3" SQUARE TUBE DESIGN. They need to be upgraded just like the original trailing arms. The trailing arm allows the rear axle to move up and down using the air bag to cushion and limit the movement. A lot of stress is placed on the pivot point at the arm on the axle. The recall essentially includes any R4R or RR4R Monaco Roadmaster chassis produced after the 2002 model year. This change was made as a running change and it is possible that some very late 2002 models could be effected. Monaco Knight 2002 - 2004 Monaco Cayman 2002 - 2009 Holiday Rambler Ambassador 2002 - 2004 Holiday Rambler Neptune 2002 - 2009 Safari Cheetah 2002 - 2007 Safari Simba RD All Years Safari Zanzibar 2002 -2005 2002, 2003 and some 2004 Monaco Knight, Cayman, HR Ambassador, Neptune, Safari Cheetah, Sahara and Zanzibar. NHSTA didn't think they could do anything because Monaco is out of business and the "new" Monaco appears to be under no legal obligation to accept responsibility. The arm's crack, allowing excessive rear suspension movement AND CAN BE DANGEROUS, as the arm holds the axle in place front to rear. Monaco doesn't supply the parts any more. The new supplier is: Source Manufacturing in Portland: 541-935-0308 . They say their arms are 3 to 4 times stronger than the original. Brett Wolfe Updated 10/14/09

As Tom said, this is highly dependent on what transmission you have. Some transmissions (like Allison 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 series) lock their torque converter in 2,3,4,5 and 6th gear, even at full throttle. Others unlock the torque converter under high load conditions which materially adds to the heat load. And some older transmissions don't even have locking converters. Using synthetic fluid (such as Allison Transynd) ups the safe temperature range of the fluid. DO as Tom suggests and get information that pertains to YOUR transmission. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. What brand and model converter do you have? How long has this symptom been occurring? If turning off the 120 VAC breaker for the converter "cures" the flickering, I would leave it off and tomorrow call the converter manufacturer to discuss the symptoms, their causes and fixes. Brett Wolfe