wolfe10

Mark's article doesn't really detail what he means by "cover." He could be referring to storing under cover or a cover fitted over the RV. Here is what he says, "Keep it covered: Over time the roof and exterior of your motorhome begin to show signs of wear, caused by constant exposure to the elements. Ozone in the air and ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun start to take their toll, which is first evident by signs of fading paint. The ozone in the air also causes products like rubber and vinyl to dry out, crack and start to deteriorate. The UV rays from the sun make this aging process happen quicker. If possible, try to keep your RV covered when not using it, to help protect it from Mother Nature." I am also cautious about recommending RV covers, as the can do a lot of damage from chafe, particularly if stored in a windy area. The money spend on a cover and even factoring in minimum wage for your time in putting on the cover and taking it off each time you use it would go a long ways toward paying for a covered area under which to store the coach. I think all of us agree that storing it UNDER COVER is by far the best. Even if you spend extra money building a covered parking area or pay extra for covered storage, most of that investment will be returned by have a better looking coach AND one that has higher resale than one left out in the elements. Brett Wolfe

Pete, If you don't get a quick answer from someone here who has removed theirs, give Winnebago customer service a call. They WILL know. Brett Wolfe

I think the willingness of the State Truck Enforcement Division/DOT to weigh has less to do with the state than the individual you talk with and how it is presented. Asking the "head guy" if you can bring your coach to THEIR LOCATION at the beginning or end of a shift change to get individual wheel position weights usually gives positive results. Most are impressed that someone is interested in operating their coach safely. Brett Wolfe

First thing is determine IF you you have a fan clutch. Access the fan from below or from above (bedroom). With engine off and cold, grab the a fan blade and try to turn it. If you can't, you have a direct drive fan (no clutch). If it turns relatively easily, you have a fan clutch. And if overheating, the best thing to do is to pull over in a safe place, place the transmission in neutral and raise the RPM to 1500 or so. Do NOT shut the engine down hot unless the above procedure produces even higher engine temperatures. Note: Thermostats DO stick and could give your symptoms-- work fine most of the time, but "hang up" once in a while. They are inexpensive and easy to replace. I would do that as preventive maintenance. Lastly, with a rear radiator, you need to check for blockage of the after-cooler (what you see when you look inside the fan shroud/between fan blades-- easiest from ABOVE (bedroom or closet depending on layout). With a strong flashlight, verify that the perimeter is as clean as the center (the fan blades "sling" the dirt to the perimeter). This will not cause intermittent overheating, but will reduce effective area of the cooling system, so it is more prone to overheating under heavy throttle conditions. Brett Wolfe

Bill, My recommendation would be to call KVH. Tell them what inverter you have (MSW) and your symptoms and ask (1) IF this is abnormal and (2) IF IT IS, whether the MSW inverter could be the cause. They are the best ones to trouble-shoot their system. Brett Wolfe

Short answer is "They MAY". Correct answer is that you VERIFY the correct filters by part numbers. I would call Freightliner (Gaffney) and get the part numbers for your correct PRIMARY and SECONDARY or ONLY filter (single filter systems), request those when you go in for service and verify them before leaving. As I said above, here is the concern: Go into a Freightliner dealer and ask the parts guy for a fuel filter element for a Freightliner motorhome chassis. If the last 4 filter elements that parts guy sold were for the two filter system, IT IS QUITE LIKELY THAT HE WILL JUST HAND YOU A 10 OR 30 MICRON ELEMENT-- it will fit. YOU WILL BE SPENDING BIG BUCKS TO GET THE "ROCKS" OUT OF THE INJECTORS-- ACTUALLY YOU WILL BE REPLACING THEM. By the same token, if you have the two filter system and the last 4 filter elements he sold were for the single filter system, it is quite likely that he will just hand you a 2 micron element. Almost as bad. You now have a two micron element followed by another 2 micron element. The first will clog up quickly and the second will get a "free ride". The less ASSUMING and more VERIFYING you do, the better your likelihood of doing the proper maintenance. You will find it easiest to compile a list of fuel filter part numbers, oil filter part numbers, belt numbers all on one quick reference page and use that when you go in for parts. Check with Freightliner, they have have just such a list for your chassis. Brett Wolfe

Don, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. In a word, YES. 11 year old tires are well past replacement! Then, after loading the coach the way you will be driving down the road, get all wheel positions weighted (best) or axles weighed (easier, but ASSUMES perfect side to side weight distribution) and go to your tire manufacturer's PSI/load chart for your tire to determine correct MINIMUM PSI. If using wheel position weights, use heavier side on each axle to go to the chart. Add 5 PSI to the minimum for safety cushion. If you only have axle weights, add 10 PSI (as long as it doesn't exceed tire or wheel maximum) for safety reserve AND side to side imbalance. Unlike car tires, large vehicle tires correct pressure is VERY load dependent and can cover a RANGE of 40 or so PSI. And when purchasing the new ones, be sure to get ones that are no more than 3 months old, as you will likely be replacing them based on time, not tread wear. Brett Wolfe

See TBUTLER's post above in this thread. Brett Wolfe

Good thought. Many marginal refrigerator performance issues ARE related to air flow over the cooling unit. That would make them more efficient in most applications, as many RV manufacturers play "loose" with the refrigerator ventilation specs, BUT: 1. It would make them more expensive. 2. It would make their external dimensions larger, so more difficult to get in and out when retro-fitting in existing coaches and would likely make some existing refrigerator areas too small for the "deeper" dimensions. 3. The enclosures should be as light as possible, since their only job is routing air driven by convection or at most two small fans-- so easily damaged in shipping or installation if fit to the heavy refrigerator. And one of the biggest "NO-NO's" is a gap at the top of the refrigerator. Since RV manufacturers use different designs for the height of the refrigerator space and whether in coach or slide, etc. I can't see how the refrigerator manufacturer could know whether to make the "above the refrigerator" panel 1" OR 10". In short, IMO, the RV makers need to assume more responsibility for adhering to appliance manufacturer specs. And many do. Brett Wolfe

Same rules in our coach. If you are seated, you are belted in. And you are seated unless the driver determines conditions are safe for someone to "move about" to potty or quick errand. Brett Wolfe

Tom, I totally agree. Here is an excerpt from my first post: If you have a transmission pump or other suction source, clamp a length of clear plastic hose on the generator end of the fuel line from main tank. Suck on it and verify that you have an bubble-free stream of fuel. Brett Wolfe

You could have a solenoid/switch, though I have never seen one in that application on a Class A. Check with Gulfstream. Clearly, you should be able to suck gasoline through the fuel line from the generator end with no or little resistance. And if the generator fuel pump will pump fuel from a can on the ground, it will pump it from a "higher" source as it requires less head pressure. Brett Wolfe

Rick, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. From your description (starts [my assumption] and runs fine from external fuel source), it sounds like you have isolated the problem to the fuel system. If you have a transmission pump or other suction source, clamp a length of clear plastic hose on the generator end of the fuel line from main tank. Suck on it and verify that you have an bubble-free stream of fuel. Check for kinks and loose hose clamps on newer RV's. Add check for cracked hose allowing air into the line on older ones. Brett Wolfe

Excellent description, Tom. And I will add, our HWH sensor has spring loaded adjustment screws, so these fine adjustments are easy-- no lock nuts or complex "7 hands needed" arrangement. Particularly if your level sensor is in an area where it could get hit and knocked out of adjustment, VERIFY your level with a real level or the "door moving" technique. Tom's procedure will fix it in a few minutes and at no cost if it needs adjustment. Brett Wolfe

Bill, If it is one of the "smart" inverter/chargers, be sure to run through the programming steps (in the old days it was called "setting the dip switches" as you physically had to move small switches). On most units, this programming is done from the inverter remote. These things are smart enough to REALLY do a good job if(and only if) you "tell them what you need". Programmable issues include: Battery bank size (in amp-hrs): A charger programmed to charge a 120 amp-hr battery bank would not work well on a 400 amp-hr bank and visa versa. Type of battery: Wet cell, AGM or gel. Each is different. Temperature: Many allow you to tell them ambient temps (wide range) if programmed for winter and run that way in the summer it WILL overcharge the batteries. All this information should be in your inverter/charger's owners manual. Brett Wolfe

Good answers. Protection packages are basically dealer additional profit items. You could Scotchgard the interior yourself and have the exterior waxed annually for a long time for that price. And you have to decide your risk tolerance level when it comes to Service Policies (not really warranties). Reality says there is enough profit in it (i.e. people pay more in than they get out) to pay the dealer and Service Policy Company a profit. Particularly if you are handy so repairs would generally cost "parts only" it may not make sense for you. If you like the security of knowing your costs up front, it may be a good idea. BUT read the fine print carefully. Many have disclaimers that eliminate many repairs one may expect to be covered. Example: Some policies exclude gaskets, yet oil leaks, etc are one of the more common failures. Brett Wolfe

Bill, Good idea. Ours came mounted from the factory under the refrigerator in the middle of the coach. I totally agree, that anyone doing design work on ANYTHING should spend at least a month using it! And if you think few RV designers use their products, the problem is many times worse on boats. VERY few of those who design boats actually sail them-- not talking about naval architects, but the people who design interiors, deck layouts, etc. But, some of the more forward thinking companies (RV and marine) do solicit owner input and even conduct owner "focus groups" when doing major redesigns. Brett Wolfe

Bill, What inverter do you have? Then we will KNOW whether it is a sine wave or MSW. Brett Wolfe

Bill, What converter, charger or inverter charger do you have? What is voltage at the battery when charging? If smart charger, what is voltage at float stage (after charging for over 24 hours)? Why would you ever have it set to NOT charge all the time you are on 120 VAC, and at the proper voltage (assuming your charger or inverter/charger is programmable)? The only exception would be times that your 120 VAC shore power is not adequate to supply charger and you other 120 VAC appliances . (i.e. you are plugged into less than 50 amps and yet want to run lots of appliances). Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. The pressure switch controls pump cut-in and cut-out. It is part of the pump assembly`on most pumps including the Shurflo 2.8 which is the common pump. You may be able to replace it instead of the whole pump. A small piece of debris in the switch (sand, mineral deposit, building debris, etc) can get into the very small pressure switch orifice and cause it to NOT cut off. Does you pump have a screen on the intake side of the pump? If so, any dirt in it? Minimize dirt and sand in the potable water system ON ANY COACH by installing a FINE SEDIMENT ONLY filter on the incoming water. We use a 5 micron sediment only filter from Home Depot. Replacement cartridges are under $5. Do NOT use a charcoal filter on water going into the potable water tank-- removing Chlorine and THEN storing it is not safe. A charcoal filter on the pressure side of the system is fine as the Chlorine is removed just before use. Brett Wolfe

Yes, a detergent will help. As will driving with 15 or so gallons of clean water in the tank-- not as much "cleaning action" as ice, but with macerator-based toilets, you have no practical way to get ice in the tank. Another option, particularly if you suspect a buildup of solids is to use Rid-X or other biological product for septic tanks along with water in the tank to break down the solids. These work best when you are storing the unit, as they work over time. But expecting tank gauges with internal sensors to always be accurate may be setting too high an expectation. Brett Wolfe

Most likely issue is a tank gauge that is not reading accurately. This is a VERY common occurrence. To minimize this (not eliminate it) you can do several things: 1. Only drain the tank when it is more than 1/2 full (unless getting ready to hit the road). If you drain with less than 1/2 tank, add water with flush system or through one of the heads. 2. After draining, add at least 5 gallons of water, so waste can not fall into a dry tank. To clean tank sensors: 1. After draining and rinsing, add 15 gallons of water. Right before you are ready to hit the road, flush 20 pounds of ice down the toilet (assuming it is not a macerator-based toilet). The idea is to get the ice as is into the tank. The ice will slosh around while driving and clean the sensors and tank. 2. You can also add a few ounces of Dawn dishwashing detergent and drive with that in the tank. Brett Wolfe

I can't help with the heat pump part of that, but last year we switched out original Colemans for 2 Carrier low profile A/C's and are happy with the switch. Brett Wolfe

Sorry, don't know that area of the country. But, very important -- YOU need to tell them exactly what your engine's oil capacity is. Do not assume they will know or take the time to look it up. Overfilling the crankcase on diesels is a common cause of oil on the back of the coach/front of the toad. You might also read the "Calibrating the Dipstick" post under "Engines" here in the FMCA Forum. Here is a Caterpillar Corp document that will give you the facts on your engine: http://ohe.cat.com/cda/files/517742/7/LEHT...m=72021&x=7 Also, just my opinion, but I would also suggest you choose an oil and stick with that oil from here forward. Different oils use different additive packages to achieve the desired properties. Less possibility of issues if you stick with the same oil. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Debris in the fuel system would not be a warranty item, so contacting your engine manufacturer would likely do little good. If the shop pays techs by the "flag" hour there will be notations on the dealer copy of the work order showing how much diagnostic time was spent identifying this problem. So I would start by talking with the Service Manager and have him explain the bill. If not satisfied, contact the General Manager or owner of the dealership. Taking a rational, non-emotional approach with them generally gives much better results. You are just looking for an explanation. As a future note, do you have both a PRIMARY and SECONDARY fuel filter? If so, the PRIMARY fuel filter is generally located between the fuel tank and fuel pump and should protect it from debris. If you don't have this filter arrangement, consider adding one! Brett Wolfe