wolfe10

Gary, Glad you got it done. Ya, depending on access your chassis AND coach maker gave you, it can be quite a job. 10 minutes on some coaches and 2-3 hours on others. However, I recommend replacing air filters based on BOTH restriction (air filter minder reading) AND based on time. Remember, the filter elements are made of paper and glue. They degrade with time. Three years is the recommended change interval unless the air filter minder suggest more frequent changes. And when you replace the filter, reset the air filter minder (reset button on the bottom of the minder). Then after a few hundred miles (enough time that you will have been at WOT [Wide Open Throttle] enough to give an accurate max restriction reading) RECORD IT. That way you will know your base line restriction and can monitor changes. The base line restriction (restriction with the new filter) is the "total report card" on the air intake system. The air filter minder reading is affected by size of opening at the side of the coach, plumbing between side of coach and air filter, air filter (both size and condition) as well as plumbing from air filter to turbo intake air "inlet". Brett Wolfe

You make some good points. I will address two of them. First: how condensation forms in the tanks was discussed here on another thread (concerning diesels). Using that as a basis, I will post it here: First, let's look at what happens if you park your coach with 1/3 tank of fuel -- assume total capacity 75 gallons. As you burned the 50 gallons of fuel, that space in the tanks was replaced with AMBIENT AIR, at whatever temperature AND HUMIDITY the outside air is at that time. So you now have 25 gallons of fuel and, particularly, if driving in a hot/humid area, 50 gallons of hot HUMID air. OK temperature drops to the dew point OF THAT HUMID AIR IN THE TANK. It CONDENSES. And since water is heavier than fuel, it goes to the bottom of the tank and contaminates the fuel and/or rusts the tank. Each day, as the temperature rises, air and fuel in the tank EXPAND-- actually, air just goes OUT of the tank through the vent line/charcoal canister. This happens even if the 50 gallons of air in the tank was dry and/or cold. Each night, as the temperature falls, air is sucked into the tank through the breather line. As temperature continues to drop, the water vapor CONDENSES and goes to the bottom of the tank. Repeat 30-100 times. NOT GOOD!!!!! And yes, even if you are a desert area, your tank WILL get down to the dew point and there will be condensation. If you fill the tank before parking, there is a MUCH smaller volume of air to condense. Also, liquid (fuel) expands and contracts much less with temperature change than a gas (air) so there is far less "breathing" of the tank. Second: If you start the engine while storing the coach, you need to run it long enough that the OIL gets up to operating temperature. This generally means 25 or so highway miles. The object of driving while stores is manyfold as you point out, but one of the primary things you are doing is riding the crankcase of moisture. This only occurs when the OIL (not just coolant) gets hot and stays hot long enough to "vent" the moisture (through PCV valve on gasoline engine and through crankcase breather on a diesel). Brett Wolfe

You need a biocide IF: 1. As a remedy if you ever see black slimy "gunk" in your fuel (usually first visable to you in the primary fuel filter/water seaparator). 2. As a Preventive if storing diesel. My basic benchmark is that I use it if I will not be burning a tank of diesel within 3 months. I know of no hard and fast rule that says not needed if XX days but needed of XX plus 1 day. It is merely added to the tank when you fill up. It will circulate throughout the fuel system within a couple of miles. There is absolutely no change in the way anything works. The biocide I use doses at 1.5 oz/ 100 GALLONS. Ask anyone who has had "algae" contamination and they will tell you an ounce (OK 1.5 ounces) of prevention is worth a LOT of $$$ worth of cure. Brett Wolfe

There are three different "auxiliary" braking systems used on different diesel engines.: Exhaust Brakes, Engine Compression Brakes and Variable Geometry Turbo Brakes. Exhaust brake: literally a "flap" which closes off exhaust flow just downstream of the turbo in the exhaust system. This causes back pressure (55 PSI on ours) which generates braking power. With the Allison transmission, it is usually tied with downshifting of the transmission to the "pre-selected" gear (usually 2nd or 4th). Think of it as a potato stuffed in the tail pipe. Engine Compression Brake (aka: Jake brake) The exhaust valves are opened as the pistons reaches TDC (Top Dead Center) on the compression stroke after the engine has done the "work" of compressing about 18 volumes of intake air to 1 volume . If the exhaust were not let escape by the compression brake's opening the exhaust valves (i.e. coasting with brake off), the "compressed air" would mostly be returned as power to the engine forcing the piston back down. With the Jake brake on, the engine works to compress air in the cylinder, then the air is let out. This generates quite a lot more braking force than an exhaust brake. The smallest engines to offer an engine compression brake are the Caterpillar C9 and Cummins ISL. Variable Geometry Turbo: The vanes reverse or aperture closes (depends on engine manufacturer) to create back pressure with much the same effect as an exhaust brake. Another alternative used by Foretravel and some over the road busses us TRANSMISSION RETARDERS (see Wayne's link) on their Allison transmissions. Transmissions with retarders will have an "R" suffix such as 4060R. They generate even more braking HP than exhaust or compression brakes, but are more expensive. Brett Wolfe

Wayne, They are all virtually the same-- a variety of weed killer. And you will NOT find them at trucks stops etc-- fuel storage is NOT an issue for trucks. You will find them at MARINE STORES, since boats have the same diesel storage issues that we do. And since you are in a boating area, no problem. Here is one: West Marine Biocide

Looks like we are addressing to very different, but very important issues in this thread: VEHICLE RESTRICTIONS: Length, number of "trailers," axle weights, etc. These are set by each state and apply to all vehicles operated in that state (i.e. just because it is legal in state A does NOT mean it is legal in state . PERSONAL LICENSING REQUIREMENTS: Vary by state (As in Wayne's example for Texas different licenses are required for GVWR of over 26,000 vs. under). Here, there IS reciprocity between states -- states do recognize other states' licenses. So if you have the appropriate license for your state, you are good in other states. Brett Wolfe

First, let's look at what happens if you park your coach with 1/4 tank of fuel -- assume total capacity 100 gallons. As you burned the 75 gallons of diesel, that space in the tanks was replaced with AMBIENT AIR, at whatever temperature AND HUMIDITY the outside air is at that time. So you now have 25 gallons of diesel and, particularly, if driving in a hot/humid area, 75 gallons of hot HUMID air. OK temperature drops to the dew point OF THAT HUMID AIR IN THE TANK. It CONDENSES. And since water is heavier than diesel, it goes to the bottom of the tank where it can cause "algae" growth and/or rust the tank. Each day, as the temperature rises, air and diesel in the tank EXPAND-- actually, air just goes OUT of the tank through the vent line. This happens even if the 75 gallons of air in the tank was dry and/or cold. Each night, as the temperature falls, air is sucked into the tank through the breather line. As temperature continues to drop, the water vapor CONDENSES and goes to the bottom of the tank. Repeat 30-100 times. NOT GOOD!!!!! And yes, even if you are a desert area, your tank WILL get down to the dew point and there will be condensation. If you fill the tank before parking, there is a MUCH smaller volume of air to condense. Also, liquid (fuel) expands and contracts much less with temperature change than a gas (air) so there is far less "breathing" of the tank. Because I grew up on diesels in boats and KNOW what a problem “algae†can be in diesel that is stored, I do add a biocide if storing fuel over 3 months. Brett Wolfe

Each state and Canadian province sets the legal limits in their domain, and these laws are subject to change. So be careful with taking answers from people who can give information for THEIR state and applying it to YOUR state(s). FMC magazine's January 2009 issue contains a Motorhome Regulations chart that includes a combined length limit for each state and Canadian province. The chart also includes phone numbers of government agencies so you can get more info. Brett Wolfe

In a word, NO. You would be BACKFEEDING the Canyon's electrical system. If there is room in the tail light lenses, you can install an additional socket/light that is fed from the RV, OR You can buy a "diode-based" adapter that would allow you to cut into the Canyon's tail light wiring (may void warranty) to use the present bulbs, OR Use separate magnetic-base lights that are totally separate from your Canyon. Brett Wolfe

Rodney, Is that a Fleetliner or FREIGHTLINER chassis? Lots of Freightliner owners out there. And Freightliner Corp in Gaffney, SC who build Freightliner motorhome chassis are very helpful on the phone. Brett Wolfe

Barnero, There aren't many Overland products out there. While basic air horn wiring/plumbing may have been fit by our chassis maker (let us know what year and make chassis do you have), it is quite possible the switches are coach (i.e. Overland) specific. Brett Wolfe

When we bought our coach in 1998 3 of your 4 were on the list (Dynamax was not and I don't know enough about them to comment). We wanted a 36' DP (knowing anything shorter would have a really poor WB/OL ratio) and anything longer would not go the places we wanted to go (and have since gone!). We decided on a 5 year old Foretravel and have put another 110,000 virtually trouble-free miles on it. If fact, just drove 352 miles today (on our way home from an "escape the heat" month in Angel Fire, NM-- elevation 8,420'. We are happy with our decision. Brett Wolfe 1993 Foretravel U240

We are on the road right now and don't have access to specific information on your model. It may be that the thermistor is not movable-- it is on most models. The thermistor is what senses temperature and along with the thermostat tells the unit to turn on/off. And again, most models do have a condensate drain, but look in your literature to see if you have one. And most definitely read the Installation instructions that came with your refrigerator VERY carefully. Do not ASSUME that it is correctly installed-- VERIFY. And one simple test is to run it on propane. If the flame stays on all the time and temps are still not cool enough, you can rule out the thermostat and thermistor as the cause, as they are telling the unit to run 100% of the time. BUT, if it cycles on and off and is not cool enough, then you likely have a thermostat/thermistor issue. If you are safe working with 120 VAC, you could run the same test on 120 VAC. Just CAREFULLY hook up a voltmeter to the two leads going to the electric element and see if it stays on (voltmeter reads 120 VAC) all the time or cycles. Brett Wolfe

Herman, It is probably most reasonable to think of the FRED as a step up from a gas chassis rig, rather than trying to compare it with a DP. And, in that light, it has many advantages over the Ford and Workhorse chassis. But, it is NOT a DP in terms of brakes, suspension, capacity, etc. Brett Wolfe

Rolacoy, It needs to be sanatized JUST BEFORE you leave on your trip (each trip if the water has been stored over two weeks in summer/three weeks in winter-- MY OPINION on the 2/3 weeks). Brett Wolfe

Rolacoy, We came to RVing from offshore sailboats. There, we had no choice but do drink from our tanks as small unsecured jugs is a seaway would be very dangerous. So we HAD to treat our tanks such that the water remained potable. Remember, each component of your system is approved for drinking water. It is only if you allow "bugs" to grow in the tank and system that it becomes unfit for drinking. And it is easy to sanitize. This is not speculation or an "opinion". Virtually all RV owners manuals cover this subject, and all I have seen use the inexpensive "basic Clorox" method. Certainly, there are other, more expensive chemicals that can be used. But follow the directions I posted in the my first post and you will be "good to drink". Brett Wolfe

Thanks, Paul. Great pictures-- really shows what a difference doing the routine maintenance can make. Brett Wolfe

Tom, I agree completely on the inaccuracy of many factory temperature gauges. Silverleaf and other much more accurate gauges are much more "believable." But, I have found that if the dash temp gauge reading goes up with the engine under load, it DOES indicate a problem. Whether the true "highest temperature" is 230 or 236 degrees F is likely not an issue. To the OP: We look forward to your letting us know what you find. Brett Wolfe

With the side radiator, here are things that can correct overheating: Hose out/completely clean the inter-cooler (from outside) and radiator (from inside). Replace engine thermostat. It may not be opening all the way. You mention fan coming on at 195. Some of these are LOW-HIGH and some are variable. Check with Freightliner for the "default to ON/HIGH" position for the side radiator fan (normally unplug wire from thermosensor). If no overheating, suspect thermosensor. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. For us to be able to give you quality advice, we will need to know more about your coach. 1. What chassis? 2. What coach and year? 3. Side or rear radiator 4. What engine? 5. Under what conditions does it overheat? 6. Is overheating under these conditions new or has it always overheated under these conditions? Brett Wolfe

For more specific information on particular Foretravel offerings: http://www.beamalarm.com/foretravel-links/...and-manuals.htm And I am NOT suggesting limiting your search to Foretravels, but I would have them on your list, given your needs. Brett Wolfe

Steve, I am very familiar with Foretravel-- both the motorhomes and the company. We have put over 100,000 miles on our Foretravel. They are located in a small town in Texas, only a 150 miles from our home, so I know many people at the factory. They are a small, privately held company and are able to up/down size to meet market demand. They have a VERY loyal following. Because their coaches hold up well over time, a lot of their business is remodeling older Foretravels. A lot of the things I like about their coaches has evolved because of their "small town-- small company" environment. The engineer's son plays baseball with the service tech's son (lots of owners take their coach back to the factory for routine maintenance). If maintenance items were hard to get at, the tech WOULD mention it to the engineer and they would change it. No huge organization with lots of momentum to "not change". Yes, In My Opinion, Foretravel should be on your list. Brett Wolfe

Steve, Alpine's in-house chassis (Peak) was a good one, particularly from a handling standpoint. It had some unique features in its class, including hydraulic brakes and 4 instead of 3 ride height valves. Their job on house systems and house construction was, perhaps not up to the standards of their chassis. I would suggest spending several hours searching the various sites and look for owner comments. "Google" or other search engines should all give you a good start. Brett Wolfe

Matt, While it could certainly be a bad cooling unit, below are some things that will insure maximum performance from your refrigerator (in addition to the "burner area tune-up"discussed above). Cooling units can fail by leaking with symptoms of ammonia smell and/or yellow powder or by the build-up of restrictions in the cooling tubes. Both types of failure call for a new refrigerator OR new/rebuilt cooling unit. Do you have a thermostat and is it dialed all the way cold? Have you moved your thermistor all the way up on the outside refrigerator fin? And the outside auxiliary fans work a lot better if at the top of the cooling unit exhausting UP. You may be able to reach that upper area by removing the roof vent. While there, make sure there is not an air gap at the top of the refrigerator that allows the hot air to collect rather than exhausting efficiently out the roof vent. Brett Wolfe

Steve, Hopefully others will give their opinions on this, as each of us has "triggers" that cause us to classify certain features as low/high end. There is no clear cut line that defines the end of mid-class and high end motorhomes. Some of the things that help define lower/high end coaches FOR ME: Chassis: You mention Monacos-- lesser coaches in their line had 4 air bag suspensions with 4 shocks-- high end ones 8 air bag suspensions with 8 shocks. The major chassis makers, Freightliner and Spartan have a wide range of qualities/content chassis (just as you will find in, say, Ford automotive products from low to high end). Some high end coach builders use a custom chassis specifically designed for a motorhome. Upper end tend to be unibodies/monocoque construction similar to over the road busses-- more expensive to build, but more structurally rigid. Rear radiator on lower end coaches, side radiators on high end coaches. Vinyl wrapped particle board interiors on lower end coaches. Solid wood interiors on high end coaches. Little though given to serviceability of mechanical components on lower end coaches. Custom-build chassis or real work done to insure mechanical access in high end coaches. Filon exterior on lower end coaches, Gel coat Fiberglass or painted exterior on high end coaches. Coach wiring that is numbered and comes with full schematics to save countless hours of troubleshooting-- a high end feature. Something that is harder to "see" but is important, particularly on rougher roads is structural integrity. We have traveled many miles on rough roads in Mexico in the company of other coaches. MANY "lighter built" coaches have had structural issues (such as cracks in sidewalls, windshields popping out, etc) caused by rough roads. Difficult for you to do, being overseas, but one of the quickest ways to identify quality is to look at how 10-15 year old coaches are holding up. At that age, the "glitz" can not easily cover inferior construction. And, though it IS a generality, in motorhomes as in most things, "you get what you pay for". If one coach costs $100,000 more new than another, there is a basic presumption that it will be higher quality. I guess it is like comparing an entry level car with a high-end car. Brett Wolfe