wolfe10

JMM, We do have a smaller one that we use in the sail boat and motorhome. But, it is on the boat right now. So the 45 pint shares duty on the RV and home. The small one is much easier to stow while sailing that the big one. And, yes the small one would be easier to handle on the coach as well and has plenty of capacity. The 45 pint is certainly overkill for the motorhome, but since it also does duty in the house when we leave in the coach, the size is OK. And irrespective of size, the newer/better dehumidifiers have a humidity settings. So if set to 45% humidity, they will drop humidity to that level and then run very little unless outside air is introduced. The smaller ones take a little longer, the large ones a little less time, but no big deal either way. And by setting them on the kitchen sink (home and coach) they drain into the sink, so no buckets to empty. Brett Wolfe

Thought you don't have an engine brake, like the diesels, the rest of the driving/gear selection is much the same. You will choose a low enough gear that your speed stays in equilibrium on descent. I would suggest that you look up and make note of max allowable engine RPM (same advice for ANY engine). With the Ford V!0, it is happy at much higher RPM's than earlier engines. Basic formula-- if you have to use your service brakes to control speed, use the service brakes long enough to drop speed so you can downshift to a lower gear. If you start to slow down too much, shift up one gear. In really serious mountains, consider disconnecting the toad and driving separately. Taking that load off the engine both climbing and descending helps. Brett Wolfe

JJM, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. We live in a similar climate-- south Texas a couple of miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Plenty of humidity and heat. We do this in both our stick home and RV when not in use: Use a 45 pint dehumidifier in RV and home. A/C OFF. We have found that we have far less of the "musty smell" than setting the A/C on a reasonably high temp. AND electrical consumption is lower. This works fine unless you want cool temps in the RV. If you only go in the RV occasionally, just turn off the dehumidifier and turn on the A/C. It will cool quickly, as no BTU's are wasted on condensing moisture. Brett Wolfe

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/Sahara 2002 -2005 Beaver Baron All Years 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. (Click on photo to view full size) This photo shows the replacement arm from Source Manufacturing and the recalled R-Way arm that is the subject of the recall. (Click on photo to view full size) This photo shows a broken R-Way arm. You do NOT want that piece holding your rear axle in place! Brett Wolfe Updated 10/14/09

If you have a reasonably "tuned" ear, "Thumping" with a tire bat will tell you if tire pressure is WAY out of spec (at or below "Run Flat" PSI), so it is better than nothing, but does not substitute for checking PSI. I do it (along with the temp check below) every time we pull into a rest area, fuel stop, etc. Another accepted method of ROUGHLY checking PSI while driving is to check tire temperature-- either by lightly placing your hand on the sidewall or for those with all the high-tech toys, shooting with an IR gun. What you are looking for here is NOT absolute temperature, but a tire that is significantly hotter than other tires that SHOULD be the same. What this means is that you would expect some tires to be hotter than others-- for example a tire in the sun and you need to take that into consideration. Brett Wolfe

John, Two things you should check: 1. What is the temperature in the refrigerator? If below 33 degrees F, can you turn up the refrigerator thermostat (some models have this feature, others do not) and bring the temperature up to the 35-39 degree range? 2. Have you checked your door gaskets? Door gasket test: With a $1 (A $20 works even better) close the bill in the door repeatedly all around the perimeter of the refrigerator and freezer door. The bill should pull out with the same tension all around and require firm pressure, but not close to enough to tear the bill. If the door has settled so the gap is larger at the top, allowing lots of extra humid air in, it CAN be shimmed easily on most models. Certainly, the more humid the environment and the more frequently the refrigerator is opened, the more moisture WILL get in. And you CAN defrost it. Turn off the refrigerator. Wait an hour. Remove food that obstructs your access to the cooling fins. Use a hair dryer ON LOW and KEEPING it OUTSIDE the refrigerator itself. Aim the dryer at the fins. Also, be sure to defrost the freezer (same technique) when ice builds to 1/4". Ice is a GREAT insulator and you do not want the cooling unit insulated from the interior, as you DO want heat transfer out of the refrigerator and freezer. Brett Wolfe

NOTE: MOVED TO NEW TOPIC FROM "Refrigerator not working on propane" John at jwsties@aol.com is the author of this post: I have a 2004 Safari Cheetah with a Norcold four-door refrigerator. The cooling unit on the Norcold was replaced in July of this year before a long trip to West Coast. RV Masters in Houston, Texas, replaced the unit under extended warranty and the warranty (Prizm) would only authorize a refurbished unit, which I have heard has a pretty good track record. The installation, which included a new propane activator PC board, checked out okay in an overnight test. So,l we picked up the coach and headed west. For several days, the unit was cooling well, including freezer/ice maker operation. However, the fins at the back/top of the refrigerator are now frosting up at the end where the temp sensing thermocouple is attached. About six to eight fins are involved and will not defrost. My question is: Does this indicate that the new cooling unit may be defective? Could it be the thermocouple was left disconnected during the cooling unit changeout, etc.? We have rearranged the refrigerator contents away from that end of the coils, thinking maybe air circulation in the "box" has been compromised due to blocking. Any suggestions? John at jwsties@aol.com

John, I did move your post to a new topic: Refrigerator Fins Freezing Up, as you are more likely to get responses to your issue that way. Brett Wolfe

No, it doesn't make a measurable difference. But you can prove this yourself. Check with the coach on jacks, stow jacks, recheck. Brett Wolfe

Tireman9 Good post. I use the same "Chart plus 5 PSI formula" with 4 wheel position weights-- using the heavier wheel position on each axle to access the inflation chart. If all one has is axle weights, I add 10 PSI to compensate for left to right imbalance as well as safety reserve. Once a year I take my tire gauges- (boy, I feel shorted, I only have TWO double footed gauges) to a friend who has a large tire store with a shop air system with high quality calibrated built in gauge. I write deviation on a piece of tape and affix it to the gauge (i.e. gauge reading of 90= 94 actual). Brett Wolfe

Our Foretravel came with a central vac. It is substantially more powerful than most any regular vacuum one is likely to carry in a coach. Also, any dirt that the bag doesn't catch is exhausted outside the coach, not back into the interior. Hose storage room is about equal to that of a small/medium vacuum. Brett Wolfe

I am not familiar with either one, but here are "clickables": Internetcamping.net Ultimatervcamping.com

If a member of FMCA, use these guides to determine what is towable 4 wheels down: http://www.fmca.com/index.php/magazine/tow...04-towing-index Brett Wolfe

Bill brings up a good point-- perhaps we should expand on it. There is a tendency for many to confuse two TOTALLY UNRELATED THINGS. 1. BUILD QUALITY 2. QUALITY SERVICE TO FIX THINGS THAT WERE NOT BUILT TO "QUALITY STANDARDS" IN THE FIRST PLACE. Please, evaluate them separately. Both are important, but if QUALITY is what you are seeking, a quality product is VERY DIFFERENT from a lesser quality product where the manufacturer graciously fixes the problems. Brett Wolfe

One of my favorite methods of determining overall quality is to go look at some old ones of the same model/manufacturer. When they get to be 10-15 years old, you can REALLY tell a difference: 15 year old solid wood cabinets are very different from wrapped press board cabinets. Drawers on bearinged slides are very different from those on plastic slides. Gel coat FG is very different from Filon. Another factor that I relate to quality is ease of service -- how accessible did the coach maker make the things you routinely need to service. Do you have to stand on your head and have two people to change a fan belt, or is it an easy 5 minute job. Where are the fuel filters located? Can the air dryer be serviced easily, or is it installed above the rear axle? This is important if you do it yourself. It becomes CRITICAL if you are paying others over $100 an hour to do it. Another, often overlooked difference is documentation. When we were shopping for our present coach (LONG time ago), I asked to see a wiring diagram. Most salesmen looked like a "Deer caught in the headlights". But, I suspect the number of coaches that have zero electrical issues over their lifetime is very low. A wiring diagram will save you/an expensive technician countless hours of diagnostic time. And yes, each Foretravel comes with a wiring diagram in the owners manual. Brett Wolfe

Montie, While I am sure quite a few will reply about "quality", almost by definition, it will be SUBJECTIVE. Perhaps a better approach is to ask SPECIFIC QUESTIONS that relate to quality and even more importantly, the "must have" things that you are looking for in your next coach. A few thought starters: Rear vs side radiator. Sufficient CCC Particular interior layout that you like Engine -- actually pounds GCW/HP is more important Another approach is to post what coach you have now and what you like and don't like about it. Then others may be able to direct you toward coaches that more closely meet your "want list". Good hunting. Brett Wolfe

Check voltage at the bulbs (or high and low beam terminals if a single bulb) with the engine running. Then check voltage at the battery with the engine running. If the reading at the headlight bulb is more than .3 or .4 VDC lower than at the battery, you can fairly inexpensively fix this. And certainly, a headlight operating , say, 12.5 VDC will be less bright than one operating at, say, 13.7 VDC. On the vast majority of vehicles, the power to run the headlights goes through the light switch. There is resistance (which reduces voltage and therefore headlight brightness) in all the yards of wiring, the switch itself, connectors, etc. The "FIX" is to use the head light switch ONLY to turn on a relay that supplies the headlights. You will need two relays, one for low beams, one for high beams. Power for the headlights will go directly from the battery through large gauge wire to the relay (located in a protected area under the hood area). And from the relay in large gauge wire to either the high or low beam lights. The relay will be controlled by the wire that currently supplies low/high beams. Total cost should be under $25. Brett Wolfe

Yes, absorption refrigerators are sensitive to being operated out of level. As a generalization, older models more so than newer ones. Being operated out of level can ruin the cooling unit. And all this information (in terms of sensitivity to out of level operation) is in your refrigerator owners manual. It will tell you specs for front to back and side to side level. This is ONLY while parked. While driving, the motion of the RV keeps the cooling solution moving. Brett Wolfe

Go to any wrecking yard that has the same model Dodge van. OR, if you want new, to any Dodge dealer. Brett Wolfe

I agree completely. Our ratio of VIEWS to POSTS is over 100 to 1! So people ARE interested in the discussions. But, with many who are new to a Forum, this is the normal progression. People want to feel like they "know what is going on" before posting. And our Forum is about at that age where we have a lot of "Viewers" who should be ready to start posting. It is a shame because many who just view have questions that are shared by many, OR answers that could help many. It sounds like a platitude (OK, it IS a platitude), but THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS. Brett Wolfe

Montie, Glad you are back in business. Be sure to use a "sediment only" filter for an external filter IF you are going to be storing the water in your potable water tank. You do NOT want to remove the chlorine from the water and THEN store it, particularly in the summer. A 5 micron sediment only pre filter with a charcoal filter under the sink to remove odors and chlorine right before use is a great combination. Brett Wolfe

Jack, I am glad you found a solution to your odor problem, BUT, water in the P traps should isolate the tank at the sinks and shower. And the siphon breaks (under sink "vents") are not expensive to replace. The rubber gaskets in them DO dry out or get "crudded up". Add a venturi-style roof vent cover and you should not need to do anything special to keep your coach sweet smelling. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. You are on the right track. The goal is to isolate the tanks and their vent system from the interior. Trying to make the tank contents smell good won't work. Start by checking places that the tanks can vent to the interior: 1. Make sure all "P" traps under sinks, shower, etc have water in them. they evaporate when the coach is not in use and water sloshes out of them while driving. Same for toilet-- keep water in it. 2. Smell under sinks to determine if the check/vent valves are not functioning properly. There should be no smell from them. The rubber check valves do dry out and need replacement. 3. NEVER flush the toilet with the vent fan on, as the negative pressure WILL suck tank air inside. 4. Minimize negative pressure inside while driving-- don't leave roof vents open and depending on design some side window also create negative pressure. Once a year it is a good idea to take a hose up on the roof (if safe to do so) and run a little water down the vent pipes to make sure nothing is obstructing free flow to the roof. There are several good brands of roof vent caps that create a venturi effect to lower pressure in the tank. If the smell persists, check for cracked tank, tank fitting, plumbing fitting, vent pipe that has slipped down into the tank, etc.

"Loud Popping Noises" do not normally come from thin sheet metal heat shields. Have a good front-end man jack up the rig and check the ball joints. Also check the shock mounts. Brett Wolfe

IF cooling while on propane is the problem, the best answer is to pull out your Dometic Refrigerator Owners Manual. There will be a section on "Burner area tune-up" toward the back. It takes no special tools and no parts. Do NOT short cut the procedure. Things that degrade refrigerator performance on propane that you will address are: 1. Dirt in propane jet. 2. Dirt, rust or insect nest in burner tube. 3. Carbon or rust on igniter/thermocouple 4. Igniter/thermocouple gap Dometic recommends this as an ANNUAL Preventive Maintenance item. If performance is down on both 120 VAC and on propane, look for obstructions in the air flow in the area behind the refrigerator. Start by checking for insect, bird or animal nests in the vent areas. If you have had this problem every time the ambient temperature is high/you park with the refrigerator side of the coach in the sun, pull out your Dometic manual and read about recommended side and top clearances. Too much clearance above the refrigerator WILL diminish cooling. Also, installation in a slide out where the hot air has to vent to the side rather than out the roof does lead to diminished performance. Often one has to install 2 small 12 VDC muffin fans at the top of the coils to exhaust hot air OUT. And always remember, the refrigerator PC board runs on 12 VDC, so if the batteries are low, don't expect the refrigerator to perform properly. Brett Wolfe