rsbilledwards

Just as important is the coach and year we are working on. Right now anyone answering is throwing darts with their eyes closed.

Any way you slice this subject, the plastic is not for a lifetime and should be considered to be a maintenance item. Replace it in ten years +- a bit and start over. It is still cheaper than having the front end refinished!

This is a discussion frequented by SMC Safari owners with pre 2001 short coaches that are pushers. Seems they have similar thoughts. A common solution is adding weight of the dead type ahead of the front axle sometimes quite a lot. Bill, he is "hung up" because he wants a shorter coach that can get where you can not with a 45 footer, like many older state and federal parks and into crazy out in the desert dry camping spots. I get it cause I can not get into some of them with my 42 footer. Carl, were not most of those front engine opposed to pusher diesel types. I have been thinkin about what they would have been other than the GM. 70s and 80s was the infancy of the design and build of the trend. I know you probably owned some of them in your loooong history of coaching.... Feedback would be interesting I am sure.

For whatever it is worth late in this discussion, wheel base or the length of the towing vehicle play a big part. A dually may be the second part. The hitch type plays yet another. In this case dually is not needed but wheel base never goes away. Short wheelbases are problematic, but not always, as they can be in cars too. Longer wheel bases make control easier the heavier the towed rig is. It is all about the physics and the patch on the ground. Looks like he is adequately equipped.

Per Doc he may be right on the torque for our C 12 which also came as 455 horses and he is absolutely correct about how easy it is to drive with the excess power . The C 12 we have could be reprogrammed to 455 max. The next step is to the 505 horse and last iteration before moving up to the not quite as successful or trouble free C13 and 15 units. The Foretravel mentioned is a very nice coach as well. Purportedly one of the nicest driving rigs on the road. A lot of attention was placed on the mechanicals ahead of the bling I don't know the GVW on the Patriot but the Panther is 31,000n Giddy up Go...

I too am an older coach advocate. I have a 1999 Safari Panther powered with a C 12 CAT and 8 air bag suspension. Coach is light by comparison to modern later coaches. It is wonderful and has not seen a mtn it has not liked. With 425/455 horses and 1200 foot pounds of torque will leave the later heavy coaches up long grades. It will and is currently averaging better than 8 MPG and I live in Colorado and travel between 8 and 10K a year. Coach has 40K+ on the odo. Monaco bought SAfari in the 2001 2002. The ultimately built an upscale tag axle 40 some foot rig that is the only coach I would upgrade to. It is the cats meow! I have made one upgrade already and would get shot if I did it again. Prices on thes coaches are very reasonable. Do not let the age be an obstacle. Mechanical issues are few and far between on cared for coaches so do -plenty of homework ask to see receipts. Buy the best coach you can afford, it will save you money. Suggest you buy 2007/8 and earlier to avoid the emission issues. Ask lots of questions here, the only dumb is the one you did not ask.

Now that is what I call a money saver for FMCA... initially! Not in the long haul. I like the plastic raised letter one supplied for years. Hollar loud enough and maybe they will back up on this one.

Batteries ck electrolite for specific gravity to see if batteries/one of them is faulty. Good choice on batteries I think but next time use 260s, better yet.I too use them now 6 years old. I would then call Magnum or Tekris in Phoenix once you eliminate the batteries. I missed the swollen battery bit, it may well be the culprit but the ck suggested will tell the tale. In that case time to change them all as another will go and then take them all and the new one. They are all out of warranty any way by 4 + years. They served you well

Lucky you winning the lottery! Always a good thing

Fine enough sorry Herman could not resist...

As Ernie implies or suggests we are being played by those that support Globalism and that is not MR. TRUMP

I looked a couple years back at the FMCA Atlas with the thought of buying it. At the time and still do have the "Truckers Atlas" sold by Walmart which was by far superior to the FMCA product. In the front, it has a sizeable and lengthy section of information related to by state, of weight, low overpasses, restricted bridges and the like. Print on the pages is considerably larger and many of the maps are multiple pages like that of Texas which are 4 pages and then the city maps took up another several pages. Even small states like Utah are a lotted 2 pages. All major and secondary highways/roads are marked as to being big rig friendly. Is the new Truckers Atlas from FMCA done in this manner.

Commenting on Ross's fill note. The auto supply stores now carry a filler tube assembly that fits both standard quart and gallon jugs with a clear tube neck and a twist on off valve that makes this filling chore much easier. Yes they were built on a Magnum Chassis.

Herman, Title identified It was the "RVA" type. I have an SMC Panther and the pump reservoir unit is back by the batteries, rt rear. I do know on a Marqis the manifolds are up front behind the cap so it makes total sense that the pump and res are located close by, as in under the steps as suggested and yes it also powers the main slide. Look up from under the coach and look for something that says J II which is stenciled on the bottom of the reservoir. Goo luck

Stick with 6 volters as there is more available power. Buy cheap cheap batteries you get what you pay for. I like wet cells and suggest Crown 260s first and Trojan 105s second but it is a toss up. Crowns will last ten years. Many want out of that 45 minute annual expense.

Five, I don't know that you are missing anything. If your system is running fine/ cooling as it should no need to worry. I would find a borescope and where you can, stick it up from underneath to the front of the radiator, generally in the corners and look see if there is any build up of debris.Then you will know which action to take. THey are available on Amazon and will work with your smartphone.

Weight of the Snow on the slides I can not answer but here is what I do know. We have an older coach so the reference may be skewed. Slide side walls are not in our case insulated like all other walls as in not at all and the ceiling certainly is not. Sitting with the slides out is almost like having a window open, like being in a heat sink. One just doesn't feel the wind. The heater source may keep up with the chill but will work a lot harder using more propane or other. We pull the slide in to keep it warmer and cozier. Some coaches have an winter package that aims to insulate the coach better. If it enough snow to creat aproblem there are jacks made to place under outer corners of the slides to support them. They are fully adjustable.

No Richard I have not. My perspective alone based on mechanical sense of 40 years in the automotive fields and 74 years of a pretty good sense of common sense. That said when I got the Panther the bags on the front frame (4) had been for the most part 20 years been folded an odd uncomfortable, unevenly collapsed form, yet the rig had only 12k on the odo. I did not like the perceived potential and replaced them. In fact they were probably fine, no cracks or visual degradation, but I replaced them anyway just because, it is a Bill Thing. I like and am comfortable with being very proactive in terms of maintenance so fewer issues on the road. It is easy enough to spend money on this thing regardless of circumstance. I believe they are designed to fold evenly around. To fold with a kink and sit for years probably not healthy.

That is always a good thing Urban Hermit. Me too! By the way we love the Pensacola area. I spent nearly four years there in the laye 60s while in the Navy. We have been thu each of the last 3 years, Feb and March.

Most SMC Safari coach folks with the Velvet Ride do lift the coach and take the biggest part of the load off the suspension. Me with an air suspension generally bleed the system to zero and let it sit with rubber pads under the wheels when for an extended stay. Many of the air suspension coaches will retain their air supply for a very long time and just let them sid aired up. Supplying your coach info will lead to more accurate information.

yea time to end this Joe, Carl, or Herman. Sorry B Don't give up on us MOPAR

Well Mr. Bill, not all of us want the 25 MPH if 45 is a sane speed. Add that trailer he wants to tow and it might have been 15. At our age it make little difference how fast or how long it takes to get there. I do not have a clue on this during your youthful years but during mine time was very valuable and I made the most of it being self employed . But for him in his fifties and still working and the pace California rolls it does make a difference. Who are we to judge another's lifestyle. As long as he is not steppin on my toes he can do as he can afford and assume all the risk he wishes. You add in what is not relevant by adding construction zones, who said anything about flyin thru them. Some common sense applies to wishing one had a big power plant and taking advantage of its strengths. Just sayin and thinking out loud. If I described how speed ratings on American built tires was determined you would really cringe. On the other hand if I could describe how the rest of the world does it you would Grin! There in lies a big variable. Not all round rubber donuts are the same. Never the less on some points you are absolutely spot on. Have a great weekend. Sorry you did not call when you went thru Denver!

The real trick is check them as suggested above every couple months and be sure they have adequate water. They do not like being dried out. Good wet cells will last 9 or 10 years properly cared for.

MoPar Hauler, trust me the TT is wonderful for you and the coach, money well spent. It is a direct extension of the hitch with real full sized wheels and tires. The RS comes from Porsche and my shop Restoration Services. It was a play on the performance cars Porsche built and still does. Restoration Services, well the name tells you nothing and opened many doors commercially for a guy with many interests. Glad you checked it out. Smart guy... Yes Carl budget needs a boost to acquire the shorty Alpine...nice coaches. Mopar, on the Alpine the real money was spent under the coach, suspension and drive train as opposed to the bling inside and are great riding and driving coaches, perhaps as good as it gets. It is a gearheads dream!i

MY BET IS ABSOLUTELY YES!