rsbilledwards

Stephen, Join the safarifriends@yahoo.com group. There is a ton of Safari knowledge there to help solve the Safari pertainent questions particularly the old coach questions Bill Edwards

I will say this Very interesting...We live in Colorado and have heard nothing from our local chapter in the 7 years we have been in FMCA! We belong to Safari International and have been to two of their rallies, very good, tons of laughter. We have been to two FMCA rallies. The tech sessions informative and the vendors good. Do we make an annual trek to these events, no. I agree with Kenon, Joe, Barkley, the minority demographic is missing, much is missing. All you have to do is look to see what is missing. The general population is not out going unless they know the group. I am a joiner and meet people easily. I too am not in favor of the towable inclusion. It will not be good for the long haul. Here is my take on the minority thing. We had an African American fellow move into the neighborhood 2 years ago. I was the first guy to introduce myself to him and invite him to join the homeowners association. He is retired a professional, attorney I believe.He has not come to any of the picnics or Christmas dinners, He has not embraced the neighborhood. Point I am trying to make is that it is a two way street, problems on both sides for what ever the reasons. For what it is worth I am Caucasian and my wife 1/2 Chinese, I get it.

Is there a recommended weight threshold for installing a braking system in a towed vehicle? Is there a Federal or State mandate to do so, just curious on this question. Bill Edwards

Norm, I too will agree with Jleamont 2 years gone, I use 8 years as the life limit. That can vary some but probably not much.

You guys are so smart now others will do the same thing and so will I. Great idea! Thanks Bill

My two bits, Centramatics vrs beads...beads are fine as long as the air used is either nitrogen or drier dryed air! Most tire shops do not have a drier on their air systems so each time air is added moisture is added. At some point the beads will wad into a clump or several clumps and be ineffective. Just ask me how I know... Centramatics have no faults like this. Bill Edwards

Well here are my two bits. I tried the dolly and sold it right after returning. The car was really beaten up! Trailering, I have two, one open 17 foot and one enclosed 24 foot and will use either and without reservation. I use a TRAILER TOAD which adds 3 more feet to remove the vertical load from the coach. I like the additional toys that can be available like the ATV, the canoe, and the car and all three will fit on the open trailer. Yes it requires some planning but we are not RV Park campers but BLM chasers. I have hauled trailers racing Porsches for decades. The one concession I have made to that, is an electric tongue lift and hookin up to the coach, Janet has it pretty well figured out. The enclosed trailer, yes a lot longer and for hauling one of the pretty cars I do not want to wash and clean. For me it all boils down to options. My last comment, I just bought my first towable, I do not care 4 wheels down Chevy Tracker. It's 4 wheels down, may spoil me, but it has limitations and not all the toys can go. I might have an issue with "toy withdrawal". This method makes perfect sense if one is RV Park oriented and or traveling East especially. I might add on Janet's behalf she hates the trailers but really enjoyed the ATV, the canoe with the electric motor, the Honda CT 90 trail bike and all the other stuff I hauled to Arizona for our first snow bird outing this last winter... Summing it up for me "if I want to play I must pay" Bill

Bill, How do you get this...what is it called...?????????? Bill Edwards

Question, what year is the coach...at some point the WABCO unit is or was put in the panel/cabinet below the shifter. Where are you located? When posing a question it helps if you give information that identifies the coach's year of production. Some of us have Safaris and have been down the long road of solving problems. Bill

It likes you Byron and does not want you to go...B

Too many of you here are TEXANS andyou know flat is flat! I know that Pass, it is long and one should pay attention but living here in this state and dealing with it all the time, smile on my face, makes it joyful heading up and down patiently. It can, those hills, be formidable to newbies like Linda and you other Texans. Then there is OBED a real driver doing what he likes best...They broke the mold after he was finished...HA HA Go Byron! I am still waiting for a call...B

Wolf Creek is apiec of cake any more, nice and wide not as steep as 17 out of the Verdi Valley!! B

Sherry, Spend the money and install this ARP unit...it is better than all the recall fixes and will do what the others will not. Bill Edwards

Yes great road. B

At least in the Denver area NAPA has a filter sale once a year. Each individual store picks when this occurs. The sale price of WIX Gold filters is equal to 50% off the regular price. Not too bad considering the price of some of this stuff. That said NAPA is becoming more like a Checkers, and the other box stores unless you live in No Where Nebraska or Kansas. Bill Edwards

Not mentioned is the is the logistics of how do you park these things at FMCA rallys, Many drivers are fine heading forward through pull thru spaces many can not back one up on a bet. What would have happened at Chandler if they were part of that scene? Bill Edwards

J, It does look really good, you have me a thinkin about doing something very similar. I do not like having to clean the mirrors all the time. B

Byron Call me Bill Edwards are you going to be west this summer?

HA HA You are certainly one to speak or call the kettle black. How is Bette doing. B

In so far as adding insulation to the engine compartment. In many case this is very difficult and a job for a contortionist! But I have the ultimate coach allowing for ease of this effort. I used a lamination of foil faced foam and foil faced bubble wrap insulation. Depending on how it is assembled with a 3M spray glue one can attain R 12. The reduction in heat was substantial, 20 degrees +. Foil faced foam is available in 1/2, 3/4, 1 and 1 1/2 inch 4 foot by 8 foot dimensions and can be cut with a box knife. All it takes is time... Bill Edwards 1999 Safari Panther

Like you Brett waiting for a reply so I could throw in some interesting stuff recently discovered...last summer. I do not have a rubber roof or know any thing about compatible coatings, so this relates to fiberglass. Somewhere along the line, apparently a number of years ago 3M produced a Hollow Ceramic Ball for insulating purposes and if I were a guessing man, the impetus was the space age. This material has been added to elastomeric paint and is being used on commercial building roofs as a result of the "GO Green" movement and with apparently stellar results. Look at all the white roofs in New York and Los Angeles and countless roofs in Dubai and elsewhere. I received this tip from another forum member in Redding, California who was applying it to his commercial building roofs and also to his coach. I then followed suit and ordered a 5 gallon pail and applied it "SON SHIELD" in this case to my coach's fiberglass roof. It is amazing and it helps for sure. The insulating qualities of the hollow ceramic balls is considerable. It is more like a dust, hard to tell that it is actually balls in the paint. In the Arizona desert this February through April, in 80 and 95 degree weather the roof was cool to the touch and under the solar panels, it was in the big scheme of things, cold to the touch. I have concluded that there is more heat gain from the side walls than the roof. This stands to reason also from the fact that the walls are thinner than the roof at 1 1/2 inches versus 3 1/2 inches. There is a solution to help this as well not yet completed. Have you ever noticed how warm those upper cabinets get when the sun beats on the outside wall? One can Google this material for sure to determine accuracy. The balls reflect UV, They reflect heat both directions, they are fire resistant and have acoustic qualities, (I still had plenty of noise from rain beating on the roof) and several other purported attributes. The manufacturer requires 5 to 6 mills thickness hence the need for a five gallon pail. During application and due to the viscosity of this material it fills cracks and irregularities very well. In the 9 months it has been on the coach there has been no fractures in the surface due to additional drying, shrinkage from the heavy application to achieve the desired mill thickness. One thing I was hoping for was a shiny and thus a reflective surface. This did not occur at all, in fact it is a flat dull surface. I am still in the hunt for something to put over this now to gain the very glossy appearance I would like. A glossy surface is infinately easier to keep clean than a dull porous one. I am thinking of a high gloss Latex. Any input would appreciated. Cost was not bad a couple hundred dollars which is only a bit more that a couple gallons of Dicor roof coating with greater longevity. Bill Edwards 1999 Safari Panther

Brett, Herman and Carl, I have not been on in quite a while and now that we are home, yes problems... I logged on and went to locate some previous posts made in 2016 year in particular "Increasing Towable Weight". I had the time parameters correct and the name correct. The system could not find it, no clue, did not exist. I found it after a bit of searching. This has happened twice. Good seeing you at Verdi and Chandler and great to have met you too Carl. Sure would have enjoyed seeing the inside of your coach. Herman it was a pleasure meeting you too. Haven't seen a guy your age work so hard and freverently for a long time, kinda like the "Energizer Bunny"!!! Thanks for your help getting situated and teaching me how to pay attention to directions! HA HA Bill Edwards

I for one have a couple comments about the FMCA atlas. I glanced at it at Chandler. I could not read it since it was to small. It is designed for younger eyes or older Americans with a magnifiying glass. I know from a conversation there that it has been suggested numerous times to builkd an atlas in a large format that is easier to use. It was stated that "Charlie" voted it down. Why would anyone our age vote down an improvement to increase the useage of this product with FMCA on it. I currently but the large format one from Walmart...it is terrific. Bill Edwards

I think I have the jist of some of this and the heat wrap. On the Z, I wrapped the entire exhaust system that was practical all the way to the muffler and then all the air plenums from the filter to inner cooler and out the other side to the intake port. Exhaust manifold not but would like to. Two things happen, bedroom is 20 degrees cooler after shut down. Obvoiusly cooler engine bay. The other gain I believe is cooler air to engine equals additional HP. NASCAR developed this technology trying to reduce heat to the driver and increase HP Thanks it works Bill Edwards

Carl, Sent you pm. Yes to both Hang on B