rsbilledwards

Docj, the model of the Coleman Mach 8 ????

Docj, Thanks for the quick response! yup you are right about the park brake setup and yes the C 12 will easily over power it, just ask me how I know. Changing the one pad has become a frequent effort well sort of, three times. Good thing I can still handle it and now pretty quick at it. Better yet your experience with the air over hydraulic which appears only marginally better than the Hydraulic over hydraulic that I presently have. My coach is pre ABS and I have no problem with that. It works but is at its high limit. Fortunately I have had no caliper issues. I suspect that the ones on my coach have the phenolic pucks in them. Good to know NAPA is a reliable source. If you know someone with a Marquis and full on S cam air brakes I would appreciate the contact.

I can not speak to the Alpine except to say a friend had one and loved it but never towed with it anything larger than a small car. I on the other hand get what you are trying to do, been there. I started out with a 2001 3126B CAT 330 hp. It took awhile but discovered the SMC Panther 425 12 425, in the Beavers 455. Do not know curb weight but GVW 31,000 pounds. Its pulling power crazy good. Yes I have pulled the Featherlite a good many miles fully loaded your kina weight, with both coaches. The C 12 was the choice of the over the roaders in the day toteing 80,000 thousand pounds. I got lucky and found this coach with 12K on the odo 6 years ago and have not had a single mechanical issue in spite of the warnings from some folks here about it having sat most of its life. The Grapevine, a Panther or like equipped Beaver, or Alpine would put a smile on your face. Do not consider the SMC Velvet Ride rigs for this application. Just my take, towing a trailer of size and load indicated is touchy, particularly if you were involved in an accident, likely or not and in the wonderful state of California, problematic. Having that load sitting on the rear of any coach suspension, tongue weight, is something of considerable concern hence the Trailer Toad and additional braking afforded by the Dexter brakes. should be a great concern. Lastly glad you are not the youngster I pictured at the beginning of this thread and have some experience.

Docj, Maybe the upscale Beaver was wired differently than the SMC Panthers. I replaced the front unit, 13,000 with a Dometic 15K and no wire issues. It took me 15 minutes to wire it up. That said single zone, ducted and the thermostat in the living room controlled only that one. I have several question of you if you have a minute for number one. What Beaver do you have? Does it have air brakes, air over hydraulic or hydraulic over hydraulic? I am thinking of a brake system upgrade and need a Beaver owner that has what I want to do for a reference. Can you supply the number of the MACH 8 you used as I am now going to switch the other AC unit to a 15/heat pump. Thanks for the comment as well Joe. That one over rode Kay's response...hope it is!

Safe-T-Plus

OOPs! how did I come up with that...

Oh boy take time to smell the roses. Allow more time than you initially expect to take. Enjoy

All kinds of information out there. Many articles suggesting the best states on news feeds with all the info you are looking for and as Ross suggests countless books. Seems to me I have seen several at Camping World on the book shelf..

Two problems here , one not addressed, holding water. Seal is tired and need replacing or rejuvinating. I found at Camping World a product aimed at the issue and that does the job of just that, at least on mine. One pours it into the bowl and let it sit. Packaging says longer is better. Mine now works just great, holds water for a week as it evaporates. I now use it regularly when not in use. As for the other question see suggested above.

Yes they did and the Cadillac of them all. I forgot about that one. Chassis came first bling came second. Expensive still today.

Well good idea or not it is what he wants to hunt for. My take cover Beaver and Safari and they will not have the HP in a short coach that you are lookin for. Few of the early manufactureres put big power in the early coaches. So that leaves you with Beaver and Safari as choices because in the 40-42 footers they used some C12 425 and 505 power plants. Now Safari is out because the brakes hydraulic over hydraulic are really not great, barely adequate. Beaver, well I have not owned one but they at least utilized S cam air brakes and air over hydraulic, the latter less desirable. You are still dealing with speeds and tires that for that mass sailing down the freeway and should something happen well going to be a mess no matter how you slice it. Yes In I have one of the early safari Panthers at 425 HP. Yes it will pull a loaded 8,000 pound trailer fine using a Trailer Toad (trailertoad.com) and the only way I would haul it particularly at speed. Now if your trailer has the typical WHOA magnetic shoe brakes, not a chance would I roll that fast. I upgraded the brakes on my 24 foot Featherlite enclosed to Dexter 4 puck big 12 or 14 inch disc brakes tied to the coaches system electronically with a pressure pump in the trailer. It is stout enough to stop the coach on it's own. but not quickly. It will help stop the whole rig faster than standard trailer brakes by quite a bit. These are not the floating hat automotive type. I might add that these coaches weight wise are very favorable and on the light side compared to later rigs. Your price point, well big engine coaches bring more money than 7.2 ltr CATs, 5.9 or 8.2 ltr Cummins coaches. and 45 is a little light though I have seen some early Panthers with issues close. The Monaco Panther with the 505 ins a dream tag axled machine around 75k if you can find one and 40+ feet.

Leave earlier and head to Fla or Arizona or wait til there is an opening in the weather and have a couple long days driving to do the same. We live in Colorado and usually head out somewhere around the first of January heading to Arizona for the winter and till the snow is about gone in May.

My how perspectives and expectations vary. Everything is priced in the stratosphere these days not just batteries. If you are on the road and not at home base they smell you coming and you pay full retail. There is always a price to be paid for convenience, ie no out put of labor to do service, like sitting in a rockin chair. It took me 15 minutes to water all 6 of my house 6 volt batteries the other day. Not bad since I had not looked at them since the middle of MAY. That said spending 45 minutes a year on them seems pretty inexpensive. In that time, I hose them off, blow dry them and water them. I am not so sure that it is a gel cell you want anyway. Crown 260s and Trojan 105s will last 10 years if properly cared for and properly charged. That is not to bad for a $ 176 battery.

They will last a lot longer than you think. I have two 13s that need a home and very low hour use. Carl still looking for a moment in time when I am thinking about it. I did go to my profile and no go. It appears to be more than that. You can help me when you are here...

Go to PPL R$v and ask Paul. He helped me and believe you me o0ne can get in a pile of trouble looking and trying to determine it for ones own sake, just ask me how I know. All of that said I have a 1999 Safari Panther. I replaced one and now the other with 15,000 BTU units with heat pumps. This is a big difference and the coach much more comfortable when it is cool or cold out. Originals were 13,000 BTU units. One must know whether ducted or non=ducted. Whether or not multi zone or single zone. Typically with older unit thermostats need changing as they are digital and the preceding info applies to them as well. All of the preceding applies to Dometic or Duo Therm and probably Coleman though it is a different manufacturer. Coach is nearly 20 years old, technology has moved forward alot. Good luck

First ck for heater operating if it check valve positions on water bay board. Though that does not explain why you have hot water and then none when it was in your hands.

Perfect Rayin I had not thought of that either bu then I have not done anything with the tank before anyway. Yes on my mind now for no real reason since I have never had an issue. Just seems like something I should DO for a change. Well more than that really seemed like a hassle base on previous experience and now much simpler. Thanks

I have to agree with WILDBILL holy cow 48 bucks a gallon, not AE certified, no extended changes... but as a racer in that environment 1/10ths count and money freely spent on them. Thinner weighted oils 5/40, well manufacturers are recommending them, but hot older oils 15/40 T4 flows pretty darn fast at 50 PSI with a substantial cushion for rod brgs and the like and I am not lookin for tenths or more miles. I will be lucky to see 150 thousand miles on the C 12 million mile engine so I will let the next guy worry about the next 850,000. Don;t think for a moment I am giving you that use the updated stuff, a hard time I am not, just thinking out loud.

Looks like the first two are out of sequence.m

First suggestion read the site handybobsolar.com for a comprehensive take on solar 101,102 and 3, what really works and what does not. He has no fiduciary interest in any of the recommendations. He is an electrical engineer, retired living in a totally o ff the grid solar based home in Montana. He like the tried and true when it come to batteries, so, it is up to you on that point. I have 960 watts up top and use two Bogart Engineering chargers which work great recharging the 780 amp hours of Crown wet cells in the battery bay now in year year 6. Real considerations are the charging parameters and how efficient given units really are and how adjustable. There is a lot of no solar being sold these days. I know of several friends that have enough solar up top that still use their gennies because the charging mechanisms fail to make the grade.

True, but who would think that DAWN was corrosive to Aluminum????? Advice taken and will check it out!

A mix of DAWN and hot water works well too.

Oil of peppermint works like a charm...that which will really make them want to leave is TOMCAT available at your Home Depot, Lowes and the like. They have a nice munch and then insaciable thirst for water and more likely never to return.

I did not know it was an "argument" yet I do agree with desert deals and hope since I quit carrying the gear I have no problems.

It is not in Thornton but down in Lakewood but Lakewood alignment. I have used them for years but under new management and ownership. Last time I was there most of the same crew were working. My F350 does this at times as well but I believe it is set off by a bad brake rotor as it occurs under braking and returns to normal without a stop. The article did not deal with a cause only with Fords lack of action. I had my son do a complete rebuild of the front suspension less the brakes, no change.