rsbilledwards

Herman, Makita makes 2 1/2 inch 18 volt impacts, the larger of the two will do the job and under well 300 bucks from FactoryAuthorizedOutlet.com. Typically the best battery buys are at Home Depot at Christmas time. Being a regular customer pays nice dividends, as the more you buy the better the discount.

Several Safari owners made a mount and carry it up front as a bumper for the front bumper with a cover on it, It looks really pretty good. Like Herman I too could change it and for years carried a couple tire irons incase but never used them in 60 thousand miles. They are new, shiney grey and available if you need them They sit as ornaments in my shop now. Flats are very infrequent unless you travel to Alaska. So no I have to agree with Wayne. Itoo have a spare rubber tire only and it too is in the way in the shop. I think now it's time is coming soon.

Though Colaw is a good source and my first choice they did not have any a few months back. You might try Vision in Kentucky, higher priced. Safari parts are in high demand with no end in sight. Join the Trek groupe and the Safari Motorhome owners group on Facebook for more help. It is a closed group. Maybe safarifriends.org will be a help as well. Lastly do as Herman suggested a lot shorter search!

Yes mine are as K suggests got them from NAPA

No doubt in my mind Joe is spot on. Most driver are likely one not really all that mechanical and many do not own their rigs...someone else is payin the bills, and just get out of the way. Many RV owners have unreasonable expectations and subsequently over react when results do not match them. However, I think Configuration does figure in to the equation to some degree. Case in point, I had a catastrophic radiator failure a few years back and was hauled back to Pueblo, Colorado. The shop manager did not look happy until I showed him the access by lifting the bed exposing everything at once. Then showed him that removing two bolts the panel covering the radiator swung up and out of the way, he had a full grin on his face. The bill reflected the same at just over 900 bucks.

No you did not Richard, I was concurring with you. I was adding the other two sources where we Safarians congregate and there is a lot of information specific to his rig. This site is terrific and a lot of info available but the other two are coach specific. I did not think we had a lock on info here. Sorry if that is the way you saw it just trying to help b

Well there you have it from Joe, good I can quit sweatin bullets and use the old stuff. It now has 42,000 on it and is really amazing how silky it runs, only getting better with each mile. The coach is light, 31,000 pounds loaded and the power silky smooth. It has not seen a hill or mountain pass it did not like. What is really fun is playin with the big boys with a long pull in front of us. It is plenty fun on the flats too when they try to outrun me. I am sure you know better Carl. HA Ha Even at this stage it's average MPG with my foot is 8.62. Carl I need to update the verbage in my signature underneath and cannot figure out how to access it. Th Z need to go away and so forth.

per Richard's request Join the Safarifriends.org group or the Safari Motorhomes Owners Facebook page closed group

That is the best part of tis age...we get to do what we want! I agree using T4 seems to do the job, reallyu d I need to get more than a million miles from the initial build on the C 12 CAT. Maybe those Cummins need more help. Just sayin and teasing...you know if it is not a CAT it is a dog...😎

I do this job and with screens 20 years old went after them with a stiff bristled brush. Scrubbed both sides and hosed of with a stiff spray, no streaking. We went to Florida and the no seeums went thru the screens at 30 miles an hour so replaced with a tighter no seeum screen from qualitywindowscreen.com, 25 foot roll. My point, screen will take a beating and not expensive to replace, nor difficult.

I am not as qualified as is Joe to make the determination, except to say there is no substitute to cubic inches! They definitely improve driveability. I am a CAT guy C 12 and predate the current over the road engines.

Ok my take on this perpetual subject and outside the box and a little history leading to today.. Having spent 40 odd years in the automotive restoration business I like thinking outside the box on problems such as this. I joined the ranks of Rving 11 years ago with a 2001 Safari Zanzibar. While the roof was in pretty good shape, always exposed to the elements, it needed a good scrubbing and some reseal work. I listened to suggestions here. I pulled up ALL the original sealants around the roof perforations and cap junctions. I chose to use the standard Dicor self leveling sealant and the Dicor roof finish for Fiberglass. I learned that the sealant needs to dry a minimum of 1 month prior to coating with the roof coating. I did not and after 8 years under the coating it was still soft to the touch. Maybe not a bad idea. I will say I did not skimp on the quantity of material used. I used 2 and a half gallons of the white coating. In the refinish world mil thickness determines wearability and durability. I must say it held up very well, must say and minimal chalking or streaking nearly ten years later. I just sold it. Roof looked very good. 6 years ago I bought a 99 Safari Panther C 12 powered coach. It's age dictated a roof rehab on the same order of the Z despite the low miles. It is a time factor issue. Skipping to the coating. I did a lot of homework and asked a lot of questions and instead of Dicor used a product from SPI in Kansas called SuperTherm. It is used in the railcar transportation business on the roofs to drop the internal boxcar temperatures. It is a space age coating incorporating 3M's hollow ceramic ball insulation. It reflects 95% of the UV radiation solar based heat, is flexible, fire resistant and a sound deadner. It has a 20 year lifespan, blocks moisture and air infiltration. It is not necessary to keep it clean for it to work. Cheap to use no, I used 5 gallons to meet the mil thickness on a 42 foot roof, 2 coats, $400. When dry it was a flat finish. I do not like flat finishes so after fully cured painted it with 2 coats of as good a high gloss premium white white latex exterior enamel as I could find. Flat finishes collect dirt and glossy finishes repel it at a much higher rate. They clean much easier as well. This is now out 3 years AND LOOKS TERRIFIC. I wash it once year using a soft bristle broom and a little Dawn. It is definitely interesting and cooler, on a 90 degree day the roof is certainly cool to the touch, quieter, jury is still out, maybe a little.

We have stayed at the campground at Bryce. It was busy but nice.

Do a complete flush, it should not be goopy. Putting you finger in it will have no effect on it. Use DOT 4, do not use synthetic. Yes should be a a regular service point especially if in moist climates.

I have long been a proponent of wet cell batteries if buying them as a premium unit. Crown 260s may last ten years if cared for at $ 165 per. My biggest argument in favor of them is the price/life span.. The Lithium craze will play out over time and I do not advocate buying on the early stages of new technologies and the claims are often exaggerated or extrapolated from engineering "should be" information. The argument for Lithium holds many good points if the expectation of use and then actual use occurs. The biggest concern for many these days in convenience. Is it easy to spend 3 or 4 thousand to avoid watering or cleaning upkeep. But then the rate of charge, the weight, the depth of discharge does make them more attractive for the long haul. It should make selling the coach easier to those younger and into the tech scene. I'm not sure the value is there for me at 74. One thing I failed to mention so the edit, is charging. Lithiums do not like cold which in northern climates could, will add another dimension. I am told that there are some manufacturer adding heating elements to the batteries. This would certainly be a plus for some, me included.

Agree with campcop and TX shortening the trip, they want to visit their daughter. When we head to Fla each winter from Colorado, we allow a month just to get there! There are to many places to see and places to stop. I used to travel to get where I was going to end up, rarely taking the time to smell the roses. That said, you must determine how you are going to travel, freeways or secondary roads. The latter being the real America or the speedy freeways with lots of trucks and many bumpy roads, construction zones. Oh there is a lot to see, true but catered to a fast food crowd so to speak. As TX says, "set up and tear down" day after day. First time we went East, I allowed two weeks, a joke, I day two long 600 mile days to stay on schedule. The time just flies when you find a place you would like to spend two days or three at and then after several time of this along with the inevitable side trip you are sadly behind the curve and now have a really long day ahead. Set up after a few of these becomes a real chore and the G & T gin and tonic hour not nearly as much fun. Me I would not shorten the trip but lengthen it, it will be a lot more fun and everything you left will still be there when you return just waiting.

Arrg to some of the above, agree, For those reasons when heading East we wing it. It certainly can be frustrating to difficult. Heading West not nearly as such. Many places to dry camp unless at places like the Grand Canyon, near impossible, you must use your imagination. We rarely plan the trips and head which ever direction we wish, like a moth. We have found some amazing off the beaten path sites close to little towns most would never find and most of the time dry camp oriented. Janet has becom pretty good at finding these. Her biggest question” is do you think this road is OK?” 99% of the time we try them and have rarely had a miss. Like has been said it is the journey, the route taken, forget the time frame thing some days are a long drive some a short one. We have stopped many times in really crazy places with no adverse consequences. This spring we were on our way to Asheville from Pensacola. We had planned to visit Montgomery Alabama and ended up in Selma as a result of a conversation with a Black couple at dinner in Pensacola. The reason, to see where Martain Luther King and his entourage planned the initial Civil Rights movement. We spent the night at a Walmart and slept soundly. I should add, one of the things Janet does that has become very valuable later has been creating a journal of the general route and places we fueled, visited and wished we had. Part of the return home will be followed again this year so we can take more time and have a better longer look, Ozark mountains in Arkansas, oh my gosh was it pretty, skinny little US 65 hiway some of it was around Eureka Springs. Really no problem driving a 42.5 foot pusher just had to keep my eyes on the road.

Yea me too Herman, "I wrote it all down for next years travel EAST" I obviously did not look at it a third time... Sorry for following your occasional lead, just kidding!

Too funny!

Great bunch of suggestions thru for us in the WEST thru a congested city landscape when you look at a map. It takes folks like you frequent travelers to aid those of us from another part of the country to find other sightful places to see without the hassle of trial and error. I wroy the all down for next years travel East.

We have used that section of 10 the last two winters heading east from Colorado. We picked up 10 in San Antonio and took it all the way to Pensacola, Fla., I can not say that it was all that bad. There was some congestion in Louisiana around the Lake Charles area. I am really at heart like you and have a preference for secondary roads but that east Texas area is not conducive to that kind of travel. Les us know what you come up with

I spent a year in Atsugi, Japan at the expense of our government. Yes tried most of it. I taught English during my off hours to a group of middle management execs. It was a real hoot. Saw a part of the culture few foreigners do see. The sushi and sashimi were wonderful. First time, go with someone that knows and that can explain.

Oh there are a myriad of routes to take that could take 3 month to do the trip justice. There are many secrets in Colorado and Utah where ones imagination can run wild seeing Indians on the plains hunting bufflao and other game. The topography can be wildly different around every bend. The ultimate trip for anyone from the East would be to take I 70 to Utah 128 and to Moab and then 191 South to Blanding and up to Hanksville. 24 to 12 into the backside of Brice Canyon and from there a multitude of choices. The length of US 89 and all of the side roads will offer weeks of amazing driving miles. Consider that I have backpacked many many miles in southwest Utah with more than 100 Boy Scouts in the 1980s, Oh how I miss the backcountry.

What do you want to see? What kind of roads do you want to travel, scenic or flat relatively level. If it is gentle to level by all means i 80. It is all easy from St.Louis from Denver. I 80 is a flatlanders paradise but through dry arid country, not so scenic unless it is your first time. Now the other ways. I 70 will have some pretty good passes heading East to West they are pretty gradual for the most part. Steeper side is west headin East both Vail and Eisenhower. After these two it is a pretty gentle heading West. Glenwood Canyon is absolutely worth the drive! Another climb in Utah but no comparison heading to I 15 North to SL. A far prettier drive, cut off at Green River a hundred miles west of Grand Junctions on a diagonal into the Unita National Forest on US 6/191. It is another climb but not steep East to West, steeper the other way. It is an absolutely beautiful drive. Guel up in Denver or Grand Junction off the Horizon exit. It is 500 miles to SL from Denver. Fuel up again in Spanish Fork near I 15 as you head north to SL.. We have traveled these routes for 50 years having grown up in Southern Oregon and live in Denver. I might add too that as you look at the map all the roads intersecting I 80 and US 50 "The Loneliest Highway" a bit south in Utah are definitely worth a serious look! The scenery and topography are amazing and each is very different from the other. There are plenty of places to pull off and spend the night in seclusion as there is very limited traffic, as in nearly none.It is just the wilds of the WEST! It is all dry camping, but you are all self contained making it all the better. None of these roads will challenge your senses or your driving skills but but will your visual from desert to alpine. If you have never been to the West you are in for a huge majestic experience. ENJOY and TAKE YOUR TIME.

First place to start, check the grounds and for loose connections. The dash area is more susceptible to vibrations due to all the wires moving ever so slightly.