andyshane
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Posts posted by andyshane
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I thought you might benefit from this. It might save you a gob of money, in the long run.
After friends sent their Discovery in for radiator service and ended up with a huge bill, I starting getting more serious about tending to mine*. Bear in mind the buddy who owned mine prior to our purchase periodically raised the closet floor and shot degreaser onto the engine and radiator, and I've done the same every six months or so in nearly two years of steady use.
We had been overheating, but only under extreme conditions, eg making 2-mile constant climb at 60 mph in N. Arkansas with 100+F ambient temps (120+ against the pavement). Even then, a short downhill run with the exhaust brake on to boost rpms, or pulling over resulted in immediate return to normal.
A recent trip to Galveston resulted in perfect temps, albeit with 85F outside.
Still, after the trip, I applied degreaser to the aft side of the radiator, waiting 20 minutes, shot the fins with a safe blast from the hose.
What looked like mouse turds showed up in the driveway.
Lil' greasy mouse turds that turned into a smudge when rolled between my fingers, rather than the wholesome, nutty but slightly gritty goodness of the real thing... Clearly, the engine side of the radiator was a muffin mold of sorts for these little pellets.
Using the heavy duty degreaser in a spray bottle, I hit it from the back side -- the idea was it'd pass through to the engine side -- another five or so times, waiting and rinsing each time.
The next morning, I jammed a digital camera up inside the shroud and shot a series of photos. One spot on the lower right was gummed up solid, despite repeated cleaning.
So, I got a gallon sprayer and loaded a 1:4 mix of the Simple Green Pro HD from Home Depot yesterday, rated safe for aluminum, sprayed the engine side of the radiator while hot, let it sit for 20 minutes and then rinsed. There was quite a difference, althought further cleaning was needed.
As a result of this discovery, I'm programming a misting of degreaser up under the shroud on the engine side, after every trip. It only takes a minute or two, can be paired up with hooking up the black tank rinse, done at the same interval.
Thanks for the comments below. Indeed, the moral to the story was that degreaser must always be applied to both sides of the radiator, with an emphasis on the upwind eg front side. Use good judgement to protect the delicate fins: some pressure waters have "Delicate" tips and are appropriate; if in doubt, use a hose-end sprayer.
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I saved $479 on two 275/70R/22.5 XZEs. It was easy, seamless.
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I'm more of a student here than instructor; but, two of us who own Class A motorhomes just traversed the Pacific, arguing this one. My Monaco-owner captain swears that the house batteries have to be removed from recharging for the duration of storage, to maximize battery life.
'Gotta admit, my Trojans' terminals go Chia Pet and need to be cleaned regularly; I replenish water every two months.
The downside: the microwave clock needs to be reset, every time I "power-up."
Anyone else do this?
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I've pored over both makes, talked to a dozen or so owners of each online. Fit and finish in the Newmar is not without flaws, but is significantly better than Entegra. In the materials department, I noticed the same difference mentioned above, with Newmar in the lead.
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I've also been hoping to upgrade to a Monaco, once my airline employer wraps up what amounts to a tactical bankruptcy to wriggle out from under obligations to shareholders, vendors, employees.
The Navistar offerings at Hershey seemed lacking in attention to detail, I came away from that experience with the resolve to avoid "transition" models, if our purchase is pushed too far down the road (targeting 3-5 year old coaches).
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Wow. Great topic. I'll pay more attn to the peak torque rpm now, for sure.
I've noticed in general, the eastbound drivers are turning in significantly better mileage. Indeed, Caterpillar says in the guide Brett mentions that we can reap a 12% fuel savings from wind alone.
Plus, engines vary wildly: my C7 turns in the 7.2 avg of them all, which I can improve upon using the techniques you've been discussing. My buddy with his mammoth Libertyjust returned from a week of camping in Colorado, again beat 8.0 mpg for the trip, despite his heavier weight and 515 hp engine. Similarly, the couple from whom we bought our Fleetwood purchased a Newell and it got better mileage with more hp and a heavier bus.
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TCi in Fort Worth was designated by the FMCA as my Michelin dealer, I'm glad they were. Superb service!
The technician who installed my new front tires gave me the option of installing new valve stems, I asked for his input.
"The rubber O-ring is the thing, we can't determine its condition without taking the stem apart; and, if we do that, we can't put it back together," he replied.
The cost? Ten bucks.
Of course, let's yank 'em off and install new ones, I said.
It made sense; I mean, why seal old ones away for another five years?
Well, the condition of the seven year old stem, once taken out, was not good. The chrome plating was coming off, the O-ring dried and brittle.
"You won't believe the number of blowouts that start when that valve core yields," he says.
Oh? It gave me chills to think I was on the verge of keeping the thing in place for a third set of tires...
So, word to the wise: spend the $10 and have peace of mind.
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To piggyback: we've gotten into the habit of seating these latches with the handle pulled, eg not slamming the doors like you do in a car. That minimizes the wear on this nylon latch.
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Ditto. Two visits to Santa Fe Skies, happy both times. Best, the Santa Fe Brewing Company tasting room is just down the road...
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Thanks, all. I'll get crankin'. Poliseek and Blue Sky are history.
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For the second time, we've had our insurance cancelled without notice by Poliseek, our agent with Blue Sky Insurance.
Probably, it's yet another admin goof on their end, the first stemming from a change to our autocharge due to internal problems at Citibank.
I have no doubt this is another admin flub, but these are adding up.
If members have a preferred insurance provider, I'd enjoy hearing your input.
After-Action Report: I screwed up, plain and simple. 'Mis-read their correspondence, am pleased to report all is fine with Poli-Seek and Blue Sky. Summed up, the sole negative is that we had to submit paperwork to back up a change to the autocharge card number, which seems a needless pain.
Wayne from Strictly Cycles and I were just on the phone, a great character and a pleasure to deal with. Thanks for his, and all the other, links.
We pack a powerful punch, minimize our mistakes, by comparing notes and watching each others' backs. For that, you have my gratitude, each and every one of you!
Pilots aren't supposed to make mistakes like this...Controller: "Descend two four hundred." Flying Tigers Crew: "Roger, descend to four hundred." Or, on one flight in the American Southwest: Copilot: "Hey, isn't the minimum altitude here... <BANG!>" Lots of other examples, in aviation history.
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Most of the alarms are limited to a five year lifespan.
Some manufacturers say to test the unit weekly, that is probably a bit excessive if not living in the rig. A simple test is part of my pre-trip inspection: slowly engage the trigger of a butane lighter so there is no flame, hold down the trigger and place the lighter close to and above the sensor. It should alarm within a few seconds if functioning normally.
More fun than simply pushing a button, and grandkids will love performing the chore.
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I forgot: the topic came up over at the dysfunctional forum, and the same consensus was reached: if your circumstances require a contract provider, eg not having a shop and skills at your disposal, Coach Net polled as the preferred choice.
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When I was a neophyte, I signed up for Good Sam ESP; it is the only serious mistake I've made, in the time I've been RV'ing, IMHO.
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Good Sam bent over backwards to deny a minor claim, citing a chain of related items to reach a non-covered aspect of my tie rod replacement.
Then, they ignored my BBB complaint against them.
As far as I'm concerned, they simply stole my money.
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I bought the Tire Traker system last year, and am highly satisfied. Owners Daryl and Cheri Lawrence have gone way above and beyond the call, providing service.
I'll give you an example: my wife was on a solo trip, pulling a Roadmaster 2000-1 dolly with her Honda Crosstour aboard, when there was a sudden explosion and the tire alarm sounded.
Of course, the stock Carlisle tire* had reached the end of its brief service life and disintegrated, launching the Tire Traker sensor into low orbit. As the doomed transmitter rocketed away from the dolly, it sent one last signal to our cockpit, tripping the alarm.
So, I called Daryl and said I needed to buy a transmitter, he refused to charge me for the replacement.
Really, the only problem within the system itself has been a fractured leg on the battery clip inside one of the transmitters. I told Daryl that I'd be happy to solder it if he walked me through the process; instead, he immediately put a free replacement in the mail.
In short, two minor glitches, each followed by a box in my mailbox free of charge three days later.
The batteries in the lightweight sensors can be bought at any Radio Shack, and I have yet to need the booster unit I purchased but have not yet installed. There are two locked-down sensors on the Crosstour's rear tires, which places them nearly sixty feet away from the receiver. Still, I have perfect reception to the unit, under all conditions.
* I have reported the early failures of both Carlisles to the NTHSA. This is common, when Carlisles are mounted on dollies or heavy trailers, even when used within their weight ratings. Consumers typically experience catastrophic failure before reaching 4,000 miles, judging from dozens of written accounts. Kudos to the Claims Department at Carlisle for compensating us for the failed tires, the fenders destroyed in these incidents. They are investigating the early failure pattern of their trailer tires. Roadmaster is also looking into the problem, but assumes no liability in these failures, and continues to sell dollies equipped with Carlisle tires.
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Emily, There are so many preowned RVs on the market today it would make it impratical to take on such a project. You can purchase many different coaches with up to 4 slideouts. Some even have what is called a full body slideout.
However HWH makes slide components.
Ditto. A friend just sold a perfect late-model Country Coach that was meticulously maintained and always stored indoors for 46% of its book value. The market is truly in the dumps, and represents a rare opportunity for anyone buying a first motorhome. I don't think you could build one for what you'd spend buying the equivalent.
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Purchasing a Good Sam ESP was the singular worst decision I've made since starting RV'ing. They went to great lengths to deny one minor claim, have ignored my complaint against them through the Better Business Bureau. I'd strongly recommend against choosing them.
Writeup in iRV2 forum.
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... I would add 5 PSI to the minimum to account for those big Walmart trips and moderate ambient temperature range and 5 PSI for side to side imbalance (until you get 4 wheel position weights)...
I just ran for two hours with 5 psi over Michelin's recommended value, was pleased to note a 10F drop, on the average, in my sidewall temps. No noticeable difference in ride quality, wife agrees.
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Wow. That's a first. The same profile came up for each post; so, I guess if you try to delete the one that's not yours, it'll work
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Size matters, when it comes to Class A's
I floated the idea of the newer, shrunken Excursion being offered for 2013 to my wife and her response cannot be printed in polite company.
While our 3-slide 40' rig affords ample living area, galley, bath, bedroom and closet; a fourth slide and the extra two feet of length in the models we're looking at provide optimum storage and a little more flexibility with floorplans. Conversely, the new version of our bus blends dinette and living space, sheds storage compartments and abbreviates precious closet acreage. I don't think the market will respond favorably, 'specially if diesel prices continue to inch downward.
As far as maneuverability and economy goes, shrinking a Class A (or transitioning to a Class
seems to make comparatively little fiscal sense: one sheds luxury and convenience at a much faster rate than one saves dollars. -
Ditto. 'Cept, mine finally gave up the ghost, yesterday.
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I just received a phone call,from Microsoft !!! Not really !!
Informing me that my computer was sending out bad information and data.
Wanted my personal info. so they could clean up my computer.
That made milk come out my nose
No, I'm glad you didn't fall for it; but that is the silliest scam...
A good rule of thumb for us all to follow: ignore the incoming call/email, then initiate contact with who the caller/mailer claims to be on our own by the means we always use.
(The death penalty should apply for anyone who attempts to con U.S. citizens over the age of 55)
Wheels Off Ground After Leveling
in Leveling
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Interestingly, the tire center asked me to raise mine to replace the steering tires, recently.
With the jacks extended, a raised front tire might be bad form, but simple physics make it relatively inconsequential. Of course, one problem lies with hyper-extension of the jacks. Your jacks are strongest when retracted, flimsy when extended. Minimal extension protects them. Bend one, and it is going to stay extended; that will have a profound effect on your gas mileage
I'd be embarrassed, think that light under a front tire suggests to my neighbors that I'm new to RV travel. Not to mention that whopper of a stepdown, by the door...
Like Herman says, those rear wheels are a whole different game. Light under a rear tire tells your neighbors not to stand close to your rig, clear the way downhill from it in preparation for your upcoming accident.
In any case, follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Addendum: The previous owner bent two jacks due to hyperextension, they had to be removed at the site, later replaced.