jleamont

Wow, interesting and humorous to read...from my seat anyway . Last time I was stopped was in the motorhome (old C) was on I-44 in OK (2008). Got stopped headed south and back north the following week (different officer) argued with both. Both times they told me I didn't have my turn signal on prior to selecting the lane at the toll booth. After the first one I purposely put my signal on when I saw him sitting there, flashed my high beams (to get his attention) and he still stopped me, that started the argument. I told him had you been paying attention you would have seen my blinker, next time I will blow the horn. After he identified me he explained that they will stop RV's often to see if they are human trafficking. My next response obviously was "well I could be neither of you looked inside the coach"! Funny, from the angle they both were sitting at neither could have seen my right turn signal unless they were staring at me as I approached the toll lanes, which in both cases they obviously were not since my signal had been at least 300 feet before it branched out for the toll booth and I was well under the speed limit. I told them right turn signals are only on the right side on all makes and models, you cant normally seem them working from the left side. I haven't been on that road since. Crazy thing, while we were standing there a guy in an old 1500 Chevy pulls up pulling a travel trailer (and you heard him coming for miles truck was wound out) four people in the front seat behind the travel trailer was a car trailer with another 1500 Chevy on it with the bed full of car parts (towering up over the cab not tied down). I looked at him and said "really, you stopped me? Where I come from you go to prison for something like that". He shrugged his shoulders and said that's normal around these parts. No citations either time, I purposely avoid that road and will not purchase anything in OK, I just glide through, honesty goes along way, if we were stopped to check for human trafficking or some other suspicion I would have had no problem with that, just don't lie to me and tell me you stopped me for a moving violation that never occurred.

Thanks Tom I didn't know that. One more reason I shut off the water when we leave the CG for the day.

After looking at it on the map, Springfield would be best to access as Rodger mentioned above I-84 to I-91 straight into Springfield.

Bill, we do it either way, depends on the area. We all still like to load up in the toad and explore the area unless relatively close to home, then no point. Once the teens are grown up and out we will most likely be looking for a place to park and explore in the toad rather then destination CG's, much more cost effective that way.

Just returned from Niagara Falls NY. I booked a KOA at first on Grand Island, had to cancel as I booked the wrong weekend . So I found this place in a pinch and it turned out to be a diamond in the rough. http://www.royalmotelandcampground.com/ Our site was huge, flat and paved. W/E/S 50amp/30amp, no cable. No thrills place, no activities but a great place to park the coach and toad out during the day and it was cheap for the area.

Good to know, we are talking about this area and the finger lake region for a trip plan. Finally talked the DW into heading north for a change .

Learn something new everyday. Both coaches we have had valves; "Fresh Tank fill" or "coach supply".

Either way both Detroit's are good engines, I would take those any day over an electronic engine, especially if built after 2007.

No way would I make this change, here's why; The expense of changing wheel bearings or possibly hubs to accommodate the new offset, plus the cost of the wheel and tire. Most people fail to realize your axle housing, Hubs and bearings are all different when Super Singles are spec’d. If you are trying to lighten up for fuel economy change the inner wheel to aluminum. Also keep in mind traction can be a concern in bad weather including rain with the singles. I do not believe in this application the positives would outweigh the negatives.

I just came back from a business trip to Maine, drove this route to avoid NYC I-78e to I-287n to I-87n to I-84e to I-90n to I-495 around Boston, Springfield has an exit off of I495, I drove past it. A few tolls but the roads were not horrible, there are a few construction zones scattered around which might be a good thing as they were in the areas of the bumpy roads. We are headed to Maine/Mass in early July I will be traveling that route with our coach.

Gary, for some odd reason most RV dealers will show a coach before its cleaned, in fact they will not clean it until it's sold if they clean it at all. Makes no sense to me, being in the car/truck business the dealers I worked at would show anything until it went through the shop, repairs made and was detailed. Only a few seem to do the right thing, I'm convinced my next coach will come from Motorhomes of Texas and maybe one or two others. I bought our current coach from a car dealer that dabbles in RV sales, small place in Strasburg Lancaster PA and they treated us right. Hats off to Sauder Motors. Sorry you are having so many problems with that dealer. I have a friend that just went through the same in Louisiana, his was dirty and crashed when he arrived 1200 miles later to pick it up, they gave him a basket of hot sauce.

Gary, some states have grace period you can return it in. Check and see, that will get their attention

I also have the M&G system on my Jeep Wrangler. I completed the install myself and photos are on the link below. After using a Blue OX Patriot box, and seeing a few other set ups I wouldn't ever switch to any other system. We are so happy with it I told the DW, next toad if M&G doesn't make a kit for it we don't buy it! Plus it was several hundred dollars cheaper....no electronics....less to go wrong. Very simple system with no computers, the quality of the parts was like something from NASA, connecting to the coach was simple, just screw on fittings no cutting, drilling etc. The breakaway system is a solenoid that gets energized when the plug is pulled from the front bumper, there is a small air tank under the hood of the jeep that fills up the first brake application after you connect the air hose from the coach. Two wires to the bumper mounted switch, one wire with a fuse to the battery on the jeep, one ground wire from the solenoid to ground.

Not uncommon for the igniter to fail also, just after the relay energizes you should hear a series of clicking which is the igniter sending power to the electrode. if you do not hear that check for power into the igniter, if you have power in but no spark its a good chance it has failed. Check after you have cleaned it all out with a vacuum.

Ken, how does it run now? See the link below from my similar dilemma two years ago, my blob was the fuel line breaking down and passing into the filter. Does your coach have rubber fuel lines? I had crud in my filter bowl also, just purchased the coach and only put 200 miles on it at the time and thought it ran decent, come to find out the line from the tank to the filter deteriorating and rubber was passing into the filter, it was slimy like jelly. I thought it was algae turns out it was the rubber breaking down. the tell tale sign was one piece had some roughness to it, after I really looked at it I realized it was fuel line material. I eventually noticed fuel smell in the basement area as they got worse they also began to leak, once that occurred I was pulling too much air for it to run. The fuel pump replacement was good insurance, I changed mine also when I found out they had problems that leaded to CAPS pump problems down the road. Cummins has problems with those lift pumps....to the point it has been redesigned several times and they finally got it right in 2010.

That makes sense, hadn't given that much thought to it.

I have the same problems on the top surfaces,my paint rolls up to the roof line. I was going to scuff it and reapply it with duplicolor spray can clear coat. I also have BASF paint on my Holiday Rambler, expensive paint that holds up well. I had a spot on the coach fixed just after we bought it and the body shop was annoyed that PPG and DuPont couldn't match it, they had to source the BASF product and spray it. They told me it was a similar BASF product used on aircraft and it was 3 times the cost of DuPont or PPG. 14 years later it shines like it is new. after it was done they told me the paint was the best they had ever sprayed, applied much easier than what they were used too.

I believe a transmission retarder is not common on an RV, I have only ever seen them on Fire apparatus used in conjunction with a compression engine brake for extreme stopping power. i am suprised how different these operate, I have to be honest my compression brake operation is pretty annoying and little to no thought was given in its set up. My high/low switch does not work (programmed that way per the original owners request) I have to get that fixed, I also have no braking in 1st gear, which is scary when you are approaching stopped traffic, when the transmission down shifts into 1st gear the coach jumps forward, if you are not expecting it it's like an amusement park ride. While the cruise is on if the brake power switch is on it will come on everytime the cruise is not throttling the engine, this works the same way when the cruise is off so you basically have two choices, speed up or eat seat belt, when it engauges your face will go pale if you forgot it was on. From driving other large vehicles with compression brakes they are programmed with several parameters to avoid the issues I have, some are set to only turn on when the driver steps on the brake pedal, I have driven some that will come on automatically with no brake pedal interaction but only if you coast over a pre programmed speed which would be nice if my low setting was set to operate. My plan is to bring the lone lap top home that has Cummins Insight on it and see what setting options I have to correct the current settings. i drive with it off unless I need it, I will turn it on, come to a stop and immediately flip it off once stopped. It will not hurt to leave it on while driving, in my case you will just loose your sanity. my boost gauge rises with the engine brake on, my thought was all of the compression from the compression brake is spooling up the turbo it will rise to 10 psi when in operation while the engine is at 2200 RPM.

Steve, we tow our Wrangler in Economy mode, its not a tow/haul function like some transmissions. Economy only really works on heavy throttle applications (or it only does on our coach). Just normal driving I notice no changes unless I stand on the accelerator, my downshifts are slight in economy and aggressive in regular, it also appears to upshift faster keeping my RPM's lower in Economy when the accelerator is on the floor.

Wandas1, I had never noticed this or given it any thought until you mentioned it...interesting. I can see how the use of "Class" could be taken out of context in todays world. Rich, I had the same problem on here a few years ago, I was trying to describe the drivers seating area like you would in an air plane xxxxpit, well it blocked me due to the slang term, I had to Google it, I thought I spelled it incorrectly . Well I didn't and after I reworded my post, thought about it I got to laughing. Tom, I concur with you, the term "politically correct" bothers me also, the people that require it and are the reason we have it bother me more.

Glad to hear you are all back in working order!

That is a two piece windshield correct? What Chassis in under the coach?

John, this may seem crazy but ask your local Police department if they would weigh your coach (assuming they have portable scales). Often times they will do it, you will have to make an appointment with the clerk. The link below is the inflation tables based off of what each wheel end weighs. I would recommend you load the coach like you would normally do and fill the fresh water tank prior to obtaining any weight ratings. Should you have any questions on what to set your pressures at post it on the "tires" tab on the forum. Here is a link from someone with a similar concern to yours. http://www.michelinrvtires.com/reference-materials/load-and-inflation-tables/#/ good luck, let us know how you make out.

thanks Wayne

I knew I read up on this subject before..... here is the link;