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In spite of my many years of experience guiding big diesel rigs down the highway I was also taken in by the beauty and diesel power of the higher end Motorhomes that passed me frequently. I was caught up in the ability to finally own one. Did not do my home work. Just assumed that diesel power solved everything. Boy was I wrong. Kinda like a owning an expensive boat. Big hole in the water to dump money in. Sure is nice inside though. Maybe I will finally get things up to snuff and travel with fewer worries. They are in no way as durable as a big rig, but as Brett has pointed out, the bed is nicer.

As Bill pointed out, keeping your rpm up on a pull usually helps to keep coolant temp down. It does it in two ways. Fan speed is increased if you have a rear facing radiator and the speed of the water pump increases therefore moving more coolant through the radiator. Find a tranny gear that allows you to climb while easing back on the accelerator as Wayne pointed out. Knowledgeable truckers have used this method for years. Take care of the cleaning issues mentioned on this forum by Brett Wolfe and hopefully you will be good to go. Or running in the dead of winter might help. (Tongue in cheek)

A Wannabe. Only one time on the Keys and it was in an 18wheeler. I delivered to the Naval station in Key West that was built in the 1800's. The Joint Interagency Task Force (drug interdiction) had an operation there and I have the cap to prove it, courtesy of the ranking CPO. I remember old Florida from the 60's and the Keys are it. When I delivered, I was hoping for no load northbound right away. Spotted accommodations on the way into town where I could have parked, and found a room. Alas, dispatch needed me to head to the mainland for a back haul the next day. I would enjoy taking our Phaeton there for a second chance. Good luck to you headed that way.

Although we are not full timers (would be if it was up to me), I can tell you for sure that the western states that offer higher altitude camping are a good choice. I am partial to Colorado and Montana to experience pleasant summers. You can easily check normal summer temps on your computer if you find a place that you are curious about.

I saved $100 per tire June of last year, but it was in the states. Perhaps the program does not work as well up north? This forum alone is worth the money to me. Hope you change your mind.

Different topic/ Johnny Walker RV got good marks from the poster.

I agree with Joe on "lost without your car." I would not be without a toad now even if we downsized. The original owner of our coach pulled an older Honda civic with a manual tranny. I remember him telling me that it weighed under 3,000 pounds. Above 3,000 seems to be the weight where most states require supplemental braking systems. He towed with a Blue Ox bar and no supplemental braking. That is the cheapest method. Like me, he had a Class A CDL in his wallet. He also drove tractor trailers during his time off work as a full time firefighter, and probably knew the 40' Phaeton was not a sports car. I have seen some RVs driven that way though.

Ran a 34 gasser for years and we did not tow. We were always in a hurry and like you, most places two nights max. We now have a 40' , are retired, and tow a Subaru 4 wheels down. The toad unhooks so quickly I would never consider a trailer. You gotta deal with the car on and off thing, and if you don't have a pull thru, you gotta move the trailer somehow. Everyone I have seen with a trailer always has a lot more work to do before leaving the site. Plus a trailer will probably add considerable weight to the project. Check the weight of a trailer that can handle a three or four thousand pound vehicle. My two cents, but if you have an opinion someone may jump on you.

Found what you are looking for. Visit tiffinrvnetwork.com as a guest, click on the board index, find topic Where Are You Heading and click on it, go to page 3, drop down aways and you will see Glacier NP, Bannf, Lake Louise, Jasper, Emerald Lake, click on that and you will be pleased with the info. I met RichardN/ he runs a 42 Allegro Bus and pulls a jeep. Indicates no problems even in the tunnel. Appears to have good info.

Try TRVN site. Seems to me that a number of them have traveled in the area. tiffinnetwork.com or perhaps tiffinetwork.com

I would first be concerned about your GCWR ( gross combined weight rating ). As long as you don't overload the coach GVWR, a few hundred pounds over the tow rating would not worry me but I have a different work experience than most here. There are legal ramifications. Lighten up on the coach running weight, by having say 1/2 tank of water, leaving your barbells at home, well you get the picture.

I think that I would prefer the fiberglass roof. We owned a travel trailer with a rubber coated roof for just one year between motorhomes so I don't have much experience there. The used Phaeton we bought last May has a a one piece aluminum roof. That seems the most durable to me, but perhaps they are a thing of the past. There will probably be commentary shortly.

The closest park with a pool is the KOA in Strausburg CO along I-70. You would have to head south off of 76 to get there and it is well past your budgeted travel time with kids. I-76 is kind of the boonies. You are already past parks in Nebraska that might work, and that part of Colorado was hard scrabble when I was last there. Maybe some fracking going on now, but not enough travel by RVs to justify a plush park. Check Nebraska out and get going earlier to make up time.

One more time: #1 Did the mechanic ( tech ) speculate that there was coolant in the oil based on the damage to the head? #2 Was an oil analysis done at the shop and if so, just trace amounts? #3 Was the oil obviously adulterated with coolant and the mechanic observed that because of the color of the oil? Once the head comes off, you are already into some money. Expendables will be replaced before you get your RV back. An oil change for sure. If #3 is the case, ask them if dropping the pan and inspecting some bearings is advised. The oil is gone anyway. If they say no, they must feel that when everything is buttoned up you are good to go. Joe knows a lot more about things mechanical then I do. I guess that I am just a fraidy cat. I enjoy running in the mountains so I would want to know that the odds are with me when I get into a hard pull over a pass. Good luck to you and please let us know how things turn out.

Bill I used Speedco's test done on an analyzer in the waiting area when trucking. Perhaps not as accurate as a higher end testing service, but you establish a baseline and watch for changes. The test result are on the printed analysis, and a description of possible problem areas are there for you to understand from the write up. Coolant in the oil or lack thereof is there for you to see. I had my oil tested every oil change/ normally four to five weeks apart. I don't know how they would be if you rolled in there for just an oil analysis. If your oil coolant levels were very low, you may be OK. Oil with higher coolant levels tend to look a little on the brownish side. You can have them drop the pan and inspect some of the bearings to see if they have been scored enough to need replacement. If not, you dodged a bullet. If you need the "bottom end " done, you are looking at six sets of rod bearings and seven main bearings replaced. Ask them how they determined there was coolant in the oil. If it was obvious to the mechanic without a test, that could be a bad thing $$$. Perhaps Joe (JLeamont) could offer some advice, and I know Brett will be back. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Geez! A vinegar flush for the water heater. Something else to do before heading west in August. My only other hobby is drinking beer, and at least I can do that in moderation while I pursue the primary one. The flush/ should it be a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water all the way up? Pretty sure ours is a ten gallon unit.

Welcome to the forum. Brett Wolfe is the resident Cat expert and also a moderator. Hopefully he will respond shortly. Sounds like you have done everything that could be expected from a careful owner. Our Cat330 has a separate belt for the water pump that is manually adjusted. Learned that from Brett. Could it be out of adjustment or badly worn? One other thought/ local RV shop recently told me they occasionally find debris between the CAC and the radiator. I haven't crawled around under mine enough to tell you how that could even happen. Maybe when I get to the CAC cleaning I will know more.

My two cents. An older 45' Prevost conversion with no slides would be fine with me. Just don't have the dough. It is probably difficult to find newer units without them.

Prices have been dropping here in the Keystone, but slowly. The wholesale price, the price at the rack ( where tanker drivers load ) influences everything. Subtracting 64.2 cents from the pump price at the Pilot in Carlisle PA leaves a wholesale price plus Pilots margin at $2.407 and that is lower than any of the neighboring states. VA is the area bargain for us although they do have more biodiesel in their fuel. A motorhome owner only has to care about the pump price and happily I am in that group. Knowledgeable truckers subtract the state tax from the pump price because they have to pay the tax based on miles run in the state whether they buy fuel there or not. PA has been for decades, a big fuel point for truckers heading into or out of the northeast and that affects neighboring states. The wholesale price for neighboring states plus the federal excise tax and the dealers margin is actually higher. Go figure. If our tax was not so outrageously high, we would all benefit with much lower prices in those neighboring states. Bill. Small talk here. I remember prices at the pump in the teens in Arizona when I was just a pup in the mid sixties, and yes there are a whole lot of factors at play as Brett said.

PA does have about the lowest level of bio diesel at the pump (2 to 5%). That helps a little bit.

I took a look at the website for the DD13. Very impressive. American Coaches seem to be side radiator configurations. That would give the tech easy access to the engine. The Detroit Diesel service centers that I know of have Allison Service as well. I am not talking about a Freightliner store. Detroit Diesel-Allison service centers. We have one about 30 miles from me along I-83 before you get to Harrisburg. They never let me down with my big rigs, and after we bought our humble RV I took it there for a full Allison service. I know truckers that miss their series 60 engines (built 1 million of them by the way) . They are running other power now but I am not telling the brand.

The chassis on our coach is a 2002. Tiffin built the coach in 2003. I am sure the airbags are original. About 21,300 on the RV now. Should I be worried? I will inspect the bags when I get the coach back from the install of a new drivers side windshield. If I see no obvious deterioration???

Brad The accommodations you have given your cats are really something. With just two, I want to get the litter box out of sight and pulling the washer combo out seems the best choice. The only way to give them a private entrance is probably through the wall of the private toilet closet. Perhaps I might remove the cabinet doors, wrap them, and store them safely at home. Then I could install a spring loaded curtain rod for some privacy. After all, we have loads of oak to admire in the coach.

As indicated on an earlier post the nearby Rv repair business that I took our coach to for the annually mandated state inspection turned out to be a surprise. The person I met first started talking about taking the radiator out to change the engine belts. He must not have been an example of the employees there. The owner estimated 2 to 3 hours labor plus belt cost. I was prepared for three or more labor hours after being softened up some. I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when I paid the bill. The two belts were $87.13 and two hours labor at $92 per. I was very happy with that. One less thing for my old frame to have to deal with. If I had not paid attention to all of the info available on this site I would not have been as informed as I now am. I still have a lot to learn, but I have discovered that owning a diesel pusher is not for the faint of heart. Lots of good advice here and especially Brett's. The cleaning of the CAC and radiator is next. Maybe a week out. If you need help in York county PA , John's RV Repair in Jacobus is worth a call. They have a large chain link fenced in yard and perish the thought, lodging is close by. If you were ever to need a tow Gordon's Towing in Stewartstown Pa is very reasonable in cost and experienced. All long time employees, and they have treated me well over the years. They won't grumble about dropping the driveshaft. Hope you don't need either of them but just in case. Both businesses are on the net.

Read the comments on Type C coaches in the section near the top of the main forum page. That will get you started.