obedb

Tax rates for every state and province can be checked at http://iftach.org/ Click on tax rates to open the site at where you wanna be.

I guess this as good a place as any/ PA diesel tax highest in the country by far. 64.2 cents per gallon. Buy your fuel elsewhere if you can. I think that the Feds charge 21 cents per gallon as an excise tax. Add the two and OUCH!

I forgot about the probationary status of employees that was negotiated many contracts back. Haven't been a Teamster since 1983. I do not remember the length of the probationary status. Maybe 30 days, maybe more. The employee can be discharged without cause during that period. If he is a new hire, he may be oughta there. If not, I remember the third chargeable accident within 2 years and you were gone. Serious with obvious driver negligence a different case. I guess I am just an old softie because when people do stupid stuff behind the wheel, especially if it could affect me, I tend to think what an a_ _ _ _ _ _ and try to help them grudgingly. He could have gotten off and figured out a way to get back on. Either way, the guy was a jerk.

Most old timers like me call channel 19 Sesame Street. I have had a CB since 1977 and seldom use it. They do come in handy at times though. Just gotta sound like a trucker when you use it/ helps to keep the morons in the group off of your back.

I use an iPad 2 to surf the net. I do not know how to post a hyperlink. Check out renegaderv.com and click on the XL style. The Cascadia version would be my pick. Maybe aluminum framed laminate walls would hold up? Just dreaming. If I had the dough I would have to at least test drive one.

As a follow up/ I never liked a fellow trucker coming back into the lane right after clearing my tractor on multi lane highways. When they did it to me if the lane next me was clear and traffic was light I jumped over there. Hopefully I sent a message. Never said anything on the CB. It is unnecessary on 4 lanes or more highways and it forced me into a tailgating position. The tradition started many years ago when trucks were really underpowered and the Interstate system did not exist. When someone was having a hard time getting around me I let off of the fuel or knocked the cruise off in later years. I have pulled doubles in my career, and I never felt the need to do what happened to Ray or anybody else. The driver turnover rate in the industry is very high and while I am not excusing it, I think that carriers sometimes just want a fanny for the seat. The union carriers usually don't have high turnover except at the margins, but I have seen the big boys advertise for drivers. They once had them standing in line for a job. The standards have been lowered by many. I have seen job postings requiring only six months experience. Many guys my age did it because we loved it. To many, now it is just a job.

Perhaps it is just the toll roads. We live about 4 miles above the MD line, have run thru the state MANY TIMES, and have never observed an RV being weighed.

I feel your pain a little. We have a neutered male brown tabby that has threaded a little of the upholstery. I think a pair of dog clippers might make it go away. We leave mid August with him and a recently adopted female. I am going to try to avoid further damage. Maybe thumb tacking additional material to favorite areas. Could find an upholstery in your area to perhaps help you. Our dinette booth cushions were covered with removable vinyl covers and it was not expensive.

I have several fluorescent fixtures that cause problems. Can I just replace the innards with the new and improved or have to replace the entire fixture? I used a lot of LED fixtures in and on my Star Car, and I really liked the improvement.

Joe There are several manufacturers of very large aftermarket sleepers. They are expensive and seem to last for years. Bolted to a stretched out W900, Pete, or the T600 series (up to 660 now) they sure look sharp and they are used harder than a recreational SuperC. Perhaps the manufacturers of RVs should visit some of them to see how they do it? I was close to buying one that was mounted behind a Western Star (used) , but the price was above what I wanted to pay. Couldn't find a flaw though.

Sounds like a good deal to me. In that price range new the radiator is probably side mounted. So far I haven't heard a down side. I bet you buy it.

ABF is a Teamster carrier. Likely nothing will be done. He will eventually get his due. Just hope that he doesn't hurt anyone in the process.

Good advice. When I have treated the CAC with suggested cleaner, am I supposed to try to wash downward or through the cooler into the gap before radiator? Just using garden hose pressure?

As indicated earlier in this thread, I have very good access to the top of the engine after trashing the carpet next to the rear facing side of the bed. Valve cover, turbo, manifold heater exhaust brake are all there. I can see very little of the front of the engine. No power problems or overheating on hard pulls as yet, and I do love mountains. It doesn't look like cleaning the CAC from my view of the engine would be effective. Brett, I have seen some of your suggestions on cleaning there. Perhaps getting some cleaner on the CAC and the pushing back from the rear with a power washer? Would have to pull back to keep from closing up fins. Tiffin was wrong when they told me how to get to my access panel. Nothing about removing carpet. I have exchanged emails including pictures with another '03 Phaeton owner.His access was right where I was told mine would be and the securing screws were visible. They are a very busy outfit and callbacks take a while. Pushing back through the radiator and CAC would put a lot of gunk on the new belts. Maybe I should have spent the dough on removal. Lot of $$$$$ I guess. My fault for buying the first nice looking 40 that we looked at. It really is gorgeous inside, but I would settle for a little less glitz and a side radiator. I will have to look for your posts on the subject. Maybe I can make it work.

I ran a small handheld mirror underneath using a flashlight. No sign of an opening. Would be the perfect place to facilitate belt change. Would be looking right down at the fan. Probably not difficult then. Already had to trash carpet to get to the only access supplied. We found a small area rug that matches the color pretty much and lies right in the spot. The shop where the unit now sets tells me that 2 to three hours labor plus belts will get it done, but they started the conversation with radiator removal. Perhaps it will be their first? But I am feeling better. Knock on wood.

I doubt it. I remember when Peterbilt tried that as an option. Didn't go over well. I remember talking to a driver that ran one for a small fleet. He said that it really had a hard ride, but that was late nineties. Perhaps it has been perfected. My Western Star rode really well when pulling an air ride trailer. Perhaps a Super C with air bags in the rear would ride well. The current issue of MotorHome has a big spread on Super's. Out of my price range.

Thank you Ross. If I can look through the bottom of the closet I will have a clear view of the front of the engine. I really believe given that view, I can probably replace the belts on my own. I will put some plywood on the gravel, jack the rear up using the onboard jacks, and place some jack stands under the axle. Honest to goodness, even at my age, I think that I could then do it. We all hate being scammed, and I think that was the setup in progress when we dropped our Phaeton at the only place in my end of York county that claims to have certified mechanics. Why do we have to put up with this? Tiffin is one of the larger builders of RVs and they have a loyal group of customers. Many have owned two or three in just a few years. Why build something that is so difficult to work on? That is my humble opinion.

I have very good access to the top of the engine. Having valve lash adjusted, exhaust brake worked on, preheater etc would be rather easy. I had thought about carefully running a blade around the edge of the carpet in the closet, it would then be easy to replace. Who looks at the floor of a closet? I think that might greatly simplify the work. If the floor sans carpet looks removable and then replaceable on our unit, I am going to try it, but I won't tell my DW until after the fact.

If I could have a do-over, I would have bought a Super C. Easier to service yourself or anywhere trucks are worked on. Give us enough room for two people , two cats, and necessary cargo. We no longer dry camp. RV parks are safer.

Turbo Actuator might be what I was taught to call a waste gate. It opens to bleed turbo pressure out at a set point speced by the engine manufacturer. If it opens before spec you will lose boost. Some people (truckers) not knowing the possible problems monkey with them.

You picking on me again? Just making small talk, but I do wish the condensor was up there instead of underneath. Oh! By the way. I think that post I read on an inline filter between the tank and the generator was Crusingator on the TRVN site. A lot of responders on that site found that they had them and didn't know it. Even a small filter in need of change would really limit power. Maybe it is just something that Tiffin does?

Our coach is a 2003 Phaeton. The inverter is labeled Freedom, but the control panel inside is a Xantrex. Guess we would be OK to change in the future?

Thanks to everybody. I am probably going to find someone that I trust more. I have two shops in mind. Probably have not done one, but both places have experienced truck mechanics. If I was younger and had a suitable place to do the work I would try it myself..I will call Freightliner tomorrow to track down the belts. As rossboyer mentioned having a spare is a good idea. Oh! here I go with truck stuff again/ the serpentine belt on my Series60 Detroit took about 15 minutes, and I didn't have to get dirty in the process.

Will the serpentine belt have to ordered from Tiffin? I guess the other belt can be found locally for sure?

I did my best to look at the front of the engine from up top. I used a mirror and flashlight, but I couldn't see well. It looked like the same belt that powered the compressor and alternator headed to the fan hub, but I wouldn't bet money on it. Just under 22,000 miles on the coach. I think that I will take the unit to some place with more experience. Everything setting around the shop was mostly gas powered.