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johntelling

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Posts posted by johntelling

  1. Posted · Report reply

    We drive from Sacramento to Southern California several times a year in our 39' diesel pusher, which has a 350 Cat engine. The fresh water tank is 68 gallons, and I have always filled it up before we leave, which means that I am carrying about 544 lbs up and over the Grapevine. I don't suppose it make a whole lot of difference driving down the valley, which is quite flat, but I bet it does going over the pass.

    I could get water at the Camping World in Valencia, but would it be worth the effort? Does anyone have any idea how eminimating 500 lbs or so (I would have to have some water for emergencies) would affect the mileage, or the drive up the steep side of the Grapevine?

    Thanks,

    JT

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Jerry,

    We had a similar issue with our 05 Fleetwood Excursion 39'. Had an alignment done (that helped a bit) then Super Steer, Koni shocks, restrictors on the air bags, and Michelins to replace the Goodyears. It is a lot better now, but I still fear cross winds! Also, I discovered that the drivers seat was offset by about 4" to the left, which was wierd. I fixed that as well.

    JT

  4. Posted · Report reply

    On Saturday evening, a large tree took out the power in our area. Not to worry; I carried our coffee maker out to the motorhome the next morning and made coffee.

    There was an acrid smell, which turned out to be a component on the coffee maker's circuit board frying!

    I measured the voltage (no generator running, just power from the invertor) and got 117 VAC.

    Could this be the problem, and if so, can it be fixed? The motorhome is a 2005 Excursion.

    Thanks!

    JT

  5. Posted · Report reply

    We show dogs, and they are the primary reason that we have an RV. I NEVER travel with them loose in the coach. A hundred pound dog that gets stressed is not a good situation loose in a moving vehicle. Ours ride in wire crates, which can be purchased at most pet stores. Since our dogs are large (Alaskan Malamutes) I took out the fold-out bed so I could fit extra-large crates in for them to ride in.

    After raising and showing dogs for 35 years, I can tell you that some of them never get over the stress of traveling, but most are more comfortable when they are confined in a crate - and they are so happy to be going on a trip, they dash into their crates as soon as I open the RV door!

    JT

  6. Posted · Report reply

    I had the same issue, and I hated it!!! It got worse and worse, until the glass actually fell out, which was a little distressing. Fortunately, the wire for the heating element stopped it from crashing to the ground.

    My mirrors are Velvac, and the glass is remote controlled within the housing, so only the glass moves. The glass is held in place by a several tabs on a plastic frame. the tabs break, and the mirror shakes. I ordered a new glass from Velvav (they were great to deal with) and it came with the plastic frame and was easy to install.

    JT

  8. Posted · Report reply

    I think that the material which seals the sliding glass window in my class A has fallen out. The window will not lock when I slide it all the way closed - I have to pull it back about 1/8" and then it whistles.

    My mind keeps coming up with the word 'windlace' -is that what it is called?

    Anyway, how to I get a piece and fit the window.

    Thanks,

    JT

  9. Posted · Report reply

    Unless thermal windows for motor coaches have improved lately, I would stay away from them. I am taking my coach to a glass shop tomorrow. They are going to reinstall my driver's side window which was impossible to see out of under certain light conditions. The cost was not too bad (about $350 to replace just the fixed part) but I would just as soon not have to have it done.

    I must confess that I spent hours scrubbing the windows and went on to this forum to find out why I couldn't get them clean. Brett straightened me out, but I did feel a little silly!

    I thought about taking the window out myself, but the whole thing is about 4' wide by 3' tall, and I have reservations about balancing on a ladder and taking it out.

    I live in Northern California where heat is much more of an issue than cold so I can't comment on their ability to keep out cold. I exp[ect that is compromised once they get cloudy anyway.

    JT

  10. Posted · Report reply

    I have the same issue with my Fleetwod Excursion. There are a few places who advertise that they do this work, but none of them close enough to me (I live in the Sacramento Ca area) so I started asking glass shops. I found two locally who said they could do it, although only one of them had a facility big enough for my vehicle. I expect to have the work done next week.

    I am having the drivers side front (fixed) glass replaced. They are going to pull out the enitre frame, a then extract the section that needs to be fixed and replace the glass. They are going to put a piece of plastic over the window opening so I can drive home while they work on the window. Interestingly, even though it is a glass shop, they send a template to a company who does thermal tempered glass.

    All of this, including labor, for $325. The local RV places wanted to replace the whole thing for about $1,500, so I feel this is pretty good.

    Fleetwood (and the dealer who sold me mine) are out of business. The 'new' Fleetwood doesn't want any part of my problems. Allegro might be a bit more sympathetic, since this is definitely a safety issue. Have you contacted them?

    JT

  12. Posted · Report reply

    When I had the tires on my RV replaced, the installer used new valves, which appear to have a little ball bearing in the end instead of valve caps. I am having difficulty putting air in the tires now.

    Does this type of valve require a special inflator?

    Thanks,

    JT

  17. Posted · Report reply

    My 2005 Fleetwood Excursion's driver's seat is offset to the left by about 4". This means that. if my body is centered in the seat, the steering wheel and the pedals are 4" to my right instead of being right in front of me. The only reason I can think of that Fleetwood might have done this is to make more space between the seats. I find myself sitting way over to the right to compensate, which gets old when driving hundreds of miles.

    A side issue is that the driver's seat won't rotate all the way because it is too close to the side of the vehicle. Has anyone else noticed this, or am I overly sensitive?

    JT

  19. Posted · Report reply

    I want to replace a couple of the inside light fixtures in my coach - it's a Fleetwood Excursion 2005. The existing ones have small bulbs, not sure if they are LED or quartz.

    The light fixtures I have found to replace the old ones take regular 120v incandescent screw-in bulbs. Is there any reason why using regular bulbs would be a problem/

    Or, is there something I can do to convert the fixtures?

    Thanks!

    JT

  20. Posted · Report reply

    Thanks, Brett.

    I makes sense that it would be the filler pipe. I imagine that the mechanic either forgot to put it back on, or didn't put it on properly, but I really doubt if they will admit to it, so I am out the cost of cleaning it out and another oil change - probably somewhere else!

    John

  21. Posted · Report reply

    Sticking out the back of my 2005 Excursion's 350 Cat engine is a pipe about 2 1/8" in diameter. It is close to the top, over the radiator, on the right hand side when you look from the back of the vehicle. Right above it is an On/Off rotary switch.

    It must have had something covering it I suppose. I just had the oil changed a few weeks ago. Could they have left something off?

    When I put my hand over it with the engine running, I can feel a slight pressure, and the sound changes. Is it a crankcase breather, maybe?

    I just got back from a 800 mile round trip since the oil change, so presumably it was off all that time.

    Do you think the oil is still O.K.?

    Thanks in advance for any advice.

    John

  22. Posted · Report reply

    We also get slightly better mileage when towing our Acadia with our Cat 350 powered DP due to lower speeds. In California we are only allowed to drive 55 mph when towing, compared to 70 mph solo.

    One interesting aspect of pulling a toad is that it is easly to get stuck in fuel stations. Guess how I know? I have become very suspicious of fuel stations where the pumps are at 90 degrees to the access road - and also quite good at quickly unhitching the toad if I need to!

    JT

  23. Posted · Report reply

    The driver's side front window on our 2005 Fleetwood Excursion 39L is fogged to the point of becoming dangerous.

    The non-sliding part is double-glazed.

    I realize that there are places where this can be fixed; however they appear to be in Florida, Arizona and Oregon and I am in Sacramento, California.

    Does anyone have a local solution for this other than to replace the entire assembly?

    Thanks,

    JT

  24. Posted · Report reply

    The simple answer is "not enough harm to be concerned about it".

    Certainly, repeated high RPM downshifts will shorten engine, transmission and drive shift life. BUT, all these components are well over-designed. Also, be aware that you are going to burn more fuel doing this, as exhaust brakes on, then throttle to re-accelerate does take extra fuel, particularly since this eliminates coasting (my favorite "gear").

    Personally, it would drive me crazy to have the transmission downshift, engine RPM's go way up and rapid deceleration every time the throttle is closed.

    And, with your Caterpillar C7, you have other options that can be programmed by a Caterpillar dealer including "Latch Mode" in which the exhaust brake is applied when the service brake is applied and stays on until you go back on the throttle.

    Were I to be inclined to drive with the exhaust brake on, I would pay a Cat dealer to reprogram to this options. Latch Mode allows full use of the exhaust brake in emergency stops (applies instantly when you step on the brakes) and allows the exhaust brake to stay on for long descents without coming on every time you let off the throttle.

    Brett Wolfe

    Brett,

    Thanks very much for that information! It does drive me nuts letting the thing do that. I wonder why they don't program the 'latch mode' into it in the first place?

    By the way, I can't tell you enough how great I find the FMCA forums!

    JT

  25. Posted · Report reply

    Brett,

    Thanks for all that information about Allison transmissions and Cat engines. It would appear that it is impossible to either over rev or lug these things - mine is a C7 350. I normally drive with the retarder turned on so I won't forget it, which causes the transmission to lurch to a lower gear, and the engine revs to go up pretty dramatically.

    My guess is that Allison and Cat got together and figured out how to avoid blowing these things up. In the good old days we were taught to avoid that lurching thing since it might be harmful to the engine.

    My question is - am I doing any harm by leaving the retarder on all the time?

    JT

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