richard5933

Back when the previous company was making the FMCA plaques, I ordered a set just like this - just a vinyl sticker. That's actually how they are made, a vinyl sticker applied to a black plastic plaque. I'm not positive if the current company making the plaques can do this, but it's worth a call. Makes it possible to place the "plaque" virtually anywhere.

Many of these devices have a torque spec for the screws/terminals. I picked up a torque T-handle screwdriver to set them to accurately. Some took more effort to get tight enough than I thought, and a couple I found I was over tightening. And yes, it's possible to over tighten - some terminals will deform if too tight, and some will crush the stranded wire.

Has it always been this way or is this a recent change in how it sounds? In my experience in trucks, every valve makes that sound when applying the parking brakes. As mentioned above, the whole purpose of the valve is to release the air from the spring brakes so that they apply.

Of course it's removable - the question is how difficult it would be. Not sure at all how to do it on your coach or how difficult it will be. Hopefully someone else can help answer that. Most likely that thin layer of foam is glued to a thin piece of luan paneling, as mentioned in the reply you got from Winnebago. My guess is that the fasteners that hold the panel to the ceiling are located behind the trim strips between the panels. Things like this can be done with the panel in place, but if you need to re-glue the entire panel (or even most of it), you'll find it is very difficult to do overhead. Even more so to do it overhead and not get glue all over other things. And, it does look like the entire panel needs a re-glue. Curious to know if you have had any water leaks in this area in the past? Seems strange that just one panel is failing, so either they didn't put it together properly from the get-go, or there is something external to the panel which caused it to fail. My first guess on a ceiling panel would be a hidden water leak. Something to check, without doubt.

I've had success repairing a similarly-troubled headliner in a car before using 3M spray adhesive. It's basically contact cement in a spray can - apply to both surfaces, let it dry till the shine is gone, and then put things back together. You only get one shot though, cause once this stuff sticks it will want to stay stuck. Best to remove the panel and do the repair elsewhere - that spray will get all over everything if you do it in place. And, it will have fumes till it cures a few hours. (No fumes after that.) They make a few different flavors of 3M spray adhesive - you want the one that is meant to be permanent. I've used the stuff to hold foam sound insulation against the back of a generator cabinet before, and it is great for holding vinyl and fabric to most materials.

Glad to hear you got it figured out, and that it ended up being something simple. Those braided water lines always seem so durable to look at, but you never really know what's going on inside them or what's the state of the rubber inside them which actually carries the water.

Welcome from Wisconsin! What type of RV are we talking about here? Will help us help you if we have some more information such as make/model.

Not sure if this is the kind of knowledge you're looking for, but a good intro to heavy vehicles is actually your state's CDL manual, especially the sections 2.1 (Vehicle Inspections) and 5 (Air Brakes). Section 11 (Pre-Trip Inspection) is also good to read through. This won't give you detailed knowledge of the systems, but it is a great intro level resource. The main purpose of these sections is to provide new drivers a basic level of knowledge needed for safe operation, and it might serve as a launching point of sorts for you to see what it is you are going to need to know besides just the engine. I've also found some of this checklist type knowledge helpful in looking at vehicles I'm going to purchase. (If it can't pass a pre-trip inspection, repairs are needed.) Another route, especially since you have time till you purchase something, is to check your local community college or technical college (or what ever they're called in your area). They often offer training programs on things like diesel engines, and sometimes even have non-credit short-term programs aimed at the general population.

No, they don't. The current version of these are made of plastic. While those will never rust, if they are outside they will still deteriorate. They have different problems, like breakdown from UV and stress cracks from extreme weather and temps. My brass pieces have lasted 45 years, so I'm not sure they really needed any improving. My guess is that the bean counters deemed they needed improvement in the cost to produce though, which is why the are now plastic. My plan is to rely on the paint to help reduce any electrolysis.

Surprisingly, they are mostly solid brass. The only thing that connects the snap cover & hinge assembly to the plate is two 3/32" rivets. I have a box of aluminum (couldn't locate the correct size in brass) solid rivet the correct size, and my plan is to reassemble the same way as the original. A couple of dabs of silver paint and things should look just the same as the original. The only difficult part of this is going to be rigging up a way to hold things steady enough so that I can smack the rivets hard enough for them to hold tight.

Wow! Even with the quality of motor homes being what it is sometimes, it's surprising that something like that didn't get caught. Also scary that the dealer didn't take action. Just shows how much we've got to be the final QC for whatever we drive.

Maneuverability is going to depend mostly on wheelbase length and steering axle cut angle. The shorter the wheelbase and the tighter you can turn the wheels, the easier it will maneuver through tight quarters. Of course, the downside of a too-short wheelbase is a harsher ride, so it's a balancing act. Some manufacturers of Super C motor homes spec out their chassis differently than others. The higher-end lines will spec out a softer riding suspension (true air ride) and other things that will add to comfort on the road. The lines aiming to meet a price point are going to feel more like a truck going down the road, having a combination of leaf springs and air bags or other lower-cost options. I agree that getting behind the wheel of one is going to be the best way to see if you like it more than what you're currently driving. I wouldn't have described the Super C as driving like an oversized SUV, other than the cabs are generally pretty much filled with all the creature comforts we've gotten used to in passenger vehicles. But, they have done a great job of civilizing what is essentially a commercial truck cab/chassis to make it much more comfortable and convenient.

That would work, but it looks like doing the snap cover transplant from the "new" ones I found onto the original mounting plate should work. Only a few steps involved in doing the transplant, and once the weather gives me a few warmer drier days I'll give it a shot.

No way to cut them without losing the tapered edges - all that would be left is a flat piece of thin brass. No way it would like flat against the door, as the edge is what give it strength/stability. Easier to do a transplant than to try and recreate the tapered edge.

Yeah - those are the ones I was able to find. Covers are the same, plate is larger than the one I am trying to replace.

Glad to hear the the occupants were okay. Scary to see how cleanly the house was snapped off the chassis. I'd really feel better knowing that they had done a better job putting the two halves together in a way that they stay together. Anyone know what make/model this was?

Thanks. I should have reported back earlier - I did find a few older covers, but like the one you found they all have the larger mounting plate designed for a regular 1-gang switch/outlet. However, I think that I have a plan. I'm going to surgically remove the cap and hinge assembly from a replacement, and then rivet it back onto the plate from my original. Kind of a cover transplant. I've tried it once on a scrap cover, and I think it will work.

Yeah - but the battery you linked to in your original post was not an AGM battery. Closest I can find for a US Battery AGM is about $280. The AGM version of the Trojan T105 retails for about $300 and is rated at 217 Ah. Close to the US Battery, but I suspect that the Trojan is a better battery from what I'm reading online. That Amazon price for a Trojan T-105 is way out of line with reality. Here's another for comparison: https://ressupply.com/batteries-and-enclosures/trojan-t-105-flooded-battery You might be able to find Trojan batteries locally as well and save shipping altogether. Not sure where in the Midwest you are, but here in Milwaukee there are places that sell Trojan. I got mine at www.sbsbattery.com

For less money you can get a similar battery in the Trojan line. Not sure about the long-term quality of the ones you're looking at. Keep in mind that you'll need to use 6v batteries in even numbers, putting the two batteries in each pair in series, and then running all the pairs parallel to each other. The group 31 batteries I'm seeing online have approx 100 Ah capacity, so three of them would give you about 300 Ah total. The Trojan 6v T-105 has approx 225 Ah, so four of them in series/parallel configuration would give you about 450 Ah. If you can fit them in the space you have, I'd go with the 6v.

I agree that Garmin is the best, but you have to get one specifically designed for RVs. We have the 760, and there are a few newer models since then. Once we entered in the height, length, & weight into the system it has done a pretty good job of not steering us wrong. However (BIG however) it is still important that you confirm the route as you travel. Don't ever trust any GPS system to keep you safe. In addition to paying attention to height and weight limitations, we keep a sharp eye out for steep grades, super sharp turns, or other things that we might have trouble with. "Driving" the route on Google Maps is a good way to get a preliminary look at the route, but even with that you've got to keep your eyes open. Welcome to the forum - I look forward to seeing you here again.

Are the contacts break-before-make or make-before-break? Curious if a momentary drop in power to the a/c from a break-before-make switch would be a problem for the a/c at all.

Have you confirmed the ground connections to the harness are good? Seems like quite a few problems like this end up being a bad ground, so that's always my first step.

Some do, some don't. We carry a mounted spare which rides in its own compartment behind the front bumper. Most coaches have the same size rims all around. As mentioned above, the only difference is that some with aluminum rims have a steel wheel on the inner wheels of the rear duals. You can mount two aluminum wheels, but you'll need longer studs to do it safely in most cases. But, in nearly every situation a steel wheel/tire can be used as a spare in all tire positions. It might look odd to have one steel wheel showing, but it will work till you get the flat fixed. There are many opinions on whether or not it's wise to carry a spare. Kind of like asking what's the "best" brand of oil to use. Guess it all depends on which set of hassles you prefer: The hassle of carrying a spare or the hassle of not having one when you need one.

Not sure if the ATS was mounted in the orientation shown in the photo (vertical mounting with the terminal strip vertical), but in the PD manual (page 3) it mentions if doing a vertical mount to keep the terminal strip going side-to-side, stating that early failure may be the result of improper mounting. Not sure if this failed ATS has the same warnings, but it would be something to consider when mounting whatever you get to replace it.

Assuming that you are talking about the wire gauge size, are you certain that the new ATS is rated for the same capacity as the one you're replacing? Sounds like it may not be. I'd agree with you - trimming down the existing wires to fit the new ATS is not the way to install it. My 50-amp circuits are all running 6 ga stranded wire, which I believe is also used in most 50-amp shore power cord sets.