richard5933

What does the insurance company say? If you were hit, then it's all on them to make it right. Does your state have any time requirements for repairs? If not, then I'd push them to provide another similar vehicle to use in the meantime - since that would be impossible for them to do without great expense, then maybe it would give them incentive to push Forrest River for the parts or to come to another solution which you were agreeable to.

I know that it's preferable to get new parts from the manufacturer, but perhaps the body shop can get the parts you need from an RV salvage yard? Might be hard to find what you need, especially for a model like the Dynamax, but it's worth a try.

Sounds like they have a personal property tax on MHs in Montana. Our registration is under $120/year regardless of value.

Can't wait till we get off this LED craze. Or until they can make them with a quality high enough to last for a reasonable time. Or make them in a way so that they can be replaced when they go bad. Or... It's only been a few years since they came on the scene, and manufacturers are so enamored with them that they are installing them all over the place and making them non-replaceable. A good example is the license plate lamps in some new cars. The LED cannot be replaced, so when they go bad the entire fixture has to be replaced. Cost is high, and it's a terrible waste or resources. I hope that the OP is able to get his handle re-lit without having to replace the whole thing. If you get it apart and replace the LED, please post some photos so that others can follow your lead in the future.

That's okay. You guys in Texas get to enjoy for a few months now. Come summer time when you guys are stressing over having enough BTUs to stay cool we'll be sleeping comfortably with the windows open and the breeze blowing. When things work out, we each get to choose our struggles and our triumphs. I spent a few decades in Texas and other southern states - long enough to decide that the heat wasn't a struggle I wanted to deal with any more.

Maybe I missed something... OP was about tire safety after a tire has become severely deflated. A few people responded with questions/comments about split rims, which were not in the OP. The first post in this thread was about the potential for damage to a tire which has been severely deflated and the importance of inspection after that event. Others seem to have assumed that this was about split rim wheels. I'm not the one that introduced split rim wheels into this thread, but I did respond to that once it was brought up with additional information, including a video that shows both split rim AND modern tires exploding. The video even mentions some of the same reasons for danger as mentioned in the OP. The facts is it doesn't matter if the tire is mounted on a modern or a split rim wheel. If it is damaged there is a danger of explosion as it's being filled. There are also split rim wheels in use, as we speak, on motor homes. Mainly they are found on vintage rigs, but they're out there. Just because your vintage rig didn't have split rim wheels on it doesn't mean none do. At the moment I feel like I'm under attack for agreeing with the OP and for bringing in additional information.

Some, but not all of them. Please look again. At minute mark 0:25 there is an automotive type tire/rim on the machine. Why is this so controversial? https://fox6now.com/2018/09/23/wisconsin-man-killed-when-tire-being-pumped-hit-his-head/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1854067 https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Tarrant-County-Man-Dies-After-Tire-He-Was-Inflating-Explodes-466703413.html https://www.wmur.com/article/1-dead-1-injured-after-tire-explodes-at-salem-auto-shop/5206922

The OP didn't mention using a cage for split rim wheels. He was talking about a tire which was severely deflated and possibly had interior/hidden damage. No mention of split rims, just that if it's discovered that one is driving on a tire 20% or more deflated to have it checked by a trained/certified tire inspector. Once inspected inside and out, it should be inflated inside a cage. This is so that in the event there was hidden damage and the tire explodes upon refilling no one is injured. Driving on a deflated tire can damage the sidewall in ways that cannot be easily detected. All that said, many earlier motor homes were built with split rim wheels. Many of them are still on the road. Especially with the recent interest in restoring vintage rigs, this is something that people should be aware of. Here's a great video which shows why use of a tire cage is important. Note that most of the tires exploding in this video are being mounted on modern, single piece wheels.

Gasoline engines provide braking action by their nature just by keeping the transmission in gear and taking your foot off the throttle pedal. Not the same in a Diesel. Diesel engines on their own will provide very little braking action, which is why people add either an engine brake (Jacobs Brake is one brand), an exhaust brake, or a transmission retarder. Engine speed in a gasoline engine is controlled by a throttle plate which restrict air flow through the engine. In older vehicles the throttle plate was in the carburetor, in newer cars it's in the fuel injection system. Close the air supply into an engine and a manifold vacuum is created as the engine struggles to pull air against the closed throttle plate. This is what produces the majority of the braking action in a gasoline engine. A Diesel engine controls engine speed by modulating the fuel supply. There is no way to create an intake vacuum because there is no throttle plate. An engine brake (Jacobs Brake, Jake Brake) works by physically changing the way the cylinder valves work while the system is engaged. The engine is basically turned into a huge air compressor, and the noise heard when drivers engage the Jake Brake is the sudden exhausting of air from the cylinders as this process works. An exhaust brake works by creating a restriction in the exhaust system - similar to the way a gasoline engine creates braking action except on the other end of the system. Instead of restricting air flow into the engine, it restricts air flow out. Can't get air out and suddenly the engine is fighting against itself as it tries to push more air out the back end. Not all engines are built to handle the increased pressures created by an exhaust brake, which is why the OP asked his question. Retarders are devices used to slow a vehicle by adding friction or hydraulic pressure inside the transmission to work against forward motion of the vehicle. Various system are used by different manufacturers.

Sorry to hear that your DW isn't doing well. Hopefully next year will be better. I used to mark the start and end of the winter season by when the rubber mats replaced the carpet mats in my car. Now I mark it by when the water is replaced by pink antifreeze. Seems like it happened much earlier this year than last.

Split rims can still be found on some older rigs on the road. Some vintage bus conversion still have them, as do some skoolies. Not a lot, but they are still out there. That said, you don't need a split rim to have a sudden and catastrophic failure of a large tire like those found on some class A motor homes. A quick YouTube search and you'll be able to see for yourself. My suspicion is that many of drivers these videos would have been wise to heed tireman9's warning above.

Sometimes my pump does the same, has since new. I installed a longer hose to use to pull antifreeze into the pump, and then raise the gallon jug a few feet above the level of the pump. Also helps if there is a faucet fully open so that it's not fighting against the pressure inside.

Regardless of how one can measure the dual tire spacing, I hope we all can agree that the important thing here is to remember to consider that measurement when deciding whether or not to change tire size. Most people consider spacing in the wheel wells, problems with steering clearance, etc, but not everyone is even aware of this measurement.

Have you pulled the dipstick to check the level in the tranny? If the tranny temp is 70 degrees, then I can't see how that would be problematic at all. Perhaps the 70 is referring to the oil level? As in, 70% full. If so, then maybe it's low on tranny fluid.

And some are combining the salt with sand or other abrasives, which acts like a sandblaster to remove the paint. Guess that's to give the salt a better shot at rotting out the metal. We generally park our coach during the salt season here in Wisconsin. By the end of some winters everything even near the roads is covered with a fine white dust from all the salt put down. In recent years they've cut back somewhat due to budget reductions.

Here's a link to manufacturer's page about the varieties of DeOxit. There is a link for a PDF file which compares them and tells which are generally safe for plastics. That said, doing a test is always a good idea. http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.188/.f

Have you checked ground connections? Things worked when you parked and after two months of parking in the summer they don't. More than enough time in the hot/humid summer for some corrosion to interfere with a ground connection. No ground connection - no controls. A 1995 rig is old enough to have problems with ground connections being corroded and/or loose. Lots of posts for similar issues on the bus conversion sites for guys running the Allison auto transmissions. I second the vote for DeOxit to help clean up problem or questionable contacts. Seems that it's common for everyone looking for a bad connection to go around jiggling and pushing on every harness connector they can find, when all along the problem is the single wire that connects the system to the chassis for ground. Couldn't hurt to check the large grounding straps at the same time, which may look good on the outside but be rotted on the inside. Not sure where your grounding straps are, but usually between engine/chassis, trans/chassis, etc.

My opinion is slightly biased towards older vehicles, but I'll offer it anyhow. If your current rig meets your needs, then keep it. If you and/or your wife want some features that you don't have that are offered in the newer models, then go for it. Reliability and maintenance issues shouldn't really be a factor. Take a look on this and other RV forums and you'll see lots and lots of very new coaches having all sorts of problems. True, you might have a warranty for a short time, but you'll also have a wait list at the dealership to get those repaired. I've read about some people having success getting problems dealt with quickly, while others seems to have their rigs wallow at the dealership for the better part of a camping season. We have a 45-year-old coach. I do have to admit to having a good chuckle now and then when I read about a brand-new coach with more problems than ours. Seems like spending half a million on a new coach doesn't mean that you won't have quality problems. Sounds like you have a good handle on the problems on your rig. Two of the items on your list were just maintenance items that would be expected on any rig (bushings and batteries). Trade it for a newer one and you'll just be trading a basket of known issues for a basket of unknown issues. There will be issues. I've had lots of vintage and older vehicles, some used as daily drivers. The only time I really consider trading for something newer is when I no longer trust the vehicle - that would be trust the reliability of the vehicle to get me where I'm going (and back again) and/or trust the safety of the vehicle. There are lots of factors that go into this matrix, and they are different for each of us. You are the only ones that can make the determination as to whether you trust the rig you currently have.

Have you tried: https://www.uship.com/

https://raybuck.com/salt-rust-corrosion-by-state/

Have you thought about having it driven instead of transported? Or, maybe that's what you're talking about. You can search the FMCA directory for members listed as Pinch Hit drivers. Usually this is for emergency situations from what I read. However, there are lots of members in Florida listed as a pinch hit driver. Maybe you can just post a notice on this forum that you are looking for someone to drive your rig to Nevada, and then work out something that's mutually beneficial for you both. I bet there is someone that would enjoy the trip.

In this instance there were apparently many, many warnings prior to the last turn-off point. I have had a similar problem coming out of Sioux Falls SD. Got to the last stop sign at the top of a steep climb up from the falls park area and couldn't get started again without burning out the clutch. I called the police, and they sent a squad car to block traffic while I backed down the hill. Seemed like I wasn't the first driver this has happened to, as the officer was aware of what to do. Needless to say, it wasn't my best day driving and I had to just admit I screwed up not better checking the route before driving. I'm quite sure that they would rather send a squad (or two) to help a driver back out of a bad situation rather than send a search and rescue team out to look for bodies in the river. Sometimes it's better to swallow ones pride and call for help.

If you watch the video of the bus crossing carefully, you'll see that he clips the horizontal yellow warning sign with the roof of the bus. Can't believe that a driver missed all those signs and warnings. Almost seems like he did this on purpose knowing the risk. Just a supposition on my part.

Here's a newscast about the incident.

Not every problem which causes oil-coolant crossover can be found with a pressure test, especially problems which happen only when the engine is being operated. They did a pressure test - no problem found. Yet, you still have a problem. Not many choices here - either take it back to them to have another crack at it or find another shop to get a second opinion. No matter how good a shop is, there are times they miss things. As already mentioned, there is a long list of things which can cause the problem. Many of the possibilities in this situation are expensive to repair, so hopefully it will turn out to be something external which can be easily repaired.