rossboyer

If 8 hours includes installation of the tow brackets and wiring your tail and brake lights using diodes to protect both vehicles that is a very good estimate. I am trying to remember the tools that I used to install my RoadMaster adapter plates on our 2011 Equinox, and I don't think that any tool was unusual. As Brett stated look at the RoadMaster web site. You can download the complete instructions for your Equinox. There is a list of required tools in the directions.

You can order the parts from Roadmaster and do the work yourself. The light wiring would take the most time, but add the adapter plates to our Equinox took me 3.5 hours. No drilling. The directions with color pictures from Roadmaster are great. The price of $4K if it includes all the items you stated is not far off. Doing the work yourself would probably save $800 to $1000. It all depends on how comfortable you are on working

Installing a battery disconnect switch would work, but you would have to open the hood to turn the battery on or off. Most auto supply stores have a small connector to add a circuit to the fuse panel. Two of those connected together, another fuse the same size as the one that needs to be pulled, and a small toggle switch can be used to turn the circuit on or off. The extra fuse is used to complete the circuit while maintaining the same safety. The switch can be mounted anywhere by extending the wires to a convenient inside location.

I cannot tell you what the load is for your brake lights; but with the ignition in accessory position, the load without the lights being on is 1.75-1.80 amps on my Chevy Equinox. I am sure you could look on line to find the current draw for your specific bulbs. But beside the brakes, some coaches have different turn signal lights and at night running lights. These would not work unless you power from the coach. Using diodes seems to have worked best on 4 towed autos I have had. You might check on Roadmaster's web site to review the different wiring methods for the various combinations of coaches and towed autos. They have all the wiring diagrams in full color that you can down load and review, PDF format.

The logon is being retained from session to session as it was. Thank you, it is appreciated.

We installed Villastone, 16" square marble dust and resin tile with outdoor carpet adhesive. A professional that does custom tile installs for one of the large manufacturers recommend to use this adhesive; because when the coach is winterized, the coach will be the same as outdoors. In our area that could be 20 below. Also, in the summer when we are not in the coach, 120 degrees is very likely. Outdoor carpet adhesive is made for the extreme temperature range.

Hello Crusingseniors: The Indiana State Fairgrounds has 520 full hookup sites with 50 amp electric, water and sewer. There is a premium charge; but for a first timer not being experienced in dry camping and as hot and humid as Indiana is usually in August, I think that the full hookups would be a wise decision. Registration and full hookups is $400.00. If you would like to register for a full hookup site, please call FMCA and ask for Indianapolis convention registration. They will be able to tell you if the type of site you need is still available. We registered Jan. 2nd to be sure we got the site we needed. One enjoyable thing to do is to volunteer, but you may be so busy with seminars and shopping that you may not have time. Hope to see you there, Ross Boyer

I too would suggest the Air Force one. I had a Brake Buddy. The Brake Buddy caused a break malfunction on my towed auto. Had to replace calipers, pads, and disks. Saw another cause the tire to catch fire because of locking the brake for only two blocks. Wait until you get all the parts together before you decide to use all locking pins. You may find there are locations that you cannot get the lock and/or key on the pin because of tight space. I do suggest using all keyed alike locks for the where they can be used to prevent theft. When I return to the coach from a stop, I check to be sure that nothing has changed by vandalism or breakage.

Having had 4 motor homes with jackes manufactured by three different manufacturers, HWH were still the best. The company has the best support and service. I only had one spring go bad and that was due to being hit by road debris. The spring was very easy to replace.

No problems at all with our Equinox tracking behind our motor home. We have towed it about 12,000 miles in the past year.

Along I-80 Cabelas (a sporting goods store) at exit 59 is a good stop if for no other reason then to see their wildlife displays, and you can stay the night. Windmill State rec area at exit 285 is a quiet stop where all the sites are pull offs. You do not have to unhook a towed vehicle, but some of the sites the utilities will be on the passenger side. There are several other small state rec areas along I-80, but we just have not stopped at them and cannot endorse anyothers. In Iowa at exit 125 is the Iowa Machine Shed Restaurant. Worth a stop for a good meal. I usually go through their lot and park in the motel lot next door which is usually near empty.

When you say that you cannot get to it at the engine, is it that you cannot see it or cannot get a wrench to work on it because of the tight quarters around it? If it is tight quarters, go to any auto parts supply store and buy a belt filter wrench. I don't mean the type where the belt is rubber and has a long handle. Get one that is a cloth belt loop that you insert a socket set extension into it. By using a ratchet the belt is rolled getting tighter and tighter. The filter is loosened. Remove the belt wrench and by hand the filter can be removed. To install a new one just reverse the process. A CAT Tech told me that this is the way he removes the filter, and it works.

The January, 2012 issue of Family Motor Coaching magazine states the the GMC Terrain eiher "All-wheel drive or Front-wheel drive" may be towed with all wheels down, but there are two limitations. 1. "To prevent battery from draining while the vehicle is being towed, remove fuse 32, the Discrete Logic Ignition Switch fuse, from the instrument panel fuse block." and 2. As a footnote to the Speed/Distance Limit of 65 mph/ None, "The vehicle should be run at the beginning of each day and each RV fuel stop for about 5 minutes." I do run ours in the morning, but I can not believe that they mean when we fuel our motor homes 600 miles later; therefore, I also run ours at or near our lunch break at mid-day.

This is our third coach. Two with dual pane and one without. This one has heat pumps. If I can, I will not get another coach without dual and heat pumps. This coach also has two LP gas furnaces. When the temp exceeds 5 difference to the set point, the gas furnaces heat the coach up to the set point and then the heat pumps maintain that temp. As Brett stated below 40-45 degrees heat pumps are not very efficient.

You should have a smooth ride. You can go straight through Indy on I-65, but there is construction at Indianapolis on I-465 west side if you decide on that route. Due to the construction at the I-64 bridge west of Louisville, the I-65 bridge has more than normal traffic causing delays depending on the time of day you go through. Monday after Thanksgiving we traveled through without problems about 11:00 am, but coming back a week later about 2:00 pm the traffic headed south was backed up for 3-4 miles.

Please let us know what Winnebago tells you and the fix.

Normallly, the EMS would not show amps if there is 120/240 volt, 50 amp power entering the system. If only 120 volt power is sensed, the EMS system should indicate 30 amps available. If you have connected with adapters to 20 or 15 amp power, you would need to set the correct current available. The EMS will then shed loads as needed for the power you have if it has been set up. As to where to locate the main power panel, it may be in a very inconvenient location; but it is normally accessable from the inside. Have you called Winnebago to ask where your main panel is located? Most manufacturers will be able to tell you if you give them your VIN number. Ask them t you question regarding only 30 amp power entering the coach. Also ask to have the electrical, both 120 volt and 12 volt, drawings sent to you. Fleetwood has been able to email to me my drawings. If nothing else if you have the drawings in hand, asking questions of them is easier. If you cannot reach Winnebago, open every cabinet door to look for the location.

One additional item. If a breaker is off in your main power panel (not the main breaker), a power management system may "think" that only 30 amp service is available. The power management system must sense both legs of the 50 amp service to recognize that the service is 50 amp service. Without actually testing the input, if you have a double pole breaker in your main panel that is marked 50, you have 50 amp service. The other breakers will be single pole and marked 30, 20, or 15 depending on the size of the circuit attached.

I just traveled round trip from Anderson, IN to Gulf Shores, AL. One construction zone and it didn't slow us down much. Think it was south of Nashville, TN so it should not bother you. The west side of Indianapolis on I-465 has a lot of construction. Assuming you will be traveling south on US-31 and although longer, I would use the east route of I-465 to avoid the construction near I-65 an I-465. I-64 bridge west of Louisville, KY is closed; therefore, the traffic is more than normal on I-65 north of Louisville. We didn't have any trouble heading south on the Monday following Thanksgiving at 11:00 am, but comming north a week later we saw trafic backed up 2 to 3 miles that was headed south about 2:00 pm.

I think the items with the ball ends are valve caps that are used by trucks where the valve chuck will hang on the stem without holding on to it. This a special valve chuck. The ball recesses to allow air flow in or out of the valve stem without removing the cap.

Because I use the ladder to get to the roof for cleaning, I do not like the tie wrap solution. The plate interferes with the step. I use the ladder mounts sold by Kiley Mold as suggested by Brett Wolfe which sets the plate back to allow usage of the step. For the front, I had license plate mounting holes, but there was a recess that didn't allow the plate to be mounted. I bought some 1 inch wide by 1/8 inch thick aluminum bar from Lowes (Home Depot has aluminum bar, also) which I bent to make 2 mounting brackets. A vice and a hammer will allow you to easily bend the bar to any shape needed to set out the plate. These brackets were bolted to the license plate holes and two holes I drilled from the underside. Later if this mount is removed, the holes will not show. I do not have a picture. Each coach would probably be different anyway.

I didn't do either one. Our water softener is a small blue tank with a hose inlet and a hose outlet. When we travel, I half fill the fresh water tank with soft water. When we get to a semi-permanent location, I connect the water supply to the water softener with as much hose as is need to get to the water softener at the coach. I then connect the water softener to the inlet on the coach with a 3 foot hose. I have found that recharging is need about once a month. The steps are: 1. Shut off water supply. 2. Release pressure. 3. Open top of softener and pour in 1 pound of non-iodized table salt (the least expensive I can buy, usually $0.39). 4: I connect a different short hose that has a shut off valve from the outlet of the softener to the black tank flush or you could use a short hose to the sewer drain. 5: Open supply. 6. Open valve to back flush for 15 minutes. 7. Close backflush valve. 8: Shut off supply. 9. Disconnect hose to back flush. 10. Reconnect 3 foot hose to coach. 11. Turn on supply. This system is not automatic, but works very well and is economical.

You have discovered one of the greatest benefits of being an FMCA member. Another member has had the same experience that is causing you trouble and is willing to help another member.

We live in Indiana and prefer Meijer, but they seem to only be around the Great Lakes area. When we travel to the southwest (Phoenix area), we like Albertsons and Frys. Frys is a Kroger owned name. Some Frys are electronic stores. You can find almost every electronic item that you might need. Kroger owns many what were local grocery chain stores. In central Indiana, Payless is one of the Kroger owned chains. Since we visit Walmarts a lot, we do shop there as a thank you for allowing us to park overnight. Their pricing is good, but we do not usually buy meats at Walmarts because so much of their "freash" meets are prepackaged at remote processing center.