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Forum
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RE: Mattress Lift Gas Springs - Upgrading Problems
I originally added a second set of lifts to mine and tore everything up. I went back to a single one each side and built a drop down support to use when the bed was up.
I later tackled the job again using double pistons, but welded up a frame for the bottom and some heftier brackets for the plywood mattress base. http://www.irv2.com/attachments/photopost/data/500/0034.jpg
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Diplomat Don
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05/03/12 12:02am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Fleetwood's Poop trap?
301TBS....You have to remove the toilet and then measure. I'm guessing as each toilet is installed, the length of the pipe is left up to what the installer cuts it to. I cut the pipe as short as possible and then added a bell fitting to make it as large as possible where it entered the tank. I bought a new/larger flange from Home Depot to match the new pipe. You want the pipe to be just long enough to mate with the seal and not protrude into the tank.
**Note...I could not get the flange to fit directly into the opening under the toilet. I had to unscrew the false floor under an adjacent cabinet, which allowed me to slide the new flange into place via the cabinet. This was 8 years ago, so some of the details on the repair are sketchy, but the repair is doable and helped alot. Finding a tank without a shelf would be the best repair. I know they made some for the recall, I just don't know if they're still availalble.
The thing that made me crazy on mine was that there was no water shut off at the toilet. When you needed to plunge the toilet, you had to go outside and turn the water off at the spigot so the water wouldn't run while plunging. Adding a valve to the water line at the back of the toilet would be handy.
I also tried to add liquid soap to each flush, but that only helped a little.
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Diplomat Don
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04/25/12 11:34am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Toad Brake-a-way
bluwtr49.....There have been some accidents posted over the years where the toad broke away. I think some of those early failures were caused by the mounting bracket/frame on the toad failing. In those earlier versions, the cables/chains were usually connected to the same component that broke. Most of your newer systems have you connecting the cables/chains to another portion of the vehicle that is not connected to the tow bar brackets, increasing the odds that the toad will stay connected to the coach.
There are a couple of more issues that can make the break away system important to some people. As you get older and use the tow bar infrequently, some can forget to make all of the connections correctly. They're not using the break away system as a back up for their forgetfulness, but just as a back up.
I always lock all of the connections on my tow bar and check them each time, but if they were not locked, it would be easy for some idiot to pull a pin at a restaurant and cause a disaster.
My SMI unit came with a break away system and I feel more comfortable that its there. Murphy's law can bite anyone.
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Diplomat Don
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04/25/12 11:17am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Windshield Cleaners
I use a variety of spray cleaners, but I use these first. I spray the window with the window cleaner and then give it a quick scrub with the nylon pad. I spray it again and then towel dry. The windows come out perfect and the bugs are easy to remove.
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Diplomat Don
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04/24/12 11:03pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Fleetwood's Poop trap?
sssooo......I had an 04 Fleetwood Terra for a short period of time. The toilet backed up regularly and was a nightmare. The problem on mine was the tank design. The main portion of the tank was located off to one side of the toilet drain. To get the waste from the drain into the main tank, Fleetwood used a tank with a shelf on one side. The waste fell down the drain and onto the angled shelf and was suppose to slide into the tank. I complained to Fleetwood about the design and they said I was the only one that ever complained.....yet it was all over the internet. They refused to fix the coach. For that and other problems with the coach, I sold it and decided never to purchase another FLeetwood product.
I later learned that they recalled the bad tanks and replaced them.
I did do some repairs to mine to make it better. I removed the toilet and went to a larger drain flange. I don't recall the sizes now, but I changed it from something like a 4" drain hole to a 5" drain hole. I also shortened the pipe on the toilet so that it didn't hang so deep into the tank. The toilet drain pipe was too long and was only about a couple of inches above the shelf. Large items (no description needed) would hit the shelf and still be partially in the drain pipe.
This helped a little.
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Diplomat Don
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04/24/12 10:57pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Installing HD TV (Direct TV) HELP !!!!
Here is what they look like. You can probably get one at Radio Shack or Best Buy. RF Modulator
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Diplomat Don
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04/22/12 11:23pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Running Direct TV Dry Camping
You have a problem with your coach electrical somewhwere. Your DirecTv should work fine on the generator and even on an inverter. Check to make sure that the circuit breaker(s) on your generator aren't tripped. You don't say what coach you have or what generator you have.
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Diplomat Don
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04/22/12 11:14pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Installing HD TV (Direct TV) HELP !!!!
Brian, on the back of the DirecTv receiver there is the HDMI out and RCA out (small red, white, and yellow plugs) You can plug in RCA cables into these and then into a modulator which has a coax connection. They''re about $20.00. You can then plug the coax from the rear TV into the modulator. This will allow you to run both TVs off of the same box.
Your front TV will be in HD, but your rear TV will get SD, digital TV. You also have to watch the same program as the front TV, but if you're like us, we only watch one TV at a time.
Make sure you turn your remote to RF, instead of IR, and you'll be able to tune the DirecTv box from the bedroom.
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Diplomat Don
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04/22/12 08:56pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Have you been turned away?
For those that are new to the forum, this topic comes up about every three months and some get really "wound around the axle" about the topic without understanding why it exists.
There are a lot of states that have some really weird rental laws, like the Republic of California, where we live. If you allow a coach in and later learn it's a rolling meth lab, it could take months to evict the owner from the park.
The ten year rule gives the park some abillity to limit a rolling heap from coming into the park and becoming a nightmare to evict.
I've had truck campers, Class C, Class A and our current DP. No matter what rig I'm in, I don't want to park next to a heap puking fumes and junk falling off. The owners will generally be similar to the coach, like or not.
So before you get exited about the rule, ask everyone you know if they've ever been turned away. I doubt you'll find anyone. Obviuosly, there are the resorts that only allow DP's, such as those in Florida.....that is not what's being discussed here.
By the way.....if someone comes back with....."you're wrong, I was turned away", please post a picture of the coach that was turned away.
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Diplomat Don
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04/20/12 12:25pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Backflow preventer with black tank flush
2inAlabama.......Connect a hose to the flush connection and do your flush. Turn the water off, but leave the hose connected at both ends. Wait a few minutes, maybe five, and then disconnect the hose from the FLUSH connection. If you get a bunch of water flowing back out under some pressure for a few seconds, you have a backflow unit installed. If there were no backflow valve in place, there would be no water running out, it would have drained into the tank.
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Diplomat Don
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04/18/12 03:25pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 36' Class A
Dwight....You didn't say if you're looking for new or used. In 2005 through about 2010, Monaco put the Cummins 400HP, 1200LBS torque engine in the Diplomat and above in the Monaco line and Endeavor and above in the Holiday Rambler line. You won't find too many other companies that offered the Cummins ISL in that price range of motor homes.
Over the years they offered a few models in the 36' range. I have a 2005 36', three slide with a side aisle bathroom. The 400 ISL engine in my 36' is a rocket and great hill climber
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Diplomat Don
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04/16/12 06:25pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: OMG PLEASE HELP!!!
Diplomat Don wrote:
Make sure the area where the key slides into is lubricated with some grease (white lithium works best).
Do not use Lithium Grease, it has to low of an operating temperature for Disk Brakes. Use a synthetic disk brake lubricant. White lithium dates from the Drum Brake era and will just fail before its time in the high heat of the disk brake environment. Do not forget to grease both ends of the caliper and mount. I always used a sheet of sand paper to polish up the mounting points. Remember, the caliper has to slide freely or the inside pad will wear out a lot sooner than it should as it will be doing most of the work. Inspect your old pads and I will bet the inside pad is thinner than the outside pad due to the caliper not sliding freely. Any auto parts store will know what you need. Using a screw driver is a good idea to get the clearance you need.
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U. S. Navy (RETIRED) 1993
1995 Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser 34' Diesel Pusher Cummins B5.9 12 Valve Engine, Allison MD-3060 6 Speed Transmission.
TOAD: 2005 Ford Focus Automatic Station Wagon
Road Master Sterling All-Terrain
Sundance268.....Really......How did your post assist the OP in getting his brakes back together. Apparently, you don't know much about brakes. The section of the caliper I told the OP to lube doesn't require lubing on either side, just clean and reasemble. The white litium or any available grease, including hand lotion if that's all he had. is there just to assist in getting the retainer clip back in place.
If you're going to criticize, at least help the OP with something of value!
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Diplomat Don
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04/15/12 10:50pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Tighten (Roof A/C)
Roy....When I tighten mine, I use a 1/4" drive socket set and snug them fiormly. This prevents overtightening with a large wrench.
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Diplomat Don
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04/15/12 01:14am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: OMG PLEASE HELP!!!
fleetwoodflair.......You have to move the caliper around inside the support bracket to just the right position. If you look on the underside of the caliper, you'll see a springbar. The springbar pushes down on the brake pads when the caliper is in place. When you are trying to install the key, you have to put pressure on the caliper, collapsing the springbar. Once you do this. The caliper will fit precisely in place giving you just enough room to insert the key a quarter or half inch.
Make sure the area where the key slides into is lubricated with some grease (white lithium works best). Once the key is started, use a medium hammer and tap it into place. You may need a punch or screwdriver to knock it all the way in. Don't drive it in too far, just so there is an even amount on both ends. The ends that are turned upward face outward toward the wheel well when inserted.
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Diplomat Don
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04/15/12 01:11am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Travelling from Los Angeles, CA to top of Washington State
My Streets and Trips says you'll be travelling about 2500 miles. At an average of about $4.40 per gallon and 8mpg, you're looking at $1300.00 - $1400.00 in fuel. Missed the part about the Surban. I would figure $1500.00 in fuel.
Might be cheaper to fly up and drive the Suburban back if it's driveable.
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Diplomat Don
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04/14/12 07:50pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Didital Thermostats
Sandy.....ours is also terrible.....alot has to do with the location of the sensor for the A/C and heating. On my coach, there is a small white cage under the front TV that has the sensor in it. Again, I'm guessing that yours is in the same spot, with one more in the rear bedroom. The front one reads the heater temp. It was a TERRIBLE place to put it because of the heat and cold that comes off of the windshield. I removed mine from that location and had enough wire to pull it through the cabinet above the passenger seat and then drilled a hole through the cabinet and dropped it down by the manual sunshade.
There is also a rest procedure for the thermostat if you think that it is malfunctioning. If you're interested in the procedure, send me a PM with your email and I'll send it to you.
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Diplomat Don
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04/14/12 05:08pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: maintenance
I created a three ring notebook.....computer programs are great, except when you're greasy and out working on the coach.
My notebook includes a list of all the filters my coach needs and their numbers. I also created a date/mileage sheet for changing those filters and lubing the chassis. Monaco produced a booklet on lubing the coach and also had all of the lube points in the owner's manual. I photocopied the lube points and added that to the notebook.
I have the Oil Change checkoff and filter check off list in a Word Perfect Format. If you want to PM me, I can email the formats that you could modify for your own coach.
Like others, I do all of my servicing in the spring. It usually takes me one day to change all of the fluids, filters and lube the chassis. Things like the generator filters and air dryer filter I change every other year.
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Diplomat Don
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04/13/12 03:54pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Water leak at Driver window.
ROYBUCK....DO you have a slide directly behind the driver's seat? If so, I had a similar leak in my Diplomat. My floor was constantly wet at the base of the control panel under the driver's window and just behind it. I also thought it was the window, but it wasn't. You're buckling could be from water wicking up the wall.
After several months (waiting for it to rain hard enough) I tried a couple of things. First, I jacked the coach high in the front when it rain and the water stopped. Next I put the slide out and forced towels into the vertical joint/opening of the slide between the slide and coach wall. I found the towels were getting wet first, before reaching the floor. I eventually discovered that the water was entering at the rearward edge of the slide (at the top), running along the top of the slide and into a hole on top of the slide ("C" channel frame) and then down the front edge of the slide on the interior side.
I may not have painted a picture of where mine was coming in, but if you lift the front of the coach and it stops or you insert the towels between the front edge and slide and it stops, PM me and we can further discuss the fix.
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Diplomat Don
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04/13/12 03:42pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Didital Thermostats
Sandy, you more than likely have two DuoTherm Heat Pump A/C units in your coach. You can't just change out the thermostat to any aftermarket unit. These two units talk with each other and the thermostat via data cables.
If yours is broken, you can contact PPL Motors they'll help you figure out what thermostat will work with your units. Before you call, you need to remove the interior vent covers and look at what model you have.
Lastly.....Is there a reason you need to change yours out, you didn't say what the issue is. If you just want something that is more sophisticated such as programmable on and off times, I don't think you'll find anything that will work with your units.
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Diplomat Don
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04/13/12 12:17pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: I-10 arizona/california border gas price
The better price in Quartzsite is at the Chevron in the middle of town on Main Street. We can easily get in, even when towing. They're usually about .05 cents a gallon less than the Pilot.
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Diplomat Don
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04/09/12 09:09pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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