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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Hot water heater
Not much of an electrician, no meter.....however I am probably able to replace the element. Would the battery cut off switch by the door cut off electricity to the heater ?
It would kill the 12VDC power, but NOT the 120VAC that powers the element. You either need to disconnect from shore power, or turn the breaker off.
Most WH indicator lights are 12V..
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EMD_DRIVER
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02/08/12 07:39pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: How big can I go?
Biscuit hit the nail on the head! Always figure your weights, based on the GVWR of the towed vehicle. Too many people base their figures on the unloaded weights. It's amazing to see the grossly overweight rigs, going down the highways!
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EMD_DRIVER
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01/23/12 12:48pm |
Towing
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RE: Can you tell from the outside?
Now we are always saying oh they have a rear living, or side bath ect.
Do most take it to this extreme?
Every time we pass a camper, Bonnie (kanyonkitty) lets me know the floorplan... She even lets me know if the hitch is setup, or if the camper/TV is nose-up or nose-down...
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EMD_DRIVER
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11/27/11 09:37pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Shaking dually = normal?
Question... When the truck starts it's "Shaking" is it when the steering wheel is turned almost as far as it will go? My 99 F350 dually does that and it is due to the universal joints partially binding. It is much much worse, when the 4wd is engaged. I just learned not to turn the wheel too far and it's fine. It doesn't make it too easy, when backing with the 5er. BTW: the rear-end has nothing to do with it. It's all in how far you turn the steering wheel. After winter, I plan to replace my universal joints and whatever else is needed, to correct this.. If it's possible.
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EMD_DRIVER
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11/27/11 09:31am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Fresh Water Tank
Our fifth wheel had the same problem in July. Turned out to be the check valve for the pump. It would fill the fresh tank to overflowing, in as little as two days. I was ready to replace the pump, or add the valve that was previously mentioned. After switching to the pump and using it to drain the FW tank(With normal use) I switched back to the city water. Whatever was stuck in the pump's check valve was gone. The problem never came back.
On a side note.. I know it was not too much pressure. I have a pressure regulator and a gauge after it. Our pressure is never over 45PSI.
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EMD_DRIVER
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11/11/11 12:38pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Fresh water tank and water heater filling
Some RV's have a water line from the city water to fill the fresh tank. There would be a valve somewhere--probably close to the city water connetion.
I wish my fifth wheel had such a valve. I did have the pump's check valve get stuck slightly open, earlier this year. It wasn't much, but did fill the fresh tank, over the course of three days.
I'm not sure how your plumbing is routed, but our pump inlet is very close to the rest of the kitchen plumbing. A couple of tees, with a valve between them and you could easily fill the fresh tank from inside the camper. I would recommend a small diameter fill line so you don't fill the fresh tank too rapidly, or with too much pressure.
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EMD_DRIVER
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11/11/11 12:32pm |
Beginning RVing
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Cequent/Tekonsha really came through for me.. P3 issue
Last year, I bought a P3 for towing our fiver. I have a 1999 F350, that I tow it with. The P3 would give me the error message: "Warning Short to battery, No Brakes" every time it rained, snowed, or was very humid outside. I went to their web site and filled out the contact form. The response I got, was one of the more generic ones. "Typically customers have cleaned the contacts in the 7 way connector and used a good die-electric grease to protect the wiring ends and terminals." I wrote back to them and let them know I had disconnected the 7 way plug and still got the error message.
I guess they forwarded the message to a supervisor, because my next reply was pleasantly shocking! "Since you have disconnected the 7-way from the harness and are still getting this code, it sounds like the control needs to be replaced. The P3 carries a lifetime warranty and can be exchanged at any dealer that sells them, over the counter-free of charge. I can also do the warranty for you."
The very next day, the new unit arrived via Fedex and I got an email to print a prepaid Fedex label for shipping the defective controller back.
I installed the new controller and have driven and towed in several days of rain. That pesky error/fault message is now gone and the new unit works great!
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EMD_DRIVER
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10/03/11 05:28pm |
Towing
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RE: Looking 4 a GPS that is suited for RV'er's
Try this one...
Rand McNally TripMaker® RVND™ 5510 RV GPS
• RV-Easy routing in the U.S. and Canada (based on Rand McNally’s award-winning navigation) for eleven classes of RV; plus car routing.
• RV services and stops with detailed amenities – campgrounds, dump stations, dealers, parking, rest areas, travel centers and more.
• Interstate exit information such as retailers, lodging, and other services.
• RV Tools including Checklists, Quick Mileage Calculations, Maintenance Logs, and Breadcrumb Trails to get you back to your campsite.
• More than 14 million points of interest. Includes pet-friendly locations, festivals, national/state parks, plus Rand McNally researched trips and city visits with video and photo descriptions.
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EMD_DRIVER
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10/01/11 01:15pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Generator help, please. Leaving in the morning
I wonder if the genny is connected to the chassis battery for starting. The symptoms you described, are the sign of a weak battery. Charge the battery (With a battery charger) overnight and try starting the battery again.
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EMD_DRIVER
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09/23/11 06:31pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Firefox 7 due out Tue Sept 27.
Well speaking of FF, the one issue I am having (6.0.2) is that every few minutes, while I am scrolling a forum, like this one, the cursor freezes up. I takes 10 seconds or more before it "unfreezes", and let's you continue scrolling. Clicked on About FF, check for updates, and it tells me there are none.
Anyone else have this?
Almost sounds to me, as if ads are trying to reload and could be locking the browser. I run an ad blocker as an add-on to FF.. If I need to buy something, I will check the site sponsor's area on other forums.. Helps them pay the bills.
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EMD_DRIVER
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09/23/11 06:24pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Winfield Stabilizer Install? Murphy's Law!
When we installed our JT's the generator was in the way of one of the mounting bolts. Our solution was to mount a square steel tube to the frame and bolt the JT's to it.
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc123/SD70M/F-311SR/DSCF5533Medium.jpg
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc123/SD70M/F-311SR/DSCF5531Medium.jpg
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EMD_DRIVER
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09/18/11 03:22pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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Martinsburg, WV another air show crash
We had a greyhound meet and greet at the Martinsburg, WV air national guard's "Thunder over the blue ridge" air show. We were in hangar 308, with the dogs. Around 2:30pm today, I walked out the front of the hangar and watched the T-28 Trojan horsemen demonstration team. Five or so minutes later, two of the aircraft passed belly-to-belly. The westbound aircraft did a partial roll and then went down in a ball of fire. The pilot's name was Jack "Flash" Mangan, from North Carolina. The remaining five aircraft in the team circled the airport a few times, and were diverted to a nearby airport. As they turned north, they formed a missing man formation and left the area. Please keep the pilot's family, as well as the other pilots in the team in your thoughts and prayers..
Here's the pilot and his plane, shortly before taking off for the demonstration.
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc123/SD70M/2010%20MBG%20Airshow/2011%20show/T-28_3.jpg
The crash and response...
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc123/SD70M/2010%20MBG%20Airshow/2011%20show/T-28_1.jpg
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc123/SD70M/2010%20MBG%20Airshow/2011%20show/T-28_2.jpg
The investigation begins..
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc123/SD70M/2010%20MBG%20Airshow/2011%20show/T-28_4.jpg width=600
Here's the official press release, from the ANG.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE, 167th AIRLIFT WING
WEST VIRGINIA AIR NATIONAL GUARD, MARTINSBURG, WV 25401
TELEPHONE NUMBER (304) 616-5251
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Civilian Pilot Dies When Aircraft Crashes
at Thunder Over the Blue Ridge Air Show
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. – A T-28 aircraft crashed at about 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011, during an acrobatic demonstration at the 2011 Thunder Over the Blue Ridge Open House & Air Show hosted at the 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg.
The aircraft was piloted by a single civilian pilot, who died as a result of the crash. The plane was a T-28 aircraft with the Trojan Horse T-28 demonstration team, a civilian aerobatics group that tours the nation performing at air shows.
Pending confirmation of notification of next of kin through official channels, no identifying information will be released.
No one on the ground was injured as a result of the incident, and no other aircraft were damaged. The crash site was distant from any spectators.
The incident is under investigation by federal and local authorities, who are now in control of the scene.
“We were fortunate that the safety measures put in place by the Federal Aviation Administration ensured the safety of those on the ground,” said Maj. Gen. James Hoyer, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard. “Right now our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the deceased.”
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EMD_DRIVER
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09/17/11 06:23pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: Cost to rebuild?
Turtle hit the nail on the head..
The CPS (Camshaft position sensor) is something that is a known weakness, but a new one is around $25 and most 7.3 owners keep a spare in the glove box. It takes a 10mm ratchet to change and can be done in about 10 minutes.
I have a friend in Texas, that owns a diesel shop. If he weren't 200 miles from Beaumont, I'm sure he would check the truck out for you. He would confirm everything we have been saying.
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EMD_DRIVER
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09/15/11 07:37pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Cost to rebuild?
A lot of people think that because it's a diesel, it can be abused.....which is only partially true.:)
I couldn't agree more!
That leads me to another thing... Diesels are made to be work horses. Short trips and "Granny mode" driving is extremely hard on them. They need to be worked and always gotten up to operating temperature. You also don't want to let a diesel idle, for more than about five minutes. At idle, the combustion temperatures are low. The fuel isn't completely burned and it can cause problems.
BTW: I am a railroad engineer and run locomotives that were built from 1953 to 1957. All but one, have the original engine block in them. The one that doesn't, is a result of the boss trying to save some money... Didn't work out too well!
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EMD_DRIVER
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09/15/11 07:32pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Cost to rebuild?
Another thing to consider.. In 1999 they went to a better transmission. The 4R100 in my 99 is much better, than the E4OD in my 97. Luckily, the previous owner of the 97 had the transmission rebuilt before we bought it.
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EMD_DRIVER
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09/15/11 07:24pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Cost to rebuild?
Personally, I would want something from 99-early 03. Those years have an intercooler from the factory. It cools the air, that comes out of the turbo charger. I have towed our fifth wheel with our 1997 F350 and with the 1999. The 99 does a much better job at towing, than the 97 does. Even though the 97 has 4.10 gears in the rear and the 99 has 3.73 gears, the 99 just does a much better job.
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EMD_DRIVER
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09/15/11 07:21pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Cost to rebuild?
Hey Vern,
I wouldn't want you to buy a truck and tell you it's safe to tow with, without first checking it out. If the owner has maintenance records, that is a huge plus. I can only tell you about my experience with these engines. I started with a 1994 7.3 Powerstroke, that didn't even run when I bought it. I fixed it up and sold it. I then bought a 1997 7.3 Powerstroke and did the same thing. I worked my way up to the 99 and plan on keeping it for a long time. When I bought the 99, it had 293,000 miles on it. To be honest, the mileage didn't concern me in the least. I am on my 6th diesel right now and looking for a diesel car, to drive to work. I don't plan on buying a "Low mileage" car either... Like you, new for me is not an option. I work for a living.
BTW: When I bought the 99, it was almost 200 miles and 3 states away. I installed a fifth wheel hitch in it and towed the fifth wheel on two trips..
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EMD_DRIVER
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09/15/11 07:03pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Cost to rebuild?
Is there anything wrong with the 7.3 right now? These engines are easily able to go 500,000+ miles, with proper maintenance. Granted, there are a few things to replace occasionally. Fuel injectors can go for 300,000 miles..
FWIW: I recently bought a 1999 F350 dually, with the 7.3 in it. The truck now has 308,000 miles on it and it just got injectors 9,000 miles ago. These are great engines!
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EMD_DRIVER
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09/15/11 06:44pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Brake Failure, Help Please
Wild advice? Hmmmm.. Ok..
"A common complaint on Ford light duty trucks with the rear anti-lock brake system is that the brake pedal will fade while under steady pressure. In a conventional brake system this would point to an external fluid leak or an internal leak (bypass) in the master cylinder. Generally, one and usually two master cylinders have been replaced already, leaving one very frustrated technician. In this system there is one other possibility - the rear anti-lock brake valve. This valve is the electro-hydraulic proportioning valve located on the left-hand frame rail between the master cylinder and the rear brakes. This valve controls the brake fluid during an anti-lock stop by restricting or bleeding off rear wheel cylinder pressure.
To better understand what's happening, let's take a quick look at system operation. The RABS module continuously monitors rear wheel speed by means of a sensor installed in the rear differential. When the sensor signal to the module shows a rapid decrease in speed - indicating rear wheel lockup will occur - it energizes the isolation solenoid in the RABS valve. By doing this, the normally open valve is now closed, blocking off the line to prevent further brake fluid from entering the rear wheel cylinders. If there is still too great a decrease in rear wheel speed, the module will then energize the dump solenoid in the RABS valve. This solenoid is normally closed and, when energized, will open a port to the accumulator and bleed off some of the pressure to prevent lockup. This fluid is then stored until normal brake functions are resumed and the fluid is returned to the master cylinder.
If rear wheel speed is now OK, the module de-energizes these solenoids to resume normal braking. If speed decreases too rapidly again, it resumes anti-lock control. The module will alternate between the two solenoids and normal braking until there is no further chance of locking up or vehicle speed is now under 5 mph.
The focus is on this dump portion of the RABS valve. Occasionally the seat between the solenoid and the accumulator will leak, causing the pedal to fade during normal pedal applications. This sinking pedal has no other abnormal braking characteristics and is usually not noticed (depending on severity) unless it sits for an extended amount of time with constant pressure applied. It may be due to physical damage or a buildup of contaminants in the hydraulic system, but the results are the same.
Some customers report that the brakes were just fine until a hydraulic component was replaced or repaired and the brakes were bled. Then the pedal started fading. Quite possibly this is due to a new problem that is created by "moving" some of the contaminated fluid into the valve. To diagnose this system, like all brake systems, first verify that there are no external fluid leaks. If visual inspection is OK, disconnect the brake lines at the master cylinder and plug the outlets in the cylinder. When the master cylinder is plugged, if a fade is still experienced, the master is at fault.
If, however, there is no fade, determine if it is coming from the front or rear brakes by blocking one port at a time at the master cylinder. If there is no longer a fading pedal when blocking the port to the rear line, go one step further and build a short brake line to splice between the inlet and outlet lines at the RABS valve to temporarily bypass the valve.
After bleeding the rear brakes and verifying there is a solid pedal, it's a good bet that the problem is in the valve itself. The next step is to replace and bleed the valve (if equipped with a bleeder) and the rear wheel cylinders. Verify the repair and road test."
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EMD_DRIVER
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09/09/11 05:25pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Brake Failure, Help Please
You're saying that you had a bad proportioning valve that allowed your brake pedal to go to the floor? Was the valve leaking? How was it bad?
Sorry about that... I meant the RABS valve.. (Rear antilock brake system) That's the valve that bleeds off pressure, when the ABS is activated. It's to help keep the rear tires from locking up. I never had fluid leaking outside the valve, but replacing it fixed my problem.
The RABS II valve (dual solenoid electro-hydraulic valve) is located on the left frame rail (drivers side) just behind the No. 1 crossmember.
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EMD_DRIVER
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09/08/11 06:56pm |
Tow Vehicles
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