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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Alternative Generator ideas for Roadtrek
I understand the OP's frustration.
You would think that over the years and especially now, RV manufacturing companies (not just class B companies) would be switching over to and installing other brand generators, if those other brand designs were that much superior than Cummins/Onan. I'm sure the company guys have investigated this issue.
IMO, You can't beat the convenience of starting the genny from inside the coach and to not worry about filling up the genny fuel tank at any hour day or night. (Getting out of the B, getting the gas can and fill up the genny tank in all kinds of weather).
I agree with Handbasket that it might be a good idea to go to a Cummings/Onan dealer/repair facility and have them do the job right. Will it be expensive? Sure! But, you have a special rig and it will cost a few bucks to maintain. :B
For the loudness of the Onan issue, an engine is an engine. It's going to make noise no matter what. You might be able to deaden the sound a bit but I wonder if it is worth all the hassle and $$$. Our Onan has run trouble free in the 8 years of ownership. It starts up easily is reliable. I do run it often - at least twice a month. I've never taken it to a C/O dealer or repair shop but if needed, I will. It's worth it IMO.
On Edit: I forgot to mention that our local RV repair shop has a Cummings/Onan repair tech visit the shop once a week to do repair maintenance work. More often if needed. I wonder if the OP should call C/O directly and find out where the closest RV shop is that can do the job correctly. it might be worth a try.
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JoeRT04
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11/29/11 02:00pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Do You Use Your Toad for storage?
Well, I've learned a lot on this thread. :B
I was talking to a large class A motorhome owner this morning over breakfast...
He tells me that all you have to do is observe what others are carrying in their toads while on the road down to FL at snowbird time. Some of the toads are so full of stuff, that visibility is so bad, that you couldn't drive the toad if you wanted to.
He also said that at one time, he brought all of his now grown "moved to Georgia from MA" daughter's stuff from his basement into the toad. It was quite full and weighted down to the max. He had no problems. This included a crib & mattress, toys, books, and clothing among other things. I guess his daughter was about to have a baby & he decided it was time to clean out her stuff from his home. :W
I'm going to keep that in mind...
His theory is that adding more weight on the toad is not a bad thing in terms of stability on the road.
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JoeRT04
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11/29/11 10:15am |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: Do You Use Your Toad for storage?
This is wild. :B
I was thinking when I posted this topic that, "Nah. Nobody stores stuff in the toad."
This is getting to be interesting. So far, it seems we have bikes, smokers or grilles, extra tools, the sat dish, dog food, laundry soap, softener, paper towels and paper plates...
Anything else??? :h
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JoeRT04
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11/27/11 06:30pm |
Dinghy Towing
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Do You Use Your Toad for storage?
I was wondering if any of you use your toad as a supplement storage "trailer" of sorts?
I am planning to carry our two golf bags with clubs and our 2 folding bikes in the Toyota Yaris toad. And then, when we reach our destination in Florida, we will take the items out and store them in our rig or at the campsite.
I realize most of you have large rigs and probably do not have to carry anything in the toad but I thought I would ask anyway. :B
Anybody else doing the same basic thing? I realize that keeping the weight of the toad under control is essential for safety purposes. I will not allow more items to be stored in the toad. The clubs and bikes should not add more than 150 lbs to the toad which is rated at 2300 lbs.
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JoeRT04
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11/27/11 02:41pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: Do you use pad locks when hooking up your toad?
"It seems most respondents here do lock their tow bar set ups."
Perhaps the lock users are more willing to talk about it than the non-users. You could be correct about that.
I made my decision based on the responses to my original topic question here on this forum. $15 for the 4 locks is a small investment to prevent huge problems down the road. That's good enough for me. :B
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JoeRT04
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11/21/11 05:47pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: Do you use pad locks when hooking up your toad?
Well, I've decided that I would rather be on the side of doing too much to prevent theft and vandalism while on the road... I think this will bring a peace of mind while on the road.
Today, I bought 4 pad locks for my set up. Two larger locks for the base plate piece and two smaller ones for the pins that hook the toad to the tow bar - similar keyed for each set of two locks.
Originally, I had bought 4 of the larger (same keyed) pad locks but of course I discovered that that particular size was just a bit too large to fit in the holes within the pins themselves. :h
I tried out the locks this afternoon. I think I am finding that it is quicker to lock / unlock the locks than to fiddle around with the quick pins. Interesting...
It seems most respondents here do lock their tow bar set ups. :B
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JoeRT04
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11/21/11 04:04pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: Do you use pad locks when hooking up your toad?
As the OP of this topic, I now feel that the main reason for having the locks is to prevent someone from pulling a pin without my knowledge although, I do check the set up at each stop before heading off on the road again.
I don't worry so much someone stealing the toad since I take the key out of the ignition & lock the doors at each stop. I hang a sign on the MH steering wheel to remind me to put the key back in the ignition, turn the key to ACC and make sure the hand brake is off.
I have the Demco Aluminator tow bar. It seems to be a slightly different set-up than the Blue Ox system mentioned in this post.
Thanks again for your input. Greatly appreciated. :B
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JoeRT04
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11/16/11 06:08pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: Do you use pad locks when hooking up your toad?
I use the 4-pack keyed-alike locks for my toad setup plus a locking hitch pin. Don't know if I would go with the digit type locks. They get awfully dirty and may be hard to operate after awhile. I hadn't thought of that either. And, the fact (now thinking) that one key to open the 4 pad locks is easier than turning the 4 dials on 4 locks makes sense.
I already have a locking hitch pin...
Thank you zigzagrv.
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JoeRT04
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11/16/11 01:35pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: Do you use pad locks when hooking up your toad?
I use the locking pins available as optional for the Blue OX. I Never leave home without them locked, one moron pulls one pin. A prescription for a bad day. That's a good point! I didn't think of that possibility. I was more concerned of a vehicle theft situation. Just having a pin or two missing would make a bad day for sure. :E
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JoeRT04
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11/16/11 01:01pm |
Dinghy Towing
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Do you use pad locks when hooking up your toad?
I'm thinking about getting a couple of pad locks to lock my tow bar setup. These locks (2 or maybe 4) would be used for boon-docking situations (like at a Walmart) or when I need to be away from the RV and toad for a few hours.
I naturally would take the ignition key out of the toad and lock the doors before leaving but I thought as an extra measure, the pad locks might make sense to help prevent theft of either vehicle (RV or toad).
Do any of you experienced RV'ers with toads use pad locks instead of quick pins on your tow bar hook ups?
The pad locks I've been thinking about are the Master Lock 4 digit combination type pad locks that Walmart has.
Thanks.
Joe
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JoeRT04
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11/16/11 12:23pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: What Did You Do To Your Class B Today ?
It's a nice Fall day here today so I performed my monthly chores for our RT. Most of these things I leaned on RV.net CVC. This s a great forum and topic.
1. Checked the tire pressure on all tires
2. Checked the fluids under the hood
3. Checked the house battery and lubricated the battery drawer tray - moved it back and forth a few times
4. Checked the Genny oil and gave it a good run under load
5. Lubricated the door hinges and parts on all doors (I do this twice a year)
6. Fired up the furnace, reefer to keep the propane system in shape. (RT is winterized - can't run the hot water heater)
7. Checked all interior, storage and porch lights (while running the Genny)
8. Gave the interior a quick cleaning such as the dashboard, window sills etc
9. Cleaned certain spots on the exterior with 'ProtectAll' (usually around the windows)
10. Opened all cabinets & reefer door to let them air out - I like to esp. leave the reeefer open while not in use.
I try to do these things in the middle of each month weather permitting. We will be snowbirds this winter so I will be able to keep up the chores while down there. My DW can't understand why I spend so much time on the thing... :B
As a rule, I like to visit the RT and look under the hood (just outside our home side door) just about every other day to check on anything that might be amiss such as rodents coming for a visit, etc. So far, so good. No incidents in 7 years of ownership. It also, allows me to 'dream' about our next trip and to relax a little. :W
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JoeRT04
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11/12/11 01:38pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Roadtrek Club
larnbarb,
Ditto on what ronsminis posted.
I sent you a PM with specifics on how to join Roadtrek International.
Joe :B
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JoeRT04
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11/10/11 01:07pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Class B Campsite Photos - Let's See Them!
fugawibill,
That is an interesting B. Can you tell us a little about it? I haven't seen any like yours. The closest one I can think of is Airstream.
What's it called (the brand name and model)? I can't read the name on the top front. Odyssey?
and...
The year of your B. I like the overhead cab. It looks you could sit up in that area and read a book... :D
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JoeRT04
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11/09/11 02:42pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Class B Campsite Photos - Let's See Them!
We attended a Halloween Roadtrek Rally in Ashford, CT a couple of weeks ago. It was a lot of fun. About 30 Roadtreks were there with a few of the 'Big Guys.' We had a great time.
Here's my rig with our dinghy in front of it...
http://gallery.me.com/jstudley/100929/IMG_4089/web.jpg?ver=13197420770001 height=500 width=500
And, here's a pic of some of the RT's together in the 'Rally Field'... I couldn't get a wide enough shot to cover them all.
http://gallery.me.com/jstudley/100929/IMG_4084/web.jpg?ver=13197420770001 height=350 width=350
This campground has beautiful streams all around it. 130 acres.
http://gallery.me.com/jstudley/100929/IMG_4072/web.jpg?ver=13197419440001 height=500 width=500
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JoeRT04
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11/06/11 03:18pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Magnetic light wiring
I took the simple route by running the wiring thru the passenger's side door to the engine compartment, then thru a lock a pin ring and finally wrapping the wire around the tow bar once. It works well for me. I say 'keep it simple.' The lights & wiring store nicely in the hatchback storage area when not in use.
See the pic below. At the time of the picture taken, I was testing the turning radius at full turn to see if any equipment might hit. No problems!
http://gallery.me.com/jstudley/100906/IMG_0561/web.jpg?ver=13205288210001 height=500 width=500
Also, I had 3 magnetic signs made up by a local sign shop (for both side doors and the rear hatch) with the words 'Car In Tow.' for an added safety feature. I added white reflective tape on the edges of the signs too (not shown in pic below).
http://gallery.me.com/jstudley/100906/IMG_4025/web.jpg?ver=13205297400001 height=500 width=500
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JoeRT04
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11/05/11 03:46pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: Need an EZ Pass needed for Dinghy too?
Good information everybody. Thank you.
It's going to be nice not to have to wait in line... :R
I appreciate it. :B
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JoeRT04
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11/05/11 07:38am |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: Need an EZ Pass needed for Dinghy too?
Thank you larry cad .
This is encouraging based on your experience driving thru the tolls with a dinghy. I just might become a believer in the EZ Fast Lane thing after all... :B
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JoeRT04
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11/04/11 07:55pm |
Dinghy Towing
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Need an EZ Pass needed for Dinghy too?
I am towing a 2007 Toyota Yaris to Florida this winter for our Snowbird stay there for 3 months. The Yaris will be our "sightseeing" vehicle while we leave our RV at a campsite or other locations. I'm thinking about getting an EZ Pass to avoid waiting in tollbooth lines on the NJ Thruway, etc...
If I get an EZ Pass for my RV (Roadtrek Camper Van), do I also need to get a separate one for the dinghy too? Anybody here have experience in this topic? I appreciate your input in advance. Thank you. It seems that from the answer below, copied from the EZ Pass website, that i may not need a separate pass for the dinghy.
EZ Pass FAQs
(Copied from that webpage):
'I sometimes pull a camper or trailer with my vehicle. Can I still use my tag?'
Yes. In this instance the equipment in the lane is designed to identify that your vehicle is pulling a trailer and you will be charged accordingly. However, if you think this will be a regular occurrence, you should call the Customer Service Center and have them send you a tag programmed for the vehicle classification you use most frequently. You should never use your tag in a vehicle type other than the one you initially requested (i.e. Car tag in a tractor-trailer).
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JoeRT04
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11/04/11 06:57pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: What Did You Do To Your Class B Today ?
Got new tires for my RT today.
The old tires were 8 years old. They had to go. They still had good tread remaining (at 30K miles) and no cracks in the sidewalls. But, after attending a Roadtrek rally a couple of weeks ago and kind RT owners indicating that the weakening of the insides of the tires are the problem, I decided I better make a move before going on a long trip snow-birding this winter.
Although I bought the same brand/model tires that originally came with the RT, the new tires are a lot quieter and have a noticeable smoother ride. I feel better now that I've made the change.
I did some shopping around and got 3 bids for the same brand/model tire:
1. The local dealer had the highest price initially.
2. Second dealer (also local, bid the middle price).
3. Third dealer about an hour away had the lowest price.
4. Went back to the original dealer #1 and they matched the lowest price. ($37 less per tire than the original highest bid).
BTW, the workers in the shop went ga ga over the class B. I had to give a couple of tours... :C
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JoeRT04
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10/31/11 05:22pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: realistic flat towing options for Class B Sprinter
We recently bought this 2007 Yaris from a class A owner who made me an offer to buy his toad. It was an offer I couldn't refuse. The Yaris will act as our "local driving" vehicle for our snow birding months in FL this winter.
The Yaris is a stick shift - about 2300 pounds. It tows nice and easy.
http://gallery.me.com/jstudley/100906/IMG_0557/web.jpg?ver=13057548580002 height=250 width=250
On edit: Changed 2008 Yaris to 2007 Yaris. ;)
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JoeRT04
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10/11/11 08:07pm |
Dinghy Towing
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