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Forum
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RE: Rank your RV issues
Don't know where to begin with this one. I don't think I ever made a trip without something failing or needing to be fixed. Front end failures were the biggest problem and the largest cost of ownership. Autopark system was the next most problematic, green switch failed at least 4 times once at 60 mph and always on a trip. Exhaust manifolds cracked and engine over heated. Thorley headers fixed that and added 80 more HP and a cooler running engine. Radiator is original. Everything else circuit boards for refer, WH, HWH jacks, HYD line bursting, door lock failures, fuel pump failure, genset problems, I just consider normal for a 27 year old MH with 124,000 miles of travel. What I consider good on the MH is the cable slide which has never given me a problem. Refer is original and still cools well with a new burner tube and board. Jacks still have original seals and square return springs, only maintenance is silicone spay on shafts every other year or so when they return slow. Rubber roof has never leaked, caulked every year and coated twice. Steps are original and still work after a relay replacement in the control board. Both roof top AC's still work with just normal cleaning. Never touched the propane heater and it still works. Awning blew off in 40 mph cross winds in Wyoming. Slide topper as well as window awnings are all original. 2 6V Sams Club batteries are 16 years old and still read 50 % SOC or more after 7 days of dry camping. All in all, I think the near trouble-free systems outweighs the bad systems.
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Gjac
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09/29/23 07:35am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Older Norcold fridge issue
Also, I see you live in Az. and the temps have been very hot there lately. My Norcold will get up to 50 in 90 degree weather but cool into the 40's overnight when the temps drop into the 70's. How long did you keep the refer plugged in? Do you have any food inside it or is it empty? In 100 degree weather any Absorbtion refer is going to struggle in those temps. Just opening the door to check it will let warm air in especially if there is no food in there to keep things cool. Before you spend money on a new one I would keep it plugged in for several days and if the fridge is empty put a thermometer in a glass of water and check the temps that way.
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Gjac
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08/10/23 08:50pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Can.t get to MSN home page on my Ipad.
Other web sites work. If I go to google same thing happens MSN web page comes up but does not load. When I check updates, it says they are all up to date. I have tried to Goole why this is happening and got to apple forum's and tried some stuff which did not help. One forum talked about disabling security but could not figure out how to do that. This is an older IPad Air, Sofware Version12.5.7, model number ME993LL/A (no warranty). This conflict happened right after I got the second laptop. It worked fine for years until last week. When I go to the app store I only see MSN outlook mail, I don't see one that looks like the one I have now.
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Gjac
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08/10/23 11:23am |
Technology Corner
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RE: P-30 series air bag info
Do you know what the specs on your chassis calls for?
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Gjac
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08/10/23 07:26am |
Class A Motorhomes
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Can.t get to MSN home page on my Ipad.
I got a new laptop last week and since transferring files from the old to the new one I had a number of issues. All have been fixed except my homepage no longer works on mt IPad. It works on my laptop and Iphone but not on the IPad. MSN logo comes up, but page below is blank. In the past the young guys at the Verizon store helped but they had no idea. Any help would be appreciated.
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Gjac
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08/09/23 05:51pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Kwikee Steps Won't Extend
Kwikee has a nice troubleshooting guide on their web site, once you perform the simple steps you will know if it is a door magnet, a motor or the control board. Mine was a control board issue, mine are 28 years old and motor is still good. Straightened bent linkages, reglued magnet, and cleaned grounds over the years to keep them in working.
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Gjac
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08/09/23 05:20pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: P-30 series air bag info
Before switching AL bags for the HD coil springs, I noticed if you jack up the frontend taking the weight off of the front coil springs, I could increase the ride height by about 1/2 in over just inflating then with no jacks. This IFS suspension to me was very costly to maintain over the straight front axle. The HD coil springs helped but ball joints, control arms, bushings and other moving parts were expensive to replace. Each P-30 has a different ride height based on weight but if I remember correctly after installing the front coils, I got about 1.75 ins of ride height on both sides and before it was almost iron to iron on one side and 1/2 on the other.
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Gjac
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08/09/23 05:08pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Motorhomes with 19.5 vs 22.5 tires
There are more important factors that tire size that determine how the MH will ride. Weight distribution being one, ideally each tire should carry the same load. Front end alignment being another. Worn shocks front end parts like ball joints tie rods etc will affect the ride even more. All things being equal, which they never are in real life you would not notice a difference in ride quality based on just tire size. You will notice a big difference with too much weight in the rear and a light front end or a front end out of alignment.
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Gjac
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05/30/23 06:20am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Dead Refrigerator
The refer and MH is only 2 years old, seems strange to me. When you say the refer is dead do you mean not lighting on propane and not working on electric? Maybe the techs did all this already, but I would hook the electric element directly to 120v and see if it cools. If so, you refer is still good and your board or the circuitry to the board is bad. Is your board a potted board, (electrical components incase in plastic) or a open board where you can see all the components soldered to the main board? If the latter I would call a company called Parts for Tech, they service and rebuild boards. They have helped me several times with boards that have gone bad and were obsolete. My MH is 27 years old and when the board went on my steps, repairs shops wanted $1200 to replace the whole step unit because Kwikee no longer sold just the board. They told me over the phone what to check for and I replaced a burnt-out resister for $3 with their help and all was good again. Most shops and RV techs are in the business of just replacing bad control boards not repairing them.
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Gjac
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05/29/23 08:33am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: How to Restore Old Fiberglass
Here is something that might interest you. It's about boats but it'll work on RVs too.
https://www.bing.com/search?q=roll+%26+tip+boat+painting&form=ANNTH1&refig=dc3278fb54e740eaae58d6cb6d3ff915&sp=1&lq=0&qs=UT&pq=roll+%26+tip+&sc=9-11&cvid=dc3278fb54e740eaae58d6cb6d3ff915. I tried this technique on my back bumper but did not like the way it came out. The video I watched made it look easy but I think the guys were more experienced than me. As far as restoring a worn finish if your MH has some gel coat on the side walls, not filon and you have good shoulders I would try using the red max pro cleaning steps to remove the bulk of the oxidation then use a buffer and cutting compound followed by a polishing compound then a good wax. I have filon side walls and two repaired shoulders and used the red max pro process about 10 years ago and was happy with the results. I live in Ct so the sun did not yellow the finish. Friends that live in the south had yellowing and some peeling. The floor polish adheres good to a worn gel coat but will peel easy on a smooth surface.
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Gjac
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05/23/23 02:35pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: How long does a P32 radiator last?
Does your radiator overheat now when climbing hills, or idling on a hot summer's day? You can check it with a cheap IF gun from HF by taking temperature reading from the top to the bottom in a 4 in grid pattern. Cold spots would indicate a blockage. Pay attention to the area in front of the fan clutch, a radiator guy told me years ago that if they clog, they tend to clog there first. There should be a change of temperature readings from the top to the bottom of 30 or more degrees showing that your radiator is cooling correctly.
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Gjac
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05/04/23 06:49am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Battery drain over winter
Another thing I observed, is that my smart charger does not fully charge the batteries. I am guessing it charges to 95-97% SOC, because when I float charge with my old Magnatec 950 constant converter/charger at 13.6v for a few days after the smart charger says full, I can dry camp for a few more days without generator recharge. I have no way of quantifying this, but I think that this automatic charging to 97% or so when you keep your MH plugged in, builds up sulfate over time because the batteries never see 100% SOC. I don't know if anyone else on here has observed this or read anything about it.
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Gjac
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05/04/23 06:12am |
Tech Issues
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Battery drain over winter
I fully charged my 2 6V Sam's Club GC batteries as well as my 12v starting battery in Oct when I winterized the MH. I checked the SOC yesterday and the house batteries were still at 80%. Each year I expect to buy new batteries in spring because these are 16 years old. I have been leaving them off the charger all winter since new in 2007. On my starting battery I disconnected the neg post over winter and that battery only saw a 5% drop in voltage. I post this because a lot of people ask this question about whether to remove their batteries for winter storage and bring them into the house or keep a trickle charger on all winter and all year for that matter. Keeping them on a smart charger or trickle charger seems safer and I realize more batteries die from sulfation, but there is still a chemical reaction taking place while charging and some plate shedding going on. Even during camping season, the MH stays unplugged until they self-discharge 20% then they get fully charged. I'm just curious what others on here do to extend the life of their batteries?
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Gjac
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05/02/23 10:08am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Manifold Replacements
After 2 cracked manifolds I replaced the cast iron manifolds with Thorley headers, not only do they reduce the heat to prevent cracking, but your HP will be increased also. I think the total cost was about $1200. Looking back I wish I went to the headers after the first manifold cracked.
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Gjac
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04/30/23 06:35am |
General RVing Issues
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