Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?

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Topic: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?

Posted By: TreeSeeker on 08/15/10 11:16am

Chipmunk,

Did you check all the fuses. Maybe you blew one when changing the regulator.

Posted By: fierystorm on 08/15/10 02:43pm

Hello everyone!

This is my first time posting on the forum [emoticon]

I've been reading through the 454 pages of this thread (only about 40% of the way through, lol) the past few days to learn as much as I can! Wow, you guys know what you are talking about!

I've got a question for the experienced Class C owners out there. I've recently been offered a 1978 Dodge M400 440 Engine Class C 24' motorhome. The guy is trustworthy but he is also the fourth owner of the rig. Engine has mostly original parts on it (82k miles) but it's well maintained. Inside needs some sprucing up, but it comes complete with a solar panel setup, working appliances, full bathtub, etc. He is asking $2,000 for it. One of the hydraulics lifts supposedly doesn't work and it needs an extra battery to replace one that is aging. It sit a bit this past winter, but the owner just did another trip up from Cali in it (living here in WA). Tires have some life left in them and a brand new exhaust system put in earlier this year.

So my question is - is it a good deal? I haven't driven it yet, but it does seem well maintained. I'm used to smaller SUV vehicles (rebuilt up a 1997 Toyota Rav4), but I'm mostly one of those *gasp* nerd tech guys who just happened to decide to learn about engines a few years back [emoticon]

I'm good at renovating things and I love a good challenge, but is it a worthwhile one? I don't mind an ongoing project and I'm good with my hands, but this one is larger than anything I've taken on before.

I'm thinking about getting one because my fiance is an author and is about to start doing her book tour, so it would be helpful, and she has also never seen any other state besides Cali and Washington(got to change that!). I also want to own something free and in the clear as I really dislike debt.

I'd love any thoughts and I'm looking forward to joining the ranks if everything goes well [emoticon]

Thanks!

~Fiery
Aka Mike

~Fiery
Aka Mike

Posted By: Leeann on 08/15/10 02:57pm

Hi and welcome, Mike!

I'd make sure all the appliances work, that the roof is solid with no leaks...basically that you only have minor little things to fix to make it right. Batteries are normal wear items. I'd think the hydraulic lift wouldn't be that bad to fix (hopefully just a control issue), but you need to see how much replacement will be in case.

'73 Concord 20' Class A w/Dodge 440 - see profile for photo

Posted By: fierystorm on 08/15/10 03:13pm

Hello Leeann,

Thank you for the quick response! [emoticon]

Appliances work (the fridge is giving me an iffy feeling though...), but I'd like to see what I can swap out from propane to low energy appliances. Eventually. Roof is in great shape and was just re-winterized. Trying to find out about the hydraulic lift and approximate costs to replace (Google is not being very helpful currently) and I also just found out the inverter for dc to ac needs a bit of work. Hmm. Now THAT one I can do because its my thing.

Thanks again! Cheers [emoticon]

~Fiery
Aka Mike

Posted By: oldtrucker63 on 08/15/10 06:25pm

Sounds like a good deal to me. Just make there was not leaks before remember you can not see whats inside the walls.

Without Trucks,....America Stop's

Posted By: eyeteeth on 08/15/10 07:59pm

I think its a good deal. The previous owner has been using it at least. I paid more for mine, and have had to do a heck of a lot more than it sounds like you will.

As for leaks... Yea, look for damage, look for anything that's still leaking. But it will have some water damage somewhere. There's NEW units sitting on lots that have leaked. Figure they're built semi rigid on a moving, bumping, even twisting platform. 30 years? at some point, it's leaked. But don't let that scare you off, unless it's been neglected, which this 'sounds' like it hasn't.

On my unit, what hurt it was the previous owner only used it once a year at best. An old unit is going to be in better shape if the current owner used it regularly.

Excuse my ignorance... but Hydraulic lift? Leveling? or something else? If it's for leveling, and expensive... we use blocks or hunks of wood. [emoticon]

Posted By: Chipmunk222 on 08/15/10 08:27pm

Yesterday I had one situation, now it's another. I now have no power to anything, will not turn over, no lights, nothing electrical seems to work. I'm at a total loss, I'm not sure but I don't think the ignition module would cause all this right?

Posted By: eyeteeth on 08/15/10 08:37pm

Does it click when you turn the key? I had an issue a couple months ago where it seemed 'dead'. It was middle of the day, never checked the lights...

But, it was and ignition module... (I think) It was semi-behind/under... around... (lol great huh?) the Master Cylinder. The fix? I unplugged the wires, and plugged them back in. Yea... that was it. I freaked out a little at first.

No idea... but it sounds kinda similar.

But with completely no electrical... have you started by testing the battery? Make sure you have the old fashioned battery terminal connectors that you need a wrench to tighten down. The nice 'handy' ones with the quick release lever tend to corrode and loose connection over time. I removed all of them from my rig due to said problem. Maybe should have started with this one.

Posted By: fierystorm on 08/15/10 08:45pm

Hey everyone! Thank you for your thoughts! [emoticon]

Chipmunk, sounds like Eyeteeth might be right. Have you checked your new battery to make sure it hasn't been drained off? If you have a short somewhere it will drain your battery fast.

If you have a voltage meter, you might want to check out various places along the wiring for anything that looks fishy.

Posted By: Chipmunk222 on 08/15/10 09:14pm

eyeteeth wrote:

Well the other day when this problem first started we were getting a click when we tried to start it, but now there is nothing. Pulled the connector off the ignition control module and my book says that prong 2 should have power, it has none. We have no power to anything not even the fuse box. There is a mess of wiring blunders left from the previous owner but nothing had been messed with until we changed the regulator the other day, even then the only thing we did was take the old one off and replace it with the new one.

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