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: Griff in Fairbanks on 07/31/16 11:40pm

Wolf_n_Kat wrote:

PS: How does 128" sound for a wheelbase?

Okay, more research ... the 70's era Dodge vans had 127" for their longer wheelbase, which is probably correct for a 1974 MB300 chassis. So, you're close and I'd use 127" as the spec until you determine otherwise. (I seem to recall my '77 B200 as having a 127" wheelbase.)

1970 Explorer Class A on a 1969 Dodge M300 chassis with 318 cu. in. (split year)
1972 Executive Class A on a Dodge M375 chassis with 413 cu. in.
1973 Explorer Class A on a Dodge RM350 (R4) chassis with 318 engine & tranny from 1970 Explorer Class A

Posted By: Wolf_n_Kat on 08/01/16 02:46pm

Tried to get a picture of the coach plate, but it came out... Less than helpful. I'll keep at it though! I'm stubborn like that.

Just out of curiosity, how reliable is the almost-impossible-to-read number on the dash? Wouldn't that have been put on at the factory, before the frame got sent off to be RV-ized?

Posted By: Griff in Fairbanks on 08/01/16 03:08pm

Wolf_n_Kat wrote:

In the case of Class C motorhome, it may very well be reliable. The cabs were put on by the Dodge factory and motorhome manufacturers usually didn't make any major changes.

The only reason for removing Dodge numbers would be prevent confusion between the Dodge chassis VIN and the federally mandated coach VIN used to title the vehicle.

I put the links above so readers can tell what a chassis VIN looks like and be able to decode theirs once they find them.

Using the information on the web pages those links lead to, I could probably construct the first part of your chassis VIN. (I may do it later but right now I need to take advantage the "liquid sunshine" finally turning into something resembling actual sunshine.)

Posted By: goreds2 on 08/02/16 09:49am

My 89 Dodge Ram 250 van has been having Air Conditioning issues. It still is not working that great even though having a new compressor installed four years ago. It is somewhat cool on the low setting but when I turn it up it is just room temperature (warm) air.

Any hints to tricks to try?

Note that the AC black rubber hose has a small bubble in it. I should probably have a pro look at it. I have also read that the slide from warm to cold setting could be messed up in the console?

Thanks,

See Picture In My Profile
I have a 1989 Dodge XPLORER RV Class B - Purchased 10/15/10 IN CASH
Fiance' purchased a Class C 2002 Dynamax Carri-go on 5/1/15 IN CASH
We've got the best of both worlds

Posted By: Griff in Fairbanks on 08/02/16 04:37pm

goreds2 wrote:

I'd take it to a reliable shop and have them fix and recharge it. But, I've also spent most of my life in northern Minnesota and Alaska so my experience is limited to taking out or disabling A/C systems.

I can tell you fixing them takes special training, experience, and tools. If I needed to fix an A/C system, I'd take it to a shop rather than spend the time learning what to do and the money buying the tools.

Posted By: Griff in Fairbanks on 08/02/16 04:52pm

Wolf_n_Kat -

This is an educated guess ...

Chassis VIN = B30CA4Snnnnnn

The first two characters might also be C3. The third character could be a 9 instead of 0 (zero). The fourth character might be a B if your vehicle has a lighter suspension. The fifth character might be a D if your vehicle has a 440-1 instead of a 440-3. The six character would be a 3 if you have a '73 chassis. (Or a 2 if it's a '72 chassis but that's fairly uncommon.) The seventh character could be a T, depending upon which plant built the chassis. The last six characters (eighth through thirteenth characters, shown as nnnnnn above) is the individual serial number for your vehicle.

If the fifth character is an N, P, or R, you have a 413 CID engine which, in my opinion, is a better engine than the 440. (My '72 M375 has a 413 engine and it tried to lift the front wheels off the ground when I goosed it while going 50 mph.)

Posted By: VintageMopar on 08/02/16 07:47pm

Ok eyeteeth, still don't know if it's a circulation issue or heat transfer. When its overtemp feel lower rad hose, if its burning hot, I would pull water pump. If its just warm 100 -120 (like tap water. Radiator is dropping restricted amount of coolant temp, but not enough volume to keep temp down. Replace radiator.

Posted By: goreds2 on 08/03/16 10:06am

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:

goreds2 wrote:

Thanks for the reply. I will most probably take your advice. Getting 4 tires, front Brakes and Calipers (drivers side was sticking) installed in a couple of weeks then I will get the AC looked at a later date.

Posted By: Griff in Fairbanks on 08/03/16 01:27pm

I just thought of a way to make good information in this thread more accessible.

A webpage, organized by topic, with links to relevant posts. For example:

Overheating engine:

Diagnosis suggestion 1, by VintageMopar

Diagnosis suggestion 2, by VintageMopar

... and so on.

It can start out as a "rough draft," with subsequent improvements over time, in terms of relevant topics and re-categorization as it is refined and honed.

If anybody is willing to do the grunt work, let me know. I can handle the technical process of setting up and editing the webpages, if someone is willing to identify topics and copy/paste relevant links. I'm sure, once the ball is rolling, other people would come on board to help.

This should be done off-thread, via PMs or email, to avoid cluttering this thread.

I will, at least initially, host the index on my domain as a separate section of webpages.

Posted By: Wolf_n_Kat on 08/03/16 06:38pm

Sorry Griff, it's been a busy few days. [emoticon]

I think I've figured out what I've got, now I just have to figure out how to tell 'others' what I've got. When you and Leeann were talking about plates, did you mean something like this? [image]

Doing a Google search on 'Dodge model F30' brought up the Dodge VIN decoder that you mentioned earlier, and ironically, even a link to a hotrodder forum! The comments in that forum pretty much confirmed what the VIN decoder said: the F30 model is an MB300 chassis.

Right about now is where I point out that our buddies at AutoZone, O'Reilly, and Napa don't HAVE a listing for the MB300. [emoticon]

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