RE: What to check prior to buying a 1999 E-Superduty
Don't neglect a personal test drive. After being sure the tires are inflated to the door post pressures, take it out on the 4-lane among passing semis. See if / how badly it white-knuckles you when they're passing.
Jim, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Chances are that if you're not home by then, you're in trouble."
RE: Short trips in East Tennessee?
Google 'Clarkville Iron Furnace'... an old 1840's stacked-stone cold-blast iron furnace located in one of the prettier coves in these mountains. It's got a somewhat tragic story behind it. I think (not sure) that boondocking is allowed in the area. It's located outside Erwin TN, about 10-15 miles off I-26.
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
RE: Funny Town Names?
I plumb forgot Loafer's Glory and Ironduff, NC. There were also communities named Democrat, Republican, Trust, and Luck out NC 63 NW of here. I think they're pretty much 'past tense' places these days.
I think it's on the way to Roan Mountain that I say a side road named "Cantagree Rd."
Jim, "Hope you remembered to buy Mom a margarita for Mothers Day. After all, you're the reason she drinks."
On edit- Ah, hah! Found the pic of the community after which my RV is named:
http://oi42.tinypic.com/ic5lkx.jpg
RE: Funny Town Names?
Coinjock, NC
Pumpkintown, NC
Pumpkin Center, NC
Pumpkin Center, NC (Yep, there are two)
Yamacraw, NC
Tar Heel, NC
Snow Camp, NC
Then there are state parks in neighboring states... Frozen Head SP, TN, and Hungry Mother SP in VA.
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
RE: Mobile on-site generator repair... Needed!
I think the Cummins-Onan service center in Spartanburg SC runs a mobile maintenance & repair truck around their area to do work on stationary generators for hospitals, schools, and such. I've seen them as much as 100 miles from home base years back, but I don't know if that's common. I know the shop works on RV generators (rebuilt my Microlite 2800 under warranty), but I don't know if the truck does, and I don't know where Dillon is. There's also a Cummins-Onan service center in Charlotte NC.
Jim, "Preserve wildlife... pickle a squirrel!"
RE: North Carolina natives
Born in Burlington, grew up near High Point, lived in Asheville since 1966. Only left NC for a 4-year hitch in the Navy during VN.
How many of you gave your school lunch money about 1959-60 to buy the USS North Carolina's berthing space & moving expenses?
Jim, "Help keep North Carolina green. Bring money!"
RE: What effect is Sequestration having on the parks?
FWIW, I just spent a week at NC's Outer Banks. I stayed in the NPS's campgrounds for $10/night with my geezer pass. I toured the area, including the Wright Bros Memorial and Fort Raleigh (Lost Colony), both federal. I didn't notice _any_ impact, other than the $50/wk beach driving permit. That was in the works long before sequestration, I think.
One morning when I was leaving Frisco CG, there were 4 employees getting their workday organized at the gate. CG's were clean, facilities were open with the exception of Cape Point CG, which doesn't open until Memorial Day. The only thing I noticed was that a few of the boardwalks crossing the dunes had more sand covering their outer ends than I'd expect. But they had a major storm recently, so that's probably 'normal'.
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
RE: Best performing compressor fridge?
You might try calling the folks who build the Tiger and see what their experience has been. The 'new' owner (Mark) went to compressor type units (NovaCool, IIRC) a few years back. This was to replace poor-performing Dometic 3-way absorption units. By now, they should have plenty of feedback on the change from customers.
The link in my sig should get you a phone number and email.
Jim, "Remember to buy your mother a margarita for Mothers Day. You're the reason she drinks, anyway."
RE: Ever See One of These?
I saw one passing by on the main road here two blocks from home, about 4 years ago. It was on a similar-vintage long-bed Ford pickup. Both looked like they'd maybe been restored a few years earlier. Very cool rig!
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
RE: Friends from the "OOP'S" thread.
I'm back from the OBX. Left here noon Saturday and drove to the Haw Creek Flying J on I-40/85. I got an early start after a pretty good night's sleep there, then made it to Frisco NPS CG at Cape Hatteras about 1:15 pm. Drove thru, checked on the site I'd hoped for all the way across the state (Unoccupied!!!;) Yay!), and went to the ranger station to pay for it. Was followed in by a guy who wanted the same site! Sorry, dude! It's mine for the next few nights, by the skin of my teeth! $10 a night!
Nice breezy site up high with a panoramic ocean view. Loafed, toured around the area, re-read a Neal Stephenson novel. Ate well, slept long and well. Drove most of the way back yesterday, overnighted at the Tanglewood rest area, and finished early this AM.
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
RE: Beach Camping in NC
it is possible to drive & camp on the actual beach at Carolina Beach, just south of Wilmington. Cost is $20/day, no facilities. You'll need a 4x4, and have to air down for the deep sugary sand above the high tide line. My 19' 4x4 C was the only RV I saw on the beach November of '11. But I sure slept well with the Atlantic as a white noise machine.
There's also some beach camping further north in NC IIRC, but it's on a island only accessible by ferry.
And there are some sites at some of the NPS's OBX CG's that are only a short walk (100 yds?) over a couple of dune lines from the surf.
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
RE: Friends from the "OOP'S" thread.
Nope, no more cutting this year, maybe some bench building. Snakes, chiggers, ticks, poison ivy, and all that good stuff. I'm done in the deep woods until fall. But gotta start painting the house soon. And I think there must be something going around... some kind of 'trip virus'... I'll be going east the OBX in about a week.
Hope all's well with all y'all!
Jim, "One good turn.... gets most of the blanket."
RE: The Drunk Caller is Back!
Back in the 60's Mom was a school teacher. We started getting a string of late-night hang-up 'prank' calls. After about the 4th one, Dad answered in his most professional, deep bass voice.... "High Point Police Department. How may I help you?"
That stopped it right there. Not sure how you could adapt that trick to your situation, but food for thought....
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
RE: Ground Bees
You might research a product called (IIRC) "Triazicide" by Spectracide. It's a granulated product. I put it in circles around where my tires are when I'm parked in the back yard to keep the ants out. You'll want to research it fully before picnicking if the kids spend time on the ground, tho'. I've been working out of the same 10 lb bag for maybe 5-6 years, a small handful in a circle for each tire, twice a season.
Jim, "The trouble with bucket seats is that not everyone has the same size bucket."
RE: Handy Hints, Gadgets, Products & Gizmos
I have one drawer in the Tiger that contains frequently-needed OTC remedies like cold tablets, Nyquil, diarrhea remedy, etc. I was getting for a trip, and thought to check the expiration dates on said meds..... Oops! Most were put in there right after I bought the Tiger (early '06), or moved over from my previous RV, bought in '03, and had never been taken out, thru the summers and winters... D'uh! Tossed and replaced them (25% off coupon at CVS).
Under that is my 'duct tape & pliers' drawer, for little repairs. Along with a bunch of other junk, I have a Loctite Epoxy set (the dual linked syringes), probably bought 4-6 years ago. Checked it, and it was gelled or solidified.
Tossed it, and bought another.
Yeah, if I haven't needed any of meds or epoxy in the years I've been carrying them, maybe I don't need to be carrying it. But if the new stuff goes bad without being used, I'll just call it 'cheap insurance'.
Jim, "Remember to buy your mom a margarita for Mother's day. After all, you're the reason she drinks."
RE: Moral issue
I like Mower's advice. A less dramatic step to maybe try first would be to ask the moderator to move this thread to the 'Ask Marcus' forum at the top of the RV.net board. I've no idea if it'll get an actual CW response, but it'd be interesting to find out.
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
RE: Electric slide motor conversation please.
If you can, check for voltage numbers when it's actually running, at both the battery and the motor. My first guess is that the battery is fully charged but weaker than it used to be. You might also get some food for thought by trying the motor while you're plugged in.
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
RE: Handy Hints, Gadgets, Products & Gizmos
I'm not gonna check the whole thread for this to see if it's a repeat...
Had some of my seven year-old Tiger's clearance lights acting up... not coming on, but the bulb was still good. I removed some of the tarnish from the bulb base and the socket contacts with fine sandpaper and reassembled. Worked for a while, but the problem came back in a year or less.
I asked a tech friend if my memory was correct, that dielectric grease was conductive. Yep, that's right. So I bought a small tube (auto parts store, about $6 IIRC). I re-did all the tarnish removing, but this time put a tiny dab of dielectric grease on the end contact of the bulb, the side of the bulb's base, and on the brass socket contacts. It's lasted about a year so far, no more issues.
I don't think you want to get carried away with this. It would be possible to create a short circuit if you got a trail of grease from positive terminal to negative. But it should be a more lasting cure than just polishing the brass.
Jim, " 'Quotations of famous people on the internet are often made up.'---- Abraham Lincoln "
