RE: Really -- $1,500 for PDI ! Seriously???
When we bought our first MH a number of years ago I should have charged the guy who did the PDI walkthrough $1500.00. All he did was scratch his head when asked a question.
His tour was: "well, this is the kitchen area where you cook your meals" and "this is the dining table where you eat" and this is a bed and on and on.
I think I had the same guy. I had to tell him how the levers in the plumbing compartment worked.
We had a salesman tell us that a rig we were looking at came with an "emaciator". I said that I was already thin enough and walked away leaving him scratching his head.
A few days later we bought our current rig from another dealership from a much more knowledgeable salesman.
RE: Company in US which ships to Mexico
I would suspect that you could have one built. I know there are custom builders there, a Mexican friend had a Ford Transit fan turned into an excellent Class B down there. The work was done by a company that makes and modifies limos and luxury private buses.
You might also try some of the marinas, Puerto Vallarta is relatively close and has several large marine companies.
You might also call Tacho's RV park there--he may know if or be able to find something in PV.
I have a good friend who lives in PV and has been sailing and working there for decades. I just left him a message on his cell phone(Thank God for Skype) and I will call him back later today. He can be hard to get hold of sometimes. You would have thought he would have slowed down a little after his 70th birthday!
UPDATE
Just heard back from my Bill friend in PV. There is a large marine store in PV called Zaragosa Marine that may be able to steer you in the right direction though they don't do repairs. Another possibility is Opequimar (sp?) in PV
However Bill suggests that there should many more resources in Guadalajara than in Puerto Vallarta. You may be able to get the tank repaired using "plastic welding" though the fibreglass may interfere with that. There are many thousands of plastic water storage tanks around, someone must repair them.
Good luck and please let us know how you make out.
RE: Company in US which ships to Mexico
The Best Carrier by far in Mexico is DHL! they have Offices in Every Large City , sometimes several.
They deliver almost every where and their prices are reasonable. Not Cheap but reasonable!
Contact Your Tank Manufacturer and specify DHL delivery!
You may be able to have a New Tank Built in Mexico for even less money than from the USA!
X2 for DHL being the most reliable in Mexico.
Some other couriers hand off to other local (Mexican) companies for final delivery. We have had very bad luck with Estufeta in Mexico.
I think though that for something the size of a tank, it would be very expensive. You can always call for a quote.
RE: MICE INFESTATION !
Contact your insurance company. This may be covered by your insurance policy. I have no personal experience with that bad of an infestation, but we have had a few here and there. From what I understand, it is very unhealthy for you to breathe in the air from an infested area. Please use some type of breathing protection if you decide to continue working on this yourself. I think personally, I'd file a claim and get help from some professionals to get rid of them. They breed very very fast.
X2 A friend of a friend had a $60.00 storage policy on his 36' Motorhome. The insurance company coughed up more that $20,000.00 for the repairs. The rig had to be completely rewired etc.
RE: Tightening Motorhome Lugs
I bought 6 new Michelins and my local tire shop said to comeback after 100 kilometers (60 miles) to have them re-torqued. Now I just have to get it out of the RV shop. . . .
RE: clorox bleach in diesel
Canada Rainbird.. I build very large Diesel engines worth $600,000 a copy and the marine version sells for 1.2 mil. a copy.. And I have been doing mechanical work for 35 years.. If you can find someone with more experience on a Sunday afternoon go for it.
I did not intend to doubt your expertise, in fact I had not read your post. After reading the first three pages I realised that no one had suggested calling the manufacturer so far so I skimmed the rest looking for that response. Not seeing one, I made my comment.
I have received some excellent professional as well as non professional but experience advice on this forum. Unfortunately I have seem some pretty stupid suggestions as well. Fortunately, those were almost always followed by several responses saying "NO! DON'T DO THAT!".
RE: Battery shows 3/4 on shore power. Full on charger?
I don't have a voltmeter :-(. I am completely out of my element with electricity.
Get one anyway. They're cheap and you can learn to check battery voltage in no time. Don't believe your monitor panel that says your battery is 1/2 or 3/4 or fully charged. They are unreliable at best. With a $10 voltmeter you will know exactly what the state of charge is on your battery.
Good Luck,
Eric
I will look for one today. Thank you.
A voltage reading will give you a good indication of battery charge but can also be misleading. The true test is a hydrometer to check the Specific Gravity (SG) which on a fully charged battery in good condition will read about 1.265. Here is a useful link
The nice thing about using a hydrometer regularly is that it will show up a weak cell fairly soon, so you may be able to bring it up with an equalizing charge before it is too late.
Be very careful when dealing with battery acid. Your good jeans will soon be only be good for being your tattiest work pants. Go ahead: ask me how I know! :B :S
By the way, wool and polyester are impervious to battery acid. Pick up a classy pair at a use clothing store to use when servicing your batteries. (I'm going to do that one of these days.) Make sure your rinse them off thoroughly afterwards or you can transfer the acid to other surfaces with Oh **** results. :E
RE: clorox bleach in diesel
Call Cummins or CAT, which ever engine you have, or Freightliner if it on a Freightliner chassis, or all three!
ANY your insurance company.
ASK THE EXPERTS!
RE: Saltless water softener
Here's a direct link to their explanation of how it works.
Lots of words that don't say much. I always get suspicious when there are lots of big words strung together yet there are also errors in the proper use of even the simpler words.
No, I haven't used this device. Just offering an opinion.
I particularly like this paragraph:
The method for inhibiting scale forma
tion on the walls of a pipe through
which a fluid is passed which consist
of exposing the fluid and there in
dissolved constituents- referred to th
e fluid-to an electric field which is
sufficient to cause modification of th
e nucleation patterns of the fluid,
thereby causing an inhibition of tho
se essential nucleation, steps which
precede and govern the formation of
the scale, by providing means for an
increase of the surface area which is
in contact with the fluid which
induces the generation of the electric
field to which the fluid are exposed
before passing through a conduit.
RE: What did you do to your Class A MH today???
Put some stain on what I hope to be new shelf behind the flat screen at the front. I have the surround in the basement but the rig is still in the shop for water leak issues from the shower.
Also, not directly rig related, but yesterday evening and today I finally posted to our blog the entries recounting our last few days returning home from Mexico. Just a little tardy, the entries are dated from late March!
Look what the tech found while checking for wear and tear. :E
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3NLGMNDjXlU/UbK8Uuo0_bI/AAAAAAAAG6o/JgcJ1dLzzcc/s320/DSCN0921.JPG height=300 width=300
RE: House batteries
I use wet cell batteries for the house part on my coach and they last around six years, so I can not complain. But once the batteries start using lots of distilled water there is a problem. One could be your batteries never have gotten equalized and the sulfate has built up so much that the plates are not exposed anymore to the acid, they are covered with sulfate. So you need to replace the batteries. Check the batteries with a hydrometer and check each cell. It will tell you if the batteries are bad and need to be replaced. I like to change all four at once and that is highly recommended by the manufacturer.
You might also check your inverter/charger to see if it is set for the right type of batteries you have on the coach. It gives a selection of three different types of batteries wet, gel or AGM.
New wet cell batteries should not use any water, but need constant check up at least once a month. I like to wash them to wash off any acid that might have vaporized and gotten on your posts. Keep them clean by washing and even the battery box will never corrode.
What he said.
RE: Coolant tank for Allegro bus
luvdoggiez,
As usual, there's confusion on just exactly what tank we're talking about. I've checked several times before and after the replacing of my "surge" tank, and there isn't, at least up to a short while ago, ANY STEEL REPLACEMENT TANK for the tank in the picture below. That tank, is used by Freightliner and, in many different coaches. It is not "football shaped". It has specific mounting points and, specific hose attaching places and sizes. It's also set up for a sensor.
Now, while I have "patched" many things in my life and, for the most part have gotten away with it, there is no way in he... that I'd patch this one. This tank IS under pressure, for about 99.9999% of the time that you're running down the road. Many of you have noticed on yours the multi-cracking etc. from all areas exposed to the elements. Well, the chemical structure of that tank is now altered. It is in no way, as structurally "sound" as it was when in the new stage. It was much more pliable and resistant to the elements/heat/cold/cycles etc.
But, now, it's old, cracked and seriously weaker. You may get away with "patching" for a while but, that area you patched is the only strong portion of the tank. Don't get me wrong here, as I've stated, I've "patched" many things in life and I too have gotten away with it. But, not something with critical characteristics as this.
Heck, I even looked into fabricating one up out of aluminum. I've got all the tools to do it but, Freightliner had that tank, less than 24 hours away from me and, it was $130.00. I figured, just buy it! Mine was cracked and seriously weather checked but, was not leaking. But, I didn't want it to START leaking while I was not only out on the road on a trip/vacation but, away from home and all my tools and equipment/place to do the work, to change it out.
It's up to you. Nobody said maintaining these rolling KLEENEX boxes was going to be cheap. Some things you just have to bite the bullet and do it right! Good luck.
Scott
Is yours the same as the one in the right upper corner of the pic below?
http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr159/FIRE-UP1/P1000761_zps6353908d.jpg
For a minute there I thought that you had posted a photo of our rig!!
Thanks all for the "heads up" on UV deterioration. I know very well that it occurs but have never given any thought to this one, or the hydraulic reservoir below it. :S When it gets back from the shop I'm going to give them both a close inspection. Hate to lose one or both in the middle of Nowhere, Mexico next winter! :E
RE: What did you do to your Class A MH today???
Finished the repair of our lawn chairs for guests, loaded ironed clothes in the mh and DH put some silicon around the kitchen window. We will be heading out to the mountains in about two weeks, can hardly wait.
If the guests don't like the chairs I just hand them a pair of pliers, a knife, some binder twine or bailing wire and a roll of Duct Tape. :B
RE: House batteries
NO, No ACID, distilled water to the rings. Next time buy Gel Cell batteries.
Correct, No Acid. Never.
But don't get gel cell batteries. They require very careful charging and have more limits on discharge.
I suspect Passin Thru meant AGM, or Absorption Glass Matt. They are two quite different animals.
RE: Stuck in the bush . Slide out will not come in on RH side
Our slides are hydraulic, from HWH. We had a pump motor fail. There is a crank for the dinette slide, which we couldn't get to work, and the instructions for the bedroom slide was to open the valves and push the slide in. According to the manual it required a 200 pound steady pressure for 10 minutes. Yeah, right! We drove it to the shop with the slides out--only 5 miles (7 kilometers) down the Alaska Highway.
You are probably a little further from a shop than that!
Seriously, to be of real help we do need to know make and preferably model of the slide mechanism or at least whether it is electric or hydraulic.
Good luck and keep us posted.
RE: coach battery issue ?
I found a manual for your Fridge here.
According to the chart on page 11 it draws 12.5 Amps. in DC mode. Note that DC mode is for holding temperature only and should not be used to cool things down.
Your battery specs can be found here. battery
It is a group 24 rated at 84 Amp Hours. Half of that is 42 AH, the deepest you should discharge it.
Running that fridge continuously for a little over 3 hours brings your battery to 50%
RE: coach battery issue ?
What model is the Dometic fridge? Do you know what the DC current draw is when on DC? Most RV fridges don't operate on DC (except to power the control board when on propane)
DC absorption fridges draw a LOT of amps. That could by your killer. Also, often automotive alternators don't provide a lot of charging current to deep cycle batteries.
11.99 volts is awfully close to dead. Try not to let the no-load voltage drop below 12.2 Volts.
I just Googled Dometic AC/DC refrigerators and found that current Portable fridges draw from 2.75 to 4.5 amps depending on the model.. Running continuously for 10 hours would take 27.5 to 45 Amp Hours from your battery.
I assume that you have one of the portables.
I forgot to ask what the coach battery is. I am guessing a group 27 Marine/Deep Cycle which will give you roughly 100 AH to completely dead, so 50 AH or so to 50% (12.2V)
Also remember you have to put a few more AH into the battery than you took out.
You MAY have a battery problem, you MAY have a charging problem or you MAY have a usage problem, or a combination any two or all three. A little detective work should sort it out.
RE: New to RVing
Hi Mike
Welcome to the world of RVing. While I know that it is not right for everyone it does provide a lot of fun for many of us. In fact it can br addictive. From your message I believe that you are wanting a travel trailer. Not sure if you mean the type that attaches to the bed of a pick up truch wich is a fifth wheel. If you want one that attaches to the bumper of your vehicle it is a travel trailer. You have posted on the thread that is for self contained motorhomes. If you are interested in a travel traier or fifteh wheel you need to post on one of those threads. There is a lot to pick up from RV.net. One thing that I would personally recommend is go to an RV show which are nation wide. Look at everything there and then decide what direction you really want to go. It will also give you an idea of cost. One word of caution is don't move to fast and buy to quickly. Also if you are looking at a fifth wheel or travel trailer make sure that you buy the correct tow vehicle. Don't get this information from as salesman as they will tell you whatever you want to hear. There are a lot hear that will be able to work you through your decision process. Once again we are glad to have you here.
Thanks Bob and Ann for your response. You are correct! I did not mean to post in Class A, but Travel Trailers. As soon as I figure out how to move or delete my post I will. You were kind to steer me in the right direction
You can ask the Moderator to move your post. Click on the Notify Moderator area top right of your post.
RE: allison tranny
I'm not sure that all Allisons have a Grade Brake as such. Our 2002 DP does not have anything marked as such.
In order for it to shift down on a downgrade we must have have the cruise control engaged. This works well for most gentle hills. We switch on the exhaust brake and if cruise is selected it does add more speed control to the transmission on the hills, but the exhaust brake itself will not engage until we touch the service brake pedal. This of course turns the cruise control off.
You need to use the service brake to get you down to a speed where the exhaust brake and transmission will hold you at steady speed. We have descended many very long 6% grades an not touched the service brake after the first few times.
Our exhaust brake sets the transmission to select 2ng gear (it is a 6 speed Allison) but of course second gear will not engage if we are going too fast for it, which is of course the case at highway speeds. Normally it selects 3rd or 4th. If the speed gets too high for engine RPM the transmission will shift up. Hence the need for using the service brake to find the right speed to descend the hill.
A little practice and it will soon become second nature.
We love our Allion and Exhaust break. So much easier to drive in mountainous country than the gasser we had before.
