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Forum
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RE: Why class B's cost more than some C's?
Don't forget... coupes cost more than sedans. The walls are already up on a B, while the C is entirely open, so it's a lot more labor to get the bath, bed, etc in to the B.
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FaireCat
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04/07/13 06:03pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Class B for everyday use?
We use our previously-abused 1991 E-250 based Coachmen B as a utility vehicle. It does fit home depot supplies wonderfully, is great to take to the dog park, etc.
I don't understand the comments about mileage. When on business travel (like now), I sometimes wind up in a Toyota Corolla or similar, getting ~30mpg. But my daily driver is a German sports sedan. You know the type - 0-60 in under 5 seconds, everything leather, everything remote, stickshift by choice. And it gets below 20mpg. Our Coachmen gets perhaps 10mpg, but seriously, a typical first vehicle only goes 12K miles a year; if split with a second you're talking maybe 5K. That's 500 gallons vs 250 gallons, or under $1000 in cost difference per year. How much does a vehicle and insurance cost? If the fuel cost is a factor, why do you even have a second vehicle?
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FaireCat
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11/12/12 09:23am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: pleasureway "pursuit"
It looks nice, but I gotta agree it's a C. If the idea of B+ is "larger than a B", then this would not be that, but rather a "C-". But nobody wants a minus! ;)
My reason? A B has the metal sides and the van doors, not a tiny-but-tall side door.. And rear doors. That isn't the technical definition, I know, but it's useful. The B has the stronger sides and wider but lower doors. Those doors matter for replacing parts and for using the RV to grab stuff from Home Depot when your other vehicle is a sports-sedan.
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FaireCat
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09/14/12 07:48am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: 1991 Ford E250 Steering Fixed
That is an important detail, isn't it? ;)
It's a 1991 Class B (Coachman) built on a 1991 Ford E250; you can see it by clicking on my Profile.
The floatiness is pretty common to that era (and earlier) Ford vans.
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FaireCat
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09/13/12 10:48am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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1991 Ford E250 Steering Fixed
When I got my Class B, the biggest gripe I had was the floaty steering. Any tramline, any big truck, and this puppy jitters and floats like a jumping bean sucking helium. Googling found some proposed fixes - tighten the steering box (a good way to wear it quickly), convert to the ambulance stabilizer (lots of work plus several hundred dollars.) So I tried this.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61Zfn9Dc0tL.jpg
(Or see the entire gallery at the Amazon page with notes)
It's a Monroe SA1930 steering damper, less than $50. And it works. Really really well. The beast drives more like a large SUV now. The 5 in Washington required two delicate hands, balanced on the arm rests for stability, before. Now on most stretches it's just like a car.
The process was pretty simple:
Jack the passenger side up and remove the wheel (optional, but makes the drilling easier)Find the hole in the frame where, in my photo, the top bolt is.Drill (3/8, I recall - could be wrong) all the way through the frame - the hole only goes through one side initially. This requires a long drill bit. (I had one.)Bolt the plate on using the top hole.Drill another hole all the way through, for the second plate hole.Attach that one.Affix the shock on the solid end.Affix the other end lightly with the U-Bolts to the steering member.Replace the wheel and lower the vehicle.Start the engine and turn the wheel all the way. (I think to the right; I don't remember. But to close the shock.)Adjust the position on the steering member to only about 5mm left, while the wheel is being held in the full position.Tighten and test drive.
It took maybe 30 minutes, mostly because I wasn't sure what I was doing. The results are really worth it though.
I put more pictures and notes on the Amazon page linked above. It's just easier to put photos there than here.
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FaireCat
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09/11/12 07:52pm |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: New to Class B campers
Please let me reinforce what Charles wrote. We boondock at Ren Faires a lot... and see a LOT of flat tires. Factor tires into the price. Check the date code and treadwear on the tires; if they're more than, say, five years old or are running out of tread, you'll need another $600 or so for tires. (Or, in my case, far more than that since I wanted to avoid flats completely and went high-end.)
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FaireCat
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09/03/12 03:23pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Awning for Class B Motorhome (Roadtrek)
We bought our RV heavily used. I had to fix the awning. But we use it most trips. It takes a few minutes to set up, but provides a bit more cooling and a rain-protected space. We don't use it every time though; almost never at formal campsites but almost always when boondocking, which is our norm.
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FaireCat
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09/02/12 07:02pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Cell Phone Booster?
That is where you are misinformed . Wilson only started their new stance as many of their products have come under attack from the carriers for disrupting the networks . So bugger off .
Maxi, Wilson's requests from 2007 are a matter of public record. (I'm guessing the "bugger off" was not aimed at me but your summary of Wilson to the world?)
I do agree that the government policies are rough on the small guys, but in my opinion, Wilson is generally on the "good" team. I haven't ever used any of their equipment though; as I said, my world has been M2M.
BTW, you referenced the Jack Dan Mayer site; he did test the Sleek 4G-V and it did well in his tests. I haven't seen it, or any Wilson product... my initial objection to your post was purely because your post felt so biased while falsely accusing the forum to have a bias... which it doesn't. It just has a certain conclusion-by-experience, but it is one reached and discussed without bias.
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FaireCat
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09/02/12 03:13pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Cell Phone Booster?
If you were so-inclined, as you put it, to educate yourself, you would know that Wilson had been asking the FCC to regulate boosters since 2007, predating carrier complaints about them. They aren't on the negative side; they're fighting for a level field. The big outstanding issue is this: If the carrier owns the frequency, should users of boosters be required to get permission from the carrier? If so, under what conditions may the carrier deny? I.e. is it "may" or "shall" allow.
If you need help finding sources for this stuff, just let me know. I've been involved in M2M communications off-and-on for years. (For you personals readers, that's machine-to-machine, and has nothing to do with personal lifestyles at all! ;) )
That is why your messages feel one-sided.
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FaireCat
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09/02/12 08:18am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Cell Phone Booster?
This forum is very Wilson biased
That post was even more biased! This forum is biased towards... well, RVs, safety, the importance of good tires... certain brands of tires to avoid... certain types of power monitoring systems... Wilson is liked because it works (positive benefit, as opposed to much signal boost snake oil) and it's affordable (the cost-benefit is good.)
We're biased towards what the collective hive has determined works best. There's some inertia, but it isn't top-down. Your statement doesn't really reflect on Wilson or the forum.
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FaireCat
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09/02/12 06:20am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Handy Hints, Gadgets, Products & Gizmos
I'm in the Military guys group. I see your application and can appreciate the act it will outlast your ownership of the trailer. I also see a few things I would have done differently had I used your concept. These things would have been more to satisfy my perception of what I feel would be the way to do it. And I'm also a Virgo... Nonetheless, your method is more than adequate for the intended purpose.
LOL! Thanks. But it wasn't my application. ;)
I'm not clued-in on horoscopes; what are Virgo characteristics?
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FaireCat
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08/28/12 06:53am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Handy Hints, Gadgets, Products & Gizmos
There are many times when steel would be a slightly superior material, if time and tools were not a factor, but for me aluminum is really the better solution. And that is because the "slightly superior" is, practically, negligible - nothing will break in the lifetime of the application - but the additional time steel requires is not.
It's a matter of opportunity cost. Retired aerospace and military guys often have a religion that there really is only one right way; for them, not doing it the "right" way eats at them, so there's no benefit to saving time on an equally... for all realistic practical purposes... method that isn't "right". But for most of us, the extra time could be used on three more such tasks and we just don't have enough time otherwise.
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FaireCat
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08/27/12 09:12pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: koni vs bilstien comparison
Many years ago I learned that you cannot accurately compare worn Model X to new Model Y. A new set of Bias Ply tires may feel and track better... for a while... than heavily worn out radials too. (Not that you can get Bias Ply tires anymore.)
But proper shoot-outs between shocks are hard to find. Road and Track and Consumer Reports do great (auto) tire shoot-outs, but nobody does shocks.
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FaireCat
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08/20/12 12:07pm |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: New Pleasure-Way Shower - Must See
I've used a similar model in the micro-hotels in Switzerland. Home Depot sells something that looks very similar. Tiny but effective, but I'm not sure a tub-less shower is boondocking friendly, and that's our primary B usage.
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FaireCat
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08/09/12 04:19pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Verizon or ATT Internet ---- Good??
We just switched from AT&T to Verizon. And sincerely deeply regret it. Both have pockets they get coverage, but even where Verizon does get coverage, the through-put and, on voice calls, the audio, are much worse. Verizon has a better selection of devices, but the signal quality is terrible.
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FaireCat
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08/07/12 11:29am |
Technology Corner
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RE: "Discount".... (Are they kidding me?), Tires
In my experience, on AVERAGE, Discount has the lowest prices in town. But not on every single item, just on average.
On the other hand, they absolutely have the best service in town... and in any town, not just where Freddie's Day-Old Dollar-Short Tires and Waffles is located. Checks, refills, valve stem replacements are all free. And if they see that you're a regular customer, they will sometimes give you astonishing deals.
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FaireCat
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08/01/12 01:49pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Another B Plus: Wide Doors!
Taking a window out is a very common method of removing large items. And btw that B+ is really just a more streamlined C.
The plus was "advantage", not "fatter van". Our B is a B. Standard van sides and doors. Cab-over but still a B.
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FaireCat
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07/28/12 05:04pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: 2004 coachman liberty
They may have improved them over time, but my older Coachman's manuals don't give you useful information such as that.
My suggestion: Use a ruler. Measure the outside of the tanks (they're probably easy enough to find under the RV; they are on mine), and do the math. 231 cubic inches is one gallon. (So, in inches, H x W x D / 231 == gallons.)
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FaireCat
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07/27/12 12:07pm |
Beginning RVing
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Another B Plus: Wide Doors!
We were at a fair the past few weekends (hence the handle... and the boondockable RV), and found another reason to prefer our B over a typical C:
Wide doors.
Another couple has a C, also not a fresh young model (since none of us are either), and have some components they haven't fixed because of the single narrow-but-tall door on the side. Maybe there's an easy way to open the pup up, but they just can't get big things in there.
Our B has double side and double rear doors. Not as tall (which is fine by us), but large enough to put pretty much anything that would fit inside into it. Yeah!
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FaireCat
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07/27/12 12:01pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Tires on internet
I purchased from Discount Tire locally, and was glad I did. They can get the tires shipped in (no extra cost), so what they "stock" isn't really an issue. But where the big win was is...
I had Hanook tires put on. And HATED them. Squirrelly little pups. So I came back a few days later and exchanged them, full refund (including labor) for a set of BF Goodrich tires. (More money, much better tire.)
Try doing that by mail order! ;)
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FaireCat
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07/06/12 10:57am |
General RVing Issues
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