RE: Hourly Labor Rate (How High Is It?) Mechanics?
Jetta,
I agree with bigdogger. You need to open up a repair shop and make all the RVers happy. I can't wait to see how you handle the first repair where plugging something in does not rectify the problem. Imagine your surprise when you realize that the "new" box you plugged in, which did not fix the problem, was a warranty return that was reintroduced to the parts system because it bench checked OK. All that easy profit you made goes right out the window because no one will pay for the hours lost going back through that particular diagnosis. Enjoy your new found wealth because these guys that opened and run repair facilities do not deserve theirs. The bunch of crooks.
Randy
Not looking for profit guys. Like I said, if you are happy paying exorbitant rates then go nuts. For those who think the rv dealerships are perhaps gouging a bit, take a stab at working on it yourself. Do some research online, check out prices on ebay, you may be pleasantly surprised. An RV is practically a toy compared to the vehicle you drive or the device you used to make this post and the dealerships and techs know this.
Starting to think there are a few dealerships and industry people on this forum :(
I work in a small automotive service shop and we will occasionally work on RV's. Usually it's a small class c or maybe an axle on a TT. Our labor rate, whether we're diagnosing a Mercedes Benz automatic heater control, a brake job on a Ford Escort, or valve cover gaskets on a e-350 class c pays the same hourly rate. My personal tool investment to work on this wide variety of equipment costs in excess of $60,000. My employer has paid for most of my training which likely totals about $10,000 over the years, special tools like scopes, scan tools, and other special service tools to work on stuff totals way beyond that. I am totally for people trying to fix their own stuff and should do so as long as it is within thier means. But on the flip side, I am looking for profit. This is a hard business to be in. Show me another occupation which requires such large expenses for employer as well as employee to survive. So yeah, if anybody wants me to fix their landing gear or toilet on a TT, you're going to pay me for it accordingly. (Yes we will give you an estimate and stick to it). Oh yeah, we will be there for you when your tow vehicle starts to misfire because a mouse chewed through one of the fuel injector wires as well.
RE: GAME TIME - Name 10 things different in these pictures
Seagull missing
Vent closed
Arm repositioned
Jacks are down
Extra decal at rear window
Front AC missing
Grill in P/U bed
Shadow (tire?) @ lower left corner
Tire tracks in sand shorter
Tow strap at frontWinner!
Mustang, you missed the landing gear.
Fuel, you missed the blue decal missing from the back of the trailer.
ok, I'm working on another,then I gotta get outside and get something meaningful accomplished. Like drink a beer.
Hey! The landing gear would make 11! I would like to file an official protest!! :)
RE: Class A or Class C?
Don't know how many family members are coming with, but in my case with just my wife and I, My 21 ft class c works really well. It is a little small (cozy) but is easy to maneuver around in and has plenty of storage space. My biggest regret is not having an onboard gen set. I will be looking at buying a honda eu2000i genny in the near future. Getting into an RV was the best thing I ever did for camping. Previously tented for over 20 yrs. Agree with the Ford/ Chevy opinion.
RE: Need To Vent....
For what it's worth, I was looking for a neglected, older RV to restore. I found an 86 Honey class "C" which had some mechanical issues, but the coach was pristine with all accessories working. The asking price was 1800. When I went to go see it, the RV was gone on a road test with another buyer who later came back and said "SOLD". Oh well, guess I was a little too slow. Two days later, I get a call from the original seller saying the guy backed out. Back I went and picked it up. So far, after my repairs this thing has taken my wife and I all across the west. My point is, be patient and whatever is meant to be for you will come to fruition.
RE: GAME TIME - Name 10 things different in these pictures
1) Seagull
2) Vent top open / closed
3) Tracks in the sand
4) BBQ in bed of truck
5) 2nd Roof AC unit
6) Tow strap in front of truck
7) Dark something like a tire on left lower of photo missing
8) Truck driver's arm position
9) White object laying in the sand near edge of tire tracks
10) Blue checker decal at rear of TT
Guess I'm a little bored today too
RE: Road Trip / Where have you been this summer!
Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Rachel NV, Dexter OR, Zion NP, Multnomah Falls OR, Las Vegas NV, Lake Mead, Lake Powell, Susanville CA, and Deception Pass SP in WA. Not necessarily in that order.
RE: onan 4000 adjustments
Coyote, you should obtain a service manual for your specific genny. Your HZ is low because the engine speed is slightly out of spec. Governor needs to be adjusted. 3600 RPM should deliver 60HZ. There will be some minor variations with load, but it sounds like yours is pretty close.
RE: How many out there in Class C's have families?
I have a 21 ft class "c". My wife and I travel and camp in it regularly. It works wonderfully. When the kid comes along, it suddenly becomes crowded, especially with a messy teenager! You could definitely do it with three kids regarding seat belts, sitting and sleeping area. Go check some out. Take the kids with you and get a feel for it. I am sure there is something out there for you.
RE: caution using Mike's RV center in Madera, CA
Yeah I agree fully with Don. Being in the auto repair industry, our estimates include labor, parts, and tax. This way, there are no surprises. In the event there is a change in price for ANY reason, a call is made. Until that contact has been made, we will not procede. The vehicles we work on do not belong to us, so making any decisions has to be done with customer approval.
RE: Why Do Things Cost A Lot More In Canada?
We have friends who shop in bellingham for grocerys school stuff and clothes for there family of 5 same size as our family. Ive done the math and the difference between them and me who prefers to shop in canada is about 40 bucks, to me not worth it. It is more up here but our medical coverage is incredible. It balances out in the end
You Must have a lot of friends, because they are everywhere around here! Ha :) Love it that our Canadian friends come down here to shop, or else Bellingham / Whatcom County would be a ghost town. Thank you.
RE: Vegas Area
Well, Lake Mead is right there.. I stayed at Lake Mead RV village near Boulder Beach earlier this year. It was nice. About 20-30 mins from the airport and about 10 minutes to Hoover.
RE: Refrigerator temperture control?
If it is doing this with gas and electric modes, your fridge has likely developed a blockage (usually from not being level) and may need to be replaced.
RE: Ford wheel squeak
It may be a wheel bearing. Aside from that, likely a squeaking brake pad or worn out brakes. There are some things they might be able to do about a noisy pad, like cleaning up mounting surfaces, applying anti-squeal stuff.. usually temporary. Permament fix would be a full front brake service but if you still have a fair amount of brake pad left, deal with the noise unless its driving you nuts.
RE: Running with gas fridge on
Kind of an unrelated note, but my propane fridge quit working so I replaced it with a $200 compact sears unit. My wife and I took a recent drip through the desert SW and found that between plug in campsites, that thing stayed plenty cold.. even after a 9 hour long drive from Susanville, CA to Las Vegas NV where the temperature peaked at 104.
I guess it did help having all that frozen meat in the freezer
RE: Deeply discharged house batteries?
No it is not normal. I would charge and test all four batteries with a hydrometer. It seems a little fishy the batteries would reach a full state of charge that quick too.
I like the hydrometer NAPA sells.
RE: 97 ford 460 fump issues
Well, as a 20+ year mechanic, here are my thoughts for what its worth. I personally have a problem retrofitting an external pump in most situations. The reason for this is the external pump will have to work a little harder to draw fuel past the old pump assembly. What if the old pump failed because of contamination in the tank? What if the sock in the tank is plugged? This will only lead to another pump failure, and possibly some pressure and volume issues when the demand for fuel is high from the engine.
Second, if an external pump is installed, the power for the pump really should come from the original source. The process Dutch talks about will work... BUT the problem here is safety. Ford designs this circuit to shut off in case of an accident or if no engine speed signal is detected. This may seem small at first, but what if an accident occurs and a fuel leak develops? Most drivers won't be thinking about shutting off the key when the RV is laying on its side. If there's a fire, things could get really bad really quick.
I know this might seem like an acceptable risk to some, but for me who has worked the automotive repair line for 20 years, I found if it can happen, it eventually will happen. Stick with a good name brand OE type fuel delivery system.
A search of the forums will find that a number of us have made this same modification, with many miles of use to prove that it's effective. As far as the safety issue, did you note where I said the relay is controlled by the impact switch?
Sorry Dutch... My apologies. I somehow read right past that... my bad
RE: Funny smell out of A/C...
Likely the odor is coming from mold growth in and around the evaporator. The evaporator is the cold part inside your TT air conditioning unit and it sweats moisture like a cold pop (or beer) on a warm day. About the only thing you can do is to remove the inside cover and clean the area the best you can. There are chemicals sold for cleaning and deodorizing AC units. Google around for antimicrobial ac products. You'll find some nifty products there.
Also, using dri-z-air when the vehicle stored helps on moisture problems in general. (probably already know that)
RE: 97 ford 460 fump issues
Well, as a 20+ year mechanic, here are my thoughts for what its worth. I personally have a problem retrofitting an external pump in most situations. The reason for this is the external pump will have to work a little harder to draw fuel past the old pump assembly. What if the old pump failed because of contamination in the tank? What if the sock in the tank is plugged? This will only lead to another pump failure, and possibly some pressure and volume issues when the demand for fuel is high from the engine.
Second, if an external pump is installed, the power for the pump really should come from the original source. The process Dutch talks about will work... BUT the problem here is safety. Ford designs this circuit to shut off in case of an accident or if no engine speed signal is detected. This may seem small at first, but what if an accident occurs and a fuel leak develops? Most drivers won't be thinking about shutting off the key when the RV is laying on its side. If there's a fire, things could get really bad really quick.
I know this might seem like an acceptable risk to some, but for me who has worked the automotive repair line for 20 years, I found if it can happen, it eventually will happen. Stick with a good name brand OE type fuel delivery system.
