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RE: Smaller Class A
The Magic Bed in the Treks can be a problem. I've seen solutions, but I would have to build something myself to get to a complete solution.
There IS a Trek built that has a living room in the rear, and the Magic Bed back there. And the 28-foot Trek has one of the nicest bathrooms on the road.
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mrblanche
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10/25/09 06:58pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Walmart brand motor oil.
And, in point of fact, Wix does warehouse NAPA's filters. NAPA puts in an order, and Wix either builds them, warehouses them, and puts them on the truck when delivery time arrives and ships them, or Wix is ahead of the game and builds up a stock of NAPA filters, so they can deliver them when ordered.
As a trucker, none of this overlap surprises me. I've been to too many factories where raw materials go in one end and finished product comes out the other, and the brand name is the last thing added. If you buy green beans, for example, the odds are very good it came out of the Allen Canning plant in Siloam Springs, AR. If it's spinach it likely came out of the Allen Canning plant in Alma, AR.
Allen Canning
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mrblanche
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10/21/09 08:07pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Walmart brand motor oil.
Take my word on this (or research it yourself): No Fram filter is built as well as a Wix filter. In fact, no Fram filter is built as well as a standard Wal-Mart Super Tech filter. It's one of those shocking things in life when you find out the best thing about a Fram filter is its advertising. Turns out you get to pay them now, AND pay them later.
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mrblanche
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10/18/09 05:44pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Walmart brand motor oil.
I donot use their filters either. They are probably ok but I am more comfortable with a filter from a name brand manufacturer who by the way is probably making wal marts. Just can't take that step tho.
The Super Tech filters consistently rank in the top levels when compared to other brands. The filters you REALLY don't want to use are Fram.
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mrblanche
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10/17/09 08:08pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: mercedes engines- need info
2008 JD Powers survey.
What's interesting on that list is that Mack no longer produces truck engines, and didn't in 2008, either. Engines go through the plant in Hagerstown, MD, and don't have an identity until they go into the paint shop and get their valve covers installed.
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mrblanche
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10/17/09 08:00pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Anyone ever had one
The question was,has anyone ever had a blowout when using one .
Yes.
However, if you've had them on from day 1, it's much less likely. The most frequent cause of blowouts is not age, but heat. If you've run your tires as little as 25% underinflated, they might not die immediately, but their life is shortened.
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mrblanche
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10/04/09 07:42pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Rocky Mtns too high for 40' ,330hpdp with a tow car?
I have been over most of the passes with 300 hp and grossing close to 80,000 lbs without a jake. It wasn't fast, but it was well within the realm of possibility.
Watch your temperatures (engine and transmission) and gear down if they start rising too much.
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mrblanche
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09/01/09 09:33pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: What oil do you recommend for your diesel pusher ?
I have a friend who is an engineer for Volvo Trucks. He knows more about engines than anyone I have ever met. He even designed one of Mack's engines when he was a young engineer at that company.
If you read press releases from Volvo Trucks North America in any of the trucking magazines, you will have seen his name.
He said that after testing all the oils available, the only non-synthetic he would use and feel comfortable recommending was Mobil Delvac. Keep in mind this recommendation comes after testing many engines to destructions and disassembling many engines obtained by dealers in the field.
Keep in mind that he didn't say the others were bad, only that their testing indicated that Mobil Delvac consistently delivered the best performance in the engines they tested, to the point that he could recommend it without a qualm.
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mrblanche
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09/01/09 09:26pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Let's see what you are towing with your motorhome...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3595/3630570155_e183edf3e1_o.jpg
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mrblanche
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08/08/09 08:24am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: What refridgerant type to use ?
The easy way to tell if you need R134 is to look at the connections. If they're standard Schrader valves, it's R12.
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mrblanche
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08/06/09 05:33pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Progressive Insurance
Just as a personal point (and isn't that behind a lot of decisions we make?), I'd rather give Warren Buffett (GEICO) my money that George Soros (Progressive). That's probably not a valid reason for making any financial decisions, but there it is.
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mrblanche
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08/06/09 10:01am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Change oil every 3,000 miles?
What would oil viscosity have to do with piston skirt collapse?
As the person said who I quoted, the heavier oil takes longer to get splashed up on the skirts, causing excess friction and eventual collapse. Almost all the damage occurs in the first 25-50 revolutions of freshly started engine. That's also the reason you can't get straight dino 5W20; all of it is "semi-synthetic," at the very least.
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mrblanche
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08/02/09 07:39pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Motor capacity and towing
The first thing you need to check is your ID tag on the motorhome, which will give you a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) and a GCVWR or GCWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating). Subtract the GVWR from the GCVWR, and you will have how much the motorhome is rated to tow. Expect a number that is either 3500 or 5000 lbs.
So, that is how much you can tow. Of course, you'll need a braking system for anything over about 2,000 lbs.
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mrblanche
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08/02/09 11:00am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Change oil every 3,000 miles?
The manufacturers have a reason why they recommend the viscosity oil that they do. In the case of Ford, Honda and others recommending 5W20 is due to the close tolerences used. Using 15W40 in their applications may actually cause more wear or damage due to the fact that the heavier oil will not flow where it needs to go especially on initial start-up. I would rethink using the heavier oil. -- Chuck
The Ford Modular engines (4.6L, 5.4L, and the V10) have had a bunch of problems with piston skirt collapse. The lower viscosity oil was the cure. Go to a higher viscosity at the risk of the "rattle of death."
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mrblanche
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08/02/09 10:38am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Low Bridges
Just returned from a 4 week vacation that included a trip to Niagra Falls.We took the Lake Ontario State parkway.From Rochester to Niagra.A beautiful drive until I saw the first quaint stone overpass.I slowly crept up to read the 12'4" or 12'2" sign(looked lower).We are 11'6" at the top of the roof airs.I came upon 3 more of these and wondered if I would come upon one too low.How expensive is it to post a clearance sign at the beginning of such a road.Same thing happened at the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial.12'3" but at that one I pulled a U turn(Sunday,no traffic,I thought I was 11'10" at the time).I can Imagine a lot of tour buses having to turn around there.Just a sign at the off ramp directing high clearance vehicles to the 13'5" underpass one block over sure could save some grief.OK rant over.I feel better.
In New York, all clearances are posted with a 1 foot allowance. In other words, a sign that said 12'3" actually has 13'3" clearance. This is to allow for weather changes, snow, etc. The only exceptions to that are those signs that say "Actual Clearance."
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mrblanche
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08/01/09 08:17am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Change oil every 3,000 miles?
There are a couple of big caveats in all of this. If you have a flat tappet engine, then NONE of the oils currently available for cars will be sufficient. The removal of zinc has seriously degraded the shear strength, causing cams to wear out in months rather than years. You can buy Rotella T 15W-40, but even that is being modified now because of the use of particulate filters on diesel engines starting in 2007.
You CAN buy a special additive to help out. Just do a google search.
When did flat tappet engines disappear? Sometime in the late 80's. I think 1987 is about right.
You can get your oil tested at any Speedco, while you wait.
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mrblanche
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07/31/09 07:23pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Sweating in my leather seat
I disagree. I find leather and vinyl to be very uncomfortable. Always have. Probably always will.
My motto? SAVE THE NAUGAS, USE FABRIC!!!
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mrblanche
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07/27/09 06:23am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: CB Radio
As a trucker, I'm going to disagree with some of the information here.
Here's the radio I use:
Uniden Pro 510xl
You'll notice at Amazon that it's $33. It has a clean signal, a small footprint, and simple controls. And it's inexpensive enough you can throw it away if it gets broken and not feel bad about it.
And yes, I have some much nicer radios. At home. In the closet. Too many controls, too easy to get on the wrong channel, or turn down the RF gain so you can't hear it, or something.
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mrblanche
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07/27/09 06:19am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Sweating in my leather seat
As I understand it, the big problem is that American leather seats actually have a thin vinyl coating, unlike European leather seats. Why? Because Americans won't take care of leather, cleaning it regularly, etc.
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mrblanche
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07/27/09 04:41am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Do you use your belly as a steeringwheel tensioning device ?
I use the cat.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2583/3759224600_404bfdec05.jpg?v=0 width=640
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mrblanche
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07/26/09 04:54pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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