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Date Posted |
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RE: New Class C - murphy bed question
Before you buy one, find out how much it weighs. Try to find a similar total weight of a selection of objects, scatter them around the bed and see if the mechanism can handle the weight.
Be sure to report back with your findings in case others wish to know. ;)
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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06/06/23 01:35pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Need help to find a replacement fuel door - 2005 Gulfstream
Valpo Camper,
Just out of curiosity, does it HAVE to be a locking fuel door? That might open up some options for you.
There's probably nothing special about the lock used and a local locksmith shop could probably install one on a regular door, if you didn't feel up to the challenge.
Personally, I think the locking cap is more likely to encourage a bad guy to cut your fuel line and steal the gas that way than to move on to another vehicle. In fact, that's even faster than trying to run a siphon. If they want to steal your gas, they'll get it.
Good Luck,
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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05/23/23 06:33pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Class A Motorhome Gasser
wtmtnhiker,
Well, since they are both on floorplans you can live with, I think you've settled on the most important part.
As for Workhorse vs. Ford, those years were pretty competitive between the two manufacturer. You'll find proponents & opponents of both. For rigs that old, I have to say that overall condition is a major factor which would effect my decision. I don't necessary agree with those that say the WH will have parts issues. I haven't, yet. The low mileage on the WH does cause one to raise an eyebrow, but perhaps it was just driven to a relatively close campground several times per year or left there for the season. So it was driven every year, but just not far. On the other hand, if it's just been sitting with NO activity (and this goes for the Ford as well), I think I'd be more worried about possible water or rodent damage if it hasn't had regular attention.
Unlike TechWriter, our WH drives and rides very well. It's no DP, but I've driven much worse. The first thing that needs to be done for steering control is to make sure the front tires are at the proper pressure. Dealers and tire places inflate them to the maximum on the sidewall of the tire, and I can tell you that driving mine that way was a handful. Lowering the pressure to the proper psi made a HUGE differece. I also did upgrade the shocks a few years after I bought it which helped the ride over expansion joints and rough surfaces.
One thing you should know IF you're trying to compare specifics of each chassis, that it's quite possible that the 2005 WH is on a 2004 WH chassis, and the 2006 Ford is on a 2005 Ford chassis.
You also probably noticed that there are a lot more Ford mohos in the era than WH. The main reason for that is because the WH had anywhere from a $2,500-$5,000 premium on it over the Ford on the EXACT same floorplan. Most of us that bought the WH felt that premium was worth paying for (Allison transmission and lower doghouse, in our case. For what it's worth, I usually preferred Ford to GM). Anyway, dealers ordering models for their stock or customers who didn't know the difference, would order the Fords because of the cheaper price tag.
Can you see them for an in-person visual inspection and take each of them for a test drive?
Good Luck,
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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05/19/23 04:45pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: What broke my window?
I think I'm leaning toward the .177 caliber BB or pellet theory as well. Depending upon distance and velocity, BBs tend to bounce off targets and pellets tend to penetrate targets. Not that it matters, either way, your window is broken. Sad if it was a mischievous act.
When replacing it, you might be able to reveal further evidence of the cause.
Perhaps a slightly related story: Many years ago (early 80's) my mom was driving home from work and she heard something hit the roof as she was approaching a pedestrian overpass on the highway. My dad and I went out to look at the car. Right above the driver's side of the windshield about 6" back on the roof, there was a long, deep gouge in the roof. My dad grabbed a .22 bullet and it fit perfectly in the groove. Split second timing difference and it probably would've hit the windshield and my mom, probably causing a fatal accident at highway speeds. As we looked into it, apparently there were numerous reports of people throwing rocks and bricks off the bridge to hit the cars below as well. They put a "fence cage" all the way around the walkway to prevent objects from being thrown over, but the incidents continued. A few short years later, the walkway was taken down.
Just because we call it "civilization" doesn't mean all of the inhabitants are civilized.
Good Luck,
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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05/12/23 12:21pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Older Class A Electrical
Hi Dmeyer07,
Congratulations on your first post on the Forums!!! :)
1.) YES, your 50A shore power plug should have four conductors at each end. Two hots (L1 & L2), a neutral and a ground. Any properly wired campground you go to with 50A service will have a 50A receptacle for a 4 prong plug. Personally, I would CORRECT this issue IMMEDIATELY. This could be a safety issue and depending upon how it's wired, you might be jeopardizing the electrical appliances in your motorhome. (See additional comments below about it being wired for 30A service only.)
2.) 50A service is 120V/240V service. The vast majority of RV's internally use the connection as two 120V, 50A lines sharing a neutral. There will be 240V across L1 and L2 (L1 and L2 are 180 degrees out of phase with each other), but there will only be 120V between either L1 or L2 and Neutral. Your generator is also 120V. It puts out two 120V hot lines, but they are in-phase with each other, so you won't see 240VAC across the generator hot lines. You'll see approximately 0V across the two generator hot lines. Most likely nothing in your RV uses 240V. However, some newer, mostly high-end rigs, DO have 240V appliances with 240V generators as well.
3.) I'll let someone with more experience with inverters answer this question. :)
50A RV service is the exact same service you will see on a modern 50A electric range or electric dryer outlet in a house. Same NEMA receptacles and plugs.
Thinking more about your 3 conductor plug...I think it's likely the previous owner decided to only use a 30A connection to the rig so he wouldn't have to handle the extra heft of a 50A shore power cord. Can you post a picture of the plug? The 50A cord uses much heavier gauge wire and the cables are definitely much heavier, bulkier and harder to wind up, especially in cold weather. The previous owner might never have needed anything other than 30A, so they just used a 30A cord. (30A service is one hot, one neutral and a ground.) If this is the case, you'll be OK to use it. It's not a safety hazard or a hazard to the appliances on the rig. BUT you'll only have 30A of electricity available.
You probably know this, but just to be complete. A 30A service can provide up to 3,600 Watts of power to your RV (120V * 30A =3,600W). A 50A service can provide up to 12,000 Watts of power to your RV (2*120V*50A=12,000W). So there IS a noticeable difference in available power between the two systems.
Good Luck,
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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05/04/23 09:24am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Fiberglass roof crack repair
As others have said, since the crack can't spread any more, just use Eternabond. It's great stuff. Applied properly you'll never have to worry about it again.
Good Luck and let us know how you make out with the project.
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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04/29/23 10:14am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Weight question
two travelers,
I second rjstractor comments.
If the numbers you stated are the numbers inside the rig, they differ from the Winnebago website. Here's the chassis specs for the 2023 Sprinter View.
These specs show a GVWR of 11,030 lbs., front axle rating of 4410 lbs. and rear axle rating of 7,720 lbs. Total axle weight rating is 12,130 lbs. It is not uncommon for the GVWR of the vehicle to be less than the combined GAWRs. Mine is that way. (For ours, the sum of the axle ratings is 22,500 lbs. (8,000 + 14,500) while the GVWR of chassis is 22,000 lbs.) It allows for more flexibility in loading the rig to avoid overloading an axle.
By the way, it's also not uncommon for a rig to exceed its GVWR even when lightly loaded. If the stats on the website are correct, then you're slightly over the GVWR. Not so much as to be worried about, but I wouldn't consider adding much more. Your weight also suggests that your true towing limit is about 4,000 lbs., and every pound you add inside the rig should be taken off the tow rating.
Perhaps you should give Winnebago a call and ask them to confirm the ratings shown in your rig. Or ask them to correct their website. :)
Good Luck,
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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04/26/23 01:57pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Door Won’t Open
Wow!!! That's GREAT NEWS!!!! Glad to hear it all worked out.
And thanks for posting your solution!
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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04/18/23 02:04pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Door Won’t Open
CJOnTheRoad,
The repair kit available on E-Bay is this one: Tri-Mark Replacement Door Bolt
I don't know if it'll fit your lock. You'll need to check the actual model number of the lock to determine that. The price has risen over the years, but it's still money well spent if it'll fix your problem.
Good Luck and please make sure to let us know how things turn out!
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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04/18/23 10:03am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Door Won’t Open
I would call the RV Dealer that did the work on the rig and ask what they recommend. Will they step up and pay for the cost of a locksmith to open and replace/repair the lock?
Be polite and professional.
If they refuse to do anything, then I guess you'll just be on the hook for hiring & paying the lock smith.
Your current situation is one of the reasons I like having a separate entry door by the driver on our rig. But in lieu of that, I'd leave one of the larger slider windows unlocked whenever you leave the rig, just in case this happens again. If this IS one of those Tri-Mark locks...it most likely WILL happen again. Though there was a guy on E-Bay that sold steel lock bolts to replace the pot-metal parts Tri-Mark used. I installed it on our lock the second time it broke, and haven't had a problem since. But I don't know if they would work on your lock.
Good Luck,
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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04/18/23 08:21am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 83 and have hung up the keys
David,
That is a very moving post. This must be one of the most difficult times in an RV'ers life: Hanging up the keys. I saw it happen to my uncle when he was in his early 80's, about 5 years ago. His wife had passed away a few years prior and he was never the same after that. His last few trips, including one last trip to Florida, I ended up doing most of the driving, but he helped out for about a 1 hour shift here and there. :) He was fortunate because he owned a lot in the Berkshires (small mountain range) about an hour and a half away where he could park the rig from late Spring until the threat of snow and he could drive his car up there to enjoy the rig throughout that period, yet easily return home as well. We would visit him in our motorhome as much as we could up there and we made some great memories then and when his wife was still here. He and his wife were very special to us for a variety of reasons, but mostly because they were instrumental in getting us into the RV lifestyle. For that we will always be grateful. But ultimately, the time came when he knew he had to sell his rig.
David, thank you for your contributions to the Open Roads Forums all these years. Hopefully you'll still drop by once in a while. You've got a lot of experience in this lifestyle and there are always newbies, like I was back in the early 2000's, looking for some sage advice from folks that have "been there".
Safe travels and best wishes that you will continue to make memories with your family and friends as you enter this new stage in your life.
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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03/24/23 08:12am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Ongoing Motorhome search
Great!!!! Congratulations!
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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03/21/23 12:54pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Fleetwood 26Y with twin beds
Our RV must fit in a 27 ft long space.
I just checked the specs and the length of the 26Y is shows as exactly 27', so hopefully it'll fit into your space. :)
As to finding the twin bed model, the RV you're looking at is 15-20 years old. At this point, you could fairly inexpensively remodel the bedroom area to put in the overhead cabinets you wish to have along with replacing the queen bed with two twins.
I know it's easier if you could find exactly what you're looking for, but if you can't, it shouldn't be too hard to change the floorplan to fit your needs. Check out Home Depot and Lowe's for free-standing overhead cabinets.
Good Luck,
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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03/19/23 11:44am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: is anyone using one of these AC units?
StirCrazy,
You may have seen this on their website, but if not, here's a chart showing How Much Cooling Can Be Expected. I as looking for data about what the equivalent cooling capacity in BTU's would be for comparison, but I didn't see any numbers provided. I guess it would vary widely based upon the temperature and humidity, or it just doesn't make the unit look favorable in comparison.
I guess only you will really know or can estimate the range of temperatures and humidities you'll face. But looking at that chart, I don't think such a unit would provide much, if any, relief for the majority of the U.S. during the summer time.
One thing to remember, as Grit Dog was pointing out, is you not only have to cool the air in the RV, but everything that is inside the space as well. All of that holds heat energy. Getting the "air" alone 20 degrees cooler will not offer much comfort as that air will absorb the heat contained by the stuff inside. That's why it will take A LONG time to cool down a space.
You mentioned you would rarely be in a situation to use this and suggested that you'd have water at a campground to use it. Just a question: Would said campgrounds also have electrical hookups? If so, since this is going to be a rare occurrence, I'd ponder about putting in a smaller conventional A/C (maybe a used unit) and just plug in when needed. Or, perhaps one of those portable A/Cs you plug in but vent out a window. You'd have to store it when not in use, though.
Obviously if you visit campgrounds that don't provide A/C, then these ideas wouldn't work. :)
Good Luck, and please let us know what you ended up doing.
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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03/18/23 11:48am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Black tank clean out
Look for a vacuum breaker under your sink which connects to the black tank flush system. Here's a link to a kit which has a brass vacuum break.
Black Tank Flush Kit with Vacuum Breaker
The brass unit is the vacuum break. This is similar to the one in our rig, but ours is under the kitchen sink. The disk part of the breaker should point upward with the two pipes coming up from the floor.
It is only connected to the black tank flush plumbing, so if you're not flushing your tank, it won't show evidence of a leak.
The vacuum break line has to be higher than the rest of the plumbing for the flush system to help prevent siphoning, along with the vacuum breaker, which is why they're mounted inside and usually under a sink cabinet.
Hope this helps.
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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03/13/23 07:44am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: folding utility trailer
I can commend the designers for their ingenuity. It is neat. However, I don't think they consulted the intended market for folks that actually need and use a trailer. I don't always think the "If you build it they will come." adage is always correct.
I agree that at a show you might be able to snag a newbie into seeing how cute this is. And possibly get them to buy it. (I'm sorry I missed this unit at the Springfield Show. I was there, but have no interest in trailers, so even if I did see it, I'd just walk by. Oh well.)
In reality, not being able to open the tail gate on an SUV or minivan is a HUGE issue. Before we got our motorhome, I purchased a trailer-hitch mounted trunk for our minivan for our longer trips. I had to pay a fair amount extra for the type that pivoted away when mounted so you could access the tailgate and what was stored there. Without that access, we couldn't use that space. That would negate the purpose of using the hitch mounted trunk. If you can't access the stuff in the back of your vehicle because the trailer is folded up, then where would you put it? Oh yeah, in the trailer, so you don't need it to fold. But...now you can access the tailgate. So....just leave the trailer down.
The only time I could possibly see this as being helpful that hasn't been mentioned is in toll road calculations. You'd save an axle in toll costs. I doubt those savings would ever come near to the cost of this unit.
Blocking the vehicle's rear license plate is DEFINITELY a no-no. Our hitch mounted trunk has a lighted license plate frame and brake & turn signal lights as well.
Again, this is an interesting idea, but I think it's a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist for most, and when it IS a solution, it raises new problems if you try to use it.
As a business, I hope they do well. But if I were them, I've be working on the design of Version 2.0. :)
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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03/01/23 08:30am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: class A safety
bmwdriver2019,
With all due respect, while you say there are many who think the way that you do that this is a Ford issue, there are are apparently many who do not share those same thoughts. I'm still in the camp that says if the chassis is properly aligned, proper air pressure in the tires and it IS NOT overloaded, it's going to perform like a big ol' heavy vehicle! LOL That's what it is. Apparently people are having mixed results with their own respective rigs. But how many of them have actually weighed their rigs, adjusted the tire air pressure accordingly, and actually have had it to an alignment shop to have it aligned fully loaded and ready to travel? Not many, I can tell you. The vast majority of RV'ers have never even weighed their rigs and have no idea if they are overloaded or not. The assumption is that if there's storage space, they can fill it and carry it! True on some rigs, not on others. Only weighing the rig will reveal how close the chassis is to its weight limits. But I digress...
That said, if you really feel adamant about blaming Ford, then you should direct your energy toward NHTSA. THEY are the ones that IF there really is a problem, could do something about it. There's a "Report a Safety Problem" link right on their home page. At least contact them and report the problem and see what their response is?
I'd be interested in hearing their response.
Good Luck,
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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02/28/23 10:48am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Ongoing Motorhome search
My comments on the Foretravels came after following a link in one of the previous replies to my post. A dealer in TX had a few of those and yes they do look very nice but not in our price range.
I followed that link, too. MotorhomesOfTexas Did you check out all of them? I think there were 5, maybe 6 Foretravels that were under $100k, one was a tad over, but I'm sure could be negotiated down, if needed. I believe there were some early 2000's models and late '90's non-slide models. Check out some of the other manufacturers as well. You can select a max price of $100k and Class A Diesel as search filters. There ARE some nice older rigs out there in that price range.
Is that 2013 Fleetwood you found nearby so you can check it out in person? Post the model so possibly others here can possibly share their experiences. You're right to take your time. The search can sometimes be a long process, but I think well worth it in the end to find the rig that's best for your needs.
While it's hard to believe that a 2013 model is TEN YEARS OLD already, it still might be loaded with more electronic control gadgetry that I'm trying to avoid. :) I know when/IF I start looking for a replacement, it's going to be difficult to find one with the "all in one" bath as opposed to the "split bath" floorplans. It seems the majority of Class A's in the "up scale" categories use the split bath concept. Unless we end up with a bath & a half model with the full bath in the back. Wifey and I are just not fans of the bathroom/shower that separates the coach front to back if someone is in it. Probably OK with just two people, but with more, it could be a pain. Needless to say, our rig has the all in one option so people can still walk from front to back when the facilities are occupado! :)
C'mon Fleetwood fans, what say ye? Any advice on a 2013 Fleetwood DP? :)
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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02/27/23 11:12am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Ongoing Motorhome search
Wjohns02,
If I remember from one of your previous posts you had a budget of about $100k and were thinking about used models with the options being either newer lower line models or older mid-to-upper line models. Is that still your gameplan?
I've heard good and bad about Fleetwood, I have never owned one of their products so I don't have a dog in that fight. However, in a previous thread you did mentions something about the "Those Foretravels being really nice", or some such. :)
Are you limited to diesels or are you including gassers in your search?
For me, I'm planning to squeeze another couple of years out of our rig. Who knows, may keep it till we can no longer go RV'ing. BUT, if I do get bitten by the bug to replace it, I most likely will look for an early 2000's higher end rig rather than anything newer. My budget will probably be similar to yours and by the time we are actively looking, the rigs will be at least 20 years old.
I just think you get so much more bang for your buck with an older, high-end rig than you will with any rig in the years you mention. On top of that, if you're looking for DPs, I believe that most in that year range require DEF, which I'd rather avoid. I also noticed that it seems like a lot of rigs beginning in that era started have darker interiors, something wifey and I are not fans of. We like light colored, bright interiors. We'd be at shows and every light in the rig was on and it STILL felt like we were in a cave. Yuck! Lastly, that era of rigs, in my recollection, started including too many electronically controlled gadgets. I don't need everything in the rig being run by a remote control, or worse yet, an app on my phone! Convenient? Yeah, maybe, but I've had smart devices long enough to realize that old apps don't always work on newer devices. I just don't want to deal with all of that. What happens if I get a new phone and the old controller app no longer works to control the AC/Heat/Fans/Slides/lights/etc. etc. Give me a physical switch, knobs, buttons, dials. REAL controls, dagnabbit! LOL But that's me.
So, not a slam on Fleetwood, but about other things I'd investigate for any rig in that era. You probably have different likes and dislikes, but just thought I'd mention some other things for you to think about in your search.
If you have specific models and years in mind, though, you might want to post them as you'll hopefully be able to get some direct feedback from folks who own or have owned those models.
Good luck in your search. Don't rush, take your time. Your ideal rig is out there. The one in my signature was our first RV purchase of any type, and with a couple of years of research and A LOT of advice from the great folks on this forum, it has proven to be about the best choice we could've made at the time within our budget. We still have not really seen any other rig which has a floorplan we like better than the one in our rig. Floorplan is EVERYTHING!
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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02/25/23 04:39pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: class A safety
Doug,
Well said and thanks for the insight into the process. :)
~Rick
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Rick Jay
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02/18/23 03:53pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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