Ok guys how hard to get around

  One of the unexpected benefits of having the bed above the motor is that it is usually warm and comfy to slip into on a cold night after you pull over for the night.

Ed

Tom started to clean the radiator for the gennie.  Well he sprayed a bit and the thing is already nice and clean, he said he could see through it.  To bad, nothing there to fix, moving right along.

Belt is on the AC, he said it is working and he felt the hoses, said it was trying to charge.  He told me take it to an AC place, thinks it needs freon and could have a leak.

We know one of the hoses in the dash is off, found that when he was looking around under  the cut out in the dash that flips up.  Just old age, I wonder about things rotten from age.

He is looking at the 2 back radiators, they don't look dirty to me either, but he will try to clean so ok.

We are checking all lights, fog doesn't work.  Going to get it safety inspected tomorrow, now has insurance, and title transferred!  We won't get to take it till next time he comes
home.  I wouldn't want to go on a trip and take a chance with those pitiful skylights, very very bad condition and coating the roof, very weathered.  Seems to be the worse items so far.

Going to put on new windshield wipers.

Oh he said the seal around the bed is good and tightens down snugly the insulation on the flat back side is ratty.  I will find the stuff somewhere, saw quite a bit on the net but wanted better then that. Tom wants to scrape it all off and replace, he said that stuff will be drifting all over from now on.

Moving right along.

I want air horns, he says it has them but they are unhooked for some reason! Sue Anne will love those, she will have me blowing them all the time.

I don't see any reason so far we can't use it after he is home next time and finishes going over stuff.

So far no big glaring unpleasant surprises yet.

The guy kept saying everything works, but you know, just skeptical of something so old.

Carolyn,

If your new MH has a Norcold combination propane/electric refrigerator and you have ANY worry about fire have Tom read the following thread.

I say this because he may want to install a fire alarm BEHIND the refrigerator.  TOM, take a look at the description of what and how I installed our fire alarm in the refer compartment.

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=40919.msg378908#msg378908

JerryF

It's a Dometic

Ok, new wind shield wipers for baby and some more oil and filters for the engine, not the big filter back there yet.  Dryer?? maybe have to ask, so we are approaching $700 for filters, fluids, an AC belt, a few screws and lubs, a new front hub window as one was cracked.  He is also changing out the oil in the front hubs. 

I can see if we were hiring this done it would easily be $1000 to $1500 so far.  Good thing hubby is a DIYourselfer and knows engines and mechanical stuff, he said some of these don't need changed again for awhile, some everyother oil change.  He will keep meticulous track of this stuff we are working on an Excel spreadsheet now.

We had to go and do other things today for his job and I had to get his truck new shoes.  As usual he let them go, I kept telling him since he has been home he needed new tires on his truck.  Had a blow out today, in back, so baby has new shoes!  Now all our vehicles have new shoes on them.  We should buy stock in a tire company!!

No offense, Carolyn.  Is buyers remorse setting in after buying the RV on a whim without checking it out beforehand ?

  I don't want to discourage you but it may be a lesson for future buyers of good looking used RV's.

Just my way of saying "caveat emptor".

  Hope it works out.

Carson

No, I was just posting the costs of diesel "stuff" for people that might be interested, if they are anticipating buying a diesel and what stuff might cost.  These are things Tom does anyway.  We have bought mostly used vehicles, just a few new and he always goes over everything.  There are few records with this, I thought there were, so he is making sure.

We have no regrets in fact we are amazed at the quality of this compared to our newer one and see why they cost so much. The only rust we are finding is on some of the latches and its from disuse and where the front of the waste tank disposal panel is.  The engine and generator kick right over, so at this point we are thrilled, not to say at some point we might not be.  But right now what we bought exceeds our expectations.

We are now ready for our safety inspection tomorrow. I wrote that and hubby said he wants to double check the brakes before he takes it.  He was saying something about making sure a cam?? is ok.  I don't have any idea what he is talking about but I will learn.

The only things we see so far that may have to have work are the AC on the engine and he thinks it just needs charged and may have a leak and the rear AC.  And as I said coat the roof.

We could have spent $60k or more and still done a lot of the same. Still a far cry from $100k to $200k at least in our book.

But perhaps I don't need to post costs as everyone is aware its expensive to maintain any of these.

    For what its worth, I would advise you to not spend any real money to get the coach A/C fixed.  I made that mistake, and still need to use the gene and A/C's to get enough cooling to help.  There is just too much area to cool for the coach A/C to keep up.  It is likely worth a test and a re-charge, but that's about all.

Ed

It might be the original 13.5 k Coleman AC, which is very noisy. I have 2 of them. They can be replaced with new AC's for under $ 600.00+/-. Your back AC is newer. Check the Penguin AC's via google.

The back is the one we are planning on replacing, the front is new, maybe it can be cleaned, oiled, and fixed, but its an original and I think we will just put in a new one.  We have 2 coach AC's and 2 furnaces also. 

We may take your advise on the engine one, will see what is wrong with it first.

We will keep that in mind Ed.

Hubby had flushed the generator and he like to never got the air out of the lines.  He said that is a common problem on diesels, but what a hassle.  He and tenant got together and they did it.  I tried to help but not much help on something like that.

Anyway now its good to go.

I now know where the dryer filter is behind the muffler, the two fuel filters are above the muffler.  The oil filter under the left of the motor, the hydraulic filter to the left of the engine. The water filter left toward the front.

He showed me where to gauge hydraulic fluid, transmission oil, engine oil, to see the water level bubble for the radiator.  This is for the engine. Oh also the air filter.

I know where to gauge the oil for the transmission and to check the water level.  Most is simple, just remembering it all.

I'm thinking of taking the labeler and labeling these so I won't forget.

I also know where the battery is for the generator.  Need to look and see what are chassis batteries and engine batteries.  There 6 or 8 under there I think in the compartment.  Need to ask Tom if they are all together.

He wants to check brakes before we get it safety inspected.  I learned in Texas when a motorhome becomes 25 years old, no longer requires a safety inspection, somehow that sounds wrong.  Sounds like those should be but maybe they don't "live" that long.

Also on the title after one is 10 years old the odometer reading is exempt, that doesn't sound right either, humm. But that's the way it is apparently.  Per the license branch.

Re inspections.... Government inspection fro "Cradle to Grave" also  sounds wrong.  Somewhere the owner needs to take responsibility along the way.  JMHO
  How would you like a mandatory Cash for RV Clunkers, that might be the next step.

Carson

Well I drove it and I LOVE IT!!  What a difference, it drives easy and good, I met a semi and didn't even know it.  I was driving one handed with no issues. The wind was blowing pretty steady and no issues.

Tom pulled out of our driveway and drove it to Sam's, I was pretty nervous to begin with.  Then I drove, got on 3 lanes of service road traffic and up to the stop light.  Drove to the inspection place, passed inspection.  Then did a u turn, my second with Tom going, crank it, crank it!  The turning radius is really different.  I drove to the truck stop and then drove it back home.  A lot more comfortable coming home and had to turn out of about 4 or 5  lanes of traffic and did it fine. I think I am really going to like this.  Its very solid, I like the way it steers and drive.  Hubby said if it drives this good being 19 years old can you imagine how it drove when new. 

We got home and our driveway is rather tight.  I managed to miss the button entry box at the gate and got it in and under the RV cover.  It's just going to take some practice.  I told him next trip home he needs to get the rest of it done so we can sell the other motorhome.  We sure can't afford 2 of these things.  Later I will get it out and drive around on Sunday mornings, the roads and freeway aren't bad on that day.

Just remember you're sitting in front of the steer axle so you need to go farther forward before turning than with the front engine motorhome.  You'll do just fine, i'm sure.

Carolyn

To expand on Ned's comments, one of the first things I was taught after buying my first DP was to drive into a turn until your shoulder is at your desired lane then steer into the lane.

I KNEW you'd love it!!!  ;D

ArdraF

That's what Tom kept saying go forward a little further then the other motorhome because of where the wheels are and turn quick. Crank it.........

I'm really enjoying your updates on what your doing to the motor home (including the costs) and your experiences with it as you discover things. Were on our first and maybe only motorhome so it is kinda fun to live vicariously through you. I'm sure your saving people time and money in trying out different kinds of units by publishing your experiences and thoughts.

Cheers!
Michelle