Foretravel Owners' Forum

Periodically it comes out in a post that someone has expertise in an area that is useful to certain topics.
Seems like a good time to pose the question to have available in one topic a little background:
What work or life experience has helped you in the upkeep of your Foretravel?
What expertise do you possess that could help others in their upkeep of their Foretravel.
We have a lot of talent here with very few problems that someone has not gone thru and found answers for saving many countless hours and expense.

Myself, 4 years in the Navy going to many schools including Submarine school gave me some electrical skills which I put to work starting a Burglar, Fire alarm & CCTV Co. for 30 years.
This being my first motorhome, I had to learn just about everything and I profited from following the original Yahoo group reading every message. I collect Foretravel information to increase my knowledge of all the intricacies of this machine. Needless to say, The Foreforums has increased my knowledge exponentially. 8)  How about you?

Owning several boats and several motorhomes . There are many similarities between boats and motorhomes. There are people on this forum with much more experience than I so I am continuously learning  from others.

I agree.  Nothing like being 100 miles off-shore to make one a believer in both Preventive Maintenance AND being able to do everything yourself!  Been there, done that.

But started mechanical work much earlier-- worked my way through University of Texas turning wrenches on VW's. Then ran automobile dealerships for a career.

38 years as a tool maker and shop supervisor. Preventative and anticipatory maintenance are the two biggest things that keep us on the road.

First, I "chose the right parents." :P Father was an auto mechanic and truck driver when vehicles were all mechanical except for lights and ignition. "It probably can't be fixed, but take it to John Stevens. If anybody can fix it, he can." I inherited a mind that figures out how things work, some hands on experience, and a desire to do what is right. I have an idea about how things should be done, and understand that if I want them done right I should hire an expert and then perform friendly oversight.

I spent forty years in various aspects of oil and gas exploration using seismic data. I earned and saved enough money, and was fortunate enough, that I may be able to enjoy some travel in a relatively old Foretravel.

After having a nasty, dangerous experience in blizzards in SOB coach, I found Foretravel and Foreforums. I have learned a lot, and tried to contribute what I can. I am something of a geek, and learn a bunch from what I read on the Internet. I've tried to develop a circle of friends in the RV world to complement the circle of friends I have developed through my community of faith and my civic community.

Like Brett I started out turning wrenches on VW and Porches and attending several automotive school seminars. I had a 57 VW with a 912 Porche engine and transmission that was a lot of fun, built it all myself. Later became a journeyman pipefitter and certified welder for several years till I had an on the job accident that changed my job into a maintenance planner for several years. Learned a little about the big Cat diesels when I was in charge of the maintenance on D-8, D-9 and D-10 Cats. I have always done my own modifications and preventive maintence, that way I always know the the oil drain plug is properly torqued.

I have always enjoyed taking things apart and occasionally getting them put back together and messing with electrical stuff but I don't have any professional credentials in that regard. I did however rebuild my first car engine in 1970. A friend and expert mechanic gave the the quintessential rule of mechanical repair "If ain't broke don't fix it. If it is broke you cain't hurt it". He also taught me to keep my tools and work space clean, take photos before you start and mark each piece and keep things organized.

Professionally I spent 30 plus years manufacturing, formulating, developing and selling polymers including epoxy, urethane, polyester, acrylic and vinylesters for the construction, automotive, aircraft and marine industries. As you have seen I don't mind sharing whatever expertise I have in that regard here on the forum and will do my best to recommend the right thing for a specific project. Just keep in mind my suggestions on caulk, coatings and adhesives may be worth what you pay for them. In other words, check whatever I say yourself. I am getting pretty old and forgetful. 

I frequently compare offers of my advice and expertise to the sports phrase, "I give 110%." When I told some people that, "I am an expert with an athletic ethic. I'll tell you 110% of what I know." Someone replied, "Oh, Dave! You give way more than 110%!" :P :P

Worked for London Transport (big red buses) then owned my own garage back home. Campaigned Mini Coopers - the real ones - in road rallys .  Spent my time in US running large fleets for municipalities.  Also have a lifetime of boating with old boats and that can make you capable of fixing anything!  Now own my own small business in a completely unrelated field as my retirement job.

Oldest thing I have tinkered with was a 1908 Napier racing car.  They sure don't make them like that anymore.

Keith

Fully Qualified Engineering Blacksmith, = Master craft of all the Black trades, Very extensive course, No longer exists,
My Curriculum was the last year they taught this trade, 1964,

Fully Qualified Practising Engineer, What I design, I make, I test, I approve, I write the certificates for it,

Too hot for Blacksmithing when I moved north to Queensland, So I lowered myself to Boilermaker/ DLI welder, another part of my trade,
I prefer Blacksmithing under Steam Hammers, I take a lump of steel and transform it into any shape I want or is required, All running gear on steam trains, I made by hand,

Worked my around Australia as a Boilermaker/ Welder, Gaining experience, Then I worked Labour Hire, It pays the most, I go any where and make, repair or rebuild every thing in steel, and all other metals, On the spot,

Then I became an on/site Boilermaker/DLI Welder. DLI is Certificated XRAY Welding, Mining, Shipping, Cranes, Bridges, 

I remade, repaired, or built it on site, Other peoples mistakes,

I do all my own repairs to any thing, I rebuilt my car when I crashed it, The side was stoved in 6 inches on the front pillar, I even got compliments from Panel beaters, As there was no Bog in it, It was still all steel,

I have rebuilt motors and the mechanicals on the side of the road, I carry all my tools every where with me,

Came in very handy crossing from Fiji to OZ,  Single handed in my boat, Lots of things went wrong out there, There is no help in the middle of the Pacific ocean, i just fixed it,

This Coach is very similar to my boat with all the different systems, Its just a matter of learning where all the things are and where they go to, and from,
And getting it to a stage of reliability, Where I can turn the key at 2-00 in the morning and drive 2500 miles and not have any breakdowns, Like all my vehicles do, Flat tyres, Etc, are not included, Hahahahaha

Electrics are a bit of a struggle, But I get there eventually,

Now retired, My Bus when sorted, will be fun,

Although I have had no formal mechanical training, being a scientist by trade (operated and maintained electron microscopes for 25 years), I tended to be methodical and analytical in my approach to mechanical issues.  I began changing the oil and other fluids on my cars 48 years ago (1965).  I gradually added changing belts, batteries and radiators. These experiences gave me some confidence to tackle other mechanical challenges.  Still, the learning curve I faced 10 years ago after buying my U-280 was incredibly steep, but I just took it one issue at a time, and slowly gained experience and knowledge, at least about the GV and my 8.3 Cummins mechanical engine.

WOW! Lots of experts in many fields here. No wonder there is such a wealth of good help.

I grew up poor, and never got much past that. Dad taught my sister and I some basic skills, so that we were able to do some electrical, plumbing, and carpentry work, as well as how to change oil and belts on our cars. My sister married a man who could make one dollar become two, but when they built their house, she was the one who was on-site each day making sure that all was done properly. I can make two dollars become one very quickly, so I'm still changing oil on the cars and doing my own drywall work.

I'm a librarian, so researching is my nature. Maybe that's why I ask so many questions here.

Its great to see such a variety of diverse knowledge and skills come together in this forum. The collective knowledge is priceless!

Before retiring from the Union, I spent 32 years as a union Millwright working mainly in the power plants, auto plants and food supply industry. I have rebuilt machinery from the ground up, supervised and worked on robotics, conveyor systems, hydraulic presses and about every type of machine needed for the fabrication of all the various parts for auto manufacturing, electricity generation and packaging of food stuffs.

I have been a welder for nearly 40 years, done the precision alignment of equipment weighing nearly 100 tons, designed and fabricated countless pieces of subassembly items. I have had the pleasure of traveling throughout the US, parts of Canada and Mexico in my work experience. Probably why I have such a bad case of hitch itch.

There are many much more knowledgeable in their fields than I am and I count it a privilege to be able to learn from their vast experience. I hope that in the times to come that I will be able to help contribute to someone else just a small percentage of what I have already gleaned from this forum

Barry, why not make this thread a sticky. It could help to know from others who might not catch this topic on the quick fly?

Larry

The Navy sent me to 32 weeks of welding school and 12 weeks of fire fighting school.  I ended up welding everything from sheet metal to nuclear reactors on subs for 8 years.  Over the decades I did some pipe fitting and was a fireman on board my ships too.  For 3 years (at night and on weekends) I helped a friend of mine tear apart damaged homes ( from hurricanes) and flip them, so some basic on-the-job training as a framer, plumber and whatever else was needed.

I would love to be able to do more work on my RV ( except electrical work - I am stupid when it comes to chasing wires), but I don't have the tools needed nor the space to do it in nowdays.  Also, it's getting a little harder to crawl under things and get back up! :D  It's not that I don't know how... I just don't want to!  Time to let the experts take over! ;D

I was just getting ready to do that when I read your post. Like minds :o  I was waiting to see if there would be many responses. Looks like we are. Good chance to get to know each other better. Lots more of us to hear from still.  8)

In high school, I wrenched on Snowmobiles at first, then on airplanes as a mechanics helper. Those $$ got me my first ticket and ratings. Graduated to selling tires and then selling off road tires and over the road tires for a number of years.

Then got into computers, and ran short on time, so developed the skill of writing checks for Miantenance on Boat, Car, airplane, and Motorhome.

Now I am regressing, building Habitat for Humanity homes and "puttering" around more on the coach.

Which in a long winded way, says I probably don't bring much game to the forum RE the fix up side of the coach.

Which is why I so value all of you!!!!

When I was much younger I had a desire to learn mechanical workings and started with changing oil, belts, rebuilding carbs, adjusting valves, etc.  Got an engineering degree and worked my a** off for many years being frugal and saving for a rainy day.  That background gave me the skill to also (like Tim) write checks to others to do the hard core mechanicals on Forrest.  But I also still dable in remodeling the coach and other woodworking projects and the not so skilled mechanical jobs around the coach (requiring nominal hand tools).

The most important skill we all need to possess is knowing how things work in the coach so we are able to diagnose, inspect and foresee problems before they happen.

I worked for the same company for 42 years always in construction and maintenance. like a lot of others I spent two years in the Army {82C20}. Went through two apprenticeships millwright and pipe steam fitter,turbine rigger training and overhead crane up to 150 tons. I was a front end Charlie { trained to work on the front standard of an old steam turbine where all the controls are}First line supervisor steam turbine overhauls and general plant maintenance mechanical. Became a supervisor of all trades. Supervisor of machine shop, electrical shop, fabrication and welding shops. worked to set up company's preventative and proactive maintenance programs and equipment alignment and vibration monitoring work shops. was lead inspector on erection of two 700 megawatt steam turbines and finished up as general foreman turbine repair. My Wife Joanne work for the same company as me for 20 years.She had a degree as an electronic engineer. She was a plant maintenance supervisor of electricans, taught classes in electrical and plant safety at our apprentice training center,and became a Regional System Supervisor for electrical distribution South Eastern Mich. We have lived on two islands one in Mich and one 30 miles off shore of Panama. Boating Diving and travel where very important. Best trip was when we took our own 35' power boat from Fort Myers FL down through the Panama Canal and out to the Isla de Contadora. Big let down after retirement not having company shops to use to work on my own projects.Gam

In high school I was a troublemaker and of course I knew more than anyone especially teachers.  As a result I was assigned to vocational training, an old navy chief MM was the teacher and before I knew it I was mastering lathes, drill presses and other machines that even included having to learn math. From there I just got interested in seeing what makes things tick. A stint in the Navy made me aware that I better learn to be self reliant.
I have always kept cars etc running and then came motorhomes.
I fell into safety  prior to OSHA and working for insurance companes both as an employee and contratcor I was fortunate to get into about every type business that exists to do hazard ID and damage/loss prevention.
My first MH was an old Executive and between that and  A Travco it was sink or swim with those old Dodge 440's.  I though I had the world by the tail when a friend was in financial trouble and I took over the payments on a 85 ORED, then came the current 95 after the 85 was totaled. I have had no formal training but over the years experience has been a good teacher.
My exposure to all types of business allowed me to ask questions and observe how things were made and I still learn something very day.

I spent 38 years as a professional fire fighter doing everything from mopping floors to AC over Fleet, Facilities, design and construction of fire stations and fire apparatus. Was a manager for a MUD as a side job during my career. That's a blue collar manager doing everything from reading water meters to replacing water lines and maintaining 2 water and 2 sewage treatment plants.

Started working on autos in high school as a side job along with cutting grass for extra money. Worked for B & R as an electrician's helper for a year. Spent time building apartments and homes between classes at the University of Houston before FF.

I try to do most of my repairs around home and vehicles before paying to have it done. I learned from my positions in the FD that good research saves a lot of headaches. That one of the great things about the info and people on this forum. Good, reliable, experienced information.

My DW is a RN and CRNA, so quite knowledgeable to repair my scrapes, etc.  We have been RVing since our marriage 30 years ago. Started in a pop up, then to travel trailer and on to a fifth wheel. Now the upgrade to our first motorcaoch.

Just retired and loving it.

My Dad was a traveling salesman (selling building supplies to lumber yards) and would bring things home to my 3 brothers and I. Items ranged from pieces of wood to non-functional clocks, radios, telephones, etc. From this junk came bird houses, bedroom door alarms, intercom systems wired between bedrooms, etc. (I still don't know how our parents put up with this).

My parents told me whenever I got a new toy, I didn't play with it like a normal child would. I would take apart what was a perfectly good toy to see how it worked, and then modify it to make it louder, faster, or do something that it was never designed to do. (I still don't know how my parents put up with this).

As others have mentioned, my family didn't have extra money (4 boys), so if you wanted something, you would find it used somewhere and then learn how to repair it.

In high school I got into motorcycles, which led to much tinkering, repair and modification. We would lower a motorcycle down the basement stairs with a rope to work on it. (I still don't know how my parents put up with this).

After college (engineering) and marriage I got into tinkering with and repairing computers, electronics, and home remodeling, which all comes in handy for coach maintenance. (Now the DW tells me she doesn't know how she puts up with me).

I guess what fascinates me about having a coach (in addition to the ability to just "move" whenever you get tired of where you are) is the variety of systems involved and the challenge to fix them. After owning a SOB coach previously, the original build quality of a Foretravel makes the repairs and maintenance so much easier.

The BIG difference between fixing/maintaining things 20-30 years ago and today is the internet and forums like this one. Thanks to all...

   My Dad was an aeronautical engineer and worked with Von Braun after the war on many well know projects but during WWII he was a mechanic. He started teaching my three brothers and I how to fix things at a young age. He died when I was twelve but my oldest brother taught me automotive skills as I grew older. I have always done most of my own automotive maint. After high school I went in the Navy for almost 9 years. Went through Navy aviation electronics schools. Worked on A7-E Corsair and F/A-18 Hornet radar ,weapons ,and electronics systems. Also on shore duty I worked in the avionics calibration lab. After the Navy I worked for NCR Corporation as a field engineer on everything from ATM's ,Cash registers,Scanners,Scales,PC's and mainframe isp's. Then from there I went to DeLaRue cash systems working on similar equipment. I learned to not be afraid to take things apart and see how they work. I have really enjoyed tinkering with my coach the last few years. I have met some great people on this Forum that have enabled me to keep the rig running strong. I really appreciate everyone here and all the great advice and friendship. At 47 I am one of the youngsters here. Especially at the Motorcade rallies. Thanks for making me feel welcome.

Regards, Mark

In England spent 5 yrs apprentiship for Tool and Die making/ machinist. Worked on 3000hp diesel electric Napier engines and P1 jet fighter parts and Sundstrand  helicopters engines. Left for Canada in '67 and into machine shop work for a few years, then ran a large maintenance shop for structual steel company building bridges roads etc. One of the biggest jobs at that time was the Portland overpass. Still in use today. I had a work accident (broke my back) so 8 months off then by chance got into electrical work servicing Gas service station lighting and repair then a friend asked me if I would help them in with the design, consruction of displays for Trade shows. I liked this a lot as it was very different every day. I did a few in Annaheim Conv Ctre for Computer companies and also built "floats" for parades and the large christmans displays in major malls in Vancouver. Neat job!. Next it wasBuilding homes in small projects my ex and a friend bought and built and at that time I took my Real Estate Licence, so was able to sell what we built. I had hands on experience  so quality was never a problem. After the market softened I got into the remodelling of homes and for a 1 man show this became a very busy time. I did all the trades and design of kitchens, bathrooms and many other areas. made lots of friends and most are still there 20 yrs later (and wishing that I still did it) in fact after we get back from Europe in July I am going back to one home to rebuild a bathroom I did that long ago. This lady will not let anyone else touch her bathroom but me!! I have been travelling a lot more these days so not as much time to work but I really enjoy time spent improving the Foretravels I have and had. Finally dropped my Real Est lic after 35 yrs.
Preasently very busy with our Town Community Hall and last year remodelled all the bathrooms and stage ad have just completed installing projector and screen (16'x9') for  "Movie Nights" to be held every 2 weeks. Biggest system (other than a commercial theatre) in hundreds of miles around!!
I also am the "webmaster" for our community web, which for me has been a big learning curve-learning HTML system. Kaleden Recreational Committee (http://www.kal-rec.ca)    Some pictures need to be redone as the stage is all changed now. I also look after rentals of it.
I think having to think out of the box in so many different areas has made me a little more able to fix and do things and that  makes working on the coach fun.
Think that will do for now!!
John H

I am an engineer by education and profession. However, by far the best experience came from "helping" my father (who could fix almost anything) from the time I was a small child. He taught me old-fashioned "shade tree mechanic" diagnostic and repair techniques. I will forever be grateful for that training and hope I have passed at least some of those skills on to my son.

I am a mechanical engineer like my father, two uncles, brother and sister and grandson.  You think it runs in the family?  Like many of you, my father was my inspiration. He thought it is a parent's duty to make sure that all his children learn to repair a car and house before they leave the nest.  I've used the same approach with my kids.

I will admit that after maintaining Airstreams and diesel pickups for 20 years I thought doing the same with a motorhome would be a piece of cake.  Not so.  But then came the forum!

Wow! I feel humbled. Now I understand why this forum is so incredible. It feels comforting to be in company of such a culmination of wealth of knowlage. Thanks to all of you for sharing your knowlage.

Respectfully, Phil

The depth and breadth of on-the-job knowledge here is awesome! I feel so unworthy...

I got interested in electronics at about age ten and in 1957 (14) became a ham radio operator with the callsign K7EXJ (which I never changed). Then I earned my FCC Commercial Radiotelephone licenses by age 17. After graduation from HS I went to work for the Washington Highway Department and worked for a couple of years as the "office engineer"; mostly because I could spell and write and no one else on the crew could.

In the 1960s I joined the CIA and worked overseas until the 70s working first on highly sophisticated (at least back then) cryptographic equipment, radio systems, then computer systems, and more.

Back in the USA I worked as an electronics engineer for a heavy equipment manufacturing outfit that was building equipment for a ship owned by Howard Hughes. That's how I became the only ex-outfit guy to work on a CIA project as a civilian. I was one of the guys manning the heavy lifting gear on the Glomar Explorer.

I did many jobs for that manufacturing company including a job as production manager for their Mexican subsidiary in Mexicali, MX.

Then I took a job as a subsea engineer on deep sea drill ships. My job was to maintain the "BOP Stack" which was a 2-story device designed to protect the rig from a blow out. From there I became a watchstander (deck officer) running the dynamic positioning systems which used Honeywall computers to keep the rig on station in up to 7,000 feet of water with no anchors.

Once I got my USCG licenses I then worked for a series of tanker companies including Sun Shipping, Exxon Shipping, Chevron Shipping and others. Mostly on runs to Alaska and then back to the USA.

Somewhere in there my wife and I built a 32-foot sailboat and spent 5 years cruising the Pacific with first one kid and then two.

Back home we sold the boat and bought a farm in central Washington State where I learned that people with Unix computer skills were greatly in demand. I ended up owning a network engineer firm that we just closed down 2 years ago. But I didn't retire completely because several of my customers keep paying me to do stuff for them. :)

In between I learned to fly power planes and gliders, did a lot of mountain climbing, hiking and backpacking, started kayaking both white water and ocean, and learned to love mountain bikes.

Pretty much a typical life for those of us on this forum, I think. :)

Craig

Curiosity, perseverance, systems oriented, solution oriented design engineering background and a Dad who taught me that anything is possible if you work at it and are willing to ask for and accept help when you need it and recognize when that is.

Here is a wealth of what we need when we ask for it.  Thanks.

Gee Craig, I hope you still have time to accomplish something :D :D :D . What an impressive resume. Ain't it grand what can be accomplished in life if your willing to try. Love to set down with you some time and trade stories.

Humm let me see... :o I got nothing! :))

see ya
ken

Hey Ken, if it weren't for guys like us they wouldn't need this forum ;D

I can think of nothing in my working life that prepared me for
the proper care and maintenance of a coach.
I went to sea on cargo ships and tankers as a deckhand at a
very young age. as I gained the necessary seatime I would
return home to attend navigation school, and eventually I
received the certificates of competency for second mate, chief
mate and finally master mariner. I sailed as master on several
vessels before sitting for the pilots exam. for the final 25 years
of my career I worked as a coastal and harbor pilot.
now I tend to think of myself as captain of my coach, but dw acts
like an admiral and even the dog barks orders at me, so I guess
I have come full circle and am back to deckhand.

Wayne
That is truly a sad story. I feel your pain buddy. :(

I married Steve :D

Plus my father was a model/tool maker who believed in doing all his own maintenance and repair.  Even at a young age, I was his "helper", so I was introduced to tools as a kid (I also preferred my Tonka trucks, Matchbox cars, and an Erector set to anything resembling a "girl" toy, much to my mother's dismay).  I wasn't allowed to buy my first car until I knew how to change the oil and rotate the tires myself.

During summer breaks from college (and then for a number of years after graduating) I worked for IBM Research and had to set up, maintain, repair, etc. the equipment I used, including vacuum deposition and electroplating equipment.  I learned all about o-rings, gas distribution, the value of a Fluke 87, "volts jolt but mils kill", proper application of teflon tape, and that the squeamish should never to use a microscope as a magnifying glass to pull out a splinter (I still get woozy thinking about it - looked the size of a 2x4). 

Of course I'm not the one who does the work on our coach, but I do try to help where I can and know the difference between a flat-blade and a Phillips head (and a square drive) ;)  And I ask a lot of questions.

-M

Maybe not Deckhand more like Helmsman.Gam

Well.. I suppose it all started when my "need to know" and curiosity had me at about 12 yrs. old -- taking the family mantle clock apart to see how it worked (yes - I was able to reassemble it back to working condition ). A few years later I had carefully re-built my first two-stroke engine in shop class, took it home -- and caught hell for my impatience when I fired it up in my bedroom on a can of my Mom's Aqua-Net hairspray. Yes-- windows were wide-open, but my sisters ran screaming out of the house when they heard it and saw fumes coming out from under my bedroom door ;-)

By 18 I was rebuilding and restoring the mechanics of "non-runners", interesting cars (mostly British) that I bought cheap -- as I wanted something different to drive. At 20 I bought a 1967 Jaguar XKE Roadster that was mint except for a snapped exhaust cam for $1850 -- out of a garage covered with kids toys. And that moved me closer to not being intimidated by any machinery.

I worked as a full-time car mechanic up to about the late 70's -- when I went back to school and entered the field of Non-Destructive Testing & Materials Science , and when Westinghouse Power Generation Service Division hired me. Other than NDT, I also learned and applied vibration analysis on large rotating machinery, infrared analysis, laser alignment, and I used to dynamically balance large turbine-generator sets ( Fossil-fueled steam, combustion turbines, large fans, gearboxes).

After 4 years of that (mostly living out of a suitcase with the constant travel), I was a NDT Lab tech, and then Manager for Sundstrand Aerospace, a provider of on-board electrical, flight-control surface hydraulic components, and APU's for the Space Shuttle, B1-B, and other military fighters. 

After leaving that company, and starting my own application engineering and equipment sales agency I had for 14 years -- I would work on special app's and provide the instrumentation and transducers for Morton Thiokol, Toyota, Martin-Marietta, Los Alamos National Labs, the computer HDD industry, heavy mining, White Sands Missile Range, Kirtland AFB -- and many others -- always related to materials testing and/or predictive signature analysis of rotating elements to avoid catastrophic failure.

I remember one trip having a noisy squirrel-cage fan in my motel room that was irritating and keeping me awake at night. So I removed the grille, and using my portable IRD 246 field unit, I balanced it to run smooth and quiet. In automotive applications, I was a consultant to Toyota when they launched their Lexus product line in the U.S. My job was to identify the source of any objectionable vibration in the large sedan -- by using NVH (Noise, vibration, harshness) technology utilizing real-time analyzers, precision microphones, and strategically placed accelerometers. I did find a problem I tracked to a bad set of heat-treated balls & ramps in the constant-velocity joints on the rear half-shafts. Once Identified -- Toyota shipped in hundreds of sets -- and would change out the owners bad ones -- at their own home if necessary. They were very..very serious about maintaining the quality in the Lexus product. Oh! -- the original problem only manifested itself under hard acceleration, between 55-58 mph -- through a slight buzz that one felt through the steering wheel. Other than that -- the car was almost ghostly quiet all the way up to the fuel-cutoff that limited it to 140 mph ( that I observed in the right seat, passing through Atlanta, the regional service director driving, and I was looking down at my analyzer spectra -- asking him "how fast are we going now?)

Anyway -- my composites testing in the professional motorsports world with the company I formed called Racetech Test Group -- and my own working with the materials through my own racing of formula cars (crash repairs or improving aerodynamics) gave me more than enough knowledge to tackle the few f-glass repairs on the U300 I'm now almost done with.

Electrical is probably my weakest area -- but I did learn a bit from all of those years of working as an auto mechanic, and building my own wiring harnesses for the race cars. I do wish there was something like an "Auto-Logic" unit (common these days for reading a complete set of fault codes in higher-end vehicles) for the Foretravel. Imagine one operation to read all the systems in the Coach and tell you where there were failed sensors or wiring problems!

Today -- I'm assigned as a project coordinator on the Ivanpah Solar-thermal project, involved in oversight of the suppliers and manufacturers of components for the hundreds of miles of transmission towers. So -- still in materials science and testing.  But as Nuclear might be spooling back up with some recent developments, I might be re-assigned as an Auditor in that industry. I've not worked Nuclear since my Westinghouse days, But -- not much has changed since then, really. We've not built a new plant here since the last constructed one I worked on -- 30 years ago.

So to sum it up, I have a blending of hydraulic's/pneumatic's,dynamics of reciprocating power units, materials, suspension systems, and their failure modes to keep me a little bit less prone to getting blind-sided by the Foretravel. However -- as complex as this machine is, I really only believe I have a slight edge over other less-mechanical oriented owners.

All the best,
Michael   

Ken and Gayland, your both full of beans. I have seen your work.

Some people have strong mechanical aptitude and others don't. I know you both are in the have half. And Michelle, you and Steve are a great pair but I know you have a better mechanical aptitude than most men I know, just like my daughter. Boy does that irritate her husband who isn't half bad himself.

If you are mechanically inclined, all you need is some guidance from the more experienced Forum members to accomplish great things on a Foretravel. That's why this forum is so valuable to me. It gives me confidence and a fall back position if I need help. I wonder what the savings this forum provides its members in a year would be. Thank goodness we don't have to pay for its value.

Dogged persistence

Kent... I am hoping to make something of myself someday. I'm kind of taken with geology right now and enjoying learning something that almost no one in this area can make a living at. But I don't have to make a living at it.

Love to sit and chat. And would LOVE to see your coach!!!

Craig

Hmm. All I've got is almost 2 decades of keeping an old p30 chassis class a SOB alive and running, sort of, for the most part. That in itself was a bit of an education. The rest of whatever I've learned about vehicle maintenence comes from being hooked on stage rally, wherein you bounce a race car off the trees through logging roads as quickly as possible and expect the car to live. Doing this on a budget involves picking up a great deal of fabrication and mechanical ability whether or not you have any talent for it. Much as I'd prefer to just drive the car and have someone else put it back together, I "get" to do both ends of the deal. Although I've had a great deal of help and educating from a buddy of mine that's been in the car repair business for a long long time and who has a shop and a lift and at least one of every tool Snap-on sells. I highly recommend gathering up friends like this.

Michelle,

According to a gal that worked for me flat and phillips screwdrivers are "Plus" and "Minus" types.

Keith

She had that backwards :P  :))

34 years of C-130 avionics maintenance, FTs are built like airplanes.

Spent 30 years on tuna boats, 15 as chief engineer, then 12 years as chief engineer on ocean going tugs working out of Oregon. So, at least I know ( lefty loosy, righty tighty and
It's volts that jolt and amps that clamp!) well..... Maybe a little more than that but it sure helps when I work on the coach or try and figure something out. That's MY story and I'm sticking to it!
 Richard B.

I was a motorhome mechanic for 33 years, so have seen a lot of changes. Also spent 13 of those years working for foretravel in Tampa.