I see references that people get six pack rebuild kits from Tom. I'd like to get one but who is Tom and how do I get in touch with him?
I believe that is Tom McCloud on the Newell guru forum
encantotom@gmail.com
Thank you. Are the 6 pack universal across models?
Nobody is going to say the kits are "universal across all models" unless they have tried installing them on every model.
Try reading the thread linked below. It is a long thread. Suggest you start at Reply #100 and read to the end.
Replica HWH Plungers Redux (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=28733.msg413862#msg413862)
I believe the kits Tom puts together will work on a 2000, late model coaches I haven't a clue.
These kits fit the solenoid valves on the HWH 6-pack. It consists of replacement spring, o-rings, and seal. 1 kit has enough to rebuild 1 6-pack.
Jason, Tom is a super-tech, a Newel owner who can fix all things. Tom knows a lot about our coaches and has hosted several Foretravelers at his home, often to help repair or upgrade their motorhomes in his large indoor garage.
Tom has found sources for HWH rebuild parts and can be counted on to supply us proper 6-pack parts. Many of us have purchased HWH parts from Tom, either to rebuild or keep as spare parts. He can be relied on and trusted.
Barry & Cindy
See Reply #20 in the thread linked below for a few photos of his barn:
Cost of Rv garage (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=32631.msg293115#msg293115)
Tom is the man
Here is my experience:
I did manage to search through the forums several times until I got the confidence to tackle the job. Doing the actual rebuild on the workbench was amazingly straightforward. Getting the six-pack to the workbench was time-consuming. The first thing was actually finding it. The front one was easier to spot. The second one was so much of a challenge that I actually began to think it didn't exist. It is just forward of the rear axle and straight up.
I parked the coach on wood blocks to get 3 inches of lift. I then lifted the coach and set it down on the metal safety blocks (12" metal hitch extensions from HarborFreight). I made sure that all the air pressure was purged by pumping the brakes and dumping air in the bags.
I grabbed my phone, a magnetic flashlight, a pack of multicolored zip ties, a 5/8" wrench, a 9/16" socket w/ ratchet. I then rode the creeper to center of the coach and got into a good sitting condition where my back was resting on the differential cover and the outside of the basement was in front of me.
For the seven harness connections, I stopped, took pictures and tagged each side of the wire connection with a unique color combination of zip ties before proceeding. I did the same for the nine air lines that encountered. I didn't make move without a picture getting taken.
The 5/8" wrench was used to remove each air line. The 9/16" socket was used to remove the two bolts the secured the block to the frame.
*** I am only 90% sure about the 9/16" socket, bring a few more sockets with you on this trip underneath.
Ok, now you have the six-pack on the workbench. That's where it gets easier and is well documented in this forum. I made sure zip a different around each brass solenoid and a corresponding color tie on each black plastic activator. Using a 9/16 wrench (or the supplied wrench), I removed the flat nut at the end and slid off the black plastic activators. I took plenty of pics.
There is a pressure switch that is not easy to remove so make sure that wire connection to it is supported by a zip tie. You don't want to have a wire yank out of the switch as it is not an easy part to find apparently.
Use the spanner wrench to remove the long silver tubes that just held the black plastic activators. You'll see that there isn't much to them. There is one O ring, a spring and a plunger with rubber surface on it. I put on a light coat of silicone grease on the new replacement O ring and installed the replacement plunger and spring. I used the spanner to reassemble.
For the brass base of the solenoid, I used a chain vice grip where room was available around the circumference. I gingerly used a regular vice grip to unscrew the brass base from the aluminum block when room for the chain vice wasn't available. You'll see that two O rings are there. Clean the block of any dirt, use silicone grease on the new replacement O rings and reassemble.
At this point do everything else in reverse. It took me about an hour to reinstall and I did look at each pic as I did it.
For the front six-pack, I may consider rebuilding one solenoid one at a time and leaving the block on the coach since I have more room up there.