Cow catcher?

Topic: Cow catcher? (Read 1931 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #25 – July 23, 2012, 01:14:55 pm

FWIW cars are not steel balls, they tend to crush a bit when smacked in the rear, degree of crush proportional to the speed of impact and the weight of the impacting vehicle. According to my Class A truck driving instructions you should always be able to see the tires "kiss" the ground on the vehicle in front of you when stopped at a light or intersection etc.

Roland

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #26 – July 23, 2012, 05:35:26 pm

@David The blind spot in front is not that big of a deal. You will obviously be looking that direction when you pull up. Just something that you need to be aware of. A monitor would be overkill. IMHO

see ya
ken

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #27 – July 23, 2012, 11:15:46 pm

Continuing this thread concerning the drivers elevation as compared to the bus style...we've seen two variations of the 12" step or pedestal on the GrandVillas. Seems as the older Villas have this 'lift' across the entire front w/ what looks to be heat duct vents. However the newer model Villas have just the driver and passenger seats on this pedestal and the space created houses a TV. I would think having the space between the seats at floor level would be preferable.
Would those who have either of these models care to comment on the advantages or disadvantages of each?

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #28 – July 23, 2012, 11:18:47 pm

Quote from: bill velting – July 23, 2012, 11:15:46 pm

Would those who have either of these models care to comment on the advantages or disadvantages of each?

The raised area between the pilot and co-pilot seats makes a great place to put the dog's bed.

Craig

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #29 – July 24, 2012, 12:04:01 am

Quote from: bill velting – July 23, 2012, 11:15:46 pm

Continuing this thread concerning the drivers elevation as compared to the bus style...we've seen two variations of the 12" step or pedestal on the GrandVillas. Seems as the older Villas have this 'lift' across the entire front w/ what looks to be heat duct vents. However the newer model Villas have just the driver and passenger seats on this pedestal and the space created houses a TV. I would think having the space between the seats at floor level would be preferable.
Would those who have either of these models care to comment on the advantages or disadvantages of each?

You guys are prodding my memory every day with your questions. Fun for me.

The foretravel and grand villas had a front "L" shaped fresh water tank. 75 gallons. The front propane furnace had a run under the sofa that turned 90 degrees under the drivers seat through a duct in the pedestal that blew hot air into a hollow area under a carpeted cover between the seats. The hot air kept the tank from freezing and the valves to fill and drain the tank were there also.

I remember having a motorcycle police man behind me one day tucked in where the mirrors could not see him as he knew I was going very fast. He did not notice the backup camera as it was a tiny one in the rear cap.

Got tired of this and with the coach water pump on I reached down on the freeway and opened the tank drain valve. Water poured out under the coach under pressure through the 1/2 inch line. He moved out from behind the coach instantly and motored off. I closed the valve and laughed myself silly. Score one for the rv'ers with powerful coaches.

The 87 ored 300 cat ataac would pull almost 90 mph at 2,900 to 3,000 rpm.

Shift into 4th at 60. Slowly Accelerate up 6 percent grades until you finally backed off.

10 mpg driven at 70. 8 at 85+. 20,000 pounds is why. Little coach. State of foretravel art 25 years ago.

Sorry for the hijack but too much fun.

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #30 – July 24, 2012, 08:33:35 am

That's hilarious Bob! I'm surprised he didn't pull you over for 'weeing in public'.

I'm still inquisitive as to the ease of access to the front seats concerning the two layouts. It would seem to me that having the floor space between the two seats would be easier to jump in and out of them.

(we don't have a dog...but g-kids are a distinct possibility)

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #31 – July 24, 2012, 08:38:26 am

Bill, Our two dogs love the raised area where the front seats are, they can get to the WS in three jumps, once to the floor, second to the seat and then on to the Dash. It is a lot easier to get into the front seats in a GV, no awkward back bending. There is also the increased storage as there are three drawers under the raised portion.
Gary B

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #32 – July 24, 2012, 09:26:02 am

I don't have drawers, just the FW tank valves. I wasn't thrilled with this raised area when getting in and out of the seat when the old tube tv was above in center. It was always in the way. Now that it is gone...no problem. I like it for the visibility. When not on the road it often gets used as a seat.

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #33 – July 24, 2012, 12:19:01 pm

Quote from: Dwayne – July 24, 2012, 09:26:02 am

I don't have drawers, just the FW tank valves. I wasn't thrilled with this raised area when getting in and out of the seat when the old tube tv was above in center. It was always in the way. Now that it is gone...no problem. I like it for the visibility. When not on the road it often gets used as a seat.

Yes lots of head smashing

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #34 – July 26, 2012, 10:19:58 am

"lots of head smashing" This is our concern w/ the older GVs. We want ease of entry for both front seats as we plan on doing a fair amount of traveling opposed to sitting in on area for extended periods of time. So having that 'dog house' eliminated like in the newer FTs or going w/ the bus style seems preferable to us. However, we are very flexible and are looking forward to experiencing both styles come this fall.

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #35 – July 26, 2012, 12:42:34 pm

Quote from: bill velting – July 26, 2012, 10:19:58 am

"lots of head smashing" This is our concern w/ the older GVs. We want ease of entry for both front seats as we plan on doing a fair amount of traveling opposed to sitting in on area for extended periods of time. So having that 'dog house' eliminated like in the newer FTs or going w/ the bus style seems preferable to us. However, we are very flexible and are looking forward to experiencing both styles come this fall.

Think most of the later GVs had TVs down below. Nothing even close to our heads in our U300.

Pierce

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #36 – July 26, 2012, 10:35:39 pm

Actually, I think the difference is the U225 and U240's had the water tank up front under the dog house requiring a raised flat floor all across the front end. You could get a head bump on the TV if you weren't careful. I am or was 6' 3". The U280 and U300 had a cutout in between the seats and the water tank is located back by the bathroom. The TV was at the raised floor level on the U280 and U300. I'm not sure the newer vs. the older model years were any different.

Also, this spring we had a young lady pull in front of our rig when traffic was slowing dramatically and then she hit her brakes hard. I saw the back end of her car go under our front end, then the trunk lid, then her back widow glass disappeared so that all we could see was the roof top of her little black Mustang. I was sure we were going to squash her. The result, we didn't even connect. There was no damage to her car or our coach. Since I had my Horn Button pushed all the way to the floor board of the coach, I do imagine she had to clean our her front seat after the incident. Those Hadley's are great!!!

I think the the high riding position of the Grand Villa provides a safety factor. It makes you think you are closer to an object than you really are. I actually look down on many truckers. Of course I am taller than Gary.

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #37 – July 29, 2012, 10:21:20 am

Hi Everyone:

I was chatting with Barry Brideau via email about the 1991 GV I won on eBay and he told me it was the topic of discussion here. Wow, great forum and lots of good people and information. My wife Tammy and I are getting back in the game after being RV-less for 6 years. (Previous coach was a 2001 Fleetwood Expedition 36').

Does anyone have a recommendation for Foretravel service in the Minneapolis area. As soon as we get it home we would like to have it checked over.

Peter and Tammy

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #38 – July 29, 2012, 10:43:35 am

Peter and Tammy,

Congratulations on your new Foretravel! How about listing your year and model in the "profile"? Makes it easier to steer you to service, etc. for your exact model.

Hope to hear a lot more about you guys, your coach and your new adventures.

Pierce

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #39 – August 02, 2012, 10:44:57 pm

Peter & Tammy
The DW & I had been watching this coach as soon as it hit eBay. It seemed to have some nice upgrades along w/ what looks like fairly good preventive maintenance. We would all like to know how everything turns out. So let us know...and the more pics the better.
Thanks in advance.

Bill & Jan
FT wannabees

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #40 – August 31, 2012, 09:00:03 pm

Well, I thought it was time for an update on the 1991 40 ft Grand Villa we won on eBay with the "cow catcher". On the way home from Naples Florida to Minnesota my son and I stopped at Parliament Motor Coach in Clearwater, Fl to have the genny and engine oil changed and have everything checked over. It was discovered that the air bags were in pretty bad shape and I decided to have all 8 replaced. The only problem was they had to be ordered, and this required us to stay over the weekend. Parliament Motor Coach was very accomodating - they loaned us a shop truck for the weekend to run errands and shop for supplies, etc. Monday afternoon they had us on our way. Great bunch of guys. If you like you can read my testimonial on their web site.

Back in Minnesota for the last few weeks I have been fixing things that have been neglected over the years:
- Installed new Simmons Beautyrest Queen mattress in the state room
- Installed a new color backup camera and monitor from TadiBrothers (great product!)
- Re-wired the fridge to run off the inverter while driving
- Sanded and re-polished the headlights with 3M headlight kit (great product!)
- Replaced many burned out light bulbs
- Shampooed the carpet
- Had a "check engine light" repaired at Interstate Power here in Minneapolis - it was a $50 module about the size of a cigarette pack that reads the coolant temperature

Foretravel of Texas has been awesome - they have answered many "what does this switch do" questions!

Our next planned trip is to visit the Zip Dee awning factory in Elk Grove Village, IL in September to have the awning spring repaired and a new fabric installed.

Peter and Tammy

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #41 – September 01, 2012, 08:22:17 am

Howdy Peter and Tammy,

Sounds like you guys are doing a great job!!! I was wondering if you used the wired or wireless camera/monitor?? I've been checking out their website and looks like great products..
We are scheduled in at Zip Dee in Elk Grove on Sept. 6 to have the NX upgrade, that reverses the rafter arms. here's a link: NX Hardware Upgrade Kit
Maybe we'll see you there..
Good Luck with your projects, Dave A

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #42 – September 01, 2012, 09:50:16 am

Peter,

Let me know when you will be in Elk Grove - I live in the Chicago Area.

One tip for Chicago - if you are oming to Chicago and wonder where to stay, do what I do. I keep my coach at a facility in WI, but when I want my coach in the city, I park it at the OVersize vehicle parking lot at O'Hare. $9 a day. Secure and safe, close to the expressways and MASS transportation since it is by O'Hare. 25 minute drive to the city. Yes, you can dry camp there, and stay for a LONG time if you want. Top off the water, empty the tanks, check the oil in the Genny and come spend a few days enjoying Chicago.

Sort of like the Liberty Harbor RV park in NJ, lots of black top and convenience, not much for ambiance. 24 hour patrolled security - I have never had a problem when I left the coach, or dry camped there. They want you in the wide open area in the rear of the lot, works perfect. Little hint. If you drive in hooked up, unhook and drive out your toad, you only pay for the toad ($2) when you leave. When you go back, you get a new ticket, hook up and drive out. $2 more bucks. Yes, I have left the coach there for over a week, total cost $4. I have had many friends use this lot for their Chicago stays in their RV's with no issues.
Otherwise, all the rest of the RV parks are at least an hour from downtown Chicago.

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #43 – September 01, 2012, 09:54:38 am

Dave:

Well, I initially tried the wireless setup (camera and monitor are the same for wired or wireless). What you get are a transmitter & receiver that plug into the RCA video connectors at both ends. Maybe for a shorter coach this will work ok, but for our 40 footer the picture was not always clear, and had some static as you pass by overhead power lines, etc.

So, I unhooked the transmitter & receiver and hard wired using a video cable with RCA male plugs on each end. This resulted in a perfect clear picture all the time. It's extra work, but I would recommend hard wiring.

Also, I ordered the HD option ($50 additional).

Thanks for the tip on the Zip Dee NX upgrade - I will check to see if we can get that installed. Our appt is on Tuesday Sept 11. We are planning to camp in the Zip Dee lot Monday night.

Tim:
Thanks for the great tips for staying near Chicago!

Peter

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #44 – September 01, 2012, 10:08:35 am

Howdy Peter,

Thanks for the feedback..Just hoping the wireless would work...

TTYL, Dave A

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #45 – September 01, 2012, 11:31:53 am

What camera a monitor set up did you get? Any chance you could post a link? I am guessing that you paid $50 extra for a high definition set up... sounds very reasonable!
Don

Quote from: prfleming – September 01, 2012, 09:54:38 am

Dave:

Well, I initially tried the wireless setup (camera and monitor are the same for wired or wireless). What you get are a transmitter & receiver that plug into the RCA video connectors at both ends. Maybe for a shorter coach this will work ok, but for our 40 footer the picture was not always clear, and had some static as you pass by overhead power lines, etc.

So, I unhooked the transmitter & receiver and hard wired using a video cable with RCA male plugs on each end. This resulted in a perfect clear picture all the time. It's extra work, but I would recommend hard wiring.

Also, I ordered the HD option ($50 additional).

Thanks for the tip on the Zip Dee NX upgrade - I will check to see if we can get that installed. Our appt is on Tuesday Sept 11. We are planning to camp in the Zip Dee lot Monday night.

Tim:
Thanks for the great tips for staying near Chicago!

Peter

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #46 – September 01, 2012, 12:35:39 pm

Quote from: Dave and Nancy Abel – September 01, 2012, 10:08:35 am

Howdy Peter,

Thanks for the feedback..Just hoping the wireless would work...

TTYL, Dave A

Dave, I'm guessing you already know this but it is very easy to use the existing wiring from camera to monitor by just using adapters or in some cases making up an extension for and external camera. I am not aware of any camera/monitor setup that requires running new wire.

One additional thought is that you can use the wireless function to pretty easily mount side cameras by pulling power from the remote side mirrors. Most LCD monitors will accommodate multiple input screens.

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #47 – September 01, 2012, 12:36:23 pm

Quote from: prfleming – September 01, 2012, 09:54:38 am

Thanks for the tip on the Zip Dee NX upgrade - I will check to see if we can get that installed. Our appt is on Tuesday Sept 11. We are planning to camp in the Zip Dee lot Monday night.

Zip Dee appears to have a lot of neat accessories that I don't remember!

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #48 – September 01, 2012, 02:03:58 pm

Howdy Kent,
Good to hear from you. Yes, I was aware the existing wiring would work, just looking a other options..I'm kind - of kicking around the idea of adding some side views..Mainly in the "air bubbling" stage. These guys look like they have great products/solutions..
TTYL, Dave A

Re: Cow catcher?

Reply #49 – September 08, 2012, 02:58:42 am

Cow Catcher, Hahahahaha, We call them Bulls Bars here, Necessity as the roads are full of Kangaroos, Wallabies, Wombats, And if you hit them, they make a mess of what ever hits them, Car, Bike, Bus, Truck, Etc,
You cant pull up a RV in a hurry,
So the first thing I will put on my Grand Villa will be a solid Bull Bar,

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