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Topic: It never ends.... (Read 2392 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: It never ends....

Reply #25 –
Speaking of polishing.....
In restless dreams I walked alone.
Narrow streets of cobblestone.


'93 U225
Build 4337
'14 CRV Toad

Re: It never ends....

Reply #26 –
Had to laugh about someone mentioning if you didn't have a breakdown you won the lottery or something like that. On the trip out to quartzite I broke down with a oil pressure sensor. Not a big deal really it was cheap and easy to fix but when I was on the side of the road and not able to go more than a half mile before the engine would shut down it was a big deal...
Live and learn right?
On the right back from Quartzsite oh that was a ride from hell and I definitely did not win the lottery. First had the issue with the ride height sensor and burn some rubber on I-10. The day later going through portales New Mexico after hitting one of their famous bumps in the road, my hitch extension weld broke and the jeep was left in the dust. Fortunately I was only doing less than 20 miles an hour on a busy street in town and while there was damage to both the motorhome and the Jeep it wasn't major. I don't even want to tell you what happened when I made several turns to get back so I could recover the Jeep and my bikes that were sitting in the road... Fortunately I have insurance but I feel really stupid about the whole thing. Couldn't do anything about the hitch weld breaking and I couldn't really do anything about the piece of rubber that broke off the ride height sensor, although some people might say yeah you should have replaced them the year before.. to which I say yeah hindsight is always 20/20.
I've had a wild ride since 2018 with this coach I love it I love the way I live and everything about it.
But it's seriously for sale and I'm seriously moving overseas to Thailand when it does sell.
Right now I'm sitting at the Red Barn RV park north of Nacogdoches waiting for xtreme to have a slot open.
I have a great coach but it needs stuff. Stuff that I no longer can do or want to do. My generator is leaking oil. It needs new gaskets. In Mexico I can get that done cheap but I'm not in Mexico. Nor did I want to go back there this year. My refrigerator is having issues and I can't seem to get the company to call me back. I would like to offer the new owner the information needed to either repair or replace the box but without somebody who knows what they're talking about calling me back it's kind of difficult.
Still I wouldn't have traded this lifestyle in the last 4 years for anything. Chief and I had a blast.
I'm ready for something new though.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: It never ends....

Reply #27 –
Bob can yo post a picture of the extension that the weld broke on?
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: It never ends....

Reply #28 –
I have to agree with not having an issue is like winning the lottery. I'm lucky that I can fix most things
other wise I would have been towed a few times.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: It never ends....

Reply #29 –
Why do we RV?
Here's an example....
  Gave my grandson his first driving lesson........
Up Bolivar Peninsula!

  Great times.
In restless dreams I walked alone.
Narrow streets of cobblestone.


'93 U225
Build 4337
'14 CRV Toad

Re: It never ends....

Reply #30 –
Quote from: turbojack –
I am going to make sure my wife does not see this post.  She keeps reminding me that the 1997 U295 I owned for 19 years never had a problem the whole time we owned it.  I was way younger then and did almost all of the repairs myself.

Not sure if was a good thing, but the other day she said maybe we need to start looking for a newer coach where we won't have so many problems.

Sounds very familiar...  I get that side-eye look when something needs to be fixed and the comment ... "I don't remember our Bus having all these issues".  I remind her our Bus was only 2 years old when we bought it.  +9 years when we sold it and starting to show its age more then the IH has. 

Probably be a good thing if our wives don't ever start comparing notes over coffee. 
Tom & Rhonda
2014 IH-45 #6586 -  Ford F150 King Ranch Toad
2013 TIffin 45 LP Allegro Bus - 6 years owned - Sold
2002 Newmar 41' Dutch Star - 13 years owned - Sold

Re: It never ends....

Reply #31 –
Quote from: craneman –
Bob can yo post a picture of the extension that the weld broke on?
Sorry Chuck just saw this had to go out and take a picture.
This extension was purchased with the coach from the previous owner. I have no idea what the weight rating was on it and I didn't really like using it and haven't used it in several years. But my one up bike rack on the back of the Jeep causes significant drag while in the back of the motorhome it did not and the only way to be able to get the engine door open with the bike rack there was to put the extension on. So I did in Quartzsite before I left. It did not survive the journey.
I'm grateful that I have good insurance but it should not have happened.
In addition to that breaking the bottom of the coach must have connected with the ground because the coolant pipe from the radiator into the engine compressed causing damage to the sleeve that they use to connect them metal to rubber. When it compressed it caused a hole to pop into it and then the pressure caused the hole to expand a little bit I lost probably 4 gallons of coolant and then another six when I pulled the pipe out to replace the sleeve. AutoZone had 2 inch silicone hose for $30 a foot. 6 in of it is what I needed so I have some spare. 10 gallons of coolant and 2 gallons of distilled water later I was back on the road.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: It never ends....

Reply #32 –
As to the issue of a new IH or any other full gound up build, "ain't happenin".  The Prevost upfitters buy a full on shell that is a bus.

There are so many issues with building a ground up coach.  If you put the drive train together on a bus/box/what have you, you (the MFG)  are responsible for the emissions and many other issues....thus Spartan and Freightliner. 

Tiffin is a prime example with their Power Glide chassis.  Have dropped it from several of their coaches and having Freightliner supply them.  It's not like the old days when an engine/trans was dropped on "something" and it was called "good".

Besides the 2009 recession, the changing EPA/aftertreatment environment heavily contributed to CC, BB, Beaver and others to bite the farm.....thus the rise of the chassis builders getting further into the mix.

Truth be told, Freightliner is far ahead of Spartan with support...i.e. Daimler and their expertise with emission control.  Do a search on Spartan "DEF Head" issues....  Poor owners were grounded for months.....many months waiting for Spartan to come up with a solution....this was on and off over seven iterations for several years.

Owners also want the safety features that would requirements internal development and/or licensing others systems to be deemed legal and "insurance company happy"....

Again, a lot more to the chassis issue than just a "corporate" decision....

Now back to thinking about my fuel leak.....

2002 U320
3620 PBDS
Build 5985
2021 Equinox Toad
Motorcade 19006 & all those "other" clubs too!

Re: It never ends....

Reply #33 –
Quote from: rusczyk56 –
....

Tiffin is a prime example with their Power Glide chassis.  Have dropped it from several of their coaches and having Freightliner supply them.  It's not like the old days when an engine/trans was dropped on "something" and it was called "good".
....

I thought Tiffin actually started offering the PowerGlide in more models in the last few years (Phaeton and Zephyr in some models).  When I had my 2013, the PG chassis was exclusive the Bus.  Looks like the Bus line is still built only on PG.  The drawback in my time was the PG couldnt fit the anything beyond the 450 Cummins.  I guess they have updated it now if the Zephyr has the option. 

It was a best driving chassis I had experienced before my IH.  Before there I had Freightliners.
Tom & Rhonda
2014 IH-45 #6586 -  Ford F150 King Ranch Toad
2013 TIffin 45 LP Allegro Bus - 6 years owned - Sold
2002 Newmar 41' Dutch Star - 13 years owned - Sold

Re: It never ends....

Reply #34 –
Quote from: Journey, Roam, Explore –
Sorry Chuck just saw this had to go out and take a picture.
This extension was purchased with the coach from the previous owner. I have no idea what the weight rating was on it and I didn't really like using it and haven't used it in several years.

The Complete Guide to Hitch Extenders.

Cautionary Considerations for Weight Capacity

One other important factor to consider when shopping for a hitch extender is weight capacity. The manufacturer should provide weight ratings for the extender, including a gross trailer weight capacity and a tongue weight capacity.

Remember, you must always abide by the lowest-rated component in your towing system.

Additionally, it is important to consider the leverage placed on your receiver hitch and vehicle by heavy cargo. As a general rule, the use of extenders (and hitch adapters) can reduce the tongue weight capacity / vertical load capacity of your vehicle's receiver hitch. Extenders under 12" long reduce load capacity by 25%, and extenders over 12" reduce load capacity by 50%.
IMO
36 inch extensions reduce the usable load considerably

Re: It never ends....

Reply #35 –
Quote from: Moby –
On this trip:
New Generator
New fuel shut off solonoid
New water heater control board
New water pump
New front AC

We RV why?
Moby, we need an update. You added a starter to this list. Did you get that squared away? Anything else???
1993 U225 Build #: 4285
500 Watts Solar
Honda CRV AWD
Former 1981 Foretravel Travco
Retired, Full Time Off Grid Snowbird

Re: It never ends....

Reply #36 –
Pets. Almost every rv has pets
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: It never ends....

Reply #37 –
Quote from: Dakota Slim –
Moby, we need an update. You added a starter to this list. Did you get that squared away? Anything else???
Yes.
I just got back to the sticks & bricks.
There's a long story behind the repairs, let me say I had to fire two incompetents before I got it fixed and running.
A VERY long story.
But, we're home safe until the next adventure.
In restless dreams I walked alone.
Narrow streets of cobblestone.


'93 U225
Build 4337
'14 CRV Toad

Re: It never ends....

Reply #38 –
We need the story!!
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: It never ends....

Reply #40 –
And pictures!
Richard & Betty Bark & Keiko our Golden Doodle
2003 U320T 3820 PBDS
Build # 6215
MC # 16926
2016 Chevrolet Colorado 4X4 diesel