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RE: Increasing towing capacity
I have a 1998 Fleetwood Bounder 34V it says gross towing weight is 3500 pounds I have a 4000 pound Jeep I want to tow how can i
Increase my towing capacity. My GCWR is 23500 pounds, motor home dry weight (UVW) including fuel is 17250, carrying capacity is 2750 pounds towing capacity is 3500 pounds totaling 23500 pounds. Are there any suggestions on how to increase my towing capacity.
Towing four down adds only the weight of the hitch and none of the Jeep weight to the weigh bearing factor of the receiver. If the motorhome frame extensions are properly fabricated to the factory frame and the receiver is rated for 5,000 lbs. towing weight, what would be the problem? The chassis should not be a problem if it is well maintained. Take your titles and registration to your local DMV licensee division and ask them if you can legally tow the Jeep behind the motor home.
Um, no, that's not exactly true. When pulling from a dead stop the receiver and frame will see the full weight of what is attached to it. In addition, the transmission is also rated for the design weights, so increasing over those design weights will add additional stress to the transmission. Sure, many may get away with it, but I sure would not be one to chance it.
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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01/21/20 07:52pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Kirkland motor oil
Although the ambulance chasers are using the marketing of "obsolete" oil next to current standards as deceptive, in NM they did test the oils and discover the emissions control systems on many modern vehicles using the obsolete oil did cause problems with the emissions controls and may have damaged certain sensors. The long term effects are not know simply because there is no way to go back and test what had happen as nobody can say for sure what they sued last year or the year before. So, it's all based on what can be tested now.
It still does not do away with the fact that it was a frivolous lawsuit as supposedly the oil in question was clearly marked with the grade and other language, like not made for most engines made after 1930 er duh.
The ambulance chasers mentioned fine print and being on the shelf beside oil that had a higher spec. Fine print my rear end. All legalized extortion and DG will settle as that will be the cheaper route, the class will get a Dollar General gift card worth $2.00, and the ambulance chasers will get millions. It's the oil you want to use in the B&S powered lawnmower you bought for $89 in 1990, that burns a pint while cutting your 1/8 acre lot, not what you want to put in your 2020 Ford F-150 LOL.
It's not unlike the McDonald's coffee foolishness. Sure its hot, it's coffee. Just because your an idiot and spill it on your hoohaa, that should not give you the right to perform legalized extortion. I digress.
Well digressing as well, she lost the lawsuit in appeal, so McDonald's did not pay.
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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01/20/20 04:01pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 5 figure 30 foot
My 2 cents might not be worth it, but we bought a 2006 National Seabreeze. We also were at the Tampa shows this year (camped for 2 nights) and there was not a class A that even interested myself or my wife under $150k. The Nationals, while out of business since 2008, are very solid motorhomes. (Also someone mentioned Safari - another great MH) We've had ours 2 years, put on 11,000 miles, and no issues to speak of. What you save in cost by buying a 10-12 year old gasser you can use for repairs and upgrades. We are very happy. Oh, and it's 33.5 foot with 2 slides. (OK, maybe this was just worth 1 cent....)
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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01/20/20 03:57pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Bluetooth Dashboard speaker
We use a JBL Flip 4. Sounds OK, and plenty loud enough. I've thought about getting a Flip 5, which is larger still. We also use it outside as well.
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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01/17/20 02:56am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Anyone interested in 83 Pace Arrow Tear down and Rebuild?
All joking about dragster engines aside, you should crank that engine over as soon as possible. But do a few things first. Pull all the spark plugs and get one of those USB or WiFi inspection cameras (about $15 online) and have a look into each cylinder to see what it looks like. A little bit of rust probably won't hurt anything. But if it looks crusty with big flakes of rust you could be in for big trouble. With light or no rust, just get a can of fogging oil spray from your local auto parts store and give a good shot into each cylinder. Let It sit for 30 minutes or so to soak in around the top ring, then try to crank it over with the plugs out. If you see heavy rust, dose the cylinders heavily with PBBlaster or similar and let it sit for a day or two. Do not crank it over. Use compressed air to blow the gunk out of the cylinder. Hit it with PBBlaster again and repeat the procedure. Only when you are no longer blowing out crud should you attempt to crank it over. You might want to try turning it with a ratchet on the crank pulley rather than stressing the starter if the engine is partially or fully seized.
Obviously it will need an oil change before you run it for any length of time. Once it is running, change the oil again after an hour or so of run time. Take the oil filter and cut it open. Pull out the filter element and unfold it on a table. Get a magnifying glass and look for signs of metal in the oil. Keep a close eye on your oil pressure while it is running. If it is lower than usual or drops suddenly, then shut it down right away and you will probably need to pull the pan to check for trashed bearings.
As an Ex-drag racer (too much of a money pit for me) this is excellent advice, not just for Fulltimin but for anyone who has let a motor sit for more than 6 months through winter and summer temps. Years ago I bought a 440 Chrysler just for the engine, as it had been sitting for about 18 months in Columbus, Ohio. What a mess the cylinders were when I tore it down to rebuild it. A couple of the rod bearings were questionable as well. Odometer only had about 40k miles on it. So you can never be too careful.
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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12/22/19 07:16pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Refrigerator question for you class A campers
My personal opinion of "alternative energies", all of them, is that they're not ready for prime time. They're still expensive and inefficient. The sun's not always out, and the wind doesn't always blow. It's also true that the only way they even stay on the market is through government subsidies, for consumers through local power companies, or through massive federal subsidies for companies. Take away the subsidies and they disappear - remember "Solyndra"? Your tax money at work.
Yeah, unfortunately you are mostly right. As an EE I sometimes work with solar farms and wind farms. Given enough real estate they can work. But for home use, the cost of a solar system, including batteries to use when the sun is not out, has an 8-12 year payback at the moment. Not cost effective for most. That said, having a system without batteries can payback in 5-6 years, but you will still be using utility power 50% or so of the time.
There is just not enough roof room to run 2 A/C units in a Class A.....
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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12/20/19 02:13pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Repairs and Upgrades
People learn by doing, and often doing comes out of necessity - either stranded or financially driven - or both and of course some just like to do it. I fall in the financial driver slot fueled by necessity. Now, if I ever came into a lot of money, like lotto money, rest assured I would simply pay people to work on my Prevost while I have lunch and a beer in the cabana. Some folks who have a lot of money still like to do their own stuff. Hats off to you. I think in my younger years I also felt that way. Now that I am older, I am fine using my credit card as a primary tool. But - and this is important - I still could if I needed to on most things. Some stuff is still better left to the experts. The issue is finding an expert.
Well put.
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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12/20/19 02:08pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Anyone interested in 83 Pace Arrow Tear down and Rebuild?
So "The best part of waking up" isn't Folgers in your shower?
Actually, for us "older" folks, the best part about waking up, is, well, waking up!!:C
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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12/09/19 10:28am |
Class A Motorhomes
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DP lengths and Tag Axles
So, sorry if this is a stupid question, but it won't be my first, nor my last. So at what point does a DP NEED to have a tag axle? I've been told after 40', but I don't know that for sure. We're at Disney and riding around on their DPs, and they are all single rear axle DP. Then a tour bus pulls up and it's a few feet longer but has a tag. Is there a "rule" or is it just about the weight?
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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12/06/19 02:48pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Bigger stabilizer bar improvement in handling?
I put a Hellwig anti-sway bar on the rear of my National Seabreeze and it made a huge difference. I no longer get pushed by passing semis and box trucks. A bit more stable in crosswinds as well.
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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11/28/19 03:27am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Dog House Spanner Key
This outfit should have the key you need:
SOUTHCO VISE ACTION COMPRESSION LATCH KEY
Thanks!! Just ordered the 7mm key.
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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11/23/19 04:04am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Dog House Spanner Key
I think they are asking for the cover inside cover dog house not the outside hood ?
Yes, correct....the triangle type fastener.
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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11/22/19 06:00pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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Dog House Spanner Key
Good afternoon all. I have a National 2006 SeaBreeze LX and the key that will fit into the 4 fittings that hold down the dog house, called a spanner key, did not come with the coach. Does anyone off the top of their head know the size of the key? They look to come in many sizes, and I want to make sure I order the right size. As of right now (out camping) I do not have a millimeter tape measure and I don't want to just eyeball it, as I'm sure I'll be wrong. Any thoughts?
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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11/22/19 02:42pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: First trip in Class A driving in Smokey Mountains
We just completed a trip to North Carolina from Florida with our 2018 Miramar 35.3. We towed my wife's 4 door Jeep Wrangler. I was very happy with the performance. For the most part, I was able to maintain the speed limit going up the grades. The one exception was one 8% grade where I was only able to maintain about 40mph in a 55 mph zone. I think I could have maintained a better speed but halfway up there was a construction zone where the speed limit was 35mph so I lost my momentum. Yes, the V10 revved quite a bit on the big climbs but it did the job. I am sure a DP would have done better and I know the Smokeys are small compared to the Rockies but I was pleased with the performance. After reading some of the comments over the years about class A's really struggling up grades, I was a little apprehensive while planning this trip. Now with one trip under my belt, I am looking forward to our next trip.
I was also pleased with the engine braking. I put the transmission in tow/haul mode and tapping the breaks would downshift. On a couple of the 8% downhill grades, I would have to jab the breaks a few times to bleed off some speed but the engine/transmission really helped keep the speeds down. Again, not trying to compare to a exhaust brake on a DP but I thought the RV did great.
Yeah, like you I was apprehensive going on my first trip in the Smokeys last year, but it ended up being easy. Like everyone said here, (my interpretation), learn your rig, know your limitations, and don't be stupid and a V10 Ford will work just fine.
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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11/11/19 10:05am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 2 Years with a Older Class A
I bought my current MH 16 years ago when I retired, I kept track of all my expenses including mods and improvement like headers, FF muffler CAI etc, repairs like autopark failures,front end repairs, hyd jacks, fuel pump replacement, control boards etc and general maintenance like fluid changes( oil transmission,rear end), tires etc. To date it cost me $21,348 in total in 100,000 miles of travel. I have done most of the work myself except for the front end,headers and changing the fuel pump while on a trip. The biggest cost was the IFS front end which was about $7000 most of that was caused by a shop installing the wrong ball joints causing two accidents. The total cost was $1334/year. If you have a newer MH with a straight front axle most of those front end repairs would go away so I think a better estimate would be more like $1000/year. Almost every trip something had to be fixed. Another way to look at it is if you bought a brand new MH you would lose more than $21,000 in depreciation in the first year alone with multiple trips back to the dealer for warranty work.
That's great you kept track of all your expenses. I'm doing the same thing. However, I think it is reasonable to assume that if you had to pay labor for all the repairs (IOW - you didn't do it yourself) your cost would probably be at least double. That would translate into $2668 per year, close to what I'm budgeting. Still, as you said, is way less than the depreciation of a new motor home.
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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10/13/19 04:40am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Anyone interested in 83 Pace Arrow Tear down and Rebuild?
You do realize you can get other work done while the glue is curing, don't you? It's ok to multitask.
Haha....I was thinking the same thing, just didn't say it! My wife claims men can not multitask well. She tells me this while I'm working a project and talking on the phone at the same time....go figure....
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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10/10/19 10:29am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 2 Years with a Older Class A
We too bought a used class A; 2006 National SeaBreeze LX, 33 foot. We've had it 18 months now, and have done the following:
1. New tires all around, $3000
2. New fridge - went with a residential - $1200 (my option)
3. New front TV - $350 (my option)
4. Suspension mods - $1000 (my option)
5. Fluids - $500
6. New transfer switch - $600
7. Re-seal roof - $400
8. Defog Windows - $900
9. New A/C compressor for V10 - $450
Total is $8400 so far - BUT - we love the MH. Most of these costs are not annual costs (tires come to mind) and some were my option to upgrade. I'm budgeting $3000 per year for required maintenance. We'll see if that is enough as we move forward...
Al
Quick question - what type of roofing do you have? And can you use eternabond tape to reseal your roof if it is fiberglass? I used eternabond on my travel trailer roof seals with great results.
Thank you to both you and the OP for posting your numbers. We are looking at 3 to 4 year old Tiffin Allegros and your experiences will help.
Mine is a fiberglass roof. The RV place just re-caulked, as it was getting a bit ratty after 14 years...
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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10/09/19 07:02pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 2 Years with a Older Class A
Guess I am lucky. I bought an 8 year old high end DP kept it 12 years and in all that time other than yearly service which averaged about $300 each year only did the following in 40,000+miles.
tires $1800
radiator $1500
injector line $300
This unit was never babied and seldom sat for more than a month. I have had its replacement for a little over a year now and had one repair that was there when I bought it and cost around $2000.
They are expensive but fuel and repairs are things you have to do if you want to use them and ride.
There is a good point "hidden" in your post - "...seldom sat for more than a month." I'm beginning to see the same pattern of use/repair that years ago I learned having a sportscar. If I drove it all the time it didn't need repairs. Let it sit for extended periods of time, and things start to break down. Now this is all observations on my part without any real data, but my thought is if your RV goes out a lot I'll bet it doesn't break a lot....I would love to see some real data to either back up or dispute my observations....
Thoughts anyone?
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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10/08/19 11:38am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 2 Years with a Older Class A
We too bought a used class A; 2006 National SeaBreeze LX, 33 foot. We've had it 18 months now, and have done the following:
1. New tires all around, $3000
2. New fridge - went with a residential - $1200 (my option)
3. New front TV - $350 (my option)
4. Suspension mods - $1000 (my option)
5. Fluids - $500
6. New transfer switch - $600
7. Re-seal roof - $400
8. Defog Windows - $900
9. New A/C compressor for V10 - $450
Total is $8400 so far - BUT - we love the MH. Most of these costs are not annual costs (tires come to mind) and some were my option to upgrade. I'm budgeting $3000 per year for required maintenance. We'll see if that is enough as we move forward...
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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10/08/19 08:05am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: New to class A
Never used an uber but we used to rent a car before we started flat towing. Enterprise will pick you up and you can get a decent rate.
This ^^^^^^
We have used Uber as well and they worked quite well.
That said, after 1.5 years, we are getting ready to buy a toad.....I want my own car and not have to depend on someone else.
Al
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FloridaRosebud
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10/05/19 02:58pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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