ERNIEMA

Thank you so much. At age 84 and in my '01 Dip 46 nights in '22 I was fortunate to know and have good times with Bill Duckwitz. He is likely smiling at you for continuing this site. The knowedge base is invaluable. We now have 140,000 miles on our coach. Thank you.

Hi... I bought just the back flow valve from Amazon a Camco item for about $10. Next day delivery. My helper removed the brass fitting on the left side after taking off the handle. He then gently pulled out the right fitting and cut off the blue hose... learning there was enough slack to recommevt it..... we did not remove the huge white plate behind all of this... no need. Hope this helps someone.

Our 2001 Dip had a Sharp microwave that quit. I tried to post here and search for relevant YouTube videos. I now have my new Sharp installed. This is what I learned. First: contact Sharp, or your brands manufacturer. Have the model number, serial number, date of manufacture all ready to tell them. In my case the last failure was the door latch.... the info was on the inside, but I had luckily written it down.... so if you don't have all that... may I suggest you get it and record it elsewhere. So with Sharp, I pressed all the right phone buttons and reached a person who provided me with 2 model numbers that were exact replacements. I bought the first one suggested from Amazon. I removed the trim above my unit and discovered the steel frame of my slideout. That turned out to be wrong & unnecessary. For me, there was about a long 1x1 inch piece of trim right above my unit. Discovered that slides out; no nails or screws; just wedged in. I also took off the plastic vent from across the top. After looking at the replacement unit we realized the back plate supplied was also likely on the wall of the coach. That turned out to be true. We left it and used it and threw out the new back plate. Using a flashlight we discovered 2 screws at the back left and right corners accessible by a 15 inch extension to our screw driver put through where the vent had been removed. We took them out. The unit remained in place. Looking at the bottom of the new unit and the back of the new unit.... the key: 2 very long rods threaded for about an inch... we looked at the unit still hanging... they were there too! So as we removed those 2 screws the old unit came loose. My helper is 6 ft 3 inch and strong. He literally grabbed it and took it out of the coach. Later we realized the first 2 screws we removed were from fittings that had remained on the old unit. We removed those 2 fittings and discovered threaded nuts were at the same places on the back top of the new unit. So, we found new screws about 1.5 inches in the install hardware kit that fit those brackets and tightened the old L shaped brackets onto the top of the new unit. Due to my friends strength we did not use the shipping box as it is described as part of the install. He set it on the back plate and screwed in one of the top brackets, then the 2nd. Then the 2 in-place long bolts. And I had fed the electric line in when he placed the unit on the back plate. Summary: 4 screws 2 short, 2 long that are part of the unit, and the setting on the back plate. That is the whole thing. The key is calling the manufacturer and getting their exact replacement. Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes. My helper is a self-employed general handyman. I gave him $250. He will fix my intake water back flow problem tomorrow. Ernie Maier 248 789 5808

Suggest Tyron bands or similar on front tires, replace tires after 7 years, buy Michelins, keep speed 60 - 65 , limit daily mileage, recognize when you should stop driving if sleepy..... I try to follow these.

Hi... I had a friend take the assembly apart. Ordered the back flow preventer valve from Amazon. about $11.00 one day shipping to arrive today 8/1/21. My friend will reassemble based on pictures etc. Thank you all.

Thanks to one and all. I think I now have enough info that a handy person friend of mine can fix it for me. Btw, a repair shop near me had about 52 jobs ahead of me .... had me pay $100 to get in a shorter line... supposedly refundable.... so I am now #26.... the country and industry are both short of help but here in Mich people can still get $300 a week into Sept if unemployed.... just facts... no opinion from me... but it doesn't make sense. Thanks again. btw My microwave needs to get teplaced... I will post separately. And finally, we are in Manistee MI but the White Lake tornado was 1.5 miles from our house. The heavy rain caused the water to rise in my canal and my pontoon boat floated off my lift structure.... a neighbor put it back the next day.... my home genny provided thr power...

Hi .. I think the backflow valve in the componemt in the bay where I connect my hose to add fresh water to my water tank or directly to the water system has failed. Where can I get a replacement? 2001 Diplomat pdq 40 ft Ernie Maier erniema@aol.com 248 789-5808

So true... we each have our own ideas as to what we need and prefer. We typically just want peace and quiet and hookups. Our time on site is minimum. We are either passing thru or seeing sites and the area. We don't do campfires and prefer clean air to the smoke of fires. Being level or level enough for our levelers to work is important. We do not use showers or laundromats or walk a dog. Often, I only hookup my electric as we carry water new and used🤭

Right re the other comments. Ok...I will disclose my best kept secret campground: Themeworld RV Park in Davenport, FL. Yes.... 25 minutes from Disney parks. They accept Passport America for 10 months, March thru December, no restrictions, for $27/night. Yes. $27/night. Full hookups, 50 amps mostly, some 30 amps, water and sewer on mostly level paved sites. Paved roads. Several decent restaurants within 3 miles.

Right. About 63 years ago a wonderful, beautiful, young, brilliant, female college professor, who maintained our attention, explained the never passed law, but still in force, The Law of Unintended Consequences. I never forgot it. Basically, actual laws and events often have unexpected and unintended consequences, as the 1965 era social legislation, like ADC. So, yes, for those with adequate resources, (trying to be P.C..)... higher prices create opportunities. A year ago we sat in the 2nd row to see Hamilton in Naples. That was a great year in CA. Walk up to Hearst Castle. Many Highway 1 camp grounds to choose from, etc. Even now here in Naples with Covid there are fewer snowbirds, especially from Canada and England. I can get out of my rv park easier and our go to restaurant for New Years eve was full but not packed with people standing within sight waiting for our table. We had a great 2 hour dinner with two young adult grandsons. Life is good.

agree boondocking a function of lifestyle.... Oddly, except for likely a dozen or so campgrounds in ley areas we just try a couple of days ahead and have had no issues really in 20+ years. High fuel prices 10 or 12 years ago.... so we decided to go to California.... the higher the prices the easier to get campgrounds in Malibu and similar...and easy entry to Getty Estate type places --- the grandkids won't miss the money

Hi... well I accept your query... but it puzzles me. Where we stay is usually the least important item of our trips. The exception is certain places. For instance, Wash. DC... we prefer the Fairfax County campground vs Cherry Hill... we have been to both. F.C. gives you a better approach to DC and fewer sites. Re NYC, we have stayed at L.H. but actually prefer Croton Point Park and its campground. Imho, the toughest place is Yellowstone. Fishing Bridge is the only full hookup cg in the park. If Yellowstone is on your agenda that reservation needs to be made already. Otherwise you have a long trip each day into and out of the park. Oddly St.Louis is an easy one. Right downtown. Only one so easy to find and safe. Same with Chicago. Stay right downtown at the Marshalling Yard for McCormick Place for about $40/night. Complete boon docking. No services. Safe. With any Class A you ought to be able to boondock 4 nights. With locations on your agenda more specifics can be offered. Ernie Maier

Hi all... thank you all for prior suggestions... I was able to access my Diplomat in storage. I started it and all airbags inflated and the coach leveled out. I then pumped the brake and dumped the air "quickly" and it settled level as in the past 20 years 🤗 . I will let it sit until Spring, just running the genny a couple of times. I will take it back to my home repair shop for a check as I had all under the floor checked in 2018. If I encounter the one corner low going home I will get it checked at once. Thanks again to all. Btw, everytime I see this site it reminds me, and I expect others, of Bill Duckwitz. That is a good thing. He and his close buddies helped hundreds of us newbies. Ernie Maier 2001 Monaco Dip w/137,000 miles. Has traveled on 4 boats and 1 train. Still smiling and wanting to go back to Alaska. All systems go. 🙂🤭

Good idea.... in storage now. I intend to print all these replies. Not sure yet if I can print them all at once or individually. Oh well.

Thank you one and all. I will print all of them and reread each. Been too busy reading and watching for the next answer to respond. In the old days I would have just phoned Bill Duckwitz. In this case I read and phoned and may phone more.... Just good to know the issue is not catastrophic. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year..

Ideas please: I placed my 2001 Monaco Diplomat inside a building after driving from Michigan to Naples. It is plugged in but no A/C on as it is in a building and an overhead door gets opened often by the owner. A week or so later the owner let me know the coach was leaning left. I called my usual service provided in Michigan and he explained the culprit was the "ride height control valve." He offered advice. I would like your opinions to verify and compare to his opinions. One of his opinions was "to leave it for now. Air the coach up and leave in May and see if the issue continues, as it may just be stuck." Another opinion was to take it out now and see. I explained that getting into this storage spot involved inches....and I would prefer not having to move it now. So.... your ideas please. I can move it a few feet up and back, buy taking it out is touchy. Btw, incidentally, I have 137,000 miles on it and Cummins services all under the floor regularly. Cummins did extensive work in 2018 snd said it was a 9 of 10 then under the floor. $15,000 bill that I was happy to pay. Ernie Maier 248 789-5809 2001 Monaco Diplomat 2005 Silverado

I have bought 5 cheap drones and have had difficulty getting even grandkids to learn to use them... and asked a friend who checked on them and found poor reviews. I bought another a little more expensive and hope to try it soon. Drones obviously work. From what I have learned so far, they require downloading a related software program to your cell phone and then a start up process that links them to multiple low level satellites. I do intend to persue this hobby after getting to my Naples abode around Thanksgiving.... hopefully finding a knowledgeable fellow camper. I think this thread should be continued. Erniema @ aol .com Ernie Maier

Hi... you might contact Themeworld RV park in Davenport FL near Disney. Not sure of current situation but we have stayed there for 4 years, twice a year... good part: full hookups $27/night with your Passport America membership... no restrictions on its use.... everyday. Lots of year round residents but we like it.

To explain further: my friend bought the 2006 Class C 31ft last Nov 2019. We both planned with our wives to drive from Naples to Alaska. He paid $16,000 for it. He then spent $8,000 on repairs and upgrades. His wife then developed a hiatal hernia. Almost died. Two operations. No longer able to travel. They never spent one night in the RV. He put it on Craigslist @ $27,500. No sales. Learned of Poprvs.com and listed at $31,500. Sold in 3 days with buyer discovering later the Craigslist ad.... which my friend had not cancelled. So he sold it for the $27,500 less Pop's 10%. He is happy.

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Hope the tech guys can give accurate data. My opinion based on my 2001 Diplomat and 130,000 miles; (likely dumb of me & may elicit appropriate negative comments which I accept).... never weighed it. I use Michelin tires and inflate to 105#. 1 blowout in front once. Out in Texas in heat. Added Tyron bands to front. Saw ad in current FMCA for similar product. Have replaced all mechanical via Cummins under my floor at cost of $14,000 two summers ago. Really. They said coach now (then) 9 of 10. Summary: maintenance and likely conservative weight data in original specs and my typical 62-67 speed seems ok for me.

I have a 2001 Diplomat. I used a tow dolly 1 year. Never again. But... it depends on how you RV. The above responses do not mention that. How many miles on their rv? I have 128,000 miles on mine. 4 trips of 1 month in 2019. A few days here and there, a week or so one place, several 1 nights as we move. If you snowbird south and sit for months maybe a dolly works. Not for us. Our RV has also been on 4 boats and a train. We tow a 2005 Silverado... easy to tow. Not trying to drive a Lexus like vehicle. Ernie

Hi... we are in Naples. We have a house here and come down from Michigan and put the RV in storage... so just too much to close up the house, get the RV operating and make such a trip mid season. We leave here in Mid April and go to Disney World for 5 to 10 days with resident passes (easy to get with our electric bill). Timing just not right for us. Money and topics not our issue. We would attend just to be with you all but for the above..... we do miss Bill D. Ernie Maier