amphi_sc

Hi Dick, Currently my axle weights are 15000, 20450, 10000 (as occupied in the seats too...). Yes, same axle ratings as your HR, but you appear to be about a ton heavier, pretty much concentrated on the drives. My Coburg sticker specs all tires as 295's on 8.25 rims with inflation as 120, 100, 90 for the factory Goodyears it had 2 sets of tires ago. (BTW, I thought Goodyear 670 295's wanted a 9 inch rim??? Anyway, ran Michelin since getting rid of the factory tires many many moons ago. Properly inflated Michelin always looked squishier compared to the Goodyears but I guess that would be expected with the smaller tread width on the pavement.) Coach handles well ... in NM or AZ on a calm day seems like one could set the cruise, go back to make a cup of coffee ☕, then return to the driver's seat 😉🤭. With passenger drive as heavy as it is, I was thinking the 11300 is about 1/2 the axle rating (for spindle, bearings, etc) so while I could unload the front a little by reducing the tag, it could put passenger drive up to 12800. i.e. when tag pressure lowered to 48, tag unloads to 7300 and front down to 14400 but drive now over at 23600, so need at least 50's or more for down force. So I was thinking where she sits right now is pretty decent. Usually when up in the NW we'll sanity check the current situation for significant changes by driving over one of the unoccupied roadside scales the state seems to conveniently leave enabled for loggers. Appears to me 11Rs (H) could handle duals of 11900 to 12010 at 115 to 120 psi, so heavy side at 11,300 still leaves a margin. And easily handle the tag weight. I haven't yet asked the warehouse about date codes on those 11Rs. I've put up with the Michelin early cracking on the 295's. Sure hate to start off again with "new" tires already over a year+ old before they even hit the pavement. Does this help getting inside my current thoughts? And I think I hijacked the OP's original question. Sorry.

My actual weights were at about 80% fuel (mid coach position 150 gallon tank, not front centric), initial 100 gallons fresh water that had been partially used and thus shifted to gray/black tanks. Propane about 65%. All those tanks should balance side to side, however all my heavy tools and bay freezer are on drivers side but passenger side things I can't shift: big AquaHot outboard by drive axle, four 4D house Life Line batteries, 5 smaller 12V engine batteries, washer and dryer stack in passenger rear corner, entire bathroom on passenger side, headboard of bed and desk driver's side so heavier drawers/TV etc passenger side.... Hydraulic reservoir passenger side... Have had multiple weighings where we've adjusted the tag pressure and in every case (even when we shifted 2300 lbs total on the drive axle), passenger side drive 2000 lbs heavier. However front axle balanced within 25 lbs side to side, and tag within 100 lbs. Air bags measure the same at ride height on level concrete. Typically, in and out of my drive, I lift the tag as it is pretty much a full lock hard turn on concrete to not fall in the ditches, but at least it is smooth and slow...and staying off the brakes using neutral as needed. I dislike the idea of Jan 2020 "new" tires so was considering asking the date codes on the 11Rs. Maybe I'll see what the warehouse finds in a month but probably the same six tires from 2020. My other two tires can age a while longer before replacing.

I don't mean to hi-jack a thread, however I was just (re)contemplating what my drive tires inflation should be and if I stick with the original stickered tire size behind the driver's seat, or drop down a size. Actual weighed Passenger side drive wheel position: 11,300 Actual weighted Driver side drive wheel position: 9,150 so Axle carrying 20,450 total, but a ton+ difference side to side Tire Manufacturer's Inflation chart shows for the selected 295/80/R22.5 (load range H) dual position: 70 psi: 9,060 75 psi: 9.540 80 psi: 9,880 85 psi: 10,440 90 psi: 11,020 95 psi: 11,460 100 psi: 11,900 105 psi: 12,350 etc... 120 max psi: 13,890 What's the consensus for proper tire inflation? Is there a consideration for when the tag is temporarily lifted? Should I stay with the spec'd 295/80/R22.5? or.... if I dropped down to an 11R22.5, the appropriate chart is: 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 8760 9160 9520 9900 10410 10830 11250 11680(G) 11790 11900 12010 (H) Would you stay with an H (axle is rated at 23,000) as was original equipment spec, or get by with a G pretty much maxed out at 105 psi and 11,680? But then if I lift the tag I'd overload a (G) at any inflation. For my steers, I'd need to stay with the 295's as the actual weight exceeds the 6610 (H) lbs single rating of the 11R22.5's. As the tag is rated at 12,000 (and actually a ton under as actually weighed and as down pressure set), the 11R22.5's should be enough there too. I was going to put on new 295's tomorrow, but the date codes that came in from the warehouse were 0220 so I rejected them. Didn't think to ask about date codes for 11R22.5. At one point years ago, my thoughts had been if I had all 295's and I had to move a tire to the steers for some reason, I could. If I mix in the 11R22.5's, that emergency option goes bye-bye. Thoughts and opinions?

When I do advance planning research for staying a few days, Googling "Dispersed camping" will bring up ideas. Then I access the forest maps online and save to my phone or pad. And I'll cross check contour lines and Google maps satellite images. I'll often call the ranger office number found on the maps and ask the ranger, and most times they may suggest some forest road #'s where others have boondocked. Naturally I mention my "off roading" comfort level and the size of the rig. Then they typically they won't suggest an area where Jeeps with tents hang out. I'll often get close to the preselected area and then take the toad in to check it out in better "current" detail ... Road washouts, low trees, solar and satellite availability, regress, etc. While "dispersed camping" may bring up blog posts of others, be sure to check how long ago it was (some areas may have closed in the meantime) and what equipment they have. For example, Flagstaff took over and closed some areas but there still are great areas starting just west off the interstate < a mile thru 5 or 10 miles into the woods. FWIW, I'll attach a few photos of some places (CA mountains, Jacob's Lake AZ, Flagstaff AZ) we've liked, and if you access the meta data in these photos you can get the gps coordinates to open in google maps. I.E. The CA photo is a couple miles past the crowded small and uneven sites in the "camp hosted paid" campground and is wide open easy access even with a 45 footer (which I'd have an extremely hard if not impossible time shoe horning around the paid campground 🙄, not to mention all the close noisy and smokey campers nor a pit toilet I wouldn't use anyway...) The Flagstaff area is close enough to the interstate that we've used it for simple one nighter enroute stops as well as multiple night "get away from it all" quiet relaxation. Flagstaff itself close enough for shopping and pretty close for dump and fresh water for longer stays. YMMV. I hope I haven't rambled too much.

Gary, I recently picked up one to try as the new CCC2 is too big for my wall space where the original front thermostat is mounted. Hopefully it will function as advertised and DW can read the icons. BTW, unless I decide to keep it (them) as a "just in case" spare for a while, I will be removing that 5 button thermostat, and I have compatible 5 button control boards for both the new penguin II HP as well as vintage penguin HP as I just swapped in a new HP because of a compressor lockup failure in the old unit. (In case someone might need a part.). Or if I don't like the microair after trying it for a while, then that would be available instead...

Besides tow bars, don't forget to check how solid the base plate is. This was the view of car once we removed the front plastic to investigate a little looseness. Always check all attachment points for any unusual feel. And when going down the road, please check your rear camera!!! In a different instance from a couple years prior, I know of one case where one arm of the tow bar broke and the car banged the rear of the coach from side to side for well over 50 miles before the driver paid any attention. (Two lane Alaska roads where vehicles following could not get driver's attention flashing lights/blowing horn nor safely pull beside nor pass. No cell service to call either. Vehicles following finally gave up. Hard to believe it wasn't felt nor visible from the side mirrors. It was amazing to see how well the one remaining arm stayed attached throughout all the damage.) And I've seen emergency brakes left on or vehicle in park (luckily dragging across the dirt), but stopped those drivers before they left the park. And satellite dishes and bat wings up. And a door awning out on a rainy day. Always inspect before pressing the D button (including lights), check for wheels turning, and tow bar arms not collapsing when applying the brakes in the first 50 feet or less. If you use a dolly, check the tie downs as the load may shift or settle after a couple of turns. Just had my Roadmaster tow bar inspected by the Roadmaster service team at Perry GA and got a thumbs up, but I will still look it over each time. FWIW

My original Aqua Jet II just suddenly gave up the ghost (less than a week ago) after working perfectly for years, including all through latest So Texas freeze where we disconnected from city water and used the tank exclusively during the freeze. I verified power at the pump and concluded pump just went bad. Installed a new SureFlo (4 GPM, 10A vs original 5.3 GPM 10A) from what I could find on the road while driving from Tx to GA as it was at the first potty stop that we had no water 😟, and was planning some overnights just parking on the way. The SureFlo has different pressure specs for by-pass and internally routes water from outlet back to the input side (supposedly accumulator not needed but for simplicity I kept it in the system. I may want/need another check valve after I see how well this design works in low city water pressure situations with Auto Fill enabled, but at least I have water again.) Runs a little quieter and even though the GPM is stated as lower, it seems to be adequate in the few days of use so far. The 10A max draw matched the original pump. So I would verify power at the pump first. Pumps do die and shouldn't blow fuses. There may be a better pump out there but I was on the road needing water.... FWIW

We've been here since Friday (in HH-12) laying out the parking grid. ('07 Beaver PT)

I've been considering Continental HSR2. Always liked my Michelins but debating on the sidewall cracking issue. However, I usually about wear them out in 6-7 years anyway. Probably pull the trigger in two months or less.

I've seen some very obviously long combinations going down the road. Does LEO typically turn their eyes away from maximum vehicle lengths? Couldn't they get picky if someone was having a bad day? https://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/trailer-dimensions/

(For a Hopper) use the Dish remote and press menu, scroll to get to settings, then Enter in the code for the auxiliary device and also set volume and mute buttons to be controlled by Auxiliary device. Or perhaps you can bluetooth the audio. I don't have a sound bar but use the Sony surround sound system this way. I only have experience with the Dish Hooper in the coach so don't know about Wally or other Dish receivers.

I realize that my '07 Beaver PT (built in Oregon 09/06) is likely different, but on mine low down by the front door are Carling switches for outside power to the TV motor mechanism and direction Up/Down (as well as the salesman switch). Both Carling Ext TV switches must be pressed at the same time to move the TV. Also hidden behind the passenger couch on the slide wall is what looks like a residential light switch that kills power to the outside TV movement mechanism. By the way, if the TV is down even an eighth of an inch the magnetic reed interlock switch on the TV mechanism will prevent you from moving the passenger slide in or out. I can't recall for sure but mine might have sagged a couple millimeters once when the power switch behind the couch was accidentally turned off by stuffing a blanket over the edge, thus I couldn't retract the slide when getting ready to travel. Just FYI...

Wouldn't the smart surge protector / smart transfer switch detect bad voltage values and not pass the harmful voltage thru? I'm NOT gonna try it with a 240 three wire dryer outlet, but my transfer switch rejects voltage >130 (about, could be 133) or <104 (about) or open neutral or open ground or one hot leg open, .... Would it also reject 120 volts between neutral and ground? Wouldn't the "miss wired plug" and a "dog bone" put the same split phase leg from the plug to what should be L1 and L2, the other split phase of the 240 "dryer plug" to neutral, and the plugs neutral to ground? Thus the smart switch should see way to much voltage (>220) between either L1 or L2 and "effective" neutral in addition to the big voltage difference between "neutral" and "ground". My internal contactor is open until the smarts decides "ok", sometimes pretty much immediately ok ( <1 second) but other times maybe a couple minutes when one leg dropped out but came back on (such as a "cheater" setup that tripped one breaker) or switching to generator. Agreed that an older coach with no "smarts" could be badly damaged. Anyway, just thinking our smart protection devices should protect us from bad environments. Isn't this the reason we paid big bucks for the plug in protectors in the first place?

It's not a 600 per se, but close to it with 16 gallons of antifreeze, which if hot at 180 to 195 would raise 30+ gallons of fresh tank water from 60 to 100 for my shower, or 20 gallons from close to freezing to my shower temp without any input heat. The tank also seems well insulated. As I recall, the 600 has two electric elements where as I only have one, but when it kicks in, I can take a very long shower to come out even more wrinkled. 😃. I asked Lloyd De Gerald (south central AH guy) about adding the second element, but he said the tank wasn't tapped for it.

As to AH, electric is always on when parked on shore power. Diesel rarely used, but will turn it on for a cycle once a month if it hasn't been used for boondockoing or below freezing reasons for comfort heat. When on 30 amp, AH electric load shares with front A/C Heat pump (i.e. when front penguin draws >2A, intellitec drops the AH electric element. Same principle as washer load shares the BR penguin dropping the penguin when the washer is running. When on 50A, the AH is independent of the front penguin.). If traveling and just overnight boondock, engine loop heated AH enough all day so sitting overnight still has hot water in AM for 5-7 minute showers using onboard water. I don't consider that a "navy shower" using just left over heat, but is less than the 15 minute showers others mentioned. However, if on shore power, I can easily take 15 minute shower using only electric. Then again, I don't like a scalding hot shower either. YMMV Backlight set to time out after usage. Any tap on the panel lights it up so I can see the switch labels. i.e. picture below shows one panel that has backlighting on due to tap (right) while adjacent panel on the left is still off. The other light spots on the switches indicates the switch status. One switch (ceiling rope) is on even though that panel's backlighting us off. The other indicators are just flash reflections. I forget exactly how backlighting was set in the "brain", but I think by holding the master off switch for multiple seconds. We prefer the switches dark at night. Coaches are different ('07 PT) so what works for me may not be ideal for you. Extending my thoughts a little more, another method I sometimes use when on only 30a and needing a couple of penguins running for cooling is to turn off the two main panel breakers feeding the inverter thus the subpanel feeding the fridge, satellite, tv, microwave, outlets, etc is running off solar and batteries. Then at night, flip breakers back on to top off the batteries overnight.

Keith, Thought I might go the more "permanent" dynamic balancing route this time. Used Equal, etc in the past that I had been happy with balancing out stones picked up in the tread, etc. BTW, we might be twins...desert sunset paint scheme too, but can't tell if you are also a Winchester III? Claire and Rett tried unsuccessfully to get us to join when we were parked next to them at a SC region rally a few years ago, I think that was just after they had traded their Marquis. By the way, did we casually run into each other at Bend Sales a couple years ago ... fall '19? I remember seeing my twin there and we discussed asbestos on the AH exhaust. It could have been another exact twin. My apologies to the group for too much OT rambling ... Need to figure out how to PM on this board.

Ivan, I hope the tech asks easy questions. Not sure I could accurately measure those distances on the coach. I can count lugs but that is about it. Keith, (Hello fellow '07 Patriot Thunder driver). Shot comment was just a random side thought as I'm thinking ahead about the future as Canada border still closed, and who knows what international travel might require going forward. Couldn't get across last year. I remember decades ago having to get shots and the yellow vaccination record card to get into some countries. Will we need a Covid "passport"? Who knows at this point, but we want to travel again, and while Moderna was available we started the process. Long term side effects unknown but we may be gone or unable to travel by then anyway. I understand the concerns and hesitations of others. Sorry for the distraction from my main concern of getting the right balance masters for my coach.

Any vendor known to be at Perry this March that carries Balance Masters? I'm looking to pick up sets for front, drive, and tag soon. (The manufacturer site is very confusing to figure out what to order.) New tires planned upon return from GA before summer trip to Alaska... assuming one can get though Canada... We've had our first of the two shots.

I second this suggestion. At least unplug/replug the data connector several times. I had a similar issue with a heat pump cycling every couple of minutes and repluging the connection fixed it.

Just comments based on my AH system, which evidently is very different from the above coach system. I hardly ever turn on the diesel as the electric element keeps up under most circumstances, including our showers, which I would typically classify as a "non Navy" type. The exception might be if it is in the 40's and I head to the shower AFTER I have been using the AH heat in the front zone as it is quieter than the heat pump when watching TV. Then the diesel is more of a "belt and suspenders" tactic just in case. If temp in the 30's or lower, then yes, diesel is switched on too. Or when boondocking. As for the engine loop pre-heat, I either read or heard at a FMCA seminar, to turn that pump switch off when the engine is running so the two pumps don't fight each other. When driving, I have always had plenty of AH heat in all three zones (controlled via the two CCC thermostats) via just the engine loop as circulated via the engine's water pump. If I were ever in the market for a new coach, I'd want a 600D (which I think is today's version closer to my old system) versus a 450 or 400 or hydro hot. Just offering a different opinion based on a different model. YMMV

With the exception of 2020, we use about 1/2 tank of propane each year, but also use it for the BBQ and fire pit. Also a res fridge and basement freezer and watch/record daily tv, use led lights, etc; 600 watts on roof...run Genny once a day in the AM. If unplug basement freezer and gone all day(s) sight seeing so Sat+TV off, can go Thurs night to Sunday before starting Genny (if ☀️). Also macerating toilet but if only P one can flush with no additional water by using both buttons simultaneously, so we can go about a week, but black tank is indeed limiting compared to fresh and gray. The boondocks can be a great experience. A few years ago camping in a non sewer site, and Fri night a Southwind pulls in next door. Guess it was a "girls only" weekend expedition. Three of them and tanks overflowing Sat night so they left even tho their reservation showed thru Sunday. YMMV

Dwight, did you order White or Black Penguin II heat pumps? I was wondering if black was more available? I ordered polar white and it looks like the same # as yours unless I missed something.

Interesting, I also ordered two from rvpartscountry.com, but I ordered mine Oct 24th and have not received them yet. I did get the acknowledgement of the order and the charge card has been billed and paid. I wasn't in a big hurry as a couple of months fit my schedule. Maybe I'll get notified soon. So much for a FIFO queue.... I see other sites still advertising "backordered".

I've also had TST (non color display and repeater in the engine bay of the coach) for several years, and basically happy. One minor annoying "problem" I have is one to three or more sensors (coach and toad as well experience this) will suddenly (and almost simultaneously) set an alarm of high pressure. ... Like 545 lbs (coach) or 400 something (toad). It may go off for 3-5 minutes then read normal values again. Strangely, many times it happens just as we slow down or turn into the campground ... I've sometimes joked "there's our arrival alarm ... Time to wake up dear...". Once in a while one may go off crossing an overpass. It is not any particular sensor, and happens even with new batteries. Sometimes it happens in the AM as I've turned the monitor on as I pack up sewer/water/elec, in which case the repeater is off as it is on a switched ignition circuit. The coach is flow through sensors while the toad is the other (maybe why one kind reads 500 something lbs and the other 400 something). As the tire(s) couldn't just magically gain a few hundred pounds in an instant, I just press a button to silence it and continue onward... Anybody else experience this weird behavior?

It likely is not the problem, but if your rear run box is designed with all the red (and other color) circuit status leds, when it shuts down and you coast to the side of the road, leave the ignition switch on and immediately look at those leds. If by chance you have a marginal relay, the box may be all or partially dark. If so, try tapping the PCB mounted relays involved with ignition or engine run or transmission to see if a bad wiper contact and the vibration makes contact again. Might also check the FRB if it has similar led indicators. I mention this as although I have a Cat C13 and newer coach, I had a problem for two years where I would I would lose power for a couple of seconds or totally quit and end up coasting to the side of the road. Simply cycling the ignition switch one to three times and it would start right back up. Might go 5 miles or 1000 miles between failures. Techs could never find it. No codes as to the ECM it looked like the key was just turned off. I finally found it in the middle of a small road in northern Quebec as I just pulled out of CG and died with no speed to coast to the side, and the ignition switch cycling didn't work that time, but a tap on the right relay and the box lit up like a Christmas tree again, so off I went. Couple hundred miles later I was in a big enough town to get a pigtail for a socket (and soldering iron) to temporarily wire in a standard relay to bypass (actually in parallel) with the bad relay on that board... and used that for a few thousand miles till I got home to solder in a new PCB mounted relay that I could only find online (for about a buck or two ... cheap enough just impossible to find on the road). (BTW, I now carry a solder iron and another one of those relays and temporary pigtail as my coach has them all over the place on many circuit boards... It would have been nice if all those boards used sockets and standard automotive relays, but they didn't.) Anyway, your problem is likely something totally different, but just a thought to look at. Sorry for the long story.