bftownes

On 4/11/2023 at 6:57 AM, Gweedo said:

Good morning all, I'm about to purchase the Toyo M144 most equivalent my now 7=YO Michelins.   My question is,  the tire shop said they use "bead" balancing.  I hadn't heard of this process until I spoke with a buddy.  I guess he has an issue with one wheel every time he fills with air, apparently a bead becomes lodged in the stem not allowing it to seal.  He's got to try over n over until he gets it.  

Have any of you had the bead balancing in place of the normal weighted balancing, isues/no issues with the stems or tire wear?

 

Thnx

In 2000, I ordered a new  2001 Diplomat LE to full-time in.  Did it for 10 years (that was enough).  I had a trusted truck tire dealer, who also had a diesel pusher.  When I bought new tires, he talked me into the balancing beads.  We left on a long trip out west (from Tennessee).  I have a CO2 tank that I use to air my tires and was using it at a campsite during the trip.  I noticed that air was escaping from the valve stem and I couldnt stop it.  I quickly put the alligator valve stem cover back on and it seemed to quit.  I called Coach Net and told them I thought the valve stem was faulty.  Coach Net came out, he agreed and replaced the valve stem and aired all my tires.  I stopped to get fuel and noticed that the front, passenger tire was nearly flat, fortunately the truck stop was able to help me.  Then, I had the same situation when airing tires in another campground.  I was in a mess.  

I called my tire guy and he told me that the wrong size beads had been used and were getting wedged in the valve stem.   I told him that I wanted those beads GONE and he agreed to reimburse me the cost of dismantling each tire and removing the beads.  I was in Arizona and he was in Tennessee.  

Now, I never had the rear tires balanced, but THINK I did the front, not sure why; it was a long time ago.  With the tires not being balanced, I never experience any vibration or abnormal wear.

I finally sold the DipLE and now have a 31' Phoenix Cruiser.  It is so much easier in every aspect of motorhome ownership.  We do miss the room, but totally enjoy the PC.  Keep in mind that at 72, I no longer want the "hassles" of a diesel pusher.  Your mileage may vary.  I still learn from and enjoy this forum.  Finally, I am not a charter member here, but close.  I had many "disputes" with Bill D, he never realized he was no longer a colonel in the Air Force. 😇😊

1 hour ago, Chuck B 2004 Windsor said:

Don't you mean parallel instead perpendicular?  Chuck B

Many states require a braking system for what is towed that weighs over a given limit.  Chuck B 

Yes, I meant parallel.

1 hour ago, JDCrow said:

https://support.rvpartshop.com/support/solutions/articles/62000212074-dinghy-towing-braking-laws-by-state-province

We have all seen articles like this.  Not trying to be a contrarian, but when presented with data like this, I always ask "how many people have your personally met that has received a ticket or even a warning for not having a braking system".   Three years ago, I was at Elkhart Campground in Elkhart, IN.  There was a Canadian there in a large DP.  I told him that I had heard that Canada will not allow a motorhome and toad across the border without a braking system.  He laughed and said "bull sh**".

I have well over 100,000 miles towing a toad.  Two Jeep Wranglers and now a GMC Terrain.  Full-timed for ten years in a new 2001 Diplomat LE.  Never used a braking system.  However, I have always made sure my tow bar was perpendicular to the street once hooked-up.  People towed toads for years and millions of miles before braking systems were invented.  Now, this is just my opinion, but, I think braking systems are a cash cow for the manufacturers and the retail outlets that sell and install them.  

8 hours ago, 96 EVO said:

In my opinion, this is the main problem in this world today!

You think I'm bad..... LOOK at him!!!!!!!!!

I live in B.C Canada, so practically all of our power is from dropping water from a high level to a low level. 

Yes, we use batteries to store power just like the rest of the world.

When you haven't solved your own problems, it's not time to point your finger at other countries!

Give me a break!  Chuck simply had the balls to make a true statement on a social media platform.  What exactly are "your own problems"?

3 hours ago, Paul A. said:

I was very involved in the various phases of the Design, Manufacturing and Construction of the Alaskan Pipeline. You can not immage what went on with the enviorment, and the land, during the construction.  The spill was minute, to say the least, in comparision. 

You are correct...I cannot imagine.  So, enlighten me.

12 hours ago, Ray Davis said:

Spend the night in it then it won't be unattended.    

You don't want frozen pipes so start the generator and turn on the heat.   I think the picture below is what Chuck is referring to but that will not clear the water from your Aquahot.  People have ended up with a burst copper coil trying to blow water from the Aquahot. It froze and burst anyway.

The adapter in question is similar to that BUT...the end is the same as a tire valve stem.  Use it as if putting air in a tire.  

When I had my 2001 Dip LE, I had a residential fridge installed after many Norcold failures.  The fridge had no power when traveling and lost very little of its cold when traveling from point "A" to point "B".  Boondocking would be another story.

34 minutes ago, Chuck B said:

A few things to keep in mind when purchasing aluminum rims.  Most rims are Not polished on Both sides. Therefore when rotating tires, you have to dismount, turn over, and remount tires when moving from axle to axle.  The openings in the rims are unique to Monaco only.  Don't know if Monaco used the same rims on Beaver coaches.  The inner rims on the rear axle is made from steel.  Rotating tires can be an expensive cost.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

I have NEVER heard of anyone rotating motorhome tires, nor have I heard it recommended..

When we decided to go full-time in 2001, we traded in our Bounder and bought a new 2001 Diplomet LE.  It had a beautiful, full-body paint, cherry cabinets, etc.  It also had the NoCold 1200.  Over a few years, I spent a lot of money on the POS fridge.  The best money I ever spent was at Iron Horse RV in San Antonio.  They removed the Norcold, went to Lowes and bought a residential fridge and installed it.  They did an excellent job of installation and carpentry modifications.  The fridge held it's cold during travel.  I had the option of plugging into the installed inverter plug (part of the fridge installation), but chose not to.  I had read that the inverter might produce "dirty" electricity and damage the fridge. 

Now my current moho, a 2019 Phoenix Cruiser, has a Norcold fridge.  I debated on whether or not to go with a compressor-type fridge, but went with the Norcold in hopes they have improved.  It does a better than decent job...until I am in temps approaching 90 and above.  It keeps cool enough for food etc, but my beer is not cold enough.  If the Norcold ever fails, I will head to Iron Horse RV and have a residential installed.  If the option for installing a residential during the build had been available, I would have jumped on it.  I will eventually have fans installed to blow across the coils.  The Norcold is not in a slide.  

47 minutes ago, Scotty Hutto said:

Hopefully this hasn’t happened to you, but we’ve had an issue with certain email servers reporting the newsletter as spam. It’s not necessarily the individual, usually their email service.  Yahoo and all its affiliates (AT&T, ymail, Bellsouth, etc) are particularly bad. 
 

When that happens, our providers spam protection system automatically blocks that email address from being sent any email so as not to harm their servers’ email reputation. (Multiple spam reports - particularly from the same source - can cause a server to be labeled a spam server).  When that happens, I have to submit a support ticket for that specific email address to be restored.  If it happens a second time, there’s nothing I can do to fix it. 
 

if you do not receive future emails, please send me a direct message through the “contact us” email link and include your email address. 

Scotty

Thanks, Scotty.  I was referring to daily emails from RVTravel.com  

Barry 

Upon seeing this comment, I realized that I had not received my daily emails in several weeks.  I wonder what happened?  I re-subscribed.

Barry T

On 2/25/2021 at 2:57 PM, Paul A. said:

I meet a guy in Indio, Ca. in 11-2005 at a RV Park who was inflating his coach tires with a  powertank.com . He was a distributor for the product. I purchased a 15# Tank and all the accessories for the use of it. I had the tank filled with Nitrogen, MY choice. It was amazing. Filled coach tires from 105# to 110# in less than -1- minute. I installed it in the coach basement, with quick disconnects, and used a 50' hose to air up the coach and toad from either side of the coach. The tank of nitrogen would last 1 to 1-1/2 years between refills, costing between 12-14$  at Gas Supply businesses around the country as we were Full Timers.  I paid 495$ for it, and  Sold it in Spring of 2014 for 350$.  I would do it again . 

Before my comment, I have been on this site from the early days, probably 2002.  I bought a new 2001 Diplomat LE and went full-time for 10 years.  In the early days, this site was invaluable to this DP newbie.  Bill and I had our disputes, but he seemed to be a fair man.  He had that "Military Officer Mentality" <grin> and scolded me several times.  I was saddened when I stumbled back on this blog to learn of his death.  I never actually met him.  

Back to air tanks...I was always having trouble finding a place to air my tires and subsequently bought a Power Tank contraption.  It still serves me well.  It was invaluable in my full-timing days that went from 2001 to 2011.  I have downsized and still use it now.  I used to have it filled in Knoxville, TN from a small, mom n' pop, fire extinguisher company.  I use CO2 and the cost was less than $15.00.  Due to limited storage space in my current moho, I now carry it in the backseat floor board of my toad, a GMC Terrain.  I highly recommend the Power Tank.  It makes adding air to those big tires a total breeze.

Finally, are there any members here from 2002 and on?  I remember a guy I met in Memphis named Chuck.  He had a beautiful, black Windsor.  I believe it was on the famed semi-monocoque chassis.  Windsors later came with the "other" chassis.  Raised rail?  Even though no longer in the Monaco family, I still enjoy this blog and find things applicable to me.  

Barry Townes

2019 Phoenix Cruiser, Model 3100