Bob Wightman

Following. My 2006 HR Scepter the shades on both driver & passenger side won't retract (I have to roll them up by hand) and have been on my list to fix, just haven't gotten that far down the list since purchasing in December 2023. The power shade on the passenger side of the window works but does not completely retract, also on the list to figure out why (since the drivers side does) but hasn't been in my way so its towards the bottom of the list next to the other two shades. I figure both should be easy to fix but will follow for advice from others that have already taken these tasks on and how they completed them.

I agree with DavidL, the only thing to add is to have mineral sprits on hand, a lot of rags, and rolls of blue tape. Having done this kind of work many times, put the blue tape on at the point where you don't want the urethane to get on your paint (it wants to go everywhere), carefully apply the caulking as if there was no blue tape there, tool with mineral spirits on your hand/glove. When all the caulk is installed immediately remove the blue tape and clean any excess with rags soaked with mineral spirits. I have found that this method creates a nice clean line that looks like the windshield gasket just extends onto the paint surface and stops any potential or current leaks. This method also works for belt line seal & slide out panel caulking failures.

I'm going through this with my 16 HR Scepter, finding all the push connectors on the air lines are leaking. A spray bottle with soapy water and a flashlight will tell you where the problems are if you want to crawl up under it and take a look. Easy to fix if you don't mind working in tight quarters.

Thank you for your concern, and I initially had the same concerns. Although the total combined package probably weighs that much, the tongue weight is probably only 500-1000 pounds. My 06 Ford F-350 tows the same package without a problem but does struggle a little getting up to speed, but the motorhome tows it with absolutely no problems. The key is weight distribution when loading the trailer and having electric brakes on all axles of the trailer to get everything stopped. On the 04 Knight the only problem I had to continually monitor was my speed...it towed the rig like it wasn't back there and sometimes I found myself driving like it wasn't there (look down and doing 75-80). When towing I like to not exceed 65 MPH and I triple the following distance. I expect the Scepter with the 8 bag suspension vs the Knight with 4 bag suspension will tow even better, and the bigger motor will also help.

I saw those exact stainless steel louvered vents and was considering using them, and I still may in the top solid area. I was just concerned that they would be big enough and am still pursuing replacing the doors with some off of a rear radiator model coach. If I cant find them, or if that option is too expensive, I'm considering 12x24 horizontal linear HVAC grills (one for each door) with a 4x60 linear grill in the solid area centered above the doors so it all looks symmetrical. With the 12x24 I can also add temperature controlled electric fans to the back of them. I also want to do the remote mounted transmission cooler, just to be safe. My concern for all this is that I tow everywhere I go. My trailer rigs run from a small airboat trailer and step up (I think I have 5 trailers) to a 28' dual tandem flatbed trailer that carries my swamp buggy, side-by-side, and ATV's (pictures attached of the 28' flatbed) that I've never weighed but approximate at 15-20K pounds total weight. My last Monaco Knight with an ISC 8.3L 330HP Cummins with a 6 speed tranny towed all of these with no problems. However, that rig did not have a transmission temp gauge so I really never knew if the tranny got hot, it just never seemed hot or gave any problems. When I decided to get a larger rig I also decided a bigger motor would be a good idea so the ISL 8.8L 400HP Cummins in the Scepter seemed like the perfect combination. The trip I just took was pulling the 20' dual tandem ATV trailer with two ATV's and a golf cart, the rig pulled it like it wasn't even there, the only problem was maneuvering at the campground and only with trans Temp. To me, the engine bay compartment is poorly engineered as far as removing the heat, I think my plan will solve that problem. If this works as expected I will post pictures and part numbers so that others can copy if they choose too and not have to do this much research.

my BlueFire has all the data inputs available, its just not getting any transmission Info because its a separate diagnostic port on my RV. Being a 2006 all the mechanics are surprised that its not a 9 Pin plug, and most of their scanners won't even read the 6 pin plug. There was one mechanic that scanned it that thought he could get the transmission data lead up into the drivers engine diagnostic port so the BlueFire could see it and then display that info. I'll have to get back to him now that i'm back from the trip to see if he can actually do it. What you did with the external transmission cooler is exactly what I have in mind. After reading input from others I was considering using only an external cooler for the transmission. On another toy I have (a swamp buggy I built) had to make the tranny cooler separate both to remove the heat from the radiator caused by the transmission so the engine ran cooler, it also removed the radiator heat from the tranny cooler so it ran cooler too. On that rig I used two Derale coolers in line with each other (one probably would have been fine but I only wanted to do the job once) and that finally solved the heating problem there. I'm sort of using that experience on the Scepter to fix the tranny heat problem. Could you provide the model number of the tranny cooler you used please?

When I had the transmission scanned it was just below the top hash of the normal range and it was 180 degrees, so I then had some understanding of my gauge calibration, figured from that redline top must be about 250 degrees. Driving down the road both coolant and trans temp show the same on each gauge, solid at the top hash of the normal range. My BlueFire says the coolant temp is about 195 degrees, so I figure the trans must be about the same temp. It also seemed the faster I traveled the cooler the gauges read. When I had the trans temp spike parking I put it in neutral and held the RPM's up on the motor and she cooled right down. I plan to add a second trans cooler with electric fan as I tow everywhere I go, figured it could only help. The engine bay venting just seemed like it was also a good idea, and if the engine doors were exchangeable from another rear radiator rig it just seemed like a less "Rube Goldberg" way of doing it then cutting in grills. I'm meeting my paint & body guy this weekend to see if there is anything he can do to modify the existing doors and still make them look great. I would have thought there would already be a plug & play fix for this that I could just buy, but it seems like i'll have to do it the old fashion way and "Find a way" to make it work.

My coolant system seems to be fine. Even when the trans temp went up my coolant temp never went over 200 degrees. I had considered cutting in and adding louvered vents to each door (still not out of the question), which is what got me started thinking that the doors on my 2004 Monaco Knight would be perfect for this application. I then started looking at the size and they appear to be the same size as my Scepter. I figured I could find a pair at Visone RV Salvage, and their website shows some that look great, just need to call them to see if they actually have any of what they show online (tried to buy a basement door for the Knight from them before and they didn't have ANYTHING they showed online available). I was hoping somebody would know if they are the same size and interchangeable, if they are then that would be the best looking and I think best working solution...just have to have them painted to match my rig.

I don't have an Aladdin system on my RV, I only have analog gauges. I added a BlueFire engine monitoring system trying to read actual trans temp., the problem is that my port is only a 6 pin and so the BlueFire only reads coolant temp. There is a port for the transmission that I had scanned, which showed that the high end of the normal range was about 180 degrees so I'm guessing the trans temp went up to around 230-250 when manuvering at low speeds. I'm trying to figure out how to get both engine and transmission into the same diagnostic port so the Bluefire can display both, trying to get my 6 pin port to function as a 9 pin port.

I have double doors on the back of my Scepter. This bracket idea is a good one, it just wont work for me.

Hello Group. I just took the first trip in my new (to me) 2006 Holiday Rambler Scepter 40PDQ, totally happy with my new rig but there is something I think needs to be fixed. The problem is engine bay heat, particularly concerning transmission temperature at slow speed or trying to get parked at a campground. Trying to manage this from knowing of the problem with previous test drives I have already: Had the transmission serviced with new fluids and filters, had the radiator stack cleaned, replaced the hydraulic fan motor, and had transmission & engine scanned for any error codes. My trip over the holiday weekend was three hours each way, while driving the temperatures of both the engine and transmission were stable, and what seems to be normal is the needle at the top hash of the normal range on both gauges. When we arrived at the campground there was a line to get in that required much backing and turning around to get the rig in line and then into the campground and into the parking spot. During those manuvers the engine temp stayed stable but the transmission temp spiked into the red line area. It cooled down quickly when the transmission was put into idle and motor kept running, but the high temp concerned me. I have already contacted my mechanic to plan for adding an additional transmission cooler with an electric fan, which would have to help. My other thought is how to get the heat out. My last RV was a Monaco Knight with a rear radiator, so my engine bay doors were louvered. What i'm wondering is if anybody knows if Monaco/Holiday Rambler use the same size rear doors on rigs with or without side draft radiators? I was thinking that they look like they are the same, and it would make sense to use the same mold for both side draft and rear radiator applications, and if I could find a pair of louvered doors from a similar year make/model I would swap the solid doors I have out to louvered doors and possibly add electric fans on them to pull the heat out. I also am considering adding a linear grill above the doors and below the center stop light LED to help with the heat....just not sure it will be big enough to do the job. While at the campground I drove around in my golf cart and looked at all the newer model DP's with side draft radiator...they pretty much all had vent grills in the back too. I live in South Florida, and this trip was during the cool time of the year, trying to get her ready for the trips during the summer when its almost 100 degrees outside and hotter on the pavement. If anybody has a resource for for finding out door size and exchange ability i would appreciate your sharing the link. Also, any other ideas of how to accomplish cooling the engine bay and still keeping the rig stock (I like the way it looks now) would also be appreciated.

I just found the problem. My meter wasn't set right, I do have power to the light...the pushbutton switch on the light is bad.

Hello Group! I have a (new to me) 2006 HR Scepter that I am having trouble figuring out how to turn on the wall sconce in the living room. I replaced the bulb, removed the light from the wall and checked for 12 volts...nothing. I know there must be a switch somewhere that controls this light and the switch on the sconce lets you turn it off from there too. I've looked all over for where a switch should be and have yet to find it. If somebody could shed some light as to where that switch is, or if I have a blown fuse for just that light only (which would seem strange).

Hello Group! I am the new owner of a 2006 HR Scepter and am going through the "Bring her back to 100%" process. One thing I noticed after replacing the headlight switch to get the instrument lights to work was that the glass on the gauges is cloudy. it just looks like a dirty window in your house that needs to be cleaned, and I'm sure thats all that needs to be done here too...but has anybody taken the gauges out of the dash to try to separate the glass from the gauge to clean the back side of the glass. I ask the question as I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem, i'm just wondering if I pull the gauge out if I can get it apart to clean the back side of the glass? I can live with it "As-Is" but I'd rather not. Any advice would be appreciated.

I received the new lights, 100% same as original. However the shipping box was from eTrailer, so if anybody needs these lights they should look to eTrailer's website first.