JDCrow

1 hour ago, Scotty Hutto said:

Here’s my current setup, which is still evolving…. Left to right: TireMinder TPMS (running on an old iPhone 6, soon to be replaced), 10” 4:3  Eyoyo monitor - divided into three screens, rear, left, and right cameras. Garmin RV780 GPS unit. Below and to the right, original Weldex screen showing Aladdin engine data full time, and to the off to the right of that (not in picture), Pioneer double-din stereo. 
 

All of the dash mounted equipment is using Ram mounts.  Most ideas shamelessly stolen from @pwhittle  

it took some trial and error to get things positioned low enough so they don’t distract from my road vision but also high enough so they don’t cover any dash gauges. 
 

Next project is to replace the failing Weldex with an 8” 4:3 Eyoyo monitor and rear camera control switch…

 

While I appreciate eyes on the road, your set up would be hard for me. 

1 hour ago, Chargerman said:

Nice work!  It’s coming along great!

Thanks, lots of pick up work left. Just soooo very happy wife approves. She was not sold on it but now says it’s very comfortable. Have a Utah trip planned this fall so she must be ok, LOL 

59 minutes ago, Tony G said:

We've had our 2002 Monaco Windsor for two years now and I am curious if the value of our coach has gone up?  After looking around on RV Trader it would see that it has but I think some of you on this site may be closer to the real market.

RV is only worth what someone will pay for it. That said, a lot depends on size and location. Big 40’ wete cheaper than the smaller ones. It took me 6-8 months of looking before I bought mine. I’d like to think it’s up 15k, but I’ll have that into it LOL. 
 

Big dealer here in Oregon has billboards across the state offering “top dollar” and there are very few DP out here for sale. Condition is everything as well. 
 

BTW, my 02 Dip, Paid 32k sight unseen. Had a buddy go make sure everything worked and it didn’t stink. Wired money and he took it home. Drove 16 hours to get it. 
 

I too look for a pull back when people get tired of paying for storage and start calculating actual costs of ownership.

It’s now or never to sell if you want out 

You are right on the money, the housing is not designed for LED. 
 

Projectors, either for LED or HID are your best bet. 

Their are companies that will split housings, add projectors and reseal the housings. Not the cheapest, but they are awesome at night. 

Well, not sure if this helps. 
 

I just finished this up. The 10” Boss deck is single Din floating. It will do 2 cameras. It has 2 USB ports, one for Apple/android voice control. The other port just does charging. 
 

the IPad mini is a Gen 5, there is an adapter (Tadi bros? I’d have to look it up) and you can have 4 cameras on in run at the same time. Not sure if you’d have to update all cameras. I kinda torn between adding more cameras or not. Beauty of the iPad is you can take it with you, which I do for off-road maps. Phone and iPad held with RAM mounts 
 

This my start, and will add along the way 

I’m in the same boat. Thanks for posting the question. 

Hanging out with some time to kill at the lake. Been wanting to fill in the hole from the Jensen. 
 

The IPad will link to a Garmin BT GPS, Or use Apple Maps. Phone supplying tunes and phone calls to Head unit. Head unit will also get a camera hook up next on the list. 

1 minute ago, Gary M said:

is this it?
 

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SHARP-MICROWAVE-PANEL-PART-FPNLCB215MRKO-/382787585447?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286

Similar, but it’s missing the door open button and the other buttons on the bottom 

Just took mine out. I can take those parts off and send to you. 

38 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

Espar is smaller with higher BTU's, easier to maintain and far less expensive than the Webasto.

Aqua-Hot uses the Webasto and I have one. The original Aqua-Hot failed at just over 4 years of service. Had to have a rebuilt Aqua-Hot installed (very expensive) which has lasted 15 years now but not without expensive problems and repairs. The control box alone is a $900 item and you get pretty tired shelling out that kind over and over again. Can't tell you how many control boxes I have had to buy over the 17 years of owning the coach. Luckily I just bought 2 from a vendor in Europe for less than one here in the states and with free shipping. They started out with silver control boxes, then switched to Solid State black boxes and now they have an entirely different type of control box that I have never seen before on the Aqua-Hot web site. Have no idea how good it is.

Awesome thanks for the insight 

1 minute ago, Scotty Hutto said:

Progressive Industries, Hughes, and SurgeGuard are all popular, reputable brands, although a strong majority on this site prefer the Progressive Industries EMS-HW-50C based on the experience of our members over the years that this group has been around - both on Yahoo! Groups and now here.  It's a very robust unit with great customer service and a good warranty.  I believe @Tom Cherry has an excellent write-up on the installation (possibly in the files section?)

Here's the installation I did myself in my coach using Tom's guidance:

Progressive Industries EMS-HW-50C installed with display and display switch in electrical bay.

Indoor remote installed on my indoor display panel. 

That’s the unit in my 5vr, easy to wire and as well. It has a great rep on 5ver sites as well. You can’t go wrong with it. I just wanted the blue tooth side of the Hughes as I love the VictronConnect in my 5ver and will be adding it to coach. So it’s just a techie thing. If you are not into the Bluetooth, I’d go with the progressive 

8 minutes ago, Paul Busch said:

Can I hard wire it myself or would I need an electrician?

paulb

You can do it, I’ve did both. Just need room to access 

I have the progressive in my 5vr, hardwired with the readout inside. It’s trustworthy. 
 

Just put Hughes Watchdog in my coach. It works fine as well. It’s also hardwired and has Bluetooth so you can see the info on your phone. 
 

Ones made in Mexico, the other in China 

2 hours ago, Dr4Film said:

Stay away from Aqua-Hot and Hydro Hot.

I highly recommend an Espar Diesel Heating System for RV's. A friend of mine in Washington State has installed two, one in his 03 Diplomat (now gone) and one in his current 02 HR Sceptre.

I’ll look into them. Was leaning towards Webatso 

14 minutes ago, Batmobile said:

Makes sense if you don't have a gas range.

I do, but the portable hot plates work awesome 

2 hours ago, Batmobile said:

Just had a quick look online...not replacing the furnace. $$$

Do you have any pics?

All about the space. To get rid of the propane tank would free up a huge bay for me 

46 minutes ago, Batmobile said:

Downloaded but was "forbidden"

Things are really tight...even if we go Fisher-Pakel we need more height. 

I'm even thinking of looking for a newer lower profile furnace,...if there is such a thing.

Okay, got it and see that Bob didn't need to lower his furnace at all. We need to. It would mean making modifications to the exterior access door. 

Been thinking Diesel heater down the road 

4 minutes ago, Larry Laursen said:

Based on your signature you have a 34' coach.  The shorter coaches are light on the front because the engine overhang at the rear is the same for all coaches of the same model.  Thus, when you have a 40' coach there is more leverage on the front and additional weight on the front axle.  I  would recommend getting it weighted and moving as much forward as possible.  The ride height controls will set the pressure to maintain the ride height.  No other adjustments of air bag pressure is required.

Yeah with the Shorty you loose a bay or two that is needed to add that weight. I only have 1 pass through.  The rest of the bays have coach operation stuff in them. 

32 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

Axle weight is better than not knowing ANY weight however it doesn't tell you if one corner is significantly heavier than the opposite corner. That has been discovered by  a few members where one side is 500 lb's heavier than the opposite side. Plus it had nothing to do with storage weight  where you can shift that around but was attributed to slide weight. If one corner is heavier by a significant amount then the psi has to be calculated based on the heavier side. That's where axle weight only gives you part of the equation by taking the axle weight and dividing by two or four depending on the axle.

Well I can say, on the passenger side is the fridge, toilet, dresser, washer/dryer combo, all the batteries and inverter, propane tank, furnace, and I think the grey and black tanks are weighted to that side. I’d guarantee that it it heavier than the drivers side 

1 hour ago, Dr4Film said:

Ride Height specs are based on each specific coach model not on the weight that it is or carrying.

Corner weights are the only true way to know what cold psi would be needed to carry that weight based on your tire size and model. I always add 5 psi to each tire over what the calculation determined as a safety factor.

My TPMS is set up to alarm me when it reaches the minimum psi not with the added 5 psi. That way I never go below what is required to carry the weight safely.

https://www.michelinb2b.com/wps/b2bcontent/PDF/RV_Brochure_ENG.pdf

I will corner weigh next time instead of axle weigh. 

2 minutes ago, Donflem said:

 I was having the same problem with my 07 Dynasty I just added a little more pressure to the tag axle and it took the sway out of the front axle made it much more enjoyable to drive. I’m a retired truck driver so when I checked all the axle weights I found too much weight on my tag axle,  so I reduce the pressure on the tag And that made the front end  Squirrley  so I added 2 pounds back to the tag axle and everything smoothed out.

Don

Likewise I used to drive class 8 trucks (Dump, Belly, End, Chip) and had drop axles. So we could add/subtract air to move the weight around. If I felt steering (light) I’d lower the PSI in the drop axle. 
 

Coupled with my pickup thoughts, I didn’t know if either lowering the front PSI or raising the back PSI would shift more weight front to give me the feeling I’m after. 
 

I will day say now thinking about it, the rear is squatting more with the weight. Now I’m wondering if this is right height is not correct for the weight in the rear? 
 

Thanks again 

39 minutes ago, David Pratt said:

You will not be able to add Cross bars to the Front on that Model coach. The generator location prohibits that installation. You can only add them to the rear and that will make a difference.

.

OK, I thought I read where Mike (seller) has them on the font of his coach, but I digress I don’t know his Gen set up. 
 

I have them on the rear. Love them. The rear of the coach feels solid. I have zero complaints with the rear. 

Thanks everyone.

I have front watts installed, and it drives much nicer. Thinking of adding the cross bars to front as well. I just think it needs more weight on the front to be more “hunkered” or glued, but there is no way to add weight. (I’m at 8500 lbs)

I can say passing trucks are not felt. It’s a very nice feeling to not be pushed over. 

I also think there is play in my new TRW box. Based on what ones say here there should be zero. 

Little more work. Thanks again 

So just throwing this out to get my brains warmed up and working. 
 

On my truck and 5vr combo, I have a set of bags on the rear of the rear of the truck to level it up when hooked to the trailer.

Now I cannot exceed 30 psi in the bags or it takes off to much weight and the truck gets squirley. 

Now on my Dip. I feel like the back axle is just dialed weight wise with all the gear loaded in. It has settled in and the weight is being carried great. 

The front however makes me feel like there is to much air in the bags. It’s not as glued to the road IMO. I cannot add weight to the front. 

So my question, are the bags designed to have say X amount of PSI in them based on axle weight? Or are they simply ride height or for comfort? 

I feel like I should be taking air out of the front bags, but I don’t have enough knowledge to understand it. 
 

As a side point, what’s the incl/decl switch on the dash? 
 

How many had to remove a window? Front or side? Cost? 
 

 Anyone go through a door? We got our WD combo through the front door at 25” for the unit