Bob Schmeckpeper

2 hours ago, tomevansfl said:

If I have a pull strap it is rolled up in the awning. It makes sense that it would be manual. The control panel for the main patio awning only has one button and a key switch.
 

There are a series of three rocker switches. One says patio light and the another has a red symbol but it is worn/faded to the point I can’t tell what it does. I thought that might control the door awning but as far as I can tell it doesn’t seem to do anything. Any ideas what it’s for?  My RV is in storage so I don’t have the option of photographing them for a few days. 

Is this the setup that you have?

I have a 2001 diplomat. The main awning is  power , the one over the door is a manual pull.  Wonder if you might be missing the pull strap. Post a picture.  

On 8/9/2021 at 9:15 PM, JDCrow said:

Yeah I need to figure out the safety cable hook ups.

I have not settled on a braking system yet. Because we are not full-time, I really do not want a hard mount (air) system. The RVI looks interesting,  but the reviews have people upset because they can’t get screens (tablets) for the system, and I really do not want another 7” screen on my dash. 
 

So it kinda leaves the portable brake systems, which are foreign to me. I’ll have to dig in and figure out how they all work 

I have what some call a lunchbox break. it acts like a surge break. Found it used. Its a little bit of a pain to use but it takes care of the legal issues. It takes about 3min to set up.  To me its just a 3rd redundancy safety precaution.  I don't know about your truck but with my jeep I need to look at the camera or for a shadow in the mirror to be sure its still with me.   

Were to hook up safety cables. Here is what worked good for me. $12 for the pair. 

Here's a little more that I have learned.  Going in its through Algodones. Tight yes, but not any worse than old Town Durango during construction.  One person went alongside incase they had to lift some wires over the ac units.  When you leave you go south to San Luis and come across there. Leaving from Algodones just ain't going to happen. A good part of the road to San Luis is also no picnick. Very narrow & ruff. Just plan on doing no more than about 25 mph. Till you get to the highway.  Talked to 2 people both have have said they would do it again. 

  Keep in mind 90% of the work in that town comes from America's & Canadian's. (Dental, glasses &  prescriptions) The people in that part of Mexico protects the people who bring their money down there.  The last thing they want is a bad unsafe reputation.

February here we come.  

Dang, forgot. 

Don't forget to get Mexico auto insurance.,  (you only need it from the border to Navarro's and then again to get back across the border) & don't have a large trailer painted the same time as the M/H.  You will get your self in a jam on the way back. But you will have a great story to tell. 

NO GUNS OR AMMO! 

A friend went across and on the way back they looked really close and found 1, 22 bullet.  Good thing she was female. It took about 2 hrs longer to get back talking her way out of that one. 

You put 1/2 in your wife's pocket & the other 1/2 in yours. Or you have Navarro pick you up on the American side pay him 1/2 . And you carry the other 1/2. Or you can go across the border twice.  Not hard to figure out, just fellow the rules & use your head. 

3 hours ago, Ray Davis said:

I understand he will meet you on this side of the border to inspect and quote a price.  Then you drive it to Algodones to his shop.   All of that seems ok, but crossing the border with $10 to $15 thousand cash is a little scary.  Does anyone know how the money thing is handled?  

Just talked to a gentleman who had his done 2 yrs ago.  Payment cash, they picked him up on the American side. He paid 1/2 at that point then Navarro drove him to his shop looked over the coach then paid the rest. That information helped my comfort level a lot. 

4 minutes ago, JDCrow said:

That’s what I needed to know. What’s the process now? 

Well learn a little more in the next week.  He deals in cash. No credit card or checks.  He had 1 slot open in November. And one in February.  After that I believe he was open.  

Will keep you informed as I learn.  

20 minutes ago, JDCrow said:

On forums for the shop in Mexico, not American shops. Click the link in my first post 

Most threads are older, so I was hoping someone here has been there recently 

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f258/painting-at-navarro-bros-los-algodones-255734.html

Yes, I will be seeing a gentleman soon who had it done there.  We are scheduled for February to get ours done. $14,000.

7 hours ago, JDCrow said:

I don’t know recently, but posts claimed for big coaches (38-40) in the $5000-$6500 range, Full body paint 

$5000 TO $8000, Were? All the quotes that I have gotten for my 38ft is $28,000 to $30,000 

Three to 4 colors.  

Right now I'm looking at Mexico.  

21 minutes ago, AlanC2 said:

Priced to move quickly!!!!   FREE!  Will not Ship. Must Pick up in BWI area.  I had been looking for an excuse to replace this inverter/charger that came in our 2002 Windsor with a pure sine wave unit. When the inverter side started having issues with AC voltage dropping offline, then coming back, I ordered a new pure sine wave inverter with remote and AGS.  When I went to pull the Trace unit out, I found that one of the "AC Hot Out" wires had worked completely loose in its connector and was the apparent cause of the problem. Also included are the manuals for the two units.  It's a package deal, and I don't have the time, to bother with shipping, so don't even ask.  I'm within 25 miles of BWI airport.  IT"S FREE!!!!!  Price not negotiable. Act quickly before it all goes to the dump.

 

AlanC2

2002 Windsor PST

Whats BWI airport?

17 minutes ago, dl_racing427 said:

Driving significantly below the prevailing traffic speed makes YOU a road hazard. 

As long as you're not exceeding your tires speed rating, you should drive with the flow of traffic, or slightly (2 to 5mph) below. I find that this speed minimizes how much I have to change lanes, while keeping me from impeding other drivers. 

I drive cars MUCH more than RV's, and many truckers and RVers are seriously selfish, and block traffic for miles when trying to pass each other. 🤬

I don't want to be that guy when driving my coach. 

All the signs I see says "speed limit " meaning maximum speed, not "speed minimum". That's why they also say slower traffic stay to the right. 

9 minutes ago, Twomed said:

https://www.all-rite.com/    More vinyl trim...had posted to you over on irv2.

CH 47 Chinook Maint Officer and Test Pilot Project ZYA back when they were A and B models...Long time ago.  🙂

They now have a Chinook program out in Mesa because we have 360 days of flying weather.  

Thank you saved me the time hunting for it. This is the better stuff.  

Here's were I got the cleco's. Good people to work with.  

Here is the thinner molding.  I  went ahead and used it because it was about 75% of the cost to return it.  Some day I  may regret it.  The better stuff is quite a bit thicker but it runs around $4 to $5 a foot. For a 38ft rig you will need about 50ft. Its from automotive authority. 

5 minutes ago, RBRODDER said:

I am a Aircraft mechanic and I work at Boeing...saw your shirt, assuming you possibly retired from Mesa? I am in St. Louis.  After the Navy, I went to work for McDonnell Douglas as a Sheet metal guy. During layoff times I did corporate jet repair. This should be fairly easy for me, I hope...just don't need to reinvent the wheel.  Your video is pretty much exactly what I thought I would be up against.  I will need to replace the scre trim cover as the previous owner ran screws through the cover... Thank you for your assistance! It is much appreciated...BTW, I am currently working on the F/A 18 SuperHornet line..

20 years on the Apache. Never did much sheet metal. Mostly electrical & mechanical.  Putting the thing back together.  I  replaced every rivet on the beltline.  Used mineral sprites to clean the residue from the old caulking. Very important to get all the old stuff off. Used Lexel to reseal. Being a sheet metal guy you won't have the learning curve I had. When I find the trim number I'll pass it along.  

5 minutes ago, RBRODDER said:

Thanks Bob, Is that you in the video? 

Yaper. That's my mug. lol 

Here's another opinion. 

I not an expert, fumbling through like everyone else. Do your research & do what you think is best. Toss out what you learn so others can learn. I appreciate the information. so I'm passing it along. 

Beltline videos, I hope. LOL

Rivet measurement: https://youtu.be/2j2VCm6X7e0

Installing Rivets: https://youtu.be/ZWp1_zV9xiI

1 hour ago, RBRODDER said:

So digging into this a little bit further...I see trim cover with a lip and trim cover without a lip. What is the purpose of the lip and would it go to the upward or downward? Looking at the pictures I posted earlier, it looks like the driver side definitely doesn't have the lip, while the passenger side looks to have a lip. I currently don't want to start taking it apart as it is raining and cooling off. So I know it won't be very pliable. Thanks 

Rich 

You want the one with the lip. The lip on mine went to the top. That way you get a better seal when you caulk it. Some people don't seal the bottom side. They say that way if any water gets in it has a place to drain out. 

1 hour ago, JDCrow said:

55 tops no toad in wind. But drops to 45 at times. 40 tops with toad with some wind. 

Wow,  now I know why your working so hard to improve it. I'm learning a lot. 

After reading everything that you have gone through I feel fortunate that my rig doesn't do all that bad. 

What I find the faster I go the more my rig reacts to the wind turbulence. So I have found 55 to 60 its perty stable. 65 on a smooth road with out a lot of traffic. 70 + just isn't worth it.  Passing or being passed is always a little stressful.  I  can do 75 to 80, but why have the added stress? 

Tried Tadi Brothers.  What a joke & waist of time.  

Started look at the reviews, all of them were old. When I did a review it never showed up.  What a surprise! Won't take the time to put down what we went through over 2 months.  

Ordered 1 through RV CAMS.  Twice the price but was worth it.  Got a bad monitor from them was replaced. Everything up and running in less than 2 weeks.  

9 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

I started with Coach-Net back in 2010 prior to leaving CA and traveling full-time. I am still with them and will not switch to any other ERS. I have had three different tows, one in Oregon, One on the Cassier Highway in northern British Columbia and one on I-81 in Virginia. Each time the tow company had to bring two trucks, one for the coach and one for my 30 foot cargo trailer I was towing at the time. The tow in northern BC would have cost me close to $7000 as it was over 200 miles one way. It only cost me a signature.

They have always dispatched the proper equipment to handle the job safely without causing any damage.

I have put together a list of critical information needed whenever I have had to call them for a tow.

Here is the list below for my coach - 2002 Windsor.

Towing Information for Towing Company

Length of Coach = 41 Feet

Width of Coach = 108 inches

 

Weight of Coach = 36,000 lbs

 

Rating of Front Axle = 13,000 lbs

 

Rating of Rear Axle = 23,000 lbs

 

Total Weight Coach and Trailer = 48,000 lbs

 

Height of Coach = 12 Foot

 

Type of Suspension = Air Bag

 

How many Air Bags = 8 – 2 on each Wheel - Outboard

 

Front Cap Slide or No Slide = Front Cap Generator Slide

 

Transmission Model Number = Allison 3000MH

 

Distance from Front Cap to Front Axle = 96 inches

 

Clearance from Ground to Bottom of Coach = Varies

 

 

Always ask for a Class 8 Tow Vehicle

 

 

 

Great information to have,  need to make my list. 

Thank you

We have AAA good for 150 miles. You better have the RV plan or won't do you much good. 

Heard good things about coach net. I watch a lot of you tube. All of them are great till you are in a place that they don't have a good presence.  As with anything you cross your fingers and hope for the best.  Seen good & bad with all of them.  

21 minutes ago, RBRODDER said:

Bob, here are a couple pictures of the end profile as it wraps around the rear lower panel of the coach. First picture is of the passenger side and seems a little deformed, next two shots are of the drivers side.

Yep. Thats the same thing that we have. We should be home Wednesday sometime.  Will get you the information Thursday or Friday. 

8 minutes ago, RBRODDER said:

Yes, it is an aluminum roof.

Scrap a very small spot on the roof were its painted. If it shows silver, it's aluminum.  

Larry is correct.  

4 hours ago, Jdw12345 said:

Just wondering if anyone has used this product or anything similar and your opinion of such a product?

 

https://www.pulsetech.net/pp-12-l-powerpulse-12-volt-battery-maintenance-system.html

 

   Thanks!

I use a battery maintainer that I get from Costco.  $45 . Seems to help a lot especially when the coach is sitting for a time. As long as you have power near by.