Gene Y

We have a 2014 Ford Focus Hatchback that we use as our toad. (Already set up by previous owner)Great little car other than an issue with the automatic transmission. The previous owner did not disclose that the vehicle had a known history of transmission issues. So after acquiring the vehicle driving it home from one coast to the other, using it 2 times on RV trips we found the transmission to stutter. About $2,200 later we have a transmission that has a 2 year warranty, so every year or so we take it in and have the transmission rebuilt. The warranty renews every time we get it rebuilt. However we are considering replacing it with something larger. 

Something more useful to your post is that Ford has several later model vehicles that are flat towable. Besides the pickups, the current model of the Bronco (at least one edition), many of the later Explorer, Expedition, Edge, and I think even Escape can be flat towed. 

Having said all that I am also considering the Equinox to replace my Focus.

6 minutes ago, Tom Cherry said:

FWIW….The history of the Black Mountain descent goes back to 1973/74.  I lived in Statesville, NC where 77 and 40 intersect.  I was building a plant in Eastern TN and drove up every Sunday night and back on Friday.  One Sunday or perhaps Saturday there was a horrific accident and I sat in traffic for many hours as there was no “massive communication” systems.  That is when the road was revised and more speed constraints added.  Maybe 5 years ago, I was chugging along going UP  and was close to the speed limit when I was passed by a car.  Maybe 5 MPH faster than posted.  Within a minute, it was pulled over by the SHP.  Not commenting but the limits are considered as the REAL LIMITS and most in state folks respect that.

if you read the history of the I77 Grade, it has a bloody past also.  

Not to be personal, but I looked up your home location and I would have thought that the I64 to I81 to I40 would have been the preferred route.  We go north and west from Raleigh and travel I 77 to Wyethville a lot as well as coming down I 77 one the way in and out as my BIL lives in Mocksville and we overnight there often.  

That eliminates the winding section from the TN border to Asheville and the maze or mess around it.

We have never driven I 81 between Knoxville and Virginia, but really enjoy it for the view.
 

 

Actually didn't consider I-81. Kinda developed a prejudice against it from traveling from home to Blacksburg when my son was in school there. Every time I drove it (years ago) there was heavy truck traffic in the section below Lexington (VA) where tractor trailers would pull into the left lane on an uphill grade to pass another then not have the power to complete the pass. This would slow traffic to a crawl and repeat over and over. Maybe there are more 3 lane sections where there are uphill grades now. Funny now I would be part of the slower group trying to make those grades!

I have developed the same prejudice against I-65 between Indianapolis and I-80/94 when traveling to visit the same son who now lives in Chicago. No grades but the truck speed is regulated to 10mph less than car speed, when the TT's go to pass each other it gets messy.

Anyway based on your recommendation I will give that route a shot.

Thanks again 

37 minutes ago, klcdenver said:

I think he is referring to the Houghton 3800. You can get them from Recpro.

37 minutes ago, klcdenver said:

I think he is referring to the Houghton 3800. You can get them from Recpro.

Thanks Kenneth, that's what I'm taking about! 

On 6/9/2022 at 11:46 AM, powersltc said:

Ron P., 2004 Monaco Executive 

I have been traveling since May and now I'm in New Mexico after spending time in Arizona, and Palm Springs/Palm Desert/Indio.   San Diego was cool.

My air conditioners(13,500 BTU) are struggling to keep up.

Has anyone had any experience in upgrading to 15,000 BTU? Any modifications,  etc.

There are AC's out there that you can replace your existing with that eliminate your existing thermostats. They use remotes to control and have the added feature of a built-in soft start. Also are less expensive than Dometics. Problem is I can't remember what the brand name is.. Good Luck! 

13 hours ago, Tom Cherry said:

I have the "VGT" Brake or the "Jake WANNABE".  It is NOT a compression brake like you, I think, have.

If you have ever gone down I40 E or the Black Mountain descent and had no issues, then the I77 is much easier.

The Black Mountain is a drop of 1361 Ft in 4.8 miles

The I77 is closer to 1300 ft in 6.2 miles.  

I have driven 177 many times coming back from the midwest.  That grade is "NOT A BLACK MOUNTAIN".  You take it easy and let your exhaust brake do the job. I never, maybe a tap or two, used my brakes on Black Mountain and I have done that more times than I can remember since the 70's....and In my old Gasser Winnie and at least 10 times in the Camelot....

I don't even recall doing a double take or thinking about the I77 grade.  I DO remember it because it takes a little TLC to climb...but coming down....safely....NADA

That's my experience....so you can think it over.....
 

Thanks for your information, that is exactly why I was considering the I-77 route. On our way back from Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta we stayed on I-40 East thru the mountains to I-85 North. Although I had no problem navigating that route I didn't appreciate the reduced speeds coming down the East side. So we are heading West again for New Years 2024 and were thinking about taking I-64 West to I-77 South then picking up I-40 West

Thanks for that info, I had considered that route to get to 40 West from Eastern Va.,   I think I have reconsidered!

On 10/19/2022 at 7:20 AM, Dr4Film said:

I have owned this 2006 Dynasty with a Cummins ISL-400 since last February and have driven it for over 6000 miles now which includes a trip from Salt Lake City Utah to Florida and then up to New Hampshire and back to Florida recently over a wide variety of terrain, etc.

I am very impressed with its power and performance especially the two-stage engine brake.

i have found that the engines "sweet spot" is around 54-55 mph where it is running at about 1420 rpm and in 6th gear. It will actually stay in 6th gear while dropping mph until it reaches about 53 where the Allsion will kick down to 5th gear. So now my normal highway travel speeds stay around 55-60 mph. Whereas, the Windsor with a Cummins ISC-350 had a sweet spot of 62 mph.

When running 55 on mostly level terrain as in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida I was getting over 9 mpg towing loaded coach and towing my car. That drops to about 7.5 when the terrain starts having rolling hills. Then when in mountainous terrain the mpg drops to just under 7 mpg. My previous Windsor would average between 8-9.5 mpg when driving the very same roads.

What has impressed me the most is the two-stage engine brake as compared to the PRXB Exhaust Brake in my previous Windsor. I leave the engine brake switch on all of the time and the Hi/Lo switch in the high position. If the High is too much, then I reach over and switch it to Low and then back to High when finished.

If anyone has driven on I-77 from I-81 down through Charlotte and Columbia SC you are very familiar with the Fancy Gap area which includes a 4.5% grade that is 7 miles long. Just before I crested the top of the grade, I made sure my speed was under 63 mph as that's where the engine brake really starts to perform well. Anything above that, not so much. Then for 7 miles I never had to touch the service brakes once. I simply toggled between the High & Low settings to control the speed of the coach keeping it between 55 & 60 mph.

It was a real pleasure descending that grade with the Dynasty versus the Windsor.

What have others with a Cummins ISL- 400 discovered while driving your coaches?

Curious where that grade is. Is it on 77 or 81.

42 minutes ago, Johnny Mo said:

Have you changed the battery ?

Not on the one that's still in operation, the one that's dead yes did not fix. More concerned about getting the new one operating,

Thanks 

18 minutes ago, dleeadkins said:

Hello Gene. I have talked to these people a couple of times. They seem to know these systems we have.

https://www.a1electric.com/index.htm

Will give them a shout,

Thanks 

Anyone know how to get a new key fob programed? Our 03 Sig has the trimark key fobs and control pad (keyless entry)

The keyless entry has never worked since we purchased in 2019. One of the fobs failed a year ago, the one existing operating fob is beginning to fail.

I have a new fob identical to the one I have but have not found a way to get it programed. Thanks!

On 12/9/2022 at 8:02 AM, Paul Busch said:

Mine is leaking when around the pressure cap when it comes up to temperature. It doesn’t smoke or is in the combustion chamber but runs over the top and down through the the air intake. The expansion tank haven’t moved in a year and I have to add about a gallon of boiler fluid every several weeks. My weekend project is to de-solder the boiler cap and install a no-solder neck from Rodger Berk in Florida. 250 but cheaper than pulling the boiler out to work on it. 
 

Did your boiler freeze or did you see boiler fluid in the combustion chamber?

If it is only leaking when coming up to temperature I would test the pressure  cap to make sure it is working then check the tank pressure. If your reservoir tank is not fluctuating during operation then it could be the same issues I have.

I suspect that if your level in your overflow tank has not moved in over a year that your tube from the unit to the tank is cracked. That is the same issue that I had with mine. My overflow tank was located in the fuel tank bay about 15' from the aquahot itself, I relocated the tank to the bay next to the aquahot and ran a new tube from the unit to the tank. I have also had to repair my filler/radiator cap neck where it had worn thin and came off when I tried to remove the cap. That was a fun repair!

On 8/24/2022 at 6:57 PM, Wildwood said:

Yesterdays trip Park City to Boise had its own special event, passenger front slide made loud bang sound when coming in at Park City we were too nervous to put it out in Boise to troubleshoot, thought todays trip to Bend would be safer to find help resources if needed.  Landed today and after searching around found this…not sure where it came from since can’t find any missing.  After disloging it from slide arms everything seems ok🤞

Not to have a day without surprises, while on the road from Boise to Bend went back to turn on A/C and found the Cessna shower door had pretty much come off the rail.  A miracle was truly bestowed upon us because we know how difficult and expensive parts can be to acquire and nothing is damaged!

pic below bolt in slide arms…

Took the shower door off since it was not sitting on the track well.  Moved the top rollers and bottom clips and still having trouble getting it to roll even and shut well.  Anyone out there that has one that works well that can shoot a pic of where the rollers are set, or can explain would be great!  If not, we will keep moving them around but that door is a seriously heavy sucker!💪

If you are not aware, those rollers are adjustable. Remove the cap on the inner side, you will find an elliptical adjuster, hope this helps!