Bobkat11208

Been following this and just wanted to add our 2 cents. We've used Open Roads exclusively the last 5 years; fueling primarily at Loves due to the easy in/easy out for our 40' rig. We typically and regularly save, after transaction fees/"other pounds of flesh" 🙂 between 15-20% off the posted pump price. Just this morning got our Settlement record and verified 20.4% difference for a fuel stop in Northern Alabama. We got 45 gals/$196 pump price, price & I paid was $158. It is just one less thing to worry about for us. As with all things-YMMV.

When we purchased our coach, the owner had 2 extra Sleeper Sofa Cushions (sent by mistake from Rec-Pro apparently in addition to the 2 he did purchase. Rec-Pro didn't want them back, apparently). They are taking up space in my ‘2-car attached storage shed’ (i.e. garage). I’m literally giving them away. If I can’t and I hate to, but I’ll literally throw them away after the rally. Pictures are attached but each cushion is 28” wide x 27” deep. The overall sleeper sofa is ~64” long and while I’m not good with colors, it they look to be maybe putty/tan/chestnut(?). *IF you are going to be at the Ramblin’ Pushers Maintenance Session rally next week, they will be there and they’re yours. Just let me know. I suppose if you want to pay for shipping you can, but the boxes as you can see are pretty large; not a lot of weight, but ‘girthy’. I’d guesstimate maybe $75 to ship them UPS. Also, full disclosure, in addition to posting here I am posting on irv2.com and the Ramblin’ Pushers board so you may see this there also. We’re boondocking at an Indycar race in Alabama this weekend, so I may be slow in responding given my steam-powered Internet connection.

Evaluating moving to this consortium (it's a 501c3) as a new, mobile internet provider. Does anyone have experience with this: https://calyxinstitute.org/membership/internet ? It runs on T-Mobile (????) and unlimited (look, I'm not naive-all carriers will throttle if necessary but it has never been an issue for us). The coverage looks more than adequate for where we travel (primarily major race tracks outside metropolitan areas). There are 2 basic plans: $500 1st yr/$400 succeeding years (Basic) or $600/$500 (mid-tier). The primary difference is in the Hot Spot and its functionality/WiFi 5 vs WiFi 6 codex etc.(the mid-tier can handle 5G if we ever decide to upgrade our phones). Our Use Case is a Smart TV, 2 phones, and a laptop (email/social media, etc.) 1-2 weeks/month for 6-7 months, and as an emergency backup at home. We don't need it for our work computers anymore (Yay!) Currently we have FMCA Tech Connect at a total of $582/yr (9 months at $60 per and 3 mos at $14 per). Although I'm a big SpaceX fan (Occupy Mars--lol) I can't see the value in something like Starlink at its current price point. I'm more than happy with what we have but always looking for a better 'cost of doing business'. Thanks for the input.

Even with Open Roads fuel card (my open roads.com) it’s starting to creep up here in Indiana. But, for example at Loves close by, I’ll take $3.825 vice $4.449 pump price any day. 👍

Same. Went wireless, never looked back (well, do look back to make sure the toad is still there 😉). Display is far superior/brighter and I can angle it to where I want it, not where HR stuck it in the dash. Bought from Amazon, less than $200 IIRC, 30 minute install/setup and went on about my day. 10/10.

Appreciate all who voted and commented. It was very insightful. We had FMCA for several years on both current and former coach and while we only used twice, it was not a good experience. First time, had a bad tire valve, ended up paying for 2 tires and new valve stems in a rest area but the stems weren’t actually replaced. Second time was continuation of 1st 4 days later. Long story short IF the tow truck HAD arrived, the place they were going to take us had closed 5 years earlier. Yikes!😬 Just signed up with Coach-Net. We’re hoping for a better experience. We’ll see, right? Thanks again.

Similar. DW found square dowel to fit in channels. Cut to length and added string to easily remove. Got tired of messing with the old locks (and I use that word loosely). 😀

There are other threads that are several years old and no clear consensus (of course, every one's 'mileage' varies, right? LOL). Ours is coming due and would like to get a sense of the Community regarding current thinking on which is preferred. If it all worked as I think it would, there should be a Poll.

Gen-Turi’s (or equivalent) are the best! We’ve turned so many newbies onto them while boondocking at races. And they do raise the “noise” above and away from the coach.

Thanks, Myron! That explains it well.

Randy, Just to clarify, the 2 extra seat cushions I have are for the hide-a-bed on the road side. The jackknife sofa on the camp side is more beige/white ish and has 3 cushions, if that helps.

When we bought our coach, it came with 2 still in the box new Rec-Pro cushions. The prior owner replaced the air bed with an actual mattress as well as the cushions. They set him 4 vice 2. I know they are brown-ish (?). If you think these might work I can take some pictures.

Quick question Tom, connect just the positive (red) cable, and not ground anywhere ? And, when you say “rear” do you mean the set closest to the bay door, furthest forward (in the “ rear” of the compartment) or merely the battery banks at the rear of the coach? Sorry, I guess that’s 2 questions. 🤔

Following this and, NGL, two thoughts come up (okay 3 😀). First, never gonna get me a hemi. Second, I truly miss the days when the engine simply went up and down and the wheels went round and round and it didn’t take YouTube to figure something out. And finally, I’m jealous you even have a place to work on this! I’ve got a 2car attached storage shed. #firstworldproblems 😂

Belay my last. 😉. Found the answer in the Tech Tips download section, #84 (page 184). Took a minute, for sure!

Background: Unit is in storage with both house & chassis disconnects off. Temperature hasn’t dropped to below freezing. Turned both disconnects on and tried to start today. It would “half-@ss” crank but not start (Wait to Start light went out). There is enough umph to fire dash, scan gauge, etc. I did try the battery boost switch (holding for a period a couple of times then holding while trying to start-still no joy). On our old Sportscoach, when chassis’s were weak, I could attach cables, jump, and it’d fire right up. Thought I had read here a jump start specific procedure , but it seems applicable to CCM type and ours is a 2005 Endeavor. I knew I would be replacing both chassis and 4 house this spring, but I want to start and let run/run genset under load every 2-3weeks as well as I am taking to Cummins later in January so clearly I need it to start. 😂 Is there anything special I need to do to start or can I attach my jumper cables across the 2 batteries as I have in the past? Thanks in advance. Note: I tried several search terms before posting, but couldn’t find a specific solution.

Keep that gentleman as a friend! My neighbor and I are those guys. 😂

Along with this good advice, I would strongly recommend removing any jewelry, rings, etc. I have witnessed what can happen; it isn’t pretty. Just like a tool can turn cherry red if placed wrong, something on your body can also. Having said that, it truly sounds like you got this.

I have the Scangauge I use for fuel primarily, but the BlueFire is intriguing! Would be interested in your input on how it works. The manual is, um, detailed. 😂 Nice rig btw.

There is a fairly detailed article in the latest FMCA magazine on A/C maintenance and repair as well as the procedure to safely discharge both the motor start and run capacitors.

For what it’s worth, ours was similar. Replaced the Nayson pressure switch which fixed the issue. It’s a electro-mechanical device. Now levelers deploy, dash Parking light illuminates, and no “bong”. They are a known issue and pretty easy to install. Cost was about $100 and took me <45 minutes to remove/replace.