[Jerry]

Actually I have a full bay for storage, but as coaches evolved there was a domino effect that kept reducing actual useable bay storage space along with upstairs storage. I see and understand the progression, but don’t like it.

My 40 foot coach had the most storage with full 1 and 1/2 bay storage. But because it was 40 feet the bays were not as wide as the 45 footer which had the most storage. It had a full 1 1/2 bay of storage and that space was maximized because there was no slide structure intruding on the height, and it had no entertainment center.

Now storage space is shrinking. The first domino to fall was creating a side by side radiator / CAC layout instead of the sandwiched arrangement. The space occupied by the CAC used to be the Websto space, now moved to the other side behind the tag. The slide structure removed height from the bays. The slide controls located in the OTR evaporator area took space originally used by the cord reel. That put the cord reel in the space behind the tag next to the Webasto. That space was where the house batteries used to be. They are now located in the center of the belly where the aux fuel tank used to be.

Further stealing storage space is the entertainment center and the joey beds in the first bay. The joey beds seem like a convenience, but in fact they take valuable height.

I understand and see the progression and some of the loss is due to slides that we want, but it demands a lot of creativity to find places for the converter’s systems as well as keeping a full bay for storage of our stuff.

And yes I do keep CC owners going with my spares. I have provided check valves and solenoid valve coils so far. No names will be mentioned. BTW, for the first time ever, in Branson I made use of the TV in the entertainment center. I actually turned it on without assistance, and played some tunes made availble through the use of Direct TV and my satellite dish. If I try I might be able to actually use the Crestron remote to change channels. So for all of you keeping score I have now mastered the entertaiment center, having extended the awnings, had the neon lighting dance to music, operated the radio, used the refrigerator and cooked on the grill. There is no end to my skill level. (I did not do all these things at once, preferring to tip toe slowly through the tulips.)

[Jerry]

Sorry Mark, I must have my head up you know where. If I can ever be of any help out hhere on the west coast Please don’t hesitate to give me a call. Since getting into this hobby I got to say I would even give up golf, But maybe thats a good thing since my Handicap went to a 12,5 ouch

[Jerry]

I may be totally wrong on this, but my gut tells me that the use of anything other than diesel fuel made from old dinosaurs might not be to our advantage.

To start with the amount of power in a gallon appears to go down as fuel is modified with other than petroleum or oil from the ground. I’m aware that the folks that make diesel have modfied it with chemicals over the years to provide it with characteristics to make it work such as “winter blend”, but now as it’s formula contains “bio” it just seems we cannot go as far on a gallon as before. If nothing else I drive consistently and out of habit I have recorded every single gallon of fuel that has ever been put in my coaches over 23 years.

We had our first coach from 1990 to 2005 when we sold it and the entire time we had it I drive it at highway speeds the same RPM (1800) and during almost all of that time diesel fuel was all from out of the ground. Year after year after year we got 5.6 MPG. I know because I used it for business and I tallied the miles and gallons at the end of the year and it never varied.

When we got our 97 I was equally consistent with the speed I drove. I joked about 62.5 MPH, but the reality was I drove it at a consistent 62 when on the highway and for the first couple of years I never averaged below 8 MPG. Then folks started messing with the fuel. First the sulfur content changed, and then the pumps would have “up to 10%” ethanol. When I sold the coach the last few years I never varied from 7.5 MPG even though my speeds never changed. The entire time I had it we towed the H2 Hummer so even that was a constant. Something done with the fuel cost me 1/2 MPG or the coach was always driving into a headwind.

I don’t have enough miles or data on the current coach, and I am playing with some stuff to get better mileage so none of my data is of value. But my concern about fuel that varies from what it was when Detroit Diesel designed the engine concerns me. I am aware people have run vegetable oil in diesels, I know some owners that have added transmission fluid to their fuel, and others who have put in various additives. I cannot bring myself to do that. I just know if it does not come out of the nozzle, it is not going in my tank. Now I am looking at which trucks stops have lower percentages of ethanol or other stuff in the fuel.

I suspect, but do not know that ethanol and other fuel modifiers might tend to loosen or clean crud that has accumulated in our fuel lines or fuel tanks so I try my best to minimize the use of that stuff. Unfortunately we sometimes have no option but to put whatever is available in our tanks.

I feel the same way about additives for engine oil, coolant, etc. If it is really good I think the folks that make oils, coolant etc. would be already adding it to the product.

[Jerry]

In 1974 rode a 72 Sportster from Dallas to Alaska up the Alcan on 1800 miles of graded shale road. 8 flats, chain wore a hole in the oil tank around Dawson, 16 straight days of rain and so much fun I still grin ear to ear when I think of it.

[Jerry]

Yeah, The longest we have stayed put and leveled was 3 or 4 days and bus held that long since last repair. Wish that when I built my bus barn, I would have built a pit in it for just that kind of repair. From what I have spent with Prevost it would been a wash on concrete pouring. Or at least that is what I tell my wife! When I bought this bus 3 years ago the first problem was ride height vavle wouldn’t rise to drive level. After fixing that they called before I picked up and said it was leaning on passenger side overnight. Everything went on from there. Have replaced a lot of goodies but happy now with air. One thing I noticed that air guages didn’t hit 0 because it was leaning and on bottom. Hope you get it figured out. If anything these guys will help you out. A wealth of knowledge.

glen s.

[Jerry]

Liam,

The original speedometers for whatever reason seemed to have issues and I replaced one in my 87 and one in my 97. The replacements were easy and the speedometer provided by Prevost had the parts required to make the change if the replacement speedo was not a direct drop in replacement along with very good instructions.

[Jerry]

We are in Poplar Bluff for the night ,Camelot RV Campground, Nice pull thrus! Will and Carol Garner just pulled in beside us, Nice to meet some one and put a face to a name, will be doing a lot of that in Branson, Gary

[Jerry]

That is even more stupid than the overbilt hitch guys and their motorcycles! I hope the engine does fall out. Man..what stupidity.

[Jerry]

Gerald,

By the time the emergency brake engages you will have had a lot of warning. First, your gauges start to drop. Then the red lights and alarm, and only then does the brake engage.

The only thing that will cause that to happen without warning is if the emergency brake diaphragm ruptures or an air hose to the emergency brake should fail either at the hose or fitting. You are in total control of that if you do some form of preventive maintenance. I changed brake chambers at 5 years. I inspected hoses and fittings every time I did my 5000 mile service, and I was always looking at my gauges.

The emergency brakes are only provided air when you want to roll.

If you have a loss of air your compressor cannot handle such as a blown air bag your protection valves should preserve brake air pressure at 75 psi which is more than adequate for braking.

[Jerry]

I do like not towing. The bus feels like a sports car without it, and there is a great deal of pleasure associated with knowing I can drive anywhere with impunity because if I get in a jam I can always back up without giving it a seond thought.

But like most we tow because the toad gives us comfort knowing we don’t have to rely on anyone if we want to take a side trip, or if we have a problem on the road.

What I don’t understand is how a toad can get damaged by towing. Our 1994 Grand Cherokee was driven 60,000 miles, but had 210,000 miles unregistered from being towed. No dings, the broken glass, no mechanical issues except for a radiator that had to be replaced due to corroded fins from years of getting sprayed with road salt driving in the rust belt.

Our H2 has been our toad since 2005 and it has been driven 22,000 miles, but towed 90,000 miles. No stone chips, no broken glass and one set of rear tires flat spotted. (down to the steel cords.

[Jerry]

Jon,

Unfortunately Pilot does not have a corner on that market, that management behaviour is everywhere and rampant!

[Jerry]

Sort of related: We are changing our JD lawn care equipment over to lp. (new design) and trucks to lp. Why our cost $1.46 gal delivered. We have tank and pump at yard. One division of company lawn care and landscape (commercial). Local service 100 mile radius. There are Nat Gas fueling stations but many more LP stations if we need to travel further. Most LP- run more than $2.50 gal compared to our price at yard. FWIW only. We did consided NG but the mowers and other grinders etc aren’t avail in NG yet. The new JD have LP tanks built in. Prob not avail to public yet.

[Jerry]

Ignore the gauges. Regardless of which coach I had and I have had 3 tank sizes, 250, 298 and now 208 I use a specific distance as my drop dead refill point. I have learned if I have steep grades a full tank is required. Whatever unit of measurement you use, mileage or engine run time, let that be the standard for refills.

[Jerry]

Fly2 I think you got something here. Why keep a tow car year round (storage, Maintences, insurances and payments ) when you can possibly rent cheaper. Probably if you are traveling alot it would be cheaper to own.

[Jerry]

Same wax ring as the home version. I rebuilt 2 of the DC Microphors and the best way is to remove it and do the work out of the bus. I rigged up a water connection, placed the toilet on a wood platform between two saw horses with a bucket underneath to catch the dump water. Hopefully yours will just be the flapper seal, neither of mine were that easy. Hardest thing was to get the proper tension on the flapper with the linkage. I also had to replace one hopper. You may be able to replace the flapper seal in place, I never tried it because I had bigger issues. Parts are expensive.