Maintenance for Gretchen

USCG CWO · 05-29-2011, 06:28 PM

Gretchen is the name given to our 2001 Winnebago Adventurer, model P32. We've owned her for a year now. She's got just over 50k miles on her and she's needing some TLC. Like many women late into the years, it seems like her front end is sagging a bit. Furthermore, when driven on moderately rough roads, she bucks and bounces more than I'd like. So I'm going to take some time and see what I can get done to fix her up.

I have an extensive worklist which includes: replacing the coil springs
Install Koni shocks,
inspect brake pads
repack wheel bearings
change out the batteries
troubleshoot the A/C unit (compressor isn't kicking on),
install a black water tank sprayer (

)
finally install my CB radio
Oil changes all around
pressure wash & wax
install new compt door shocks
serpentine belt change
lube chassis

I have until June 25th to complete all this work. I'm sure that I'll have questions that I hope can be answered through the vast experience here on IRV2.

I've already had some email exchanges with OEMY and John Henderson at Super Steer.

I plan to post photos of my progress and problems encountered through this down time.

Tomorrow is Memorial Day and more importantly my wife's birthday. Happy Birthday Julie! I expect to hit the ground running come Tuesday.

USCG CWO · 05-31-2011, 06:30 PM

Last fall when I parked the coach, the AC worked fine with the exception of when the condensor fan / compressors kicked on I would hear a high pitch squeal on startup. I figured probably the blower bearing was going. We camped over the winter a couple times and I was sure to cycle the a/c and everytime, I'd hear the squeal.

This last trip we took, the a/c wouldn't kick on. I spent today looking over the A/C and here's what I found. The start capacitors have a WSX-5ACM motor starter on top and the insulation was burned on one of them. I googled the part number and I've been unable to locate a vendor for them. I know this has been a problem for a lot of folks, so any advice where I could get these would be great!

I pulled my a/c. Thank god I had a motorcycle jack to help out. When I opened it up, first thing I noticed was that the evaporator motor and blower were pretty new looking. The condensor blower and motor were horrible. Packed with dirt and grease, I'm sure the motor was operating much hotter than it should have. Furthermore, the bearings are certainly shot. There's quite a bit of end play on the shaft and when spinning you can feel and hear the bearings.

Hopefully tonight & tomorrow I'll find vendors for all my parts and get this back together.