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Dutch Star Don · 02-04-2014, 08:51 PM

I was previously a new Monaco Diplomat owner (in 2005) and loved doing projects to my coach to make camping easier. It was like my hot rod. We've had our new Dutch Star since Saturday. I've been working in the bays making brackets and shelves. Our Diplomat was 36' long and our Dutch Start is 40', but the tag axle almost makes them even for exterior storage space.

I have to back up an angled driveway to get into my backyard. The first day I backed in, the Oasis exhaust pipe dragged across the high point. I called Oasis and asked if I could make some modifications without affecting the unit. They had no issue with what I was going to do. So my second project became fixing the Oasis. The unit exhausts straight down out of the boiler with a 6" long, 2" diameter piece of black gas pipe used in homes. It then has a 90 degree elbow that the muffler threads into.

I shortened the pipe to a 5" nipple which still left enough clearance between the muffler and coach bottom. The unit is on the driver's side, but the pipe comes out of the muffler, makes a 90 degree turn and goes across to the passenger side. This makes for about 8' of pipe under the coach which hung down and looked terrible. It was plumbed to this side so that it exited the side of the coach between two slides by about 10". I didn't see it as a big issue to have it exit on the full wall slide side. Any small breeze would have pushed the fumes under a slide on the other side. So I flipped the exhaust pipe around, cut off about 4' and bolted the tip back on. It's level now and looks much better.

Today I removed the In-Motion satellite dome and replaced it with a Winegard TravLer. The dealer did a straight across trade as long as I did the labor. While fishing the sat control wire from the passenger front overhead cabinet to the driver's side overhead cabinet, I stood on the step well cover while it was up. I was standing in the middle of the step well where the hinge is and it broke, with the hinge separating and half the step collapsed. I'm no lightweight, but the step should have been sturdier. I looked under the step and saw that they used 1/2" wood screws in a 3/4" sheet of wood. I increased the screw size to 3/4 and increased the screw diameter. The step is much stronger now.

The new TravLer has the SWM switch and worked great with the HDMI splitter Newmar installs.

Tomorrow is SaniCon install day and then FloRite automatic battery waterer.

"007" · 02-05-2014, 02:44 AM

Don, you always did the same for your Monaco it would be hard not to do for your new Newmar.
There is a long thread in QT's # 3 of the Hoots threads that I have posted that may help with the ideas, you will have to traverse back and forth, it starts in the middle of thread.
Enjoy and have fun.

beaverjim · 02-05-2014, 03:21 AM

Don, did you use the upstairs of your home to help with the satellite changeover. lol something just reminded me of that! have fun, great looking coach!

jim

FLSteve · 02-05-2014, 03:26 AM

Dutch Star Don ... glad to hear you are busy. Please post pictures of all your modifications when you can so we can see them. Might even want to do some of them myself.

Steve

OrngTrillium · 02-05-2014, 03:54 AM

Sounds like you'll have this coach whipped into shape perfect for your life in a matter of days at the rate your going. I only hope that a newbie can figure out what they want/need for the coach to life perfectly sometime in the first few years or so. Sounds like your coach will be well organized and sorted before the snow melts in Alaska

nutensteve · 02-05-2014, 09:09 AM

Geez Don ...It did not take you long to start working on your new "toy". I'll have to swing by next time I'm in your area and take a Tour. Whoever buys your old coach is sure going to get a nice rig.

Steve

PDR John · 02-05-2014, 09:15 AM

I would like to see some photos of the new exhaust. Sounds like a change I would like to make.

Congrat, again, on the new toy.

MJFZ · 02-05-2014, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PDR John

I would like to see some photos of the new exhaust. Sounds like a change I would like to make. Congrat, again, on the new toy.

X2. I have not yet dragged my Oasis exhaust in my 2012 but it does hang down too low. I had to change parking spots, as when the coach de-aired the Oasis exhaust touched the gravel.

Mike

Stealth01 · 02-05-2014, 11:13 AM

I have a similar issue pulling our Essex into the garage... I use the HWH "rear lift" technique to raise the rear end and clear the exhaust over the garage door floor lip.

bruceisla · 02-05-2014, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

I have to back up an angled driveway to get into my backyard. The first day I backed in, the Oasis exhaust pipe dragged across the high point. .

Kinda' reminds me of my neighbor's gasser that's next to me in storage. I was under mine and when I rolled out I noted his RV was up on it's jacks and the Genset exhaust pipe was resting (ok...more than just resting) against the Ford V10 pipe. Took a closer look and there was a deep wear mark. Left him a note and next time he saw me said "always been that way ... factory did it" ... I went back to my project .... heavy sigh

Lee L · 02-05-2014, 08:37 PM

I gotta take a look at the Oasis exaust mod...have hated the way the thing looks since day one.....always wondered about taking it out the drivers side, thanks for "breaking trail" on this one Don!

Dutch Star Don · 02-05-2014, 09:13 PM

It was probably the easiest mod so far. Everything just twists on and the original exhaust pipe is just flipped the other way and the excess cut off. Even the hangar brackets are screwed on in a channel that occurs every couple of feet. I removed the hangars and they fit perfectly in the next channel.

I'm going to remove the generator exhaust pipe tomorrow and have a muffler shop put some more bend in it so it sit levels....it looks like heck hanging down.

I'll take pictures of both and post.

PDR John · 02-06-2014, 09:17 AM

Thanks.

FLSteve · 02-07-2014, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

It was probably the easiest mod so far. Everything just twists on and the original exhaust pipe is just flipped the other way and the excess cut off. Even the hangar brackets are screwed on in a channel that occurs every couple of feet. I removed the hangars and they fit perfectly in the next channel.

I'm going to remove the generator exhaust pipe tomorrow and have a muffler shop put some more bend in it so it sit levels....it looks like heck hanging down.

I'll take pictures of both and post.

Dutch Star Don ... I think I am interested in these two (2) as well. As soon as you can post some pictures of how you did it ... I will try and get started. No use re-inventing the wheel since you all ready did it!

Steve