Any Monaco Vesta Owners Here?

[dpj1959]

This is David Jeffers and I would love to see your REK pics. We are new owners of a 2011 32PBS and the REK is the first step for us.

Email me at dpj1959@outlook.com

Thanks in advance.

[vestadan]

Originally Posted by dpj1959

This is David Jeffers and I would love to see your REK pics. We are new owners of a 2011 32PBS and the REK is the first step for us.

Email me at dpj1959@outlook.com

Thanks in advance.

Our REK gets delivered on Tuesday. I will take some picts and email.

[dpj1959]

Originally Posted by irv2vesta

I have the Continental tires all the way around and very pleased with wear, ride and handling. Would purchase these tires again.

Irv2Vesta

Can you elaborate on your REK upgrade... Manufacturer, pics, contact info?

The wife and I are new owners and this is the first upgrade we want to do and really feel that the rear suspension needs the ping tanks .

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

[HerbieHauler]

Originally Posted by dpj1959

Can you elaborate on your REK upgrade... Manufacturer, pics, contact info?

The wife and I are new owners and this is the first upgrade we want to do and really feel that the rear suspension needs the ping tanks .

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

I have the Source Engineering System on my Vesta and I must say that its a night and day difference in both ride and handling. I do believe that you must change out all four air bags and shocks for the system to operate properly. You can call them at 1-541-343-0293 and ask about the Ride Enhancement Kit AKA REK. They should be able to answer your questions.

[dpj1959]

Just finished reading all 145 pages of this forum and have learned a ton and want to start out with a huge thank you to all the posters for all the information you have shared.

Bought the LED lights and am putting them in now. Left the halogens on for 5 hours and drained the house batteries down 2 lights on the systems check so the LED's are easy math. The Silver backer pan keeps you from stabbing the new LED light fully into the socket so I removed those backer pans. The light is the same with or without it so I have a feeling it may have been used as a heat shield and reflection pan since the halogen lights put off so much heat.

Looking for input on the difference between Steer Safe and Safety T Plus. Not thrilled about the springs on the steer safe but will go that route if it is a better system.

Had 2 marker lights go out and when I got up there to replace them saw a ton of silicone on all the marker lights. Note to all... Silicone fails so do not depend on it. A dab on a screw head is okay but depending on it to seal long term will only let you down. I cannot tell you how many times I have repaired failed silicone applications in my 40 years of construction experience. A poly Butyl urethane based sealant is recommended where ever a solid almost permanent seal is required. Remember that all sealants eventually fail.

Going to replace the rubber air dam surrounding the radiator since it is worn and tearing. After consideration and reading these posts, I agree with one poster that it probably us used to help keep the weather off the firewall as well as channeling as much air as possible through the radiator. Could not remember who posted that.

REK is on hold for now. Resource Engineering told me they did not have any until early next year, and after reading the posts here, I am thinking that I may want to go with the Koni FSD shocks and am looking to have a system with ping tanks on the front and rear. Thoughts?

Making my list of spare parts to carry which includes fuses, relays, Belts, hoses, Fuel and oil filters, and possibly a windshield wiper motor since mine looks as if it might fail at any moment . Additions to the list?

I talked to Shane in the Tech department at Monaco and while helpful, he said that there is virtually no one that was involved with the Vestas that is still with Monaco and that he would dig up anything he could find and get it to me, but it may not be much,so it looks like we will be depending on each other a lot here. Maybe grouping the Trip and Vesta info may be a big help. I did not talk to him about that but will.

I will cut it off here for now even though I have a ton of things going through my head about the MH and again, I want to thank everyone for all the input and information. The DW and I are ecstatic with our purchase and everyone who we come in contact with wants to know all about it. Better than a Puppy!!!

[RETRO]

I got those Koni FSD shocks front and rear and didn’t notice the change in ride that I expected so I went with the REK and that was the answer but the REK comes with shocks and they told me I cant use the Koni FSD’s with the REK so I’d hold off on the Koni and go with the REK. Our windshield wiper motor seems weak also so I put on 26” rainX blades and it really helped the motor push the blades in rain but on a dry windshield they still come to a stop. We love our Vesta Puppy as well and it never gets old even after 30k miles of pot holes and old bad roads across this beautiful country of ours.

[dpj1959]

Originally Posted by RETRO

I got those Koni FSD shocks front and rear and didn’t notice the change in ride that I expected so I went with the REK and that was the answer but the REK comes with shocks and they told me I cant use the Koni FSD’s with the REK so I’d hold off on the Koni and go with the REK. Our windshield wiper motor seems weak also so I put on 26” rainX blades and it really helped the motor push the blades in rain but on a dry windshield they still come to a stop. We love our Vesta Puppy as well and it never gets old even after 30k miles of pot holes and old bad roads across this beautiful country of ours.

Thanks for the info and will definitely stick with the REK then. After researching though, I would really love ping tanks on both front and back. I think that the ability for more air movement to the neutral tank makes for a better ride, IMHO

Also looking to upgrade my stereo with a Bluetooth capable unit. REV was no help at all with this. The model they suggested was just that, a suggestion. It only had the capability for one camera and I do not think I want to go the "splitter" route. If anyone has experience with this, I am all ears.

Thanks again.

David and Peggy Jeffers
Vesta 32 / Virginia Beach VA

[dpj1959]

Moving my rear air line higher than my trailer hitch this weekend. An unbelievable amount of things to do to protect your electronics to weld on the frame....Removing trailer hitch ... Still looking for an awesome stereo to put in the 32PBS

[vestadan]

Dropped our Vesta at the local truck shop today. They will be installing the REK. I ordered the REK Kit in Sept and it arrived in early December.

As our Vesta is new to us, they will also be doing the full round of maintencance (oil change/filter, lube, fuel filter(s), Desccant cartridge, etc.). Just baselining all the maintenance items so I know when to do them in the future.

After we get her back, I will be lining the engine compartment, doghouse, and interior of the dash with Dynamat to reduce engine noise and heat. Not that either bothers us too much. Although quieter and cooler is always good.

Once the Dynamat install is complete, I will pretty much have all the planned mods/upgrades done for a while.

Lots of folks mention of the wiper motors not being up to the task. I assume all are aware that there is a spring in the windshield wiper arm that governs the amount of force the widnshield wiper exerts on the windshield (and subsequently the friction). It is adjustable via a nut. Lowering the tension would lower the resistance to wiper motion. I suspect those expereinceing the "weak" wiper motor could loosen the tension and get inproved operation.

[vestadan]

Originally Posted by dpj1959

Moving my rear air line higher than my trailer hitch this weekend. An unbelievable amount of things to do to protect your electronics to weld on the frame....Removing trailer hitch ... Still looking for an awesome stereo to put in the 32PBS

Why are you removing your trailer hitch?

[dpj1959]

Originally Posted by Excel-in

Why are you removing your trailer hitch?

According to the book, you have to unhook a bunch of electronics and sensors when welding on the chassis and they specify that you need to ground right at the weld and weld as close to the ground clamp as possible... Trailer hitch has 4 bolts...

[charndog]

Originally Posted by dpj1959

Moving my rear air line higher than my trailer hitch this weekend. An unbelievable amount of things to do to protect your electronics to weld on the frame....Removing trailer hitch ... Still looking for an awesome stereo to put in the 32PBS

Curious, why are you moving that air line?

[dpj1959]

Originally Posted by charndog

Curious, why are you moving that air line?

I have a gravel drive for the MH and at the entrance my trailer hitch scrapes the bottom. I was alerted to this potential problem by one of the other owners who hit a dip and broke the airline off. It is on the bottom of the trailer hitch which gives it undue exposure for problems. I cannot remember who broke theirs but it made me check mine. The fix is easy... Cut the bracket off the bottom and transfer it to the top... Plenty of room on top, and while the hitch is off, I am cleaning the surface rust off it and undercoating it. I also saw while I was under there, the rubber mud flap that goes all the way across the MH needed attention because the bolts did not have washers on them and is tearing the rubber. Replacing the 10 bolts and adding 10... It looked like it needed more. I am also replacing the rubber shroud up front around the radiator. It is torn and needs replacing. Lots of things to do and thanks to this forum, learning what is important and then prioritizing the items to be done is easy. Just replaced 30 of the interior lights with LED's and have 10 more coming to finish that task.

[charndog]

Originally Posted by dpj1959

I have a gravel drive for the MH and at the entrance my trailer hitch scrapes the bottom. I was alerted to this potential problem by one of the other owners who hit a dip and broke the airline off. It is on the bottom of the trailer hitch which gives it undue exposure for problems. I cannot remember who broke theirs but it made me check mine. The fix is easy... Cut the bracket off the bottom and transfer it to the top... Plenty of room on top, and while the hitch is off, I am cleaning the surface rust off it and undercoating it. I also saw while I was under there, the rubber mud flap that goes all the way across the MH needed attention because the bolts did not have washers on them and is tearing the rubber. Replacing the 10 bolts and adding 10... It looked like it needed more. I am also replacing the rubber shroud up front around the radiator. It is torn and needs replacing. Lots of things to do and thanks to this forum, learning what is important and then prioritizing the items to be done is easy. Just replaced 30 of the interior lights with LED's and have 10 more coming to finish that task.

Oh, thanks, I'll have to look at that.
I'm also replacing that shroud rubber. I found some Silicone, 450 deg. stuff, $200 but, it should hold up. It's red in color, not my first choice but, the black I found was way more $$$$. (Thunder Products, Rochester Michigan).