Mods/Upgrades to our 2003 Dynasty

[Captjake1]

Sorry for your troubles. :( But thanks for sharing. Always something to be learned.

Now I want a watts link......

[onechaddude]

Originally Posted by zmotorsports

Well there is something to be said about doing shake down runs.

Let's call this "my wife's and I's Spring 2016 RV Adventure".

I have done a lot of work on the coach over the past month or so and I wanted to get it out and test out my Watts link installation as well. My wife and I took off Friday night after work and headed up to Heber City, UT which is only about an hour and a half from our home but it has a lot of winding canyon roads to really put my Watts link to the test.

Upon first heading down the road I really couldn't tell much difference in the overall handling of the coach, like I have said several times, our coach handled great before but upon the first turn heading up Weber Canyon (I-84) just as we were going through Uintah I could tell a difference. The first turn as you are entering the canyon is a two lane interstate that show a truck speed of 55 MPH and I usually have to slow down to that to stay in my lane and not tip chairs over or toss things around in the cupboards. Without saying anything to the wife as we were talking I went right through the curve @ 60 MPH and then pushed up the speed to 65 MPH for the next several curves. My wife continued to talk about her day while the whole time I was grinning like an idiot. She finally asked why I was grinning. I said, didn't you realize how fast we were driving through the canyon and how the thing is sticking to the road. She then said, "oh yeah, you did that Watts suspension thingy didn't you?"

The entire drive up Weber Canyon (I-84) and then jumping onto I-80 @ Echo junction was a thrill ride. The coach handles fantastic and EASILY stays in its own lane on those long constant radius curves that I was mentioning earlier that I had to continue to put input into from the steering wheel. It was handling SO well that on one of the long right hand curves I said to my wife, I think we are expelling something out the back. It looks like a mist so I pulled into a rest area and walked back. My first thought was water out of the overflow on the fresh water tank because I had put some water in which we would use over the weekend because they were still expecting sub-freezing temps in Heber so I put just over a half of tank of fresh water in it. But then I thought I wasn't anywhere near full so that can't be it.

As I walked back I saw water dripping from just in front of my left drive tire. I knelt down and looked up to see water dripping from my Aqua-Hot exhaust and the larger plastic tube that I store my "stinky slinky" in. My first thought is "oh ****, my Aqua-Hot must be leaking glycol". But then I realized it was clear water. Upon looking up a little higher I then realized that it was leaking from my fresh water gravity fill hose. Ok, that's not the end of the world, I will just have to replace the gravity fill hose when I return home.

We continued on into Heber City and about a half mile before the campground I had a "low coolant" light on the dash. My engine temperature hadn't fluctuated much since leaving home so I opted to continue on to the campground rather than finding a place to pull over. Upon pulling into the campground check in area and walking to the rear of the coach I immediately realized that I had an issue to deal with. Coolant was dripping down onto the ground and had misted back onto the front of my Jeep as well as the towbar and tow defender. I disconnected the Jeep and the gentleman from the office escorted us into our campsite. He was awesome and very accomodating to our little coolant issue and wanted to make sure the coach (and I) were ok. At first glance after opening the engine hatch it looked like a bypass hose was leaking. It was getting quite dark by this time and I was anxious to find the location of the leak before I was able to relax, so I could start to develop a plan for the next day. I opened the closet and looked from the top and everything at first glance pointed to that small bypass hose but once I moved it out of the way I was seeing coolant spraying in an outward spiral pattern. I then thought water pump.

There wasn't much I could do at this point so I cleaned up the mess outside the best I could and then took the Jeep down the street to wash the mist of coolant off the front of it. When I returned to the campground I went into the coach and showered so I could relax. My wonderful wife had dinner fixed for me and we were able to sit back and relax for a little bit. We kept telling ourselves at least we had this happen fairly close to home before out trip to Texas next month.

Here is what I walked out and dealt with first thing Saturday morning.


After slipping the serpentine belt off I grabbed the water pump pulley and BINGO, leak detected. Play in the bearings and coolant leaking out as I turned it.


I guess this is why I carry so many tools in the Jeep so I am always prepared.


I called around and found a new water pump in Salt Lake City which was only about 60 or so miles from where we were. My wife and I hopped in the Jeep and went and picked up the water pump, some coolant, a large tarp to at least try to keep the campsite as clean as possible. I know many RV parks don't allow working on RV's in their sites but after talking to the campground host he was great and allowed me to fix the coach. He realized there wasn't much else to do because I didn't want to have it towed home.

I laid out a tarp and a catch can to capture as much coolant as possible.


New water pump ready to install.


New water pump installed, serpentine belt reinstalled and job completed.


Coolant and distilled water ready to be mixed and poured into cooling system.


I then poured what was caught in the catch container into some water jugs and picked up the tarp and put it in a garbage bag after pouring that coolant into water jugs. I discarded all garbage, put the old coolant in the Jeep and took it to the local NAPA for disposal and washed off the little bit that leaked off of the tarp and was glad that job was behind me. I went into the office and thanked them up and down for working with me. My wife and I frequent this campground quite a lot because it is close enough to get away in the summer months for just a quick getaway without having to take any time off work if we just need a weekend "sanity break".

We had the job completed by 2:00 in the afternoon on Saturday, I again went in and showered and then took my lovely patient wife our to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant that was like there.

Now after getting the coach home, I am going to get the hose replaced for the gravity fill of fresh water tank and I think I am going to drain and flush the cooling system in the coach. It is about time anyways as it was six years now since I flushed the cooling system and put the ELC coolant in it but now I have two different brands of coolant. It's not a big deal as they are compatible with each other but I just want to drain and refill the cooling system before our RVing season.

Long story but all in all it could have been much, much worse. I feel blessed that we had this happen on a short shake down run vs. our long road trip next month.

Mike.

Mike, I'm glad the watts link improved your handling. I recently added a sway bar to my rr4r chassis and it's awesome when you're hard work pays off with improved handling.

I also had a coolant issue a few years ago and luckily it was just as I was pulling into my house. Like you, I was thankful it didn't stop us on the road and need a tow. Hopefully the rest of your season will be trouble free.

Chad

[zmotorsports]

Thanks guys, but it actually wasn't as bad as it could have been. Luckily we weren't too far from home and it really didn't hamper any plans. I was just planning on relaxing yesterday rather than wrenching but oh well.

Mike.

[tomckeon]

I immediately thought plastic coolant tank overflow blew. Gave me a quick nightmare!
Happy to hear you were able to remedy in short order. Like Captainjake1, I'm thinking Watts link as well may be in future.

[10Boomer]

Originally Posted by tomckeon

I immediately thought plastic coolant tank overflow blew. Gave me a quick nightmare!
Happy to hear you were able to remedy in short order. Like Captainjake1, I'm thinking Watts link as well may be in future.

Sounds it worked out for you. New shocks installed? I too thinking of overflow tank. Mine needs replaced.


Sent from my iPhone using iRV2 - 2008 Monaco Camelot 40 PDQ

[vito.a]

Great videos! You and Van should start a TV show.
Thanks for sharing.

[nodine]

Mike,

Good to hear the Watts link improved your handling. Van will be pleased and he now has three tag axle coaches on the road with a front Watts link.

Glad the bad water pump failed while you were close to home and not on your big trip.

Take care,

Bob

[zmotorsports]

Originally Posted by tomckeon

I immediately thought plastic coolant tank overflow blew. Gave me a quick nightmare!
Happy to hear you were able to remedy in short order. Like Captainjake1, I'm thinking Watts link as well may be in future.

I have been contemplating fabricating an aluminum surge tank but that is a bit down on the list still. Not a big fan of the plastic one, my last coach, our 1991 Beaver Contessa, had an aluminum with a clear hose running top to bottom for the sight glass and I think that is what I am going to fabricate.

Originally Posted by vito.a

Great videos! You and Van should start a TV show.
Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, I appreciate that. I hope the videos were helpful.

Originally Posted by nodine

Mike,

Good to hear the Watts link improved your handling. Van will be pleased and he now has three tag axle coaches on the road with a front Watts link.

Glad the bad water pump failed while you were close to home and not on your big trip.

Take care,

Bob

Thanks Bob. I am pretty happy with my Watts link and YES, I am very happy the water pump failed where it did vs. next month on my long trip. My wife and I were both very grateful for the circumstance vs. what it could have been.

Mike.

[Vanwill]

Mike,

I'm really glad your experience in long, sweeping curves was the same as I expected. Several folks have offered that same appraisal. I was unsure if the front Watts would have much effect on a tag-axle coach. And only three coaches doesn't make for much of a statistical base. The most ecstatic owner was also a very technically competent person, and he installed rear X-braces (albeit quite short ones) at the same time.

Based on my experience with all the Watts link installations (front and rear), they have ALL been successful. The installations where the Watts link can be placed farthest from the existing Panhard rod provide the greatest result. But I have seen a couple of installations where the Watts link was quite close to the Panhard rod, and the results were still unmistakable.

I'm as sure as I can be now, that virtually every 8 or 10-bag Roadmaster chassis on the road would see a great improvement in handling/wandering by adding these simple devices.

Thanks for agreeing to be a "Guinea pig" for the tag-axle Watts link!

[zmotorsports]

Originally Posted by Vanwill

Mike,

I'm really glad your experience in long, sweeping curves was the same as I expected. Several folks have offered that same appraisal. I was unsure if the front Watts would have much effect on a tag-axle coach. And only three coaches doesn't make for much of a statistical base. The most ecstatic owner was also a very technically competent person, and he installed rear X-braces (albeit quite short ones) at the same time.

Based on my experience with all the Watts link installations (front and rear), they have ALL been successful. The installations where the Watts link can be placed farthest from the existing Panhard rod provide the greatest result. But I have seen a couple of installations where the Watts link was quite close to the Panhard rod, and the results were still unmistakable.

I'm as sure as I can be now, that virtually every 8 or 10-bag Roadmaster chassis on the road would see a great improvement in handling/wandering by adding these simple devices.

Thanks for agreeing to be a "Guinea pig" for the tag-axle Watts link!

Van, thanks again for the components. That was the kick in the butt I needed to get this done. I am extremely happy with the results. Like I said, my wife was wondering why I was grinning like an idiot the entire way up the canyon. A couple of times she had to tell me to slow down as this was the first time I have been able to travel that route at those speeds and I have been up that canyon many, many times.

I am so excited to get it on the next trip as it will be a long drive, 650 miles the first day. Three years ago I would be physically and emotionally exhausted driving that many miles. Last year after adjusting my thrust angle we drove 600 miles in one day on a trip to Texas so I will have a comparison now. I am really looking forward to it.

Thanks again.

Mike.

[JohnBoyToo]

Sounds like a business opportunity gentlemen !
Whenever you are ready to build and install mine - I'm ready

[tomckeon]

I might be interested in the components as well!

[Burgy]

Add me to the list!

[Vanwill]

Originally Posted by JohnBoyToo

Sounds like a business opportunity gentlemen !
Whenever you are ready to build and install mine - I'm ready

I was only interested in "proof of concept" verification, and I certainly now have that. The fact that so many Monaco's are like "snowflakes" (no two alike) makes it difficult to offer this as a commercial product, and even though I own a machine shop, I'm not interested in making them for a profit. That being said, if you try to have these devices fabricated by a machine shop and have no luck, contact me. Perhaps I can help.

I generally refer folks to Mike Hughes, who you can contact from the "Wandering" thread. He has done some excellent installations and fabricated all the parts. He is extremely busy now with his business, but he may be able to help.

I don't want us to hijack Z-Mike's thread, so be considerate and make your posts on this subject to the "Wandering" thread.