One thing I've discovered about working on our MH

[marjoa]

I'm one of these guys that loves to work on stuff, upgrade things and make my home, vehicles, computers the best they can be. My wife always kids me that I don't know how to relax. Relaxing to her means doing nothing. But doing this type of stuff is relaxing to me of sorts. Here at the house if I want to remodel a room, I plan it out, go online, Home Depot, specialty stores or whatever, get my materials and do it. Need to rebuild the lawnmower? No problem, go get parts and fix it. Need XYZ for your pickup truck, no problem. Call the dealer, get part # and go buy it. And so on. I always have fixed stuff myself and rarely ever call or pay for a person to do any work. I do it myself and have got quite good at most things. Of course I'm a Millwright by trade in my earlier years so I have a lot of experience working on many different types of things.

Going through our rig, performing PM, preparing and upgrading things the past few months before we go FT, I have found with an RV this is NOT a simple process. Just about everything I attempt to tackle, I find myself reading online, researching for parts, reading the manual 5 times, finding cross reference Part #'s because the original company doesn't exist anymore and was bought out by another company and has a new part #, what works what doesn't work, getting the right phone numbers, actually getting to the right person to talk to, sending an email and waiting for a reply (sometimes for days or never replying at all) and on and on I could go. A real PIA. I spend hours and hours just trying to find this information BEFORE I can actually order and get what I actually need. It's literally a minefield out there to find exactly what you need and where to get it. And then usually—when you do get it—it will require some sort of mod, custom bracket I have to make or something else you have to do first for it to actually work. There have been exceptions but certainly not the rule.

Now I still like working on the MH, and I'm not really complaining so don't get me wrong. This is just my observation. But what I've discovered is, it takes a WHOLE lot longer to do most things, even small things, because of all the obstacles I just outlined. Oh, and a WHOLE lot more patience than I'm accustomed too.

[jacwjames]

X2 on your thoughts.

I recently had to replace the motor on the Cool-o-matic fan. Company out business, OEM motor company had no info or could offer a replacement. Did find a post on another forum about using a blower motor from NAPA. Made some calls and found what application the motor fit on (1967 Mercury Marquis) and eventually ordered from Autozone.

That being said, our Monaco is really one of my only hobbies so I some what enjoy working on it other then having to spend money to fix things.

[timjet]

When I plan on an upgrade for example the LED awning lights, I usually go to forums like irv2 and get opinions on how best to do it. Equipment, installation, etc.

When something breaks I usually call the tech support folks at the company that made the product. I've usually had good results doing this. However fixing an item on a 10 yr old coach carries some risk. My policy is if a unit cost half as much or more to fix than replace, then I replace it. I've also had good results calling the MH builder for answering questions about the rig that are not obvious.



I’ve had 2 major failures on my 10 yr old coach since I bought it in March. The dash air went out requiring a new condenser, drier and hose which I had an AC shop do. The other failure was my Magnum inverter/charger. The inverter portion did not work so I called Magnum and they went through a diagnostic procedure with me on the phone. We determined that it needed to be bench checked which I had done at an authorized repair facility (2 hr drive each way). It was determined the parts and labor to make it good were over half the cost to replace it. I found a good deal online and replaced the unit myself.

[tmw188]

How many of you guys get the comment that if it was the motorhome it wouldn't be put off. My wife can't stand me working on the motorhome if there is something she wants done first. Jealous of the attention I give the motorhome.

[short kid]

But, isn't it easier to find parts and repair while it sits in the driveway or along side the s/b? I kind of get the same from my DW, what are you doing that for?
I find it much more relaxing to fix and adjust things at home and enjoy the time out camping, instead of having the tool pouch out at a camp site.

[Fiesta48]

Researching is just part of a repair job. Remember before there was internet? Very hard to find advice and parts, manuals, and a place to fix things. Much easier now.
Almost never pay full retail for parts anymore. Before only available from mfgr. Or junk yards.
Manuals? If you could find them, ordered via phone, waited 1-2 weeks for them to arrive. Now most are available online in pdf files.
Advice: almost too much now. Zero before, unless you knew someone.
I would never have bought a DP, without Internet backup.

[MSHappyCampers]

Yup, you nailed it Martin!

[oldmattb]

"like"

I do research, and collect phone numbers, websites and notes about my coach for future reference. Knowing that an Allison controller can be repaired saved me $1000 and a tow.

My coolest discovery - on a previous RV, the fuel regulator for our propane generator stopped working. Onan wanted $500 for the discontinued part - if you could find one. I searched for a couple of days online for a replacement. Research let me to comparing specifications. That led me to learn that the regulator was identical to a fork lift regulator available on Ebay for $19!

We had a hydraulic pump fail, spent a week waiting for parts to rebuild it, and then discovered that a different one was an exact fit and half the price.

I think the larger lesson is to think more in terms of solving the problem, and less about getting the identical part to replace the failed one. Sometimes new and different is the answer.

Matt B

[Waiter21]

ME TOO

1999 Southwind 35S – Southwind by Fleetwood

..

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by marjoa

I'm one of these guys that loves to work on stuff, upgrade things and make my home, vehicles, computers the best they can be. My wife always kids me that I don't know how to relax. Relaxing to her means doing nothing. But doing this type of stuff is relaxing to me of sorts. Here at the house if I want to remodel a room, I plan it out, go online, Home Depot, specialty stores or whatever, get my materials and do it. Need to rebuild the lawnmower? No problem, go get parts and fix it. Need XYZ for your pickup truck, no problem. Call the dealer, get part # and go buy it. And so on. I always have fixed stuff myself and rarely ever call or pay for a person to do any work. I do it myself and have got quite good at most things. Of course I'm a Millwright by trade in my earlier years so I have a lot of experience working on many different types of things.

Going through our rig, performing PM, preparing and upgrading things the past few months before we go FT, I have found with an RV this is NOT a simple process. Just about everything I attempt to tackle, I find myself reading online, researching for parts, reading the manual 5 times, finding cross reference Part #'s because the original company doesn't exist anymore and was bought out by another company and has a new part #, what works what doesn't work, getting the right phone numbers, actually getting to the right person to talk to, sending an email and waiting for a reply (sometimes for days or never replying at all) and on and on I could go. A real PIA. I spend hours and hours just trying to find this information BEFORE I can actually order and get what I actually need. It's literally a minefield out there to find exactly what you need and where to get it. And then usually—when you do get it—it will require some sort of mod, custom bracket I have to make or something else you have to do first for it to actually work. There have been exceptions but certainly not the rule.

Now I still like working on the MH, and I'm not really complaining so don't get me wrong. This is just my observation. But what I've discovered is, it takes a WHOLE lot longer to do most things, even small things, because of all the obstacles I just outlined. Oh, and a WHOLE lot more patience than I'm accustomed too.

Martin,
I could have wrote this, word for word. Been there, done that, several times over, for my entire life too. I have repaired, altered, modified, changed, fixed, got frustrated over (sometimes seriously) lots of it, and maintenanced a whole lot more on this present, AND OUR MOST EXPENSIVE motor home, than any other motor home we've had, combined. But, it's been a "love-hate" relationship. That is, we love this coach. It's the nicest we've ever had and, most likely will have but, it's also the most complicated in terms of how things work, how to fix them if and when any part of it breaks or malfunctions and more. It is what it is.

I suspect that, being the type of person you are and your capabilities, that you have kept a log of what's been done on your coach. I have and, what I use is Microsoft Excel. That really allows me to detail all that's been done. Anyway, I feel your pain and or, pleasure, depending on how well things go when doing any of the above. keep up the good work.
Scott

[marjoa]

I suspect that, being the type of person you are and your capabilities, that you have kept a log of what's been done on your coach. I have and, what I use is Microsoft Excel. That really allows me to detail all that's been done. Anyway, I feel your pain and or, pleasure, depending on how well things go when doing any of the above. keep up the good work.
Scott

Oh yeah, You bet ya. I keep all records, notes, contact info, ph#'s, bookmarks & folders out the wazoo. And much more. I don't want to have to go back ever find any of these things again by starting from scratch.

[LPerry]

Originally Posted by oldmattb

"like"

I do research, and collect phone numbers, websites and notes about my coach for future reference. Knowing that an Allison controller can be repaired saved me $1000 and a tow.

My coolest discovery - on a previous RV, the fuel regulator for our propane generator stopped working. Onan wanted $500 for the discontinued part - if you could find one. I searched for a couple of days online for a replacement. Research let me to comparing specifications. That led me to learn that the regulator was identical to a fork lift regulator available on Ebay for $19!

We had a hydraulic pump fail, spent a week waiting for parts to rebuild it, and then discovered that a different one was an exact fit and half the price.

I think the larger lesson is to think more in terms of solving the problem, and less about getting the identical part to replace the failed one. Sometimes new and different is the answer.

Matt B

What you said.
I'm quite good at finding the original source for a part or specifying an equivalent replacement so I sometimes take it for granted. If you like to tinker on these things always keep in mind that few of the items on board were originally manufactured for motorhomes, especially things like hydraulic pumps, chassis parts, electrical parts, latches, actuators, gas springs, etc. When you buy this stuff from a motorhome source you are paying a couple markups on what is usually available for a different application inexpensively. Coach manufacturers aren't like car manufacturers, in the coach world they order in just about everything then build a box to put it in. And most of the companies they get it from are ordering standard industry parts and putting it into their sub assemblies.

I enjoy the process for now. In a few years I may change my mind, who knows. We love our coach though.

[SuperGewl]

I most definitely agree, I love to tinker and make it my own. One day I will finally be done or at least caught up with the things I decided to do. (NEVER)
But I must say I too like to actually enjoy the RV campground as much as possible and that is why I don't get things done. I can't really do them at home because I'm not allowed to have it on the street for more than 72 hours and getting the space to park it is hard some times. So I do some small things at the RV Park when the DW lets me.
Oh the joy of tinkering

[guardrail53]

Originally Posted by Fiesta48

Researching is just part of a repair job. Remember before there was internet? Very hard to find advice and parts, manuals, and a place to fix things. Much easier now.
Almost never pay full retail for parts anymore. Before only available from mfgr. Or junk yards.
Manuals? If you could find them, ordered via phone, waited 1-2 weeks for them to arrive. Now most are available online in pdf files.
Advice: almost too much now. Zero before, unless you knew someone.
I would never have bought a DP, without Internet backup.

Good one!
I remember back in the mid 90's, my step motor was driving me crazy, worked about half the time, never when you needed it to! I called the local MH parts place, and he told me the price, So I took it off, to see what I could do to fix it! Cleaned it up, bang, there was a Ford part #! So I took it down to the (Good) auto parts store, not one of the chains, and plopped it down on the counter! The old parts guy smiled, mumbled something under his breath, ***********window motor, and walked back to the parts room, came back with a box, had Ford on it, pulled out the same motor, same hookups, same plug, everything the same but one bolt hole was not drilled and tapped, it was in the casting, but just was not finished! The cost was 1/10th the cost quoted me from the MH parts place! Took that baby home, drilled and tapped the third hole, and bolted it up! Worked great!
The internet has opened up a whole new "Back up System" Google is your friend! Rail!