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Wroughtnharv · 09-17-2016, 09:11 PM

This is what a "shaver" rivet looks like. This one is designed to grip from paper to 1/2". Note the neoprene washer tucked in there, sweet.

Wroughtnharv · 09-17-2016, 09:13 PM

The gripping mechanism is pretty trick as you can see.

Wroughtnharv · 09-17-2016, 09:16 PM

The rivets are installed with a pop rivet tool. Instead of the pin breaking off inside the rivet like regular pop rivets work these break off outside the rivet.

Wroughtnharv · 09-17-2016, 09:20 PM

Here the panel on the storage compartment door and the fender panel were loose. They make a trick tool for cutting off the pin and polishing the rivet so it looks like a Huck rivet, $225.00 plus, fits in YOUR drill. Since I won't spend that kind of money for a single purpose tool that I will rarely use I had to cut off the pin as close as I could with bolt cutters and then hit it with an angle grinder with a fine flap disk.

Wroughtnharv · 09-17-2016, 09:25 PM

Once again, I'm going to paint over these rivets so I'm fine with the less than perfect finish of the angle grinder.

One of the other things I attacked was the issue with catches for the latches. Factory they are made with aluminum extrusions and half of them or so are damaged or destroyed. So I found some 12 gauge steel that I had formed into U channels for a project. A little creative cutting and trimming and they work great and will live forever.

jrbarber · 09-17-2016, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wroughtnharv

... a water injection system in the radiator shroud for those times when cool water will help chill the radiator.

Harvey, I ran across your interesting thread this evening.

FWIW, I built a water spray system like this for our '87 Country Coach. It did exactly what I wanted it to do until... About 3 miles of road construction (dirt) and we began to overheat. Discovered the radiator was plugged with mud. Flushed it out and all was good 'til the next section of dusty road.

Wroughtnharv · 09-18-2016, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrbarber

Harvey, I ran across your interesting thread this evening.

FWIW, I built a water spray system like this for our '87 Country Coach. It did exactly what I wanted it to do until... About 3 miles of road construction (dirt) and we began to overheat. Discovered the radiator was plugged with mud. Flushed it out and all was good 'til the next section of dusty road.

Interesting, did you have the system on all the time or only on demand? Since the only time Jane gets hot and bothered involve climbing mountains I'm thinking of having the misting system operated from an abandoned circuit on the dash. Previous owner tried an electric fan and found that hurt more than helped.

Yesterday as I was working on Jane she grew on me a little more. Her simplicity is kind of nice in a world that can be quite complicated.

Wroughtnharv · 09-20-2016, 07:42 PM

No reply from Holt Cat on the oil and antifreeze analysis. But today I changed the oil and filter in the Cummins and the Onan. I also drained the antifreeze out of the radiator and filled it back up with fresh antifreeze and water, 50-50. The fridge is throwing a code so we are taking the coach over to an authorized repair facility. It has to be something simple. The last thing tonight was getting the new a/c belt in and ready for the installation so we have dash air again.

There is a plan, the new exhaust manifold along with the pyrometer are going to the machine shop for a professional matchup while we are out and about. When we get back from the trip I will install the new manifold and pyrometer set up along with the water injection system for the radiator shroud. And then there will be the new hiccups that reveal themselves during the trip.

If we have any luck at all Thursday before lunch we will be on the road again. Neither one of us have ever seen Mt Rushmore and that's something we need to tick off of the bucket list. A couple of thousand miles and we will see how Jane holds up.

guardrail53 · 09-20-2016, 10:54 PM

Harvey and Glenda, have a great trip! We went to Mt. Rushmore last year in Aug. and used the furnace!

May want to throw in a 110V heater in your basement, just in case?

Rail!

jrbarber · 09-20-2016, 11:02 PM

Harvey, I did switch water spray on/off as needed. Didn't need it very often, usually in slow weekend mountain traffic.

I forgot to mention that I originally started using water directly from our fresh water tank but soon discovered when it wasn't used regularly, the teeny spray orifices tended to clog with minerals. Switched over to small tank of distilled water and put an end to mineral clogging.

Wroughtnharv · 09-21-2016, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrbarber

Harvey, I did switch water spray on/off as needed. Didn't need it very often, usually in slow weekend mountain traffic.

I forgot to mention that I originally started using water directly from our fresh water tank but soon discovered when it wasn't used regularly, the teeny spray orifices tended to clog with minerals. Switched over to small tank of distilled water and put an end to mineral clogging.

Okay Jim, I'm going to be like the kid with the questions that never stop.

1. What pump and tank did you use? I'm thinking about a three gallon tank that will fit in the compartment along side the radiator with a common windshield washer pump and orifices. Pump that any quickie auto parts would carry.

2. Distilled water sounds good for the mineral deposits but I'm thinking about economy windshield washer fluid with a little Purple Cleaner added. I'm hoping this is an out west thing. I'll know more after this trip.

Wroughtnharv · 09-21-2016, 08:03 PM

It's been a long day, too old for this, maybe not, old and work is what we are and what we do.

I changed out the air filter on the engine and then went after the a/c belt installation. I think sandpapering a bobcat kitten's butt in a closet with its mom and dad present would have been easier than installing that belt.

But, huge but, love the dash a/c, absolutely love the dash a/c.

I put about 120 miles on Jane today and she ran 180 except when I was doing 70 on the freeway then she crept up to 190 but bounced back down to 180 when I slowed down on the surface streets.

I visited Slade's mobile RV services, he's now setting up a shop and he figured out the issue was a wire terminated incorrectly by the installer (me). No charge since I brought it to him and it only took about twenty minutes to figure it out. Everyone else we called was three weeks out.

So in the morning we pull out in the general direction of Mt Rushmore.

jrbarber · 09-21-2016, 08:53 PM

Here I go again. I spent about an hour writing about my water spray cooling system, making sure it was understandable, then I did something stupid (no worries, it wasn't the 1st time) and lost it all. Maybe this one will be much shorter and that's good.

First generation of spray system, used connection to main water tank and I merely turned water pump on/off as needed. Then I noticed my misting orifices were clogging up with mineral. Gen. 2 used gallon jugs of distilled water, with windshield pump and very fine misting orifices from a patio/deck cooling system. A gallon of distilled water would last over an hour and the system was never needed for more than 15 minutes at a time, usually in slow, climbing mtn. traffic. I used the misting orifices instead of windshield nozzles that put out so much water it was dripping on the ground.

I think I covered in half the space this time, what I lost earlier.

I noticed you mentioned running at 180 to 190 degrees. Assuming you were talking about coolant temps. If so, I used to be concerned about my 3208 Cat running 190-195 until an oldtime Cat mech. told me engine wasn't happy until it was running 197 to 205 and no problems with temporary climbs to 220/225.

Don't know your starting point but hope the Mt. Rushmore trip is fun and uneventful. Keep us posted about how it all goes.

Best,
PS let me know what I forgot to include in the 2nd version of my note.

Wroughtnharv · 09-22-2016, 07:43 PM

We pulled out at 11:15 and all was well for awhile. Out side of Wichita Falls Jane started shifting erratically. I pulled over and was still inside the coach when a semi had a blow out right outside the window. First impression was a very violent accident happened just inches away from the coach. Big rigs, big tires, Big Bang is what I have to say about that.

A Google gave me Stewart and Stevenson was a couple of miles away. Guy on the phone said to come by and someone would look at it. Someone was named James. I told him that I had knocked a connector loose while fighting the fan belt into place and didn't remember making sure the connector was secured when I buttoned things up. That was the issue. We went out for a test ride and things were perfect.

He refused payment so I gave him a twenty to buy his wife some fried chicken.

An hour or so later and one missed turn Jane started losing power. She acted just like Lucy (2003 C5500 welding rig) does when a fuel filter is clogged. We're spending the night in the Loves parking lot in Quanah Texas among the semis until morning when I can pick up the fuel filters and change them out, hoping big time it isn't a lift pump.

Some might think this isn't worth the hassle. I look at it as life near the fast lane, too old for the fast lane these days.

The old issues haven't shown their ugly heads up and the issues I'm dealing with now are new ones. We'll get this one handled and then I'm sure something new will come up, we'll deal with it.

She isn't over heating more than can be expected, not hitting 200 and not using any antifreeze.