Spider Stopper
When I read Sally Peterson’s question in the January 2008 issue (“Unwanted Guests,” page 26) about spiderweb prevention, I thought of the advice given to us when we bought our first RV, which worked out very well. Purchase a dog or cat flea collar and cut it into pieces. Place the pieces in all the different compartments, including storage, furnace, water heater, electrical, etc. The size of the flea collar pieces should be commensurate to the size of the compartment. This should solve her spider problem. It works for us.
Bob Apted, F358674
Orange, California
Attaching an Aspen
I am sure the writers of your “Towables For 2008″ story in the January 2008 issue (page 60) could not cover all possibilities, but they missed a good one in overlooking the Chrysler Aspen all-wheel-drive SUV. My manual clearly defines the procedure for towing the vehicle four wheels down. This is the same transmission as is used in the Jeep.
Howard Cliborne, F306073
Nags Head, North Carolina
After the January 2008 issue went to press, we learned that the Aspen can be towed. Originally, it was left off the list of towables that the manufacturer provided us. In fact, we discovered it in time to run an update in the February “Readers’ Forum” column. It says, in part: “Like its cousin, the Dodge Durango, the Aspen is a four-wheel-drive sport utility vehicle with an automatic transmission. However, only models equipped with the optional low-speed transfer case that has a neutral position are towable four wheels down. The Aspen has a base curb weight of 5,131 pounds and measures 200.8 inches in length. There are no speed or distance limitations during towing.”
Cleaning concoction
Approximately nine years ago, I read of a homemade concoction to clean RV awnings. I am pretty sure two of the ingredients consisted of bleach and liquid dish detergent. I don’t recall if there were any other ingredients, nor do I know the quantities needed.
Henry Glassman, F371561
Homosassa, Florida
The article you are referring to appeared in the November 1999 issue of Family Motor Coaching (“Shade To Go,” page 70), and the cleaning solution information applied to vinyl A&E (Dometic) awnings. Although the article is 9 years old, the same cleaning formula can be found on Dometic’s Web site, www.dometicusa.com/pdf/drdAwnings.pdf. The mixture was ¼-cup dish soap and ¼-cup bleach in 5 gallons of water. Directions from Dometic say to apply the solution with a mop or sponge; roll the awning up to soak for five minutes, applying the mixture to the bottom as it is being rolled; open the awning; and rinse off the top and bottom with fresh water.
Before using this solution on your awning, check with your awning manufacturer, as their cleaning recommendations may be different. Note that Dometic has a different cleaning recommendation for its acrylic awnings. This type of material should only be rinsed with water and allowed to dry and should not be scrubbed.
Shifty shades
We missed the original “House Calls” letter in the June 2007 issue about day-night shades and just read the follow-up letter in the October 2007 issue (page 28). We have become quite apt at restringing these blinds. The manufacturer has supplied me with the cord and ferrules. I found that some of the blinds were assembled with damaged ferrules that wore heavily on the cord and caused the cords to fail prematurely. Our coach is a 1996 Kountry Aire. We installed the new ferrules and have not had any more failures.
Mark and Gloria Milhous, F220328
Clayton, Indiana
MOR/ryde ride?
We are the original owners of a 1997 Dolphin with a MOR/ryde tag axle, which also had a brake drum. After more than 88,000 miles of use, it was time to replace the wheel bearings and, while in the neighborhood, so to speak, I told the garage to go ahead and put on new brake shoes. We were surprised to discover that MOR/ryde has quit making tag axles for motorhomes and, to make matters worse, has discontinued making the brake shoes.
We can imagine that there are other owners of Dolphin motorhomes and their sister vehicles who are in the same situation. The garage could not find a suitable replacement, so the job is unfinished. Do you have any resources we can use to find replacements?
Chuck Hoelzel, F213939
Benson, Arizona
I’ll try to shine a little light in respect to your MOR/ryde tag axle brake shoe concern. The following information may help you locate the parts you need.
The brake shoes, return springs, adjusters, brake drums, wheel bearings, etc. that make up a tag axle assembly may not have been manufactured by MOR/ryde, as that particular company may have simply purchased and assembled the parts, then sold the completed assembly unit to different chassis builders. Each and every individual part you need may have a name or some other identifying stamp (mark) in the metal as to who the original maker was.
Arrow Distributing Inc. (800-228-1001, http://www.arrowdist.com/) provides service parts to the RV and mobile home repair industry, with eight warehouse outlets ranging from Omaha, Nebraska, to Orlando, Florida. The company’s current RV parts catalog has 525 pages, 12 of which are illustrated pages of brake parts alone. There is a chance (no promise) that Arrow Distributing may have a breakdown of parts for your MOR/ryde axle. Make sure you have a model number for your axle when you inquire.
Another possibility is that the shop that is doing your work, or perhaps a service center that specializes in brakes, can reline the brake shoes for you if they are still in good condition.
Perhaps other readers will have suggestions to offer.
Rodent rascals
We just read the “Mischievous Mice” letter about rodents on page 22 in the December 2007 “Tech Talk” column. We solved the same problem by using a few drops of peppermint oil on cotton balls placed in our basement storage compartments. As rodents do not like the scent of peppermint, once they smell it they leave and never return. Good-quality peppermint oil can be purchased in a health food store. Using the oil also solved rodent problems in our children’s homes. Not only is it environmentally safe, but it smells good. We hope this helps other people with this same problem.
Charles and Jan Pearce, F325526
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
About four years ago, mice invaded our 33-foot motorhome that I keep garaged at our equipment yard in the country. I set six mousetraps, and the first day I caught 10 mice. I kept resetting the traps until I no longer caught any mice. I read an ad about an electronic pest repelling device and ordered two of them from Global Instruments Ltd. (819 Industrial Drive, Trenton, MO 64683; 800-338-5028; http://www.global-instruments.com/). I placed one in the motorhome and one in the garage where the motorhome is stored. We have never had mice or spiders since. We put two of these in each of our two homes and have never had any more rodents.
Ike McElvany, F338178
Los Banos, California
Exhaust leak
My mother and father purchased a 1987 Allegro motorhome new from the factory. (I’ve been told that they actually watched the coach being built.) My parents were active members of FMCA until they couldn’t travel anymore, and my father was president of several motorhome clubs. I was given the motorhome back in 2000. This coach always has been kept under cover of some type. I get comments all the time on its good condition. It has a Chevrolet P-30 chassis with a Chevy 454 engine. My father always had a problem with the exhaust doughnuts. I have found out this is actually a problem with the stainless-steel emission tubes coming off of the exhaust manifolds. They always leak. What can I do to stop this?
Alan McRea
via e-mail
I can relate to the exhaust leak you describe. You may be able to see the chrome tubing with the swivel nuts that connect the pipes to each exhaust manifold port of each cylinder head. Is the tubing rusted through near the swivel nuts? The other end of this pipe goes to a control valve, then to the air injector reactor (A.I.R.) belt-driven air pump. A representative at my local ACDelco parts store told me these pipes are still available through ACDelco (left bank pipe part number is 219-121; right bank pipe part number is 219-122).
Wheel bearing maintenance
How often should the wheel bearings on a type A motorhome be changed? My motorhome is a 1992 Itasca with 32,000 miles on it. Also, are there any other maintenance issues I need to be aware of?
Terrance Watkins
Baker, Louisiana
I haven’t seen any time or mileage guidelines for replacement of front wheel bearings. My “Chevrolet Motor Home Chassis Service Guide” recommends that front wheel roller bearings be cleaned, inspected, and repacked with the correct special lube every 12,000 miles.
As far as other maintenance items are concerned, you should consult your chassis owner’s manual to determine what is required
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