Frosty Fridge Fins
We have a 2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor motorhome. Last summer the refrigerator’s cooling unit was replaced. With the original unit, we hardly ever had to defrost the refrigerator or freezer. With the new unit we have to defrost the refrigerator about every two weeks. The service technician checked the door seals by using the dollar bill test and also with a digital thermometer. Everything tested okay. The tubing for the drain is pinched at the end, as it has been since 2000. The freezer does not frost up for about two or three months. Also, can you tell me whether the thermistor is located correctly, presently on the fifth fin from the right?
Dennis Schaefer, F256409
Surprise, Arizona
Frost accumulation on the aluminum fins in the food storage compartment normally is caused by several things. First, determine whether you have adequate circulation inside the refrigerator. If you try to pack too much food into it and don’t leave any room for the air to circulate, you can end up with frost. Another potential cause is that moist air can leak into the compartment through the door air seals, from a breach in the liner seal, or from an inadequate seal around the cooling unit plug. A service center would need to diagnose the above (doors have already been examined). Finally, it could be that the operating temperature is much too cold. In this scenario, the cooling unit doesn’t have enough (or any) time to cycle off and to allow the accumulated frost to melt. I would first raise the temperature to the normal setting “” around 40 degrees “” to see whether that fixes it. As for the thermistor, you will need to contact Norcold for the proper location on your particular model.
Towing A 1975 Mustang
Can we tow our 1975 Mustang four wheels down or must we use a trailer or dolly?
Doug & Susan Bryant, F392861
Pinos Altos, New Mexico
According to information from Remco Towing, a 1975 Mustang equipped with either an automatic or a manual transmission should not be towed four wheels down. However, the vehicle can be modified with a driveshaft coupling device to make it towable four wheels down. For more information about installing this device, call Remco at (800) 228-2481 or visit www.remcotowing.com.
If making such a modification to the vehicle is not an option, I believe a trailer would probably be the way to go. You don’t accrue mileage on the car, there’s no wear and tear, and you can back it up. Since the Mustang is a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, a tow dolly is not an option.
Sick Slideout
We purchased a 2008 Country Coach Allure 470 on July 29, 2009. We have had endless problems with the front slideout on the passenger side (HWH hydraulic). It occasionally creeps part of the way in all by itself. On our last trip it did this twice in five days. Two different dealers have worked on it, changing both solenoid valves and checking the entire system. No change; it still does it. Once we were unable to get the slideout back in completely. We have used two methods of extending the slideout, but neither solved the problem. The first way was done per the owners manual: we level the motorhome first, then extend the slideouts while the engine is running. The second recommendation, which came from the dealership, was to extend the slideouts first, then level the motorhome while the engine is running. We would be grateful for any help you can give us to solve this problem.
Horst Birkholz, F286364
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Assuming there are no glaring mechanical problems with the slideout’s hydraulic system, this could be an electrical problem. If there is any voltage drop in the positive (hot or +) side or the negative (ground or -) side in the 12-volt-DC wiring circuit to the slideout’s holding solenoids, this could allow a loss of the solenoid holding power. In short, the load or “hot side” voltage to a device should be virtually the same as the source voltage. Almost any qualified automotive electric technician with a good voltmeter can check this.
Electrical Question
I have a Georgie Boy Landau with 50-amp service, but many of the campgrounds I visit have only 30-amp service available. I purchased an adapter so I could use the 30-amp and 15-amp outlets to get my 50-amp service. The problem is most 15-amp outlets have ground fault protection and the adapter won’t work. Is there any way to make the adapter work with ground fault outlets?
David Gates, F404976
Graham, North Carolina
It’s a very short answer, David. No! You’d have to remove the campground’s GFCI and there’s no way to disable this circuit. Use only the 30-amp adapter. If the campground doesn’t have at least a 30-amp outlet for your campsite, find another campsite or campground, or use your generator.
Storage Question
I have a Type A gas motorhome that is stored on a concrete pad behind my house. Would you recommend using the leveling jacks to raise the motorhome’s tires about an inch or two off the ground for storage? This would keep the tires from resting on the damp concrete.
Don Loudermilk
Sugar Hill, Georgia
Actually, this is a storage method that you absolutely should avoid, because of the damage it could cause to your motorhome’s suspension, and possibly the leveling system. If you did as you describe, your suspension could take a set and completely ruin the vehicle’s ride. Rather than lift the coach, place pieces of plywood under the tires and leave the coach resting on its tires and suspension. The thickness of the wood doesn’t matter, but the pieces need to be large enough to accommodate the entire tire.
Neutral Tow Kits Now Available For Ford Explorer, Ranger Vehicles
Ford Custom Accessories recently announced that Neutral Tow Kits are available for Explorer and Ranger vehicles. These kits make it possible for owners to tow these four-wheel-drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions behind a motorhome with all four wheels on the ground.
Three different kits are available for specific vehicle applications:
Neutral Tow Kit 1L2Z-7H332-AB “” 2001-2005 Explorer with a 4.6-liter V-8 engine; 2001-2010 Explorer with a 4.0-liter V-6 engine; and 2007-2010 Explorer Sport Trac with a 4.0-liter V-6 engine.
Neutral Tow Kit 3L2Z-7H332-AA “” 2003-2005 Explorer Sport/Sport Trac and 2006-2011 Ranger.
Neutral Tow Kit 6L2Z-7H332-A “” 2006-2010 Explorer with a 4.6-liter V-8 engine, and 2007-2010 Sport Trac with a 4.6-liter V-8 engine.
More information about these kits can be found at www.accessories.ford.com. Dealer installation is recommended. Contact your local Ford dealer to order the kit applicable to your vehicle.
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