Flex Hose
I have a 2006 Monaco Camelot motorhome with a 400-horsepower Cummins engine. I need a flexible intake hose. It runs from the top vent down to the inlet side of the air filter. The fabric-encased wire hose is approximately 7 to 8 feet long and 6 inches in diameter.
Edward Imhoff, F405707
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
I suggest that you contact the folks at Monaco RV and request information about this part. They should be able to provide you with a source. Call Monaco RV technical support at (877) 466-6226. The hose also should be available at most shops that service diesel engines.
Leaky Shower
I have a 2004 Fleetwood Southwind 37C with a 4-inch crack in the shower pan. Is there a kit that can be purchased to repair the pan without replacing the whole thing? The crack is slight and cannot be seen until you are standing in the shower.
Gary L. Baker Sr., F364957
Trenton, Florida
I have a few suggestions:
First, apply super glue to the crack and smooth it out with a tongue depressor, putty knife, or Popsicle stick, and allow it to dry according to directions. If your coach has a plumbing access panel near the crack, and you can apply the glue to the underside of the pan, that would greatly strengthen the repair. Once the glue has dried, apply a layer of silicone sealant.
A second option would be to use epoxy cement. This type of adhesive comes in two separate bottles or tubes that you mix to activate. Just follow the application directions above. Make sure you use the correct epoxy for the type of material the pan is made from.
A third possibility — but I have no personal knowledge whether it would work — is plastic welding. Plastic welding machines are available for purchase at some hardware stores or there may be a shop located nearby that specializes in that type of work.
Since the pan probably has some flex to it, I’m not sure whether any of these solutions would be good long-term solutions. Your best option may be to replace the pan.
Coaching Concerns
My husband and I have decided to keep our motorhome, which we initially purchased with the help of my dad, who passed away last year. Without him here to help us, we have to figure out how to use it and drive it. Does FMCA offer any programs or classes that teach people how to drive a motorhome and what the suggested maintenance schedule would be when it’s only being driven weekly for a few miles?
Jane Parks -McKay, F71403D
Santa Cruz, California
I’m glad to hear that you have decided to keep your motorhome. FMCA does offer a motorhome safe driving course at its Family Reunions that is provided by the Recreation Vehicle Safety & Education Foundation. However, it is a classroom course and not a hands-on driving class. Below is an excerpt from the “Sharing The Road” article that appeared in the October 2012 issue of Family Motor Coaching magazine (page 54). It offers some information about learning to drive an RV, including some hands-on driving course options.
“New and veteran drivers alike should attend an RV driving class before heading down the road, especially on today’s interstates. Real-world experience is the best teacher. Realize that odds are great you will scratch, dent, or back into something at some time or will cut someone off.
“Lazydays (www.lazydays.com) presents its ‘RV Driver Confidence Course’ in Tampa, Florida (866-703-3076), and Tucson, Arizona (800-306-4069 ext. 6309). The RV Driving School (www.rvschool.com; 530-878-0111) offers classes at different locales across the United States.
“The RV Safety and Education Foundation (RVSEF) presents its RV Driving Safety Program at FMCA Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase events each year. During this two-part session, seasoned motorhome operators provide participants with driving and safety tips to help them become better drivers.
“An Internet search may reveal other possibilities. Taking a driving class also may make you eligible for a discount on your motorhome insurance. Contact your agent to find out the specifics.
“No matter whether you decide to take a driving class, all inexperienced drivers should find a large, unused parking lot to practice their driving. This is the best way to become familiar with your motorhome while avoiding damage and embarrassment. Bring your driving partner, patience, and perhaps an experienced motorhome operator. Keep it lighthearted and remember your sense of humor. Set up a type of obstacle course that requires turning, backing, and stopping. You may find it helpful to videotape the session so you see what you’re doing from a different perspective.”
As for your question about maintenance, the regular maintenance schedules recommended by the engine, chassis, and motorhome manufacturer would apply no matter how often you use the vehicle. You might want to do some things that usually have mileage recommendations attached more often than specified — such as changing the oil based on time specified rather than miles specified.
In addition, FMCA’s Web site — FMCA.com — has quite a bit of information for folks new to the motorhome lifestyle, including the FMCA Motorhome Forums (http://community.fmca.com/index). Participating in the Forums can be very helpful. If you have questions, you usually can find another motorhome owner who can answer your question or provide advice.
Another great way to learn is to join an FMCA chapter in your area —one for people with the same type of motorhome you own. Other motorhome owners are great resources.
Jump Start Relay
I have a preowned 2008 Holiday Rambler Neptune XL. I have noticed that the jump-start relay (located in the battery compartment) is very hot to the touch when I keep it plugged in to shore power while sitting in the yard or at a campground. Several of my friends who also own Holiday Rambler motorhomes have the same jump-start relay, but theirs are not hot. Do you have any information you can offer about this and possibly how to the correct the problem?
Thomas Felch, F425597
Hudson, New Hampshire
I don’t have personal experience with a Holiday Rambler jump-start relay, but if the relays on your friends’ motorhomes are not hot and yours is, I’d say it shouldn’t be.
The first thing you need to do is to confirm that the relay you are speaking of is actually a battery boost relay solenoid. On a boost solenoid, one large lug is connected to the house battery bank and another is connected to the chassis battery bank. When tested each will register voltage, but the voltage readings should be different, reflecting the voltage in each battery bank.
To test the relay, check for voltage between the small signal terminal and ground with the boost switch turned off. If there is no power to the small signal terminal, yet the voltage to both large lugs is the same as when tested earlier — engine off and shore power and generator off for at least an hour so the battery bank voltages will not be exactly the same — then the points in the solenoid are stuck and the relay needs to be replaced. However, if there is power to the small signal terminal with the boost switch off, then you will need to determine why it is receiving 12-volt-DC positive electric with the switch turned off.
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