Tech Talk: March 2017

Dolard LeBlanc, F405159

Goodyear, Arizona

We have a couple suggestions. One is to install RV gutters. One company that sells this product is Essential Products, www.rvgutters.com. Also, RV gutter extensions, which attach to existing gutter spouts, are available online. Or, perhaps surgical tubing or some other kind of clear tubing in the proper size would work. You could connect the tubing to the air conditioner’s condensation drain hose and route it down the side of the coach, out of the way. Use stick-on fasteners to hold it in place.

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Has Family Motor Coaching published articles on repairing awning motors?

Sunny Guest, F442084

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

The replacement of the motor drive assembly is simple and straightforward. Just drill out the three rivets, unplug the 12-volt connector, and pull the assembly straight out of the roller tube. Then install the new motor assembly in the roller tube and replace the three rivets; it’s essential that the rivets be the correct length. Such motors will not function well below 12.5 volts; a voltage test should be made before any motor replacement decision.

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My wife and I bought a 2016 Tiffin Allegro Bus, and we enjoy our new life on the road. It came with a Winegard antenna and was set up for DirecTV. We winter in Yuma, Arizona, and cable is provided in our park, but Spectrum (formerly Time Warner) now requires a converter box on each TV. Our televisions are built into the wall, so we aren’t able to attach the boxes.

I’m not concerned about watching a different show on each TV. Tiffin technicians recommended patching one converter into the main input (located above the passenger seat), but that means it would hang out of the cabinet. With DirecTV and the Winegard setup, we can’t receive local stations, but everything else comes in fine. DirecTV technicians say our round antenna needs to be an oval version to pick up the two correct satellites. I really don’t relish the thought of having to take off the Winegard and go to a pop-up dish unit. I worry about the existing holes leaking, over and above the cost. Apparently DirecTV has a way for us to get either a West Coast or East Coast feed and receive Los Angeles or New York City local stations, but we would get those everywhere we travel. What else can we do?

Duane Byerley, F445620

Keizer, Oregon

I agree with you about the additional holes in your motorhome’s roof. An RV technician might be able to mount something that would not cause any leaks. Or a local DirecTV shop might be able to set you up with a mobile dish and its own stand that connects to your TVs through the cable attachment in your basement. If you haven’t already done so, you might contact Winegard (www.winegard.com; 800-288-8094) and see what options are available.

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I own a 1974 FMC 2900J motorhome that I bought new. I am in need of an idler arm on the bushings of the front suspension. Do you know where I can get the part?

John Bartley, F11784

High Point, North Carolina

Call Robert Henderson of Henderson’s Line-Up Brake & RV Inc., in Grants Pass, Oregon; (888) 898-3281 or (541) 955-0769; www.hendersonslineup.com. If Robert doesn’t have the parts you need, I’m sure he can direct you elsewhere. You might also contact the FMC Motor Coach Owners Club chapter of FMCA (www.fmcowners.com) and see whether any chapter members have suggestions for obtaining parts for these classic coaches. In fact, you might find it beneficial to join the chapter.

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How can I install a 12-volt-DC-to-120-volt-AC inverter in my 2005 Winnebago Adventurer 35A to provide power to my Norcold 12-cubic-foot refrigerator while traveling only? I use shore power or generator power while camping. In the future, I may install a residential-style refrigerator (rated for 10 amps).

Lew Autry, F453505

Hopkins, South Carolina