Category: Commentary

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Back Home (sort of) in Illinois

We planned 5 days to get home – and pushed the trip into 4 to get back before the bad weather. We ended up taking the north route AZ to Albuquerque, NM to Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and finally Illinois. We saw lots of grass fires and were bored out of our skulls crossing Kansas. At one point I said, “If there weren’t all those bugs on the windshield, we’d have nothing to look at!” The new horn button works great – we had one opportunity to use it. The RVIBrake wanted to do an update on the first day – but we didn’t have time to let it happen. The second morning I let it update. In the middle of day 4, the RVIBrake and hub lost pairing – for no good reason. We drove the rest of the way without it as the pairing routine needed a QR code and my unit was so old it didn’t have one. I wrote RVIBrake and they emailed me a QR code which worked, but no explanation as to why we lost pairing.  

The cold and rain followed us home, and we had a flurry of appointments to take care of the first couple of weeks. We are just about to get back to the house for some more downsizing. But not so fast….. The rear AC quit. Oh, it made noise, and moved air, the compressor was running, but it didn’t cool. I used to work on ACs, so it didn’t take long to diagnose it was out of freon.  I found the leak. I “can” fix that but I’m not allowed to buy freon without certification which requires having training and expensive recovery equipment they can verify. So, I looked around and found we could wait days after ordering one online. Or we could drive 90 minutes to Pontiac RV and pick one up – just a bit more expensive, but in hand the same day, which we did. The weather didn’t cooperate however and it took several more days before I could work on it.

So, how does one get an 80-pound RV AC 12 feet up onto a class-A roof? Well, either lots of McGyvering or have someone offer to use their front loader. It was still a bit of work because the loader didn’t quite reach, but way more reliable method especially when a couple of other campers volunteered to help.

Before I took the old one down, I documented all the wiring to make sure I could install the new one correctly. It turns out that just four screws hold the AC in place. I found what appears to be a common problem (found this in my previous RV too). All of the wiring for the AC comes out of the roof in the return air portion of the ducting. Often there is a couple of feet of extra wire that is just shoved in there with no attempt to get it out of the air path. I took the time to clean up the wiring before putting it all back together. And I made one mistake. These ACs are often installed with an inside unit instead of being ducted like ours. Thus some if not all the hold-down bolts are put in from the bottom. So this (and my old) AC had four long screws with the front ones run through threaded inserts(normally used for bolts from the bottom) before entering the roof structure. The problem was the screws stopped turning when they hit the insert instead of pulling the AC unit down and compressing the seal. I don’t know why I didn’t realize this when installing, but having done a major job like this, I rehash the process in my mind later. I realized that problem with the screws and went back up the next day. I removed the screws, drilled out the inserts so the screws could turn freely, and reinstalled them. When tightening, they compressed the seal nicely so no leaks in the future.  One last thing, this picture is of the return side of the evaporator.  If you have a removable ceiling cover for the AC, you can see this from the inside.  If you have a ducted system like mine, the only way to see this is to remove the cover and open the “cold side” of the AC.  This is 5 years of dirt, despiting having filters inside on the return air that I cleared periodically. 

While we were here in Illinois the eclipse was coming so we made arrangements to visit friends down in Marion – right on the center line.  The eclipse was spectacular.  I took lots of shots with my camera but forgot to remove the solar filter during totality 8^{  But it was a great experience.  Traffic from central Illinois to Marion and back was the worst we’ve ever seen on 57.  We spent about half the trip on parallel state roads.  

Also, I bought a Coach Proxy microprocessor.  What is that?  Coach Proxy came out of a group of Tiffin owners.  The microprocessor talks to the Coach’s Spyder system and presents a web page that can be accessed by our phone or computer.  Everything the Spyder system can see or control can be controlled remotely.  The version I bought was new, preconfigured for my 32SA as well as my WIFI (or was supposed to be).  I needed to tweak the config files to get the WIFI up and running.  I used this feature to turn the rear AC on/off while I was on the roof.  The source for the software is available and some people have ported it to other brand RVs but it sounds like a real programming project.  Finally, Coach Proxy users have used a service called NGROK which allows the Coach Proxy to be accessed from the Internet when away from the RV.  I couldn’t get the free version to work.  So I switched to Dataplicity – which some people said worked – nope, no soap.  It was installed and configured and showed up on Dataplicity servers but no communication.  I talked to their support and they gave me one more install command and things worked.  Apparently, their installer assumed a certain piece of software was already installed on the Coach Proxy.  Now I can turn my ACs on/off, control lights, etc from anywhere on the internet.

 

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When does it end?

Before we start,  I DO like to travel.  Normally.  Of course, when I happen to be the person on the front line when something breaks, traveling can be a bit stressful.  I sometimes sit there and think: “Is that a new noise?”  It’s been nearly a year since the engine blow-up but there has been a constant string of little to medium-sized issues.

In my last post, I referred to a rear axle flange leak – that I tightened the nuts and cleaned up the oil.  We drove back toward our home base and checked – and yes, it was still leaking.  But before that- this week+ has been one thing after another.  So here we start…..

I started both researching the axle leak problem and looking for a seal.  I found several posts and videos where DIYers took care of their F53 axle flange leaks.  More on that below.  The immediate issue was where to get a new gasket in just over a week we would be stationary.  No online place either had one or could get one to us in less than two weeks.  I hit up my local Ford dealer and they promised to get one (I always order two) delivered in a few days – and they did.

Our 2019 Tiffin is based on a Ford F53 stripped chassis.  This chassis seems to come with one of three different transaxles.  None of the numbers on the transaxle seemed to match up with anything I could find on the Internet.  Most references were for 8-stud axle flanges.  Mine had twelve.  Aside from the issue of getting the right gasket, the torque values for the various flange stud nuts is very different based on the size of the studs (6 or 8 studs flanges use larger diameter and higher torque values than the twelve).

I had never dealt with this size of transaxle before.  The F53 has dual wheels on the rear.  The hub on each side, to which the wheels bolt and the brake disk attach connects to the transaxle via a pair of bearings.  Without the axle shaft installed, the hub would free wheel.  F53 12 Bolt axle flangeA “half axle” then inserts through the hub and a spline shaft connects with the gearing inside the transaxle.  The Flange on the end of the half-axle bolts to the hub, and thus drives it.  There is a thin paper gasket that seals transaxle oil from leaking between the flange and the hub.

The transaxle is filled with oil high enough that it runs out to the bearings in the hubs.  I let oil out of the transaxle case so I didn’t have to deal with a lot of oil running out when I pulled the axle.  There are three plugs in the case – one at the bottom to fully drain, one part way up the side for a partial drain and one higher up which is the fill and full-measure port.  The case is vented, so if you pull the plug on the middle port, it will drain and drain quite fast.  I let oil run out, until it slowed a bit and put the plug back in.  My estimate was it was low enough to minimize the oil that would come out later (it did).

The process goes something like this: place the RV on a flat surface, with wheel chocks in place.  During removal and re-installation you will need to release the parking brake and place transmission in neutral. Remove the hub cover (the left side has left-hand threads).  Mark the flange and hub, so that when reassembling, you can line everything up the same way.  Remove the flange nuts.  Now release the brake and go to neutral.  The flange should pull out fairly easily if all pressure on the drive system has been removed.

I cleaned up both sides (hub and flange).  I removed the remainder of the gasket with a utility knife and buffed up the surfaces with 3M green scrubber and did a final cleaning with a paper towel wetted with brake cleaner.  I applied the gasket dry (as per instructions).  The axle slid back in and with a little bump and jockeying, it mated in just the same place it came out.

The service manual specified to tighten the nuts in a star pattern – that is start with one nut – then go opposite (180 degrees), then 90 degrees, then another 180.  Or based on a clock, noon, 6, 9 and 3.  Then move to the next set and tighten in the same order.  With twelve bolts, that meant three sets of 4.  I snugged by hand, then set the torque wrench to 20, 40, and 65, in turn, following the pattern each time.  Finally, I cleaned up the hub, hub cover and wheel with brake cleaner so that if anything leaked again, I could easily tell.

After installing the cover, I added back new gear oil (my service manual spec’d 75W140.  It took 6 pints – it all depends on how much yours leaked and how much drained out.

We were waiting to leave town for one last medical test on me (which turned out good).  We headed northwest, into Iowa, and stayed the first night at a Harvest Host (Alpaca Farm).  It was our second trip to that host and it was as great as the first time.  It was hot during the day, but by evening it was cool enough to sleep with the windows open.  The next day was a long one – 6 plus hours on the road.  The axle flange didn’t leak – that was great.

Debbie and I weren’t really in sync that day.  We were having issues with gas stations.  Flying J and Pilot stations were limiting credit card purchases to $100, even in the RV lanes.  You can’t fill up an 80-gallon tank on $100 unless you travel back to the 1960’s.  AND, when I put my card in again, the station, or the card company denies your charge – EVEN IF I PUT IN A DIFFERENT CARD!!! So we pull into the left RV lane and there are bags on the left pumps – the easiest one to use.  But there are pumps on the right side of that lane – so I try that – “processing” forever.  (AND there was a deep puddle I had to wade to get to asshole parking in the waythe right pump – wet shoes!)  Ok, the right lane is now empty – so Deb drives around the lot to enter the right lane but some bozo parked his RV and trailer in the way, forcing a tighter turn into the right lane.  I was worried about the truck jumping the curb, as was Deb.  We weren’t agreeing on when to turn which way.  Deb was halfway into the lane when I in frustration said,”Just pull up, I’ll tell you when to stop” – when I heard a crunch.  front left fender damageThe left front fender hit the island guard that was sticking WAY THE HELL OUT INTO THE GAS LANE.  Shit!  To add insult to injury, this lane didn’t like my card either so I had to walk into the station to prepay.  Oh, and some stations put a $500 hit on my account, which is adjusted later to the actual amount – all the while limiting the

 exact same purchase to $100.  After filling up, we pulled out of the lane and parked in the lot to add half a roll of tape to the fender.  Some Flying J’s just plain suck rocks.  Others are great.  This one obviously sucked boulders!!

Update:  I am fixing this myself.  I’ve done lots of body work and paint, but very little fiberglass before.  The fiberglass broke in about 10 places.  Trying to work through insurance and finding a place to get the work done quickly (likely to be in a shop for a week or more) – we just couldn’t see doing that.  I’m almost through with the fiberglass work.  Then finish it out with glazing, primer, and paint.  It turns out I can get the same BASF paint in two different spray options.  We shall see.

When we pulled into our RV park – the girl was “new and on her own”.  She assigned us a site but we found a large fifth wheel parked there.  Back to the office – and a new site – backed in – but found only 30 amp service.  Back again – assigned another site and it had a very antiquated and jury-rigged 50 amp, but it worked.  Then the fun begins.  While unhitching the pickup truck, I found something wrong with the RoadMaster Nighthawk tow bar.  I couldn’t get the hitch to catch in the storage position.  It was sticking out too far and wouldn’t recess.  I presumed something in the stinger was broken and the bar was about to separate.  That wouldn’t be good.

Of course, I didn’t have the correct socket, so we went out and bought one and some supplies in case I could put it back together. Nighthawk repair I managed to remove the nut (inside the stinger) that held the tow bar in and couldn’t, for the longest time, figure out what was supposed to be there.  The nut I removed was trying its best to slide out of the stinger so there had to be a washer, spring, or something in there originally, that had broken into pieces and fallen out of the stinger.

nighthawk repairI couldn’t find any diagram of the internals of the stinger.  I finally decided there was a washer missing.  So, a trip to Menards was on the schedule for 6 am the next morning.  And wonder of wonders, I found a grade 8 washer there that was exactly the right size – and a better-fitting socket.  Back home – lubricate and reassemble it all, install on Rover and we are ready to leave and water starts dripping out of the speaker just overhead of the driver.  We had downpours much of the night.  I opened up the back of the cabinet but couldn’t directly identify the leak (it’s way overhead).  I went on the roof and dried off the area but could not find any break in the sealants.  Out of frustration, I coated all the seams in the area with self-leveling sealant.  Won’t know if it worked until it rains again – which seems to be coming soon. (It rained cats, dogs, and elephants at the next park, and no leak. Yea!!!)

We found a park today that had vacancies for three days.  A little relaxation is in order.

Mike

P.S. THE DAMN RVLOCK DOESN”T WORK EITHER!!!!