What did you do to your Class A MH today???

Last fall when I was doing some preventive and year end maintenance I ran across a drag link end that had some play in it. I was going to replace just the ends but leave it to Monaco to have a company build the drag link off-site and use a non-serviceable drag link end on the axle end. I was able to get the telephone number for the company that manufactured them for Monaco thinking I could get the size and/or part number for the end merely to save me some time of removing it, sizing it and then sourcing one. Boy was I wrong, not only was the company, Steering Components Inc., not willing to help me the woman was extremely pissed that I had called them. She wanted to know who at Monaco gave me the telephone number because "they do NOT deal with the public", she made that very clear.

I was going to remove the drag link and then machine a new threaded end for it to accept an adjustable style drag link end to save a few bucks. I still may as I saved the old drag link and may play with it when I find time. However, I ordered a new drag link last fall so I had one to install when I got the coach out of storage this spring. Saturday I removed the old drag link, installed the new one, greased everything and painted it.

Here is the new drag link on the shop bench waiting for installation.


I had soaked the drag link ends down last fall with Kroil to aid in removal then quickly hit them again with a shot on Friday afternoon.




It was hard to get a puller up in there with the forward run/control box but by turning the steering wheel a bit I was able to access it just fine. Drag link removed. Ready to clean the bore on the pitman arm and prepare for installation of the new one.


Old one on the ground out from under the coach.


New drag link set to the proper length and installed.




Wiped down with wax and grease remover and painted with some high solids semi-gloss black paint.


Here is the part number from Monaco if anyone is needing it.


Next on the list for Saturday's repairs was the vertical adjustment on the streetside slide. I have noticed over the last couple of trips of last season that the slide was starting to drag on my carpet near the front section of the slide slightly. I decided to investigate and make sure nothing was damaged or broken. After giving everything a good once over and determining that nothing was damaged or broken just out of adjustment, I decided to proceed with adjusting the slides vertical position. The box was out of square slightly with the opening so I proceeded to lift some of the weight off of the slide out arms to aid in adjusting.

Here is the paint lines slightly off at the front of the slide. Not much but about 3/16". Enough to cause the front side to sit slightly lower than the rear and the top of the box at the front to be slightly closer to the body than the top of the rear. By adjusting this corner up slightly it should square the box in the opening. Don't give me any******about the dirty paint. I haven't giver her a good spring detailing yet.:(


Rear paint lines look pretty much spot-on.


Here is the vertical adjustment on the forward arm/tube.


I immediately found out why it was out of adjustment. I checked all of the UHMW wear blocks earlier and found none worn or missing so I was stumped why it was out of adjustment until I went to put a wrench on the locknut for the vertical adjustment, it was completely loose, not even finger tight. It was backed off by about a turn or so from being finger tight. After taking some of the weight off the forward arm I adjusted it with an allen socket a little at at time and then ran the slide in/out to in between adjustments. What a difference it made. The slide was instantly noticeable that it was moving much easier and with less friction. I didn't think it moved poorly last year but it sure was different now.


All in all a busy Saturday but she is ready for the upcoming season now.

Mike.

I looked up the hill in the backyard and hoped that I get my baby back from the shop sooner than they said. It's in for a leaky exhaust manifold and was almost done when they found that the "S" tube was bent and had to be special ordered and may not shipped till the 10th. Bummer. Went to the shop Friday to get some things and to tell it that it was missed. Just finishing up with radiation treatments for neck cancer and had planned to go to the ocean beach for a week by myself to do some mental and physical healing, but that's off for a month.

With the heat wave we've been having for a couple days, 49 degrees, I got out there and washed her down, no more black streaks...nice and clean. Then cleaned inside countertops and floors. We still have 1 1/2 foot of snow but I snowblow the driveway of all snow so I can get out of driveway and out for exercise at least once a month. Ohhhh, felt so good getting her clean.

Washed and paste waxed and buffed to a shine. ;)

Well if truth must be told, treated DW and my self (still a bit stressed over the jeep theft) and joined friends for the Sunday Brunch at the Sheraton in Puerto Vallarta which runs from 9:30 to 2:00 and serves champagne all day with continuous live very talented marimba duet and a full mariachi band playing throughout.

But the rig did get cleaned: Miguel arrived promptly at nine as promised, we left at 9:45 to walk to the Hotel--20 minutes. Back about 2:00PM and he was still polishing. I had forgotten to give him the electric buffer and he had been buffing by hand! :S He finally finished up at about 4:00PM!

Cleaned the bathrooms, mopped the floor, got the majority of the melting snow off the roof. Emptied several compartments so we have space to take things to friends who moved to Tampa last fall. Started and ran generator. Packing clothes in this week. Leave for Florida on Saturday.

Started the generator and ran for 1hr to keep batteries topped off and turned on engine preheat. After half hour started the engine and Ran at high idle for 1/2 hour. Put into drive & reverse numerous times. Couldn't go anywhere, still two feet of snow in front of it.

It's killing me.

Finished the exterior caulking, added some extra insulation to the rear of the motorhome. There are a couple of cold spots in the sleeping area. Now for the upper 30 degree night time temps to check my work

Sanitizing fresh water system

Had the RV washed & waxed on a Lake Havasu campground beach:

Yesterday afternoon I took it in for it's annual emission test. Felt good just to drive it.

Mike.