How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?

[whiteknight001]

I'm new here, and curious.

How many of us in Class C own Dodge B300 incomplete
cab/chassis based RV's? I know two others- Steve aka
Ripsaw, with a 1977 Brougham, and Leroy aka 1978_Dodge
_Delta who owns a 440V8 powered sharp looking 1978
Delta RV. I would like to ask, and offer, help, idea
swapping and comparing notes on our particular RV's
which are based on the Dodge B300 van chassis.

Yeah, I know. These are low tech, podgy old RV's that
would be considered "entry level" for folks like me,
but I have a deep and abiding respect for the quality
of these old "monsters of the open road". And anyone
wanting to pick brains, joke about, share notes or just
brag about our old A- Dodge-io's are certainly welcome
to PM or email me. Between all of us we can form a real
good support group, and help each other with problems
we know we'll encounter with an older vehicle.

Sure. I'd love a new RV. But I'd rather have an older
one already paid for, and a lotta great memories. Call
me frugal, an old hippie, or whatever you will. I'm proud
of my old land yacht.

Mopar Madness Manifest in the flesh,

Mark aka White Knight

P.S. Mine's a '72. Is there an older one out there someone's
motorvating in? Maybe even a Travco? W/K

[Griff_in_Fairba]

Everybody - As long as we're on the subject of brakes, when is the last time you flushed the brake system and replaced the fluid?

Brake fluid is hydroscopic, meaning it attracts and holds moisture.

This is why big trucks sometimes lose their brakes while going down long grades. When the brakes heat up due to extended braking, the water in the brake fluid turns to vapor (steam), which is the same as having air bubbles in the fluid. (i.e., the same as brakes that haven't been bled properly.) Experienced truckers, especially those in mountainous regions, use (engine) compression braking to help keep their speed under control by downshifting.

On long steep grades, instead of just trying to keep my speed down to 50-60 mph, I brake harder to slow down to 40, 30, or even 20 mph. Then, I release the brakes for a while (and allow speed to build up again) to allow the brakes to cool a bit before applying the brakes again.

The hydroscopic nature of brake fluid is why the cans have those frustrating metal/plastic seals under the caps. This is also why I dispose of cans of new brake fluid that have been opened for more than two or three months. I only buy quart/liter cans of fluid when I'm flushing and replacing brake fluid in a vehicle. Otherwise, I buy only the small cans by the case so I don't have to throw out a lot of new fluid that's been open for a while.

In cold temperatures, the water in the brake fluid can freeze and the ice crystals can block the lines and valves, preventing the brakes from working.

Alternatively, the water can cause corrosion in the system, which can build up and plug the lines and valves. (Bits of rubber from old, disintegrating flex lines can also build up and plug the system, which is why I also prefer to replace older flex lines, especially when I'm replacing the calipers/cylinders.)

BTW - Do NOT, repeat NOT, use alcohol to flush the brake system -- it WILL damage the seals in the system, leading to brake failure! Only use compressed air or, preferably, fresh brake fluid.

PoorGary - In your case, corrosion or ice crystal plugs could be keeping your calipers from releasing. In a few cases, when I've been "reviving" older trucks, I've had to use compressed air, blown backwards through the lines, to break loose contamination plugs. (This is a temporary fix -- I always replace all the brake lines when I encounter this situation.)

Try jacking up your front wheels, one at a time, and see if you can turn the wheels. If the wheels turn freely, your problem is elsewhere.

In interior Alaska, people never use the "parking" brake. (It's an emergency brake, not a parking brake.) In subzero temperatures, "parking" brakes tend to freeze, locking the rear brakes in the engaged position. This will keep a vehicle from moving. (Voice of experience, from twenty years ago ... and it took over four hours of careful heat application to thaw them without damaging anything.)

Instead, use wheel chocks if you don't feel the transmission parking cog is sufficient.

Alternatively, your torque converter could be going/gone out. (You have been changing your transmission fluid and filter regularly, right?) The symptoms you describe indicates this is a possibility. (Again, voice of experience, although not due to neglected maintenance.)

BTW - A518 torque converters in older Mopar vehicles tended to do this due to substandard material in the lockup clutches. (More recent and aftermarket torque converters usually have better clutch material.) In those cases, the disintegrated clutch material tended to plug up the transmission coolers, destroying the transmission by causing them to overheat.

[rehoppe]

PoorGary

IIRC, I saw a thread that recommended the front tires/wheels/brakes, be protected from water drainage (especially durning the 'off season'). I suspect this is especially true for coaches that have the offset wheels for the Dualies.

Short story: Yup, you get to free up the calipers. Sorry, it's a PITA.

[Leeann]

Absolutely. If it's locked to the caliper, ain't nuttin' gonna overcome that.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

PoorGary wrote:
Hello everyone.
I still have an ongoing brake problem that's gotten worse due to my habit of putting things off.

Several months back what appeared like a sticking front brake calliper came about where the only way to release it was to apply near full 440 force against it. Now today needing a propane fill and having to leave our site I found that even at full 440 power my motorhome won't move an inch. It feels like all brakes are locked... not just the front.

Is it possible a totally seized front brake calliper can prevent the motorhome from budging an inch??

Yes.

[my440]

Hello everyone.
I still have an ongoing brake problem that's gotten worse due to my habit of putting things off.

Several months back what appeared like a sticking front brake calliper came about where the only way to release it was to apply near full 440 force against it. Now today needing a propane fill and having to leave our site I found that even at full 440 power my motorhome won't move an inch. It feels like all brakes are locked... not just the front.

Is it possible a totally seized front brake calliper can prevent the motorhome from budging an inch??

[Griff_in_Fairba]

z89101 wrote:
1978-79-1980 MB400 163" wheelbase 25 foot Skyline Lindy Dodge Motorhome bunkhouse and fold bunk model-

Does anyone have print media? Skyline staff has nothing. Years of query - nothing.

Ya see, the mb400 is 1978. The Skyline built it out in 79, on a chassis extended wheelbase (163") that never happened per Lindy records.

Unfortunately, what you've run into is part of the "adventure" of working on older vehicles. In general, it's harder to find solid information on older trucks than older cars and harder still to find information on older motorhomes. Likewise, it's harder to find information on older Fords than older Chevy's and harder still to find information on older Dodges.

Just because everyone says "they didn't do it" doesn't make it true. I can't count the number of people who've insisted Mother Mopar only put 383 cu. in. engines with two barrel carburetors in trucks. Yet, my '66 Dodge Polara had an OEM 383 with a 2V carb. (Even when faced with the actual car, build plate, and documentation, some people insisted "it can't be.")

In general, it's best to treat the chassis and coach as two separate issues when dealing with older motorhomes. The same coach layout, with minor modifications, can be put on chassis with different wheelbases. So, disregard the wheelbase and look for information on 25' Skyline Lindy's when you're dealing with coach issues, while keeping in mind the slight differences due to differing wheelbases.

On the other hand, the only difference between a shorter and longer wheelbase chassis is likely the length of the driveshaft. There may be other, relatively insignificant, differences but driveshaft length will be the most significant. (Longer driveshafts may be two-piece shafts, with a carrier bearing in the middle.)

This is why I keep stressing everyone should find and note the chassis VIN, rather than relying on just the VIN on the coach plate and/or registration.

In the case of the '73 RM350 chassis I'm using for MLP, the registration showed the VIN assigned by the coach manufacturer, which is different from the VIN stamped into the frame by Dodge. When I go to get a reconstituted title, I'll be using the chassis VIN assigned by Dodge, for which there is no legal record, thus saving myself a lot of legal hoops and hassles.

When it comes to older motorhomes, it's very unlikely you'll find a single good source of information on your motorhome. If you very lucky, you may find a few sources that, combined, give you most of the information your need. In most cases, you'll be just like the rest of us, ferreting out bits and pieces here and there.

Consider: Other than the Winnebagos, most motorhome manufacturers only sold, at most, a few hundred of any particular model and, in many cases, less than a dozen.

Also consider: Over the past 40 or so years, the motorhome industry has undergone considerable changes, with some coming and going while others are purchased/merged/consolidated into few brands. Every time there's a merger/purchase/consolidation, some of the old records are lost or discarded.

Finally, consider: Very few people and companies keep records on motor vehicle models that are more than a decade or two old. So, it's very likely any records that once existed are long gone, for older vehicles, especially within a very small market such as recreational vehicles.

In all likelihood, this thread on RV.NET is going to be your best source of information.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

"Half of knowing is knowing where to find the answer." In other words, you don't need to know the answer to a question as long as you know where (or how) to find the answer to the question.

For example, I don't know the dates for the Korean War ... I know it came after World War II but before the Vietnam War. If I need to know the exact dates, for whatever reason, I know to look in the history books (or wikipedia). I should know the dates, considering the Korea Defense Service Medal is one of the medals I wear.

BTW - there's a difference between the Korea Service Medal and the Korea Defense Service Medal ... I'll leave it to you to determine the difference, if you're interested.

So, I ran across a good introductory guide to electrical and electronic components on the Instructables.com website that ties into my "dissertation" on motor vehicle electrical systems. The second page, Step 2: Battery
, is a good layman's description relevant to our/my discussion.

Yes, continuing my motor vehicle electrical systems posts is on my to-do list and is fairly high on the list. However, I've gotten sidetracked by other projects, some of which have been ongoing for more than a quarter century.

1. A research project into philosophy and theoretical computer science, with a working title of "The Practical Application and Manipulation of Unknown."

2. A book reminiscing about my Air Force career, with a working title of "An Accidental Career in the Air Force."

3. An ongoing effort to incorporate moving cars and trucks into a model railroad layout.

4. Work on the house we're building, when temperatures go above 0°F.

6. Work on the latest iteration of my boatbuilding hobby.

7. Work on MLP (My Little Project), which is the name for my motorhome projects.

(Yes, I skipped item 5. because that item is continuing my posts on this thread.)

Hi, ho, it's off to work I go ... because I'm bored.

[z89101]

1978-79-1980 MB400 163" wheelbase 25 foot Skyline Lindy Dodge Motorhome bunkhouse and fold bunk model-

Does anyone have print media? Skyline staff has nothing. Years of query - nothing.

Ya see, the mb400 is 1978. The Skyline built it out in 79, on a chassis extended wheelbase (163") that never happened per Lindy records.

[Ballenxj]

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:

I'm still around. I got sidetracked on other projects, including a 25 year old research project in theoretical computer science.

I was wondering where you went.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

@harperx - Welcome to the insanity. :B

I'm still around. I got sidetracked on other projects, including a 25 year old research project in theoretical computer science.

Continuing my previous themes on this thread is near the top of my to-do list but will have to wait a bit so I can "strike while the iron is hot" on my other projects. Fortunately, winter is here and most outdoor projects are quickly getting buried (and unseen) under snow.

[harperx]

Been a while since the last post on this thread!

After looking all summer, I bought a 20' 1978 Dodge Brougham with 2bbl 360. Paid cash - It's Paid For! 🙂 At least two previous owner's did a fair bit of work to it, so it's in fairly good shape - interior is nice and it's dry. There's a small soft spot under the front overhead window - seeing some of the pictures in here makes me a little nervous about what rot lurks there, but it doesn't seem to be an immediate crisis at least. This is my first RV - I've been spending my time looking it over, figuring out the appliances, and finding a mechanic to go over the engine, although this ol' thing is tempting me to turn wrench on an engine for the first time since helping my Dad in the 70's and 80's!

Like many others, Google led me to this thread, and what a thread! After two months, I'm 350 pages in, reached 2009, and have learned a heck of a lot from Griff, Leanne, and Trish! I see Griff is still around, at least! Thank you guys for this, thanks to Mark for starting it so long ago!

[Ballenxj]

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:

Special RV toilet paper or regular toilet paper?

Deodorizer or enzyme treatment?

I personally think that special TP is a waste and a gimmick. Wet regular TP and see how fast it dissolves. I could be wrong here.
About the Black water tank, my toilet when the ball valve was open was a straight shot to the tank. I had a friend stick a steam cleaner wand in there and have at it, after which I paid to dump it at the truck stop. The reason I did that was because when I bought the MH the Black water tank was dry. You are supposed to keep a little water in it to prevent Klingon's, which I did thereafter. I think I used the enzyme deodorizer, but memory fails me at the moment.

[Leeann]

We use:

Regular single- or double-ply toilet paper.

Enzyme treatment.

Ice cubes and a drive. Seriously. Bouncy road is better, but any road is a bit bouncy in our rig.

We wait until it's over ½ full.

Dish soap.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

A set of questions for everybody that inhabits this thread, in hopes of starting a useful discussion ...

A friend asked me (offline) about black water, gray water, and fresh water tank maintenance. (I'll direct them here to see everybody's thoughts, suggestions, and comments.)

Special RV toilet paper or regular toilet paper?

Deodorizer or enzyme treatment?

What works to clean the tanks (especially black water)?

How often should you dump the tank? Quarter full, half full, or completely full? (They plan to full-time so the black water tank is important.)

Dish soap, laundry detergent, trisodium phosphate (TSP), chlorine bleach, or nuclear bombs?

Several hundred pages ago, Leeann (I think) posted about using ice cubes to "scrub" the black water tank. It might be worth repeating here or posting a link to that comment.

On my friend's behalf, thank you in advance.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

z89101 wrote:
Odd - tank sensors - 4 square pads on a linked wire and 4 sensors on elevation for each quarter capacity.

Old gray tank killed- I want to install a H42 roto tank.


I do not have any sensors.

Mirror the sensors on the black water I figure - where do I get 8 sensors for a 1978 MB400 Dodge Lindy bunkhouse 25 footer built by Skylines Lindy division>

the tabs are not like the ebay and amazon offerings - 1 inch by one inch - they then not fail -

Mike

Finding matching tank sensors may be impossible ... the RV manufacturer and/or sensor manufacturer may be out of business or no longer supply that particular sensor system.

Rather than spend a lot of time in a possibly fruitless search, I choose and install a new system, using whichever offering looks the best (or, at least, most promising).