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

[Ballenxj]

new v'er wrote:

Still will camp but not sure what the road holds up ahead as we are retiring in 2017.

Best of luck on your journeys.

[new_v_er]

This is just a thank you for the support this group has been over the years with the 1976 Dodge Midas Mini. I sold her to a young man that will continue the journey.

Still will camp but not sure what the road holds up ahead as we are retiring in 2017.

Happy Trails
Bill and Laurie

[my440]

PoorGary wrote:

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:
In one word, yes ... to both questions.

Don't let the hub extender throw you. It's actually easier than many newer vehicles, like the 2004 Silverado 2500HD.

The picture is great! It looks like a fairly standard Kelsey-Hayes dual piston set-up. The two bolts on the caliper, visible in the picture, disconnect the caliper from mounting bracket behind the rotor. Take those out and the caliper lift off the rotors with no more difficulty than usual. (The calipers weigh quite a bit more than light truck calipers.)

I'd recommend changing the brake flex lines while you're at it. At about $10 each, it's a cheap improvement in reliability.

Is your brake booster mounted on the master cylinder? Or, do you have single or double frame-mounted brake booster(s), with slave cylinders? If frame-mounted, the bleed procedure will involve additional steps than you're probably used to.

BTW - you have the readily-available "high-hat" rotors, which is good. My '73 RM350 had the f'ing hard-to-find low hat rotors, which took almost two years to find replacements. (Amazingly, I found the replacements on Amazon, of all places.)

Thanks Griff. I guess the hub extender threw me off. I found the right caliper bought the smaller brake hose and got it all on bled the line no problems. Caliper was in stock readily available.

Sadly it still wont move likely due to the back brakes seizing after sitting 7 months in the west coast rain. The torque of the engine would not loosin anything.
Was really hoping for a better day.

It sits low and in a bad place to jack up the rear end.
Maybe on the weekend I'll try tugging it forward with my truck.
Any other suggestions would be awesome to free them up
without removing the wheels.
Take care

Thats that. Replaced front calipres and short hoses. Jacked up rear end and beat the **** out of the drums. Had the drivers side wheel break free then dropped it back down to the ground drove hard ahead freeing the other. Thanks Griff. I mean thanks!!

[Griff_in_Fairba]

PoorGary wrote:

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:
In one word, yes ... to both questions.

Don't let the hub extender throw you. It's actually easier than many newer vehicles, like the 2004 Silverado 2500HD.

The picture is great! It looks like a fairly standard Kelsey-Hayes dual piston set-up. The two bolts on the caliper, visible in the picture, disconnect the caliper from mounting bracket behind the rotor. Take those out and the caliper lift off the rotors with no more difficulty than usual. (The calipers weigh quite a bit more than light truck calipers.)

I'd recommend changing the brake flex lines while you're at it. At about $10 each, it's a cheap improvement in reliability.

Is your brake booster mounted on the master cylinder? Or, do you have single or double frame-mounted brake booster(s), with slave cylinders? If frame-mounted, the bleed procedure will involve additional steps than you're probably used to.

BTW - you have the readily-available "high-hat" rotors, which is good. My '73 RM350 had the f'ing hard-to-find low hat rotors, which took almost two years to find replacements. (Amazingly, I found the replacements on Amazon, of all places.)

Thanks Griff. I guess the hub extender threw me off. I found the right caliper bought the smaller brake hose and got it all on bled the line no problems. Caliper was in stock readily available.

Sadly it still wont move likely due to the back brakes seizing after sitting 7 months in the west coast rain. The torque of the engine would not loosin anything.
Was really hoping for a better day.

It sits low and in a bad place to jack up the rear end.
Maybe on the weekend I'll try tugging it forward with my truck.
Any other suggestions would be awesome to free them up without removing the wheels.
Take care

Parking/emergency brake engaged? If so, the cables sometimes get corroded or frozen. (Frozen parking brake kept my '90 E-150 from moving at -30F ... even after releasing the brakes.) If so, try PB Blaster on the cable.

Alternatively, as a temporary "fix" to get it moved a short distance, open the rear wheel cylinder bleed valves and try moving the truck back and forth to see if the shoes pop loose. (Like trying to get unstuck from snow/ice/mud ... just don't shift quickly from forward to reverse or you risk damaging tranny & differential.)

If neither of these work, your only choice is to pull the drums and find out what seized.

Regardless, I'd plan on redoing the rear brakes before depending on them.

[my440]

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:
In one word, yes ... to both questions.

Don't let the hub extender throw you. It's actually easier than many newer vehicles, like the 2004 Silverado 2500HD.

The picture is great! It looks like a fairly standard Kelsey-Hayes dual piston set-up. The two bolts on the caliper, visible in the picture, disconnect the caliper from mounting bracket behind the rotor. Take those out and the caliper lift off the rotors with no more difficulty than usual. (The calipers weigh quite a bit more than light truck calipers.)

I'd recommend changing the brake flex lines while you're at it. At about $10 each, it's a cheap improvement in reliability.

Is your brake booster mounted on the master cylinder? Or, do you have single or double frame-mounted brake booster(s), with slave cylinders? If frame-mounted, the bleed procedure will involve additional steps than you're probably used to.

BTW - you have the readily-available "high-hat" rotors, which is good. My '73 RM350 had the f'ing hard-to-find low hat rotors, which took almost two years to find replacements. (Amazingly, I found the replacements on Amazon, of all places.)

Thanks Griff. I guess the hub extender threw me off. I found the right caliper bought the smaller brake hose and got it all on bled the line no problems. Caliper was in stock readily available.

Sadly it still wont move likely due to the back brakes seizing after sitting 7 months in the west coast rain. The torque of the engine would not loosin anything.
Was really hoping for a better day.

It sits low and in a bad place to jack up the rear end.
Maybe on the weekend I'll try tugging it forward with my truck.
Any other suggestions would be awesome to free them up without removing the wheels.
Take care

[Griff_in_Fairba]

In one word, yes ... to both questions.

Don't let the hub extender throw you. It's actually easier than many newer vehicles, like the 2004 Silverado 2500HD.

The picture is great! It looks like a fairly standard Kelsey-Hayes dual piston set-up. The two bolts on the caliper, visible in the picture, disconnect the caliper from mounting bracket behind the rotor. Take those out and the caliper lift off the rotors with no more difficulty than usual. (The calipers weigh quite a bit more than light truck calipers.)

I'd recommend changing the brake flex lines while you're at it. At about $10 each, it's a cheap improvement in reliability.

Is your brake booster mounted on the master cylinder? Or, do you have single or double frame-mounted brake booster(s), with slave cylinders? If frame-mounted, the bleed procedure will involve additional steps than you're probably used to.

BTW - you have the readily-available "high-hat" rotors, which is good. My '73 RM350 had the f'ing hard-to-find low hat rotors, which took almost two years to find replacements. (Amazingly, I found the replacements on Amazon, of all places.)

[my440]

Oh ****. Was not expecting to see all this. Im fairly mechanically inclined have changed brakes before but not like this setup.

Will this calipre change go without any expected drama compared to a regular calipre change, like a regular car?
Will the calipre come off the rotor without taking off everything before it?
Thanks
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=C308850FE5E31636!3958&authkey=!AC6BWkFxfx1QVVA&v=3&ithint=phot...

[my440]

Ok thanks Griff. Hope your coming along ok.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

PoorGary wrote:
Ok thanks. The next size up will cost me 599.00. Wont spend that. How about for lifting up the front wheels then putting in the jackstands. If the stands are in place then if the 3 ton jack failed it would stay up on the stands.

I know you guys dont recommend it but in a pinch it would work?

And what about a bottle jack..rather than a floor jack? Whats best?

It seems to me back in the day everything was jacked up off the front bumper.

Okay, I was assuming bottle jack, which is why I stressed tipping. I do use a 3-ton floor jack ... and cross my fingers hoping it doesn't blow a seal. But, in most cases, I use bottle jacks, ranging from 6-ton to 50-ton, and place jacks stands as soon as there's enough clearance for them.

Regardless, always use jack stands with a plywood (or old rotor) base plate.

Yes, almost everything used bumper jacks ... which I kinda miss, even if they were more tipsy and tended to bust knuckles when you lowered the vehicle.

[my440]

Ok thanks. The next size up will cost me 599.00. Wont spend that. How about for lifting up the front wheels then putting in the jackstands. If the stands are in place then if the 3 ton jack failed it would stay up on the stands.

I know you guys dont recommend it but in a pinch it would work?

And what about a bottle jack..rather than a floor jack? Whats best?

It seems to me back in the day everything was jacked up off the front bumper.

[Leeann]

I use brake rotors for supporting jacks and jack stands. Spread out the weight under the jack, don't crack under weight.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

Leeann wrote:
I'd be a little leery of 3 ton for a 24'. Go for 6 ton and you'll be okay.

Agreed. As a general rule, I use hydraulic jacks that are capable of lifting the entire vehicle. So, I'd only use a 3-ton jack on vehicles with a GVW of less than 6,000 pounds.

Also, use a 2 foot by 2 foot piece of 3/4" plywood under the jack. There's less chance of the jack digging into the dirt or tar and tipping over. (2'x 2'x 3/4" is the minimum ... a piece of 1-1/8" subfloor or two pieces of 3/4" would be better.)

Finally, use jack stands, rated at a minimum of 6-tons each, even if you're just changing a tire. (Also with plywood under them.)

This is based on over 40 years experience with "jack disasters." As a result of past experience, I don't like raising a vehicle any higher than I have to and do everything I can to make sure it doesn't come back down until I'm ready for it to do so. (I also place one or two spare tires under the axle to catch it if something goes wrong.)

P.S. Concrete blocks are NOT, repeat NOT, good for supporting vehicles. (A tap of a hammer is all it takes to shatter them when they're under load.)

[Leeann]

I'd be a little leery of 3 ton for a 24'. Go for 6 ton and you'll be okay.

[my440]

Hi my 78 Dodge Sportsman B300 24 foot motorhome needs work.
Would you,s think this 3 ton floor jack would be ample?
Thanks http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/automotive/auto-repair-tools/garage-tools/lifting-equipment/certified-...

[whiteknight001]

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:

Ballenxj wrote:
Let's forget the motorhomes for a moment. Griff, how are you doing?

Reasonably good, engaged in a steadily increasing level of cardiac rehab.

The primary cause of this heart attack, as well as the previous one almost two decades ago, was mental and emotional stress, with age to a lesser extent. Been taking it easy and avoiding things that cause me stress as much as possible. Moderate exercise is both a stress reliever and a means to improve cardiac function.

Thanks for asking. I probably should have commented sooner but I've been focused on rehab.

Yes. Please let us know as you go along. Stress is a killer. Take it slow, Griff, please get well!

Mark "whiteknight001"