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

[harperx]

My condolences Leeann. My father is still with me at 81, but I lost my mom a few years ago, and that was hard.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

PoorGary wrote:
The Dodge clunk.
Is it true...old Dodge B300's have what is known as the Dodge clunk. When your turning a corner with the steer wheels near or fully turned and you hear a clunk? Mine does it and I was told by an old Dodge fan its common.
My 78 B300 front end seems tight, steers well enough...just goes clunk and is rather disturbing to gf who harps at me each time she hears it. Especially so when she's driving and the odors from the black tank reaches the cab and the clunk arrives.:B
I may of asked this previously but my memory...

If I recall correctly (after 40 years), my '49 Int'l Metro stepvan also did this. So, it may be something common to older trucks.

It may be something to do with solid beam axles and king pins, versus IFS and ball joints.

I believe the sound comes from the steering gearbox, in response to the limits of it's operation. (Similar to "squealing" power steering on sharp turns.) You may want to check the fluid level in your gearbox and/or power steering.

I'm hesitant to say everything's okay without being able to inspect and diagnose it personally. To be sure, you might want to talk to, or have it inspected by, a shop that specializes in commercial medium and heavy duty shops.

[my440]

The Dodge clunk.
Is it true...old Dodge B300's have what is known as the Dodge clunk. When your turning a corner with the steer wheels near or fully turned and you hear a clunk? Mine does it and I was told by an old Dodge fan its common.
My 78 B300 front end seems tight, steers well enough...just goes clunk and is rather disturbing to gf who harps at me each time she hears it. Especially so when she's driving and the odors from the black tank reaches the cab and the clunk arrives.:B
I may of asked this previously but my memory...

[Ballenxj]

Leeann wrote:

I've been MIA recently because I lost my dad Memorial Day weekend. We did the memorial service on Father's Day. Been pretty rough despite it being expected (and even hoped-for), so I've been a bit out of it.

Leeann, I just spotted this. My sincerest condolences to you. 😞

[Leeann]

Thank you. It's pretty darned hard.

We lost him just under 3 weeks after his birthday - and the night before my mom's birthday.

[TreeSeeker]

Leeann,

My condolences also. I lost my father about 20 years ago. Last week was his birthday and it still reminds me of his passing.

Loosing a parent is difficult.

[Leeann]

Thanks, Griff.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

Leeann wrote:
I've been MIA recently because I lost my dad Memorial Day weekend. We did the memorial service on Father's Day. Been pretty rough despite it being expected (and even hoped-for), so I've been a bit out of it.

You have Pat's (Grandma Griff) and my condolences and prayers. I'm sure everyone on this thread shares our empathy and understanding of what you're going through.

[Leeann]

I'll add to the above. Near us but off the beaten path is the local bus/truck repair shop. He's been in business for decades and does tires along with general mechanic work and, at any given time, has at least one bus or truck with the same chassis as our RVs on the lift.

We'll be taking ours there soon enough to have tire/alignment work done.



I've been MIA recently because I lost my dad Memorial Day weekend. We did the memorial service on Father's Day. Been pretty rough despite it being expected (and even hoped-for), so I've been a bit out of it.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

Yesterday, it was still raining and the weather service has extended the flood watch. I was definitely in a rainy day mood so I decided to work on this instead of trying to get anything done on the house. Unfortunately, as I was almost finished, the power went out, apparently taking everything I'd done with it. Fortunately, I'd been using Firefox, which was able recover all but the last thirty or so characters I'd typed. However, when the power came on, I was tired from what I'd done so far and stressed out over the apparent loss of work due to the power failure. So, I said, "Screw it," copied and saved everything Firefox had recovered in a text file, and instead just played a Wii game (Endless Ocean, Blue World) that I find relaxing.

Today, having rested, I decided to finish this off and post it.

First, something to consider. Worn kingpin bushings, as with worn ball joints, will cause accelerated tire wear, cutting tire life to as little as 1/3 what it should be. Considering the cost of new motorhome tires, several hundred for kingpin replacement will pay off in extended tire lifespan. (Assuming you have determined that worn kingpin bushings are the cause of your problems.)

So, assuming you greased the kingpins and are not satisfied with your motorhome's handling, what's next?

Take your motorhome to a reputable shop for a front end alignment. An experienced alignment technician is best able to diagnose handling issues. Your issues may be due to misalignment, bad bearing, suspension problems, worn tierods, worn kingpin bushings, or other suspension and steering problems.

I'd recommend having a load and weight distribution representative of a typical trip in your motorhome when you take it in for the alignment. Although not as great as empty versus loaded in pickups and vans, a difference in load and weight distribution can affect the accuracy of the alignment and the vehicle's handling.

In addition to the usual load-out of food, clothing, gear and toys, you should have half full fuel tank(s), full fresh water tank, and empty black water tank. (Assuming your empty your black water tank regularly during and after trips.)

In particular, if you use one of those hitch-mounted cargo racks (which I hate), make sure it's on the motorhome and laden with a typical load. (Those can drastically change the vehicle's weight distribution on the axles and tires.)

Most shops that cater primarily to automobiles will refuse to do motorhomes. (And, probably shouldn't be doing pickups and vans.) The few that will take in a motorhome most likely do not actually know what they're doing when it comes to motorhomes and some light trucks.

With rare exceptions, those shops, and especially national and regional chains, do not employ good experienced mechanics. Instead, they employ less expensive people with a limited range of experience.

Two personal examples:

One time, I had the brakes bled on our 1970 Dodge Explorer Class A, on a M300 1-ton chassis. (That's classified as a light duty truck, like pickups and vans.) I found a shop, belonging to or affiliated with a national chain, that said they could and would do it. I specifically asked the manager if his people knew the right procedure for bleeding brakes on older motorhomes and he assured me they did. As it turned out, no, they didn't. They overlooked the bleeding the slave cylinders on the frame mounted brake boosters, resulting in air bubbles in the brake lines.

The brakes were actually much worse after they were done than before. Prior to taking it in, I had some initial braking power and had to pump them a couple of times to get full pressure. After they were done, I had absolutely no initial braking power and had to pump the brake pedal eight to ten times to get anything approaching full pressure.

I wound up redoing the job, spending some of my rare -- precious -- summer off-duty time bleeding the brakes again instead of taking my family camping. (I was especially annoyed because our duty section was tasked with supporting three back-to-back military exercises, each lasting ten to fourteen days. That meant a looong summertime stretch of 12+ hour shifts, seven days per week ... and I wanted to spend time with my family camping instead of working alone on the motorhome when we finally did get a break.)

The second example involved a different shop, with the same national chain but located 360 miles away from the first one.

I had retired from the military and was working as an in-residence tutor counselor for the Rural Alaska Honors Institute. My wife took our '90 Ford E-150 van (that's a 1/2-ton light duty truck) in to have the front end aligned. The mechanic told her the tierods were worn and needed to be replaced. Because she had been experiencing some handling issue, and because I wouldn't be able to get to it for several weeks, she told them to go ahead and replace the tierods.

When she stopped by the dorm to tell me what she had done, I told her to go back to the shop and get the old parts. According to her, they went through the dumpster and were only able to find one of the tierods they'd replaced, When I inspected it, it appears to be in good shape.

I can't say for sure whether or not they were trying to rip off a female customer but there was no apparent improvement in the van's steering and handling. As it turned out, the issues were due solely to worn out kingpin bushings. Apparently, their mechanic couldn't see any ball joints so he assumed it was the tierods. (The shop manager wound up eating the cost of the parts, labor, and alignment and refunded all our money.)

I had the kingpins, etc., replaced by a very experienced, semi-retired mechanic that lived a half mile from us and had the van re-aligned by a shop he recommended.

It's worth noting the original kingpins had plastic bushings and lasted around 150,000. The replacement kingpins had metallic bushing (at the insistence of the mechanic), reamed and installed by an experienced mechanic, and have lasted over 350,000 miles. Now, at over a half million miles on the van, the kingpin bushings need to be replaced again. (A different mechanic, who I trust, told me this while aligning the van recently ... and he was apologetic about not being able to do a better job on the alignment.)

So, in light of these horror tales, what do you do?

First of all, even the smallest motorhome, on 1-ton chassis, are really a medium duty truck, even though it's classified as a light duty truck. All other motorhomes are classified as medium duty trucks, just like most commercial trucks. That means you need to find a reputable shop that specializes in commercial medium and heavy duty trucks, rather than automobiles.

So, if, unlike me, you don't have a lot of experience and don't know people to turn to for advice, how do you go about finding such a shop?

The easiest way is to find out where commercial truck drivers go for coffee. It may be a truck stop, a diner, or just a coffee shop but there's always at least one in every town. Go there and hang out. Sooner or later, you'll be able to strike up a conversation and then ask their advice and recommendations. Be sure to insist on paying their tab. Even if the tab is for a full breakfast or lunch, what you get will be worth it in the long run. (Buying coffee, breakfast, or lunch for each other is standard protocol for truckers who know each other ... doing likewise will help you fit in.)

Alternatively, you can use social networking. Ask around until you find someone who knows someone who knows someone, etc., who knows older, larger trucks.

Finally, you could try asking the parts counter people at parts stores and dealers that specialize in commercial vehicles, although their recommendations may be biased, especially if they have their own shops. (As a former parts counter person, I was always hesitant to recommend shops because it could backfire. I would mention, by name, avoiding shops that were well known for shoddy work. However, at most, I'd tell customers, "You might want to check out so-and-so.")

Be sure to make note of the person's name and give it to the shop they recommended. This will tell the shop you're connected to a trucker network, rather than just someone wandering in off the street. Also, they will likely give that person better treatment, making his or her recommendation to you a beneficial act.

Most importantly, go with your gut feeling. If the shop appears organized, reasonable neat, and reasonably clean, there's a better chance their work will be better. I see very good work come out of some shops that are cluttered and messy, and vice versa, but the generality usually holds true.

In my next post, we'll assumed you've decided your kingpin bushings do need to be replaced and look at ways you can reduce the overall cost and possibly do the job yourself.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

It's raining again so I'm less inclined to go out and work on the house. A lot of the stuff I need to do right now is under cover, protected from the rain, so I'll probably go and get a bit done. (A lot of the things I accomplish are actually done a little bit at a time, rather than all at once.)

More importantly, we're under an Areal Flood Watch for the Chena River basin. Steady rain is forecast through the week and, with all the rain we've received over the past six weeks, the ground is already saturated.

Pat and I are at a high enough elevation that it's unlikely we'll be seriously affected. However, the Chena Hot Springs Road does transverse low lying areas near the river so we may wind up cut off from town for a while.

So, it's back to kingpins, in order to do something constructive.

First, let's determine if your kingpin bushings are actually worn enough to require replacement.

Start by jacking up your front end and greasing the kingpins. If you don't have a jack strong enough to handle the whole front end at once, you can do one side at a time.

Block both rear tires and jack up one side until the tire is off the ground. Yes, you could rely on the transmission parking gear and/or the parking (aka emergency) brake but blocking the rear tires make sure the vehicle can't move while it's jacked up.

Place a jackstand under the frame and lower the jack until the jackstand starts to take the weight. (If you're jacking up the whole front end, use two jackstands, with one under the frame on each side of the vehicle.) If anything seems even the least bit unstable, repeat this process until you're sure everything is stable. (I usually leave the jack in place, taking a little bit of the load, in case the jackstand fails.)

Once the tire is off the ground and everything is stable and secure, grease the kingpin. There's usually there's two grease nipples, called zerk fittings, with one located near the top of the kingpin and the other located near the bottom.

Lower the tire on that side back to ground and repeat the process for the other side.

Normally, I'd recommend also loading grease into every zerk fitting you can find while you're down there. However, because we're trying to diagnose kingpin bushing wear, just do the kingpins.

Also, some people like to rotate the steering wheel back and forth, lock to lock, to help distribute the grease throughout the kingpins' bearing surfaces. However, ONLY do this if both front tires are off the ground or on the ground. If only one tire is on the ground, it could cause the vehicle to move back and forth enough to knock the vehicle off the jackstand. (I really, really dislike crawling into a vehicle when it's jacked up so I generally only do this when all tires are on the ground.)

Once you've greased the kingpins, it's time to take the motorhome for a test drive. Remove the blocks on the rear wheels and make sure you've removed the jack, jackstand(s), and any tools you left under the vehicle. (Unlike a friend who replaces at least one tool every year because he forgot and ran over the one he had.)

I assume you've driven the motorhome recently so you have a baseline for comparison.

You should be able to detect at least a slight improvement in the handling. The degree of improvement is important. A very slight improvement indicates the kingpin bushings are probably okay and just needed some fresh grease. Otherwise, the degree of improvement indicates just how worn the bushings are. (A significant improvement indicates you should plan on replacing the kingpins soon.)

If you cannot detect any change in the handling, and the handling is acceptable, your kingpin bushing are okay and you've simply refreshed the grease, which is a good thing.

If you cannot detect any change and the handling is still unpleasant, there are several possibilities:

1. The kingpin bushings are so worn that they should be replaced as soon as possible and definitely before you plan to go somewhere in the motorhome.

2. The kingpins are okay and you have a problem elsewhere in the steering linkage and mechanism.

3. The road you're using for your test drive sucks.

4. You're expecting sports car handling from a large truck with a solid front axle. (You're driving a large old beast and it will act like it.)

A motorhome with somewhat worn kingpin bushings can still be driven if greasing the kingpins improves the handling sufficiently. You'll simply have to plan on re-greasing the kingpins more often. (Eventually, you'll get tired of frequent re-greasing and replace the kingpins.)

Enough for now ... next, we'll look at what to do if the handling is still unacceptable and you still haven't identified the problem.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

Kingpins, because that's what I'm researching right now.

But first ...

I really, really, really try to avoid assuming someone knows the jargon and fundamentals associated with a particular topic. So, I prefer to cover the basics before launching into a more in-depth discussion. In particular, some people are hesitant to reveal they don't know something and get lost because they don't ask for an explanation of something unfamiliar to them.

Also, a bit of history often helps people (and me) understand how we got where we are.

So ...

Kingpins equal Ball joints. They both perform the same function.

Kingpins predate motorized vehicles. In the early days of automobiles and trucks, everything used kingpins. At some point in time automobiles and some light trucks switched to ball joints instead of kingpins. My daughter's Plymouth Savoy has ball joints so I know the change occurred prior to 1959. (Readers are welcome to try to determine when the industry started switching to ball joints.)

Most trucks continued using kingpins well into the 90's. My 1990 Ford E-150 (1/2-ton) van uses kingpins. Newer light trucks may have switched to ball joints ... I don't know because, as far as I'm concerned, older is generally preferable.

Solid axles almost always use king pins, as well as most older trucks with IFS (independent front suspension), like my 1990 E-150. I believe, however, IFS technology contributed to the change to ball joints.

Heavier duty trucks continue to use kingpins because kingpins are able to handle greater stresses than ball joints.

Ball joints are common so information on them, and people to work on them, is readily available. Kingpins are becoming increasingly less common, so the reverse is true. (Try googling kingpins ... most of the returns will be about bowling or the illegal drug trade.)

Worn kingpins, as with worn ball joints, make a vehicle hard to control and make it impossible to properly align the suspension.

When someone talks about replacing the kingpins, they're actually talking about replacing the bushings. The kingpins themselves rarely, if ever, wear out. (The kingpins out of my '73 RM350 chassis are good as new.) However, most (all?) kingpin replacement sets include the kingpins, in addition to bushing and associated hardware. All sets include kingpins, bushings, etc., for both sides of an axle because, as with brakes and bearings, you should do both sides of an axle at the same time.

I have indications it may be possible to purchase individual components (bushing or hardware) but it's more convenient and probably cheaper to just get a set.

There's two types of bushings used with kingpins: plastic (usually Delrin -- a brand name -- or something similar) and metallic (usually bronze).

Plastic bushings are easier to install and are usually pre-sized, eliminating the need to have them reamed. My 1990 E-150 came with plastic bushings and I believe most manufacturers install plastic bushings as OEM equipment.

However, the same characteristics that make them easier to install make them more inclined to wear out and less able to withstand stresses.

Close tolerances between the kingpins and bushings is important to vehicle handling. (Tolerances increase as the bushing wears out, which is why bushings need to be replaced.) Pre-sized bushings are made with greater tolerances to account for manufacturing variances. So, pre-sized bushings are effectively "partially worn out" when new.

Some information on the web indicates replacement sets with pre-sized bushings are available for some 1/2-ton and a few 3/4-ton trucks. Even if these bushings are metallic, the previous paragraph still holds true with regard to tolerances.

Aside, while I'm thinking of it: The proper way to grease kingpins is to jack up the front of the vehicle to take stress off the kingpins, allowing the grease to flow around the kingpin better. (I didn't know this until recently.)

Obviously, metallic bushing that require reaming are better. They resist wear better, can handle more stress, and can be reamed to much closer tolerances. (Assuming the person installing them know what they're doing, have necessary training and experience, and are willing to take the time to do the job correctly.)

The downside is the metallic replacement sets tend to cost more due to economy of scale. More plastic sets are sold because most shops and mechanics prefer them because they're easier and faster to install.

This is assuming you can find a shop or mechanic to do the work. I've received reports of some shops saying, "What are kingpins?"

The real expense is in the reaming. Done properly, it's a slow, tedious, painstaking process. So, quotes of a hundred or more is not uncommon. However, I suspect some of those quotes are based on the shop having to buy the necessary tools. (If they have to buy the tools, I doubt they have the experience to do it properly.) From what I can tell, an experienced mechanic should be able to complete the reaming in a half hour or less. (I expect to spend an hour or more because I've never done it before and will take the time to do it carefully.)

Enough for now ... in a soon-to-come post I will discuss how to cut your costs and how to possibly do the job yourself.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

z89101 wrote:
Thank very prompt request for my reply. your eager need for my reply is so encouraging.

Brake drums, hardware front disc/calipers, driveshaft hardware etal - the 163 is unique - thanks for helping me source oem equivalent hardware as NAPA and Rock Auto are sourcing close guesses- I have the parts manual - useless with the conversion PN codes. the close but inaccurate is the rule. Look, you know all of this - the Special Dana, the special front, you are my new to me great ness.

You are a godsend. The hydro and brake-lines are conforming, of course.. but you also know the special PWS lines PN numbers alternatives?

Oh, I searched this and other sites - YOU are the one!!!

Mike

It's a good thing I don't wear hats, although I may need to adjust my dust mask tomorrow. (I could find several hundred people who would testify in court, under oath, as to the size of my ego.)

So, I'll just respond with my sister's response when she receives compliments -- "I know."

History: In the old days, Mother Mopar and her five sons (Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, Imperial, and Fargo) arguably invented the concept of "have it your way." They built a bewildering array of variations and would crank out a custom configuration as long as it didn't require special engineering. (This is why working on them is so interesting ... and frustrating.)

Case on point: I have been repeatedly told the two-barrel 383 was strictly a truck engine and was never put in an automobile. They kept insisting this even when I opened the hood on my '66 Dodge Polara and showed them the original build sheet. (Their bewilderment was always similar that experienced by natural science folks when they first encountered a platypus.)

This is one of the reasons I keep insisting on finding the chassis VIN. It's the best way to determine what you're dealing with. Even then, you sometimes have to take into account variations ordered by individual customers, such as the "truck" engine in my '66 sedan.

Motorhomes get more interesting because you have more parties (including the government) involved in their manufacture. On anything after the early 70's, the registration VIN assigned by the coach manufacturer is almost always different from the chassis VIN assigned by Dodge. There's also the issue of split year motorhomes, where the model year on the registration is newer than the chassis year. (You can thank government regulations for these situations.)

Two examples: My M300 was registered as a 1970 Dodge Explorer but was built on a 1969 chassis. The registration VIN matched the chassis VIN but was useless is you tried to look it up as a 1970 model. (There was a format change for VIN's from 1969 to 1970.)

On the other hand, the registration and chassis year on my 1973 Dodge Explorer (RM350) are the same but there's two different VIN's.

So, your motorhome may have a unique coach but likely has a standard Dodge configuration. To the best of my knowledge, all coach manufacturers used standard chassis configuration ... at least, I'm not aware of any ordering custom configurations. (The extra engineering expense makes it unlikely.)

So, look for the chassis VIN.

The possibility exist that someone made aftermarket modifications. If so, your "adventure" is going to get more "interesting" ... and my ability to help will be more limited. (But not impossible.)

Regarding PWS: Gesundheit, I'm not familiar with that acronym. (For Alaskans, PWS means Prince William Sound.)

All standard Dana axles have numbers stamped into the tubes, in addition to casting numbers on the housing. The numbers on the tubes, usually on the right/passenger side tube, are important. The most important is the build number as it identifies the exact original configuration of that particular axle. (I go to a friend in town to look up and decipher Dana build numbers ... it helps him know exactly which parts I need.)

The other numbers can also be helpful. For example: A Dana 70 axle sitting in my yard (out of the 1969/1970 M300 Explorer) is stamped M70, which helped me find out it is a special narrowed axle built specifically for motorhomes. (Hence the M.)

[z89101]

I have the PN dvd, factory service manual for the 163 - I can help others, but, the P/N conversions are modified to 2016 and a bit... off. the 1978/79 163 wb dodge chassis was the last of the dodge c- class- The bailout mandated to the termination... yayada,,

We all know the end of days protocol struck with gov.

so, back to parts - I need zero help on most issues - the p/n conversion are perhaps truck related?

[Griff_in_Fairba]

Wolf_n_Kat wrote:

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:

z89101 wrote:
How many have the 163" wb MB400? 13" rear brakes... PM - parts sourcing. Winnebago 1978 mb24 is one of very few. A bunkhouse model like mine,.

What parts are you looking for? Finding parts for motorhomes are a bit of an art so posting guidance would lengthy.

Leeann and I both have a lot of resources. My resources generally cover older motorhome and focus on chassis, suspension, and drive train. Leeann is better at coach components, like furnaces, stoves, power converters, etc., although she also some resources for newer chassis. (Newer being relative ...)

Specific questions are best. Otherwise, we run the risk of repeating what's already posted or resorting to generalities that aren't very helpful.

With the right information, I can find sources for specific parts/components/systems but need to know what you're looking for and/or trying to do.

I don't know about him, but 'I' need an emergency brake cable right about 170" long. Where it broke (inside the sheathing) got all frayed because the previous owner couldn't leave well enough alone, and apparently couldn't even tell which end of a screwdriver to hold...

Okay, scratch that last sentence, that was unkind. Some people are born 'mechanically inclined', and some people are born 'mechanically disinclined'. At any rate, the cable ends are frayed, and I'm unable to get an exact measurement. I've tried ALMOST everywhere in Reno (still have one more place to call), and looking at getting a cable manufactured - which leads into a whole new can of worms that I'd rather not deal with if possible.

I'm wondering about the labeling on mine, because even IF a company has information on a m300 chassis, it always seems to come up a little 'short' or 'undersized' when compared to what I'm dealing with.

Welcome back, Griff!!! For Heaven's sake, do NOT over-do things. Don't make me turn Kat loose on you, she'll hand you all kinds of parts of your anatomy in a paper bag!!!

(family joke: one time my ex-wife and daughter were having 'differences', and called me to referee. Kat said "Hand me the phone", and proceeded to read my daughter the riot act. After Kat was done, she told my daughter to hand the phone to her mother. Renee was laughing when she took the phone, and told Kat that Michelle had said "She just handed me my a$$ in a paper bag"!)

I'm a retired Master Sergeant so Kat might run into some difficulty.

I'm following the cardiologist's recommendation for recovery. That means as much physical exercise as I can tolerate. The reason I'm doing all this posting is I'm taking a break today as I put enough stress on my right knee over the past several days to cause it to flare up. Also, I've been taking a half percocet daily for several days to allow me to keep working on the house. It was raining last night and this morning so it was a good time to rest my knee and take a break from the percocet. However, this break is contrary to the cardiologist's recommendation so I will be getting up and hobbling around the yard to get at least some exercise. (But no up-and-down ladders and no progress on the house.)

For those who are worried about the percocet, the current prescription for 60 tablets was fill on December 26, 2015. There are currently 25 tablets left so I don't take enough to worry about addiction.

As for your emergency brake cable, I spend a lot of my time undoing what other -- I'll put this as politely as I can -- less capable people have done.

I need year and chassis model so I can try to find the OEM part number. Ideal would be the chassis VIN, which is assigned by Dodge. (The VIN on your registration is assign by the coach manufacturer and is usually different from the chassis VIN.)

The vehicle wheelbase is usually a factor in the case of emergency brake cables and appears to be part of your issue. Measure from the center of the front wheel to the center of the rear wheel. (I can't recall if Dodge encoded the wheelbase in the chassis VIN -- regardless, measuring off the actual vehicle is best.)

The chassis VIN is stamped into frame just inside one of the front wheels. On older Dodges, it's on the right/passenger side so I'd look there first. Also, it's probably covered in crud so expect to do some cleaning to read it.

I know reasonable places to have cables made but don't have their addresses at my fingertips right now. But that's a last resort to finding an OEM fit.

Re-engineering a replacement setup, using available cables, is another possibility but let's try to find the right cable first.

Standard setup is a cable from each drum, which both connect to adjuster under the vehicle. The adjuster is then connected to a single cable that goes to the emergency brake pedal/lever. So, we need to determine which of the three cable need to be replaced.

Note: Unless the coach manufacturer used Dodge's chassis VIN, the VIN on your registration will NEVER show up in parts store databases. However, with the chassis VIN they can sometimes find a listing.

Finally, if you see any numbers anywhere on the cables, make note of them and, if possible send me a picture. A lot of times, I find the right parts by chasing down stamped part numbers, casting numbers, and tag numbers. (I found the right brake boosters for my project using the tags on the old boosters.)