Maintenance on radiator

I would get/use a small electric driver tool with a socket head and extension for the hose clamps. Keep a razor knife handy to cut the hoses to make them easier to remove. Buy new hose clamps (quality ones).

Lastly, you'll need to drain the coolant, best done by removing lower hose(s). Once it's all drained out, rinse the engine underside and the ground with water and let dry. It's a much easier job when you're not slopping around in coolant.

Engine is a Cummins 5.9 300 isb and wanted to know how was the best way to get to the engine and replace these hoses. Last time I was back there it was hard to get a footing and was afraid I was going to break something, so far laying some boards down maybe the way to go but who said this could be done from the bottom up would really need to be a magician.
Thanks guys for all your help

I don't see what kind of motor in the OP....Mine has a Cummins and, trust me, it took me nearly all day to replace the 8 in long top radiator hose---on the road. I let it sit over night to cool off (thats another story) turned on the a/c (it was 100 that day)got the bed up and got after it....Most hateful thing I ever worked on. Couldn't get any help to come out and do it. Cost me $10.

As noted, not much is easy on these beasts, especially the rear radiator coaches. On my 2002 Journey on a FL chassis with 330 CAT, you must gain access to the top of the engine at least to do the T stats. If you have a CAT, it will have 2 thermostats. I had the folks at the FL service center in Gaffney, SC replace my radiator hoses and the mechanic said he could do it all from the bottom and rear. He must have been a magician.

On my Discovery with the 330 Cat, I had to replace all 8 faulty radiator clamps. Some from the bottom and some form the acesss door under the bed. It was not to bad. I also had to replace the alternator, and fix the engine break. All from the top access door. I don't know about your access door but mine is big enough that you can stand on the engine. There should be four hoses from the engine that need to be replaced. This is on a Freightliner chassis.;)

I hate paying anyone for what I can or could do myself.That said as I was about to tackle a pinion seal replacement on my 04 Tradewinds, I thought I had good plan and ready to go. I talked to a trusted friend who asked "have you asked around"? Yes I said I called the local Allison shop 800 ouch. He then said talk to people In the biss who you trust and make some calls. I called my tire store, I called my body shop, I called my glass guy. The name was the same, $350 1 day service. 1 year warranty on the job.

Somethings may,
key word may,
be handled better by a pro
bids are usually free

Best of luck

On my coach with the Cat 3126-E you can change out the water hoses fairly easy from the bottom side of the engine. Now the thermostat I am not sure because I have never had to change it out. So I figure if it is not giving problems, leave it alone.

My motorhome has the north/south bed arrangement, with engine access under the bed. Not too bad once you get the bed up, the engine access door up, and place some boards down across the access area to support your body when you lay down there.

If you have factory supplied devices to hold up the bed and engine access door, I suggest you not rely on those completely. It's hard to get out of there when the factory device fails and all of that is on top of you. Been there, done that, was not happy.

Every model will be different regarding access. Maybe someone with your model motorhome will respond.

Fred

roachcoach wrote:
This question is for the diyers
I want to replace upper, lower radiator hoses and thermostat. It appears the best way to do this is lifting the bed and working on it there. Looking for ideas on how to do this as it seems little awkward to get to all of these items. How did you get to these items?

Well Sir,
I've done a ton of work in the radiator area of our coach. It's an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the C-7 330HP CAT. Now, accessing those engine/radiator components is pretty tough on some of these rear engine/rear radiator coaches. Much of it depends on just how the bedroom/bed/closet etc. was laid out and, how easy it is to remove or, at the least, tilt any of those components to gain access.

On ours, when the bed is either lifted or, depending on how much work I have to do, totally removed, I still have two metal covers that have to be removed to gain access to "some" of the engine components. It's still a serious pain in the a$$ to do any maintenance. It is what it is. If one is going to have one of these rolling Kleenex boxes, then #1, either put up with the pain to do maintenance or, #2, just pay to have it done.

Suffice to say, there's no real easy way on these style coaches to perform just about any engine maintenance.
Scott