New to the forum with an old Mallard

[DuckComander]

Howdy all,
Figured I would introduce myself and tell you a bit about my familys motorhome and what we are doing with it to get it back on the road. Plus I may have a few questions along the way.

Name: Duck Commander

What is duck commander?
She is a 87 Mallard (hence the duck part) M240DD on a 1986 Ford E-350 with ford 460 that has a full banks true dual exhaust with no cats. She has 60K original miles on her and supposedly runs like a top.

Well the best part of it is we acquired her for FREE!


When we went to pick her up we were mainly thinking about using the engine for my brothers truck but decided that this motorhome really only needs a little TLC and it will work great for camping.

When I picked her up unfortunately I couldn't get her to start being rats had attacked some vacuum lines and wires so we just decided to flat tow her home with our full size F250 V10 02.

After getting the legal stuff done (you know getting tittle, registration, and insurance) we jumped in on her. We started cleaning out the mess the owners before the people we got it from had left and start cleaning out the leftovers that was all over the engine from the animals that took over the engine compartment.

Lucky for me it wasn't the worse I have dealt with so we got it cleaned up fairly well fairly quickly. After that my dad started soldering the wires that were messed up while I inspected other things. My brother's worked on cleaning the hub caps for the dually wheels so that we could put them back on.

That is what leads us today (we have only had it since the 6th of july).


So a little about me and my family:

I am 18 and live with my parents and family helping out with projects we aquire and fix them up to use for ourselves. My family consists of 6 people (me (18) my 2 brothers (16 and 17) my dad, my mom, and my little sister (11).)

I mostly work on older ford trucks in the 80s to early 90s range but I also work on other vehicles. In our free time we like to hang out fire off a few rounds, work on our motorcyles and ride them(my dad has a 07 Harley and I have a 73 XLCH Harley that I am awaiting to get my MC endorsement with).

We live out in the middle of pretty much no where and love it that way.

Being offgrid already we are fairly use to how RVing lifestyle is.



Our first Rv was an old 1986 Elderado Class A with a Chevy P30 chassis and 454 engine.

We then bought a 1984 Fleetwood Class A with a Chevy P30 Chassis and 454 engine. When we lost both those to our house fire we never really cared much for rving again.


We then acquired this for free along with an older model camper that goes in the bed of a truck which we have on our old 64 F100 bed trailer currently being used for storage for a project of my youngest brothers.




Our main purpose for this motorhome is going to be:
when we go hunting bring it and the camper trailer set up.
if we ever decide to go camping.
Going on long runs pulling our enclosed trailer for when we our out riding our old Harleys. Other then that probably not much.







Now onto what all we know so far it needs:
so more cleaning inside and out. It is mainly dirty from sitting for quite a while.
Get the engine running (main priority) (mainly looks like a few vacuum lines and wires to connect, a new control module, a good tune up, and a fresh oil change (all other fluids look brand new))
Check Onan 4KW generator if it runs (no reason it shouldn't has low hours and looks brand new)
install water heater (I have 2 in the yard just need to verify which one works)
the vent window on the above sleeper needs the trim reinstalled
one of the Previous owners glued tinfoil to the above windows so have to remove that
the left above window is broken
the windshield is broken
missing the right rear marker light lens (if I don't have it I can easily get it)
verify fridge works (again no reason it shouldn't looks brand new)
find a trim panel for the frezzer part of the fridge
thoroughly inspect tires (they said they are brand new which they look great but I haven't inspected them that well)
Have our propane guy inspect the propane system (priority before I even fire up the stove or fridge) (propane is what cause our house fire)
bolt the cup holder piece back onto the dog house since somehow it got broken (I have done that many of times on class B motorhomes)
inspect for leaks (don't think it has any because it was raining when I brought her home and no wet stains on it except around the vent window which is because of the trim piece)


Will post pics once I get them on my photobucket account.
Trav

[DuckComander]

thanks for that information I will take all that into consideration while working on the gen next time.
Trav

[j-d]

With a Class C, particularly the older ones, the Generator powers only a Shore Tie type Receptacle. Big 30-AMP Socket. You plug your Shore Tie Cable into the Receptacle and start the Genset to power the coach. Our '84 Holiday was like that. Had one interior outlet marked "Generator" so you could plug an item in without going outside first. I got to where I left it plugged in when we got on the road so I could use the genset at will.

When you test your generator, understand it runs at a constant RPM, probably 1800 in the case of yours. So "idle" and "full" are the same RPM. If you go goosing it up with the throttle linkage, the Voltage will go WAY UP and you don't want that feeding into your coach. It'll hit 160, maybe more, easily. Always have a Voltmeter in line when you're checking it.

[Bordercollie]

Silicone sealers do not adhere well to RV surfaces. There are many better products that will work, here's a clear sealant sold by Camping World.

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/proflex-rv-flexible-sealant-clear/20440

[DuckComander]

ok so a few updates. The other day the windshield got replaced and Safe lite did a decent job but ended up breaking one of the A-pillar trim pieces. That ticked me off since everything originally was in perfect shape. I never did complain about it though dad told me not to.

Yesterday:

Put a water heater in that we believe works but had to modify a few hinges on to the door to make it work.

Put silicone on all the windows and some of the lights that were a bit messed up.

Installed the seat belts which somebody had removed. Unfortunately one of them is broken.

got the generator cleaned up and fired up but it isn't power out anywhere. sounds good though. All breakers are good too.

Fixed the leather that goes on the board and put that back on the fridge since we found it sitting under the table bed seats!

Picked up a 110 and 12v small TV with DVD player in it so that we have some TV to watch. It didn't have the cord for the 12V but we looked around in the motorhome as I remembered seeing a few universal cord deals and I found one that fits.

We drove it to the local country store really quick mostly to find out if the gas gauge is really working and luckily it is. Doesn't seem to be getting that bad of fuel mileage. We bought it with a little less then 3/4 of a tank and now is just barely above 1/2 a tank with no gas put in it and we have driven about 50 miles so far. That isn't including firing it up once in a while to make sure the battery is charged up.

I think that is pretty much it.
Trav

[DuckComander]

Just found out that Duck Commander has a dana 70 3.54 open diff:(

I am not very fond of finding out that a 460 with so much power and upgrades, with in my opinion Fords best trans ever built (C6) has such a high gear ratio and an open diff. Heck my 88 F150 4x4 has 3.55 LS front and rear. Oh well can't complain about it being it was free. LOL
Trav

[DuckComander]

I will have to take a look but I personally don't think anything is wrong with it.
Trav

[Dusty_R]

On my '89 E-150 300-6 with 5 speed stick, that can is on the inside of the frame about under the drivers seat.

Dusty

[DuckComander]

Well their is a vacuum line for the ac broken that we haven't been able to find out where it goes yet so that probably is what is wrong. I don't remember seeing the coffee can deal on this truck (I am very familiar with it as most of our trucks have that deal).


Tbred thank you. I have learned most of what I know by working on old fords like this. Being that this is our 11th vehicle still on the lot not including the motorcycles I get to pretty much deal with quite a bit.

If y'all are wondering here is our list of vehicles:
mine: White Lightnin': 88 F150 4x4 reg cab long bed 302 C6 auto
Dad's: Taz: 89 F250 4x4 reg cab long bed flat bed 351W ZF5 stick shift
mom's: Beast II: 97 Expedition 4x4 4.6L 4R70W auto
Dad's and mine: Big White: 2002 F250 4x4 Crew cab short bed 6.8L V10 4R100 auto
Younger brother's: Cross Bones: 91 F250 4x4 Ext. Cab long bed 7.5L EFI 460 E4OD auto
Youngest brother's: Tornado: 96 Ranger Ext Cab short bed on 92 4x4 4.0L A4LD auto chassis
My daily driver (and the extra truck while my truck and my brothers trucks are down): Blizzard: 94 Explorer 4.0L A4LD auto 4 door
Little sisters (when she gets a bit older): Baby Blue: 85 Chevy G20 Sportvan 305 700R4 auto
Hauler truck once fixed up: Canadian Red: 89 F350 2wd Crew cab long bed flat bed 460 EFI ZF5
Fun/Trail truck: 84 Bronco II 4x4 2.8L TK5 stick
Fun getaway truck: Duck Commander: Obviously this truck
Dad's Bike: Powder: 07 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail 96 bored to 103 6 speed
My bike: Ironhead 73: 1973 XLCH Ironhead 1000 bored to 1200 4 speed.


Every one of those have some time of customization and will be getting much more. LOL
Plus I am thinking about picking up a neighbors full size bronco just to get out of the unlucky number of 13. LOL
Trav

[tbred]

Trav,

I'm so impressed with your knowledge and attitude, you are wise beyond your years. Your folks should be very proud of you! Best of luck on the Duck Commander, keep the updates coming.

[j-d]

Oh, the Dash Air issue is vacuum loss somewhere. There's Hose, Fittings, Check Valves, a Vacuum Can, Select Valve (looks like a Slide or Switch but it switches Vacuum) and Vacuum Servos. Any leakage and the system is designed to blow air out the Defrost. I forget here the Vacuum Can is, but in early years it looked like a CAN, like Coffee would come in, so by now one of those might be rusted through.

[DuckComander]

It does have above AC unit. I was saying I haven't tested it yet. Only the cab air and it comes out of the wrong vent put it on max AC and it comes out the defrost??
Trav

[Dusty_R]

It may only have cab air. If you have coach air, the AC unit will be sitting on the coach roof in one of the vents.

[DuckComander]

the other day we fixed the window in the door since it was taken out (no idea why)

Then yesterday we took it for a test drive to town and she did wonderful. Nothing really wrong only thing that sorta messed with me was the engine got a bit hot so I may put a new thermostat in on pay day.
A/C doesn't work comes out of the wrong vent on the van part not the overhead one.
Trav

[DuckComander]

Ok so update:

changed the plugs, wires, rotor, cap, most of the vacuum lines, reinstalled the piece off the smog pumps, pulled the distributor soldered that one wire, soldered a few other wires that were off, cleaned up the engine a bit more, put on the air filter and cranked her over. Threw a little gas in the carb and she started right up and ran like a top! The exhaust system sounds awesome!

Pulled her forward and back a bit to see if the trans goes into gear and sure enough does.
I couldn't take her out on a drive as it was dark and I had my 02 F250 parked behind it and didn't feel like moving it so we just parked the motorhome and if we can get a few more small issues fixed then we will fire her up and take her on a test drive.
Trav