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Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

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ArdWrknTrk

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Administrator

Onan's are about as reliable as you can get.
Though Honda's and Robin's are great too.

You know I pine for a CBI adventure.
The Markland cottages are where my great uncle used to own.

PEI is attractive too.
Those lobster and mussels in a seaweed filled beach fire pit have me drooling.

I'm more than a bit envious of your summertime

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Administrator

In reply to this post by Rembrant

Wow, that intake plumbing really cleaned things up.

And with all that interior work you've done it sounds like you are almost ready to go. I'll bet you are anxious!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Administrator

If petrol stays where it is he can even afford to drive it. 😀

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Administrator

Yup! And I'm missing it.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

The interior is not all that easy to take good pics of, but here is one below. The original flooring was disgusting worn out blue carpet. We ripped it all up and laid down peel and stick stuff, and then I did all the edges in that pre-painted quarter round. We've been trying to do this thing on the cheap, so we did it as good as we could on a small back pocket budget. She painted the walls white, and the backsplash is more peel and stick stuff. I had a piece of stainless cut to make a back splash for the stove. There were a lot of little things we did...new registers for the heater vents, and she did all of the flower print upholstery and seats on marine vinyl. It doesn't look too bad for a 27 year old RV. Remember the inside of this thing was all brown wood colored paneling and ugly wall paper with blue carpet...ack!

I don't have very many pictures unfortunately, but the thing is pretty big/spacious for what it is. Double bed in the vary ass end, and a small bathroom with shower and almost full size tub.

1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

Rembrant

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Darn it, I rotated that pic and saved in it Paint too...

85lebaront2

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Administrator

Very nice looking rig sir!

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

Rembrant

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Onan's are about as reliable as you can get.
Though Honda's and Robin's are great too.

That's what I hear. The one weak spot in the old ones is the main circuit board. The electrical box/control panel on this thing is not sealed at all...it's almost like an indoor unit, but it's hanging under the coach on the side of the chassis where all the road grime gets at it. The circuit board was fried. It has a tradional old Ford style starter solenoid, so I got it to wind over and fogged the cylinders. Compression seems good...I had the plugs unthreaded, but still sitting in the holes, and even at starter speed it blew the plugs out like bullets...lol. I found a place in PA that manufactures replacement upgraded/heavy duty circuit boards, so I'm just waiting for it to arrive so I can fir the thing up.

Rembrant

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

In reply to this post by 85lebaront2

85lebaront2 wrote

Very nice looking rig sir!

Thanks!

85lebaront2

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Administrator

In reply to this post by Rembrant

Those Onan controls really weren't designed to be out in the weather, on most Class A RVs they are pretty well enclosed with a side air grille, exhaust and cooling air dumping out the bottom. I have one, a 4.0CCK and an even older, 305CCK with a recoil starter. They spent a number of Halloween seasons running scenes in what was called "the haunted forest". I used the old recoil start one at our scout camp for a big regional meet to power our 30 ft 5th wheel (AC, lights, refrigerator) for 3 days, I have a 37 gal Marine fuel tank for it.

If your panel has 2 switches, one will say "not used in this application" and the other is a 2 position, start, run and stop which there should be one inside also. The "not used" switch is a bypass for the low oil pressure and will run the Stewart-Warner fuel pump, however it will also heat the choke coil.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Administrator

In reply to this post by Rembrant

It's an amazing transformation Cory!
Kudos to Mrs. Rembrandt too!

Conformal coating is not too expensive and would help a lot.
Is the genny not in a box, under the vehicle???

I mostly know them from marine applications.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Rembrant

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

In reply to this post by 85lebaront2

This is what it looks like removed from the RV. I disconnected it and pulled it out with a forklift at work. It is basically in an open air frame hanging under the coach. The genny itself is not sealed in any way and the compartment is basically open to road spray. Trying this from my phone not sure if it will work...

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Administrator

It works well.
Now you understand what I deal with. 😂

Consider boxing it in a bit.
Protection from road spray and debris will make it a very worthwhile investment to partially enclose the unit

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Nothing Special

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

One issue I had with the Onan generator in my motorhome was the carb getting fouled up from sitting idle too long. I had been told to run it with a load for at least a half hour once a month, but had thought I'd try to get by with just putting Sta-Bil in the gas. Didn't work. After getting a new carb I'm running it every month.

Oh, and you mentioned that your van AC works well but you want the generator so you can run the coach AC while driving. I expected to need to do that, but in the first year we had it we took a trip across South Dakota with both of my sons. Even with 2 people staying in the coach (the other 2 in the van seats) jusy the van AC was all that we needed. I kept asking if they needed the coach AC on, but they were fine with just the van AC. That was a 90 deg or hotter drive on a sunny summer day

Bob
Sorry, no '80 - '86 Ford trucks
"Oswald": 1997 F-250HD crew cab short box, 460, E4OD, 4.10 gears
"Pluto": 1971 Bronco, 302, NV3550 5 speed, Atlas 4.3:1 transfer case, 33" tires
"the motorhome": 2015 E-450-based 28' class C motorhome, 6.8L V-10
"the Dodge": 2007 Dodge 2500, 6.7L Cummins

Rembrant

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Oh no, sorry I want the coach AC for when we’re are parked camping somewhere. I don’t think we will need it while driving. It’s just my wife and I and two dogs. And we are more concerned about them in the heat than ourselves. The van AC seems to work great though, and I was only running it on normal, not max.

grumpin

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Good job! Looks nice. I’ve been thinking of an RV again. Looking at class B and C Motorhomes.

And small trailers, and truck campers. Actually anything that catches my eye!

Here’s one I like.

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/d/rio-linda-1988-trans-van-champion-21/7130421075.html

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Administrator

Dane, I get a totally Scooby-Doo vibe from that rig.

Definitely a candidate for aluminium slot wheels and some rake.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Rembrant

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

In reply to this post by grumpin

grumpin wrote

Good job! Looks nice. I’ve been thinking of an RV again. Looking at class B and C Motorhomes.

And small trailers, and truck campers. Actually anything that catches my eye!

Here’s one I like.

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/d/rio-linda-1988-trans-van-champion-21/7130421075.html

Excellent! I love these ones. I was looking at a nice one up here similar to this one before we bought the 31ft monster we have now. I really wanted something more compact and easy to maneuver, but Mrs. Rembrant wanted a "full" bathroom and separate bedroom, which pretty much put us into a 27-31ft size range. We looked at a nice 24ft here, but she still felt it would be too small.

Heck, if it had been up to me, I would have gone with an F250 pickup and a slide-camper...or a trailer, but as well all know, "roughing it" is far easier for a man than my city-girl wife...lol.

Gary Lewis

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Administrator

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

Jim - I didn't understand what you meant until I looked at the pics. But I saw it immediately. Yep!

Cory - My wife now thinks camping out is a Holiday Inn Express. So I understand what you mean. But there was a time when we had a 9 1/2' self-contained slide-in camper in a '72 F250 and she loved it.

Dane - That's a cool RV. I think the 351W would be about the right engine if you aren't going to pull heavy trailers with it. Might even get into double-digit MPG.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

grumpin

Re: Any Ford RV/ Motorhome experts on here?

Scooby Doo vibe, that’s funny! Have to carry extra levelers for the rake!

I can see the bigger bathroom. As Gary mentioned, I’ve had several truck campers, and the ones with bathrooms were small. Had a 19 foot conventional trailer that seemed big!

I like this size for reasons Cory mentioned and if I got a bigger motorhome then I’d want a toad, and I don’t have a vehicle now that I would tow.

I should probably save the money and get motel rooms. But this covid nonsense has me thinking differently.

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

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