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rpsinc

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  1. But if the trailer breaks away then air will be disconnected and as such with air failure, does a system like Blu Dot cause brakes to fail ON like in a commercial trailer??
  2. I recently resolved an issue with my brakes from HDT to trailer. I had posted here for some info on the Smart Brake controller as it appeared that it was no longer working but my troubleshooting endeavers were often interrupted(and I never did find much troubleshooting info for that controller) and so never really got to start with the basics. That being said I enlisted some help and quickly discovered that there was no output to my brake wire at the receptacle on the back of my Volvo. Did more checking(keeping in mind that the KISS principle needed to be fully engaged) and this was after replacing the Smart Brake with a DirecLink(BTW-I REALLY like the 3 different brakes control conditions available) and still no output to the pesky BLUE wire but all was good in the Jackalopee. More troubleshooting and lo and behold the 7 conductor cable from the Jackalopee to the receptacle had a break somewhere in the BLUE wire. After inspection could not find any where that the cable may have been damaged, so abandoned that wire and ran a new wire outside the cable and VOILA-brakes! It was such a nice change to have those working and controlling my 42' NH 5er. Sometimes it really is just the small things, like a broken wire or READING the instructions that are necessary.
  3. Nice work, Henry. You are the envy of all of us that are still somewhat your "Junior" but heading down the same road of life. Good for you to still show up and get to work, a lifestyle that is healthy for us all. I noticed that in the CAD drawing you showd a modified Z weld on the frame extensions but the final product did only have BUTT style connections. I am not a fan of BUTT style for that application esp in that load arrangement, I did the Z style on mine. Dont know if there is a difference from an engineering perspective. What say you?
  4. I am not sure how I consider the whole Lippert is TOTALLY responsible for frame flexing/failures blame as I have worked as a fabricator/welder for most of my professional career and understand that customers can and do influence how things are made and what materials are used. Often times that affects the finished product and its success in usage. I am not trying to absolve Lippert of their responsibility as to workmanship(I have seen many videos and in person examples of poor workmanship and BAD welds with a serious lack of pride in work) and that is ALL on Lippert. Mig guns moving too fast and not allowing for sufficient penetration(keep in mind that welding is a process where pieces of metal are FUSED together to continue the strength of the member/s included, without sufficient penetration, you have member/s FLOATING in their relative positions, relying on shear panels, glue and screws to accomplich what the welding process should have accomplished). As noted above, frame flex is necessary for this application but weld failures under those flex conditions is unacceptable. I am semi retired in part because the lack of pride in delivered work has become acceptable and since I dont subscribe to that way of working, I have decided to accept the same sorry piece work rates for the sub-standard work offered for less that acceptable results and then add to that the lack of pride in work, well, lets just say I'm done. But sadly I see that the industry is moving into a time of less quality and higher costs which I doubt is sustainable over the long haul. I will continue to make myself available to teach those that do care to do quality work and want to SLOW DOWN and do it right the 1st time. In the meantime, my customers will continue to benefit from exceptional work at a fair price that will last for generations to come. Now, I have stepped OFF MY SOAPBOX.
  5. Although my experience with high output cables in NOT with trucks and starters, but rather welding. IF I am welding for extended periods of time and my stinger is getting hot, sometimes too hot to hold, so I am not welding at that time, it is usually the ground cable connection. It has been a common task to cut off the end of the cable which usually has many strands of that cable broken, often the result of winding up the cables or just the moving of the ground clamp during it s work, and then using a bit of copper plumbing pipe as a clamp between the clamp screw and the cable end, I can make it up as a clean connection with all the strands working in "harmony" and no more hot stinger and back to work completing my job. It stands to reason that the problem in Jim's truck was like this, esp with high draw(starter circuit) and compromised cable end = resistance, which those electrical circuits dont like. Thanks for the update and safe travels. Now get on out there Jim.
  6. Jim- while doing all you are to get those electrical issues corrected, as long as the truck is showing "Neutral Not Secured" and air issues, I dont believe it will allow the starting circuit to engage to start the engine, no matter a D16 or D13. If I remember correctly from my own troubleshooting, certain actions must be taken before the truck starter is allowed to engage. Air to the trans etc is a part of those actions. I have read on Volvo pages that sometimes drivers have inadvertently shut the truck down while in gear and then when the truck leaked air below its required minimum, the truck isnt in N so that action not being satisfied, does not allow the circuits to allow the starter to become available to start. In those cases, it appears that road side service airs up the truck and allows the air operated shifter to satisfy the N transmision requirement. Only offering a possibility. It seems that you have been able to eliminate the TCM as a likely culprit, which was my issue.
  7. Spraying roof coating is typically done by a company going by FlexArmor which has locations operated by franchisees. There are a couple of other types of applications done with similar materials but NOT spray applied. I know of a company that has taken a coating and made it very good in RV service by adding Kevlar strands to the product which adds significant strength to the maximally elastic product showing good results in RV services. Comes with a great warranty and is installed remotely(no moving out of the coach). see rvroofingpros.com As to the slides question, it is my experience that slide coating is not offered by many of the companies but I have done them using Liquid Roof, which is not as thick a product but does and has worked well on RVs. Note that most aftermarket coatings for RVs will be applied to a thickness of up to 50 mils then when cured reduce to 35 mils. Not alot of thickness but enough to add to a roof for the duration of its life. Monolithic application would be my preference and removing most of the existing caulking is a minimum requirement. Many companies use fabric to cover over and replace the caulking at vents, skylights and end caps. This coupled with the monolithic coating leaves a 1 piece roof coating that should not require yearly maintenance but should still be inspected yearly. I would NEVER use any silicone based coating as it becomes slippery and doesnt lend itself to repairs in the future PLUS they are are intended for RV use.
  8. Solo18: You are describing (other than the colors) many rigs owned by us that come here but are in all parts of this country. Today I am setting up my HDT to allow for loading and carrying of my Smart car behind my DROM box secured behind my sleeper on my Volvo 730, allowing me to tow my New Horizons 42' 5th wheel. Rallies are a great place to learn about this style of travel, from the mechanical, legal, experience and gathering aspects of this type of RVing. There are 3 each year. Youtube has some info as well, although it is usually personal in nature, meaning specific to the producer of the video, but certainly information.
  9. Doubt that that will be real guide UNLESS you are dikering with a dealer. I recommend you spend time becoming familiar with selling prices from private parties in your area and then go out and check them out. Alot of things dont appear in pictures that will appear in a visit to the unit. Thats the best experience you can get.
  10. Did you resolve this by securing the handle? I might be missing something about what the change was.
  11. Kirk W: I agree with your last post. We have also encountered most of your same issues but with the added obstacles that our current senior dog will not get into our rig, weighs nearly 100# and is a breed often forbidden in RV parks(Doberman, our 7th). This makes our planning travel VERY difficult as we need to have someone stay in our house to allow him to live his last days in HIS routine not ours. He is a very mellow pet, has been with us nearly 12 years and came from a rescue(as most of the others did too), so we are commited to letting him live the remainder of his days the way he wants to, as much as we can. He also struggles with a very low heart rate which sometimes affects his mobility. Our vet is on board with our direction for him and we continue to let him live his best life as a long time member of the family.
  12. This seems to be a significant issue
  13. rpsinc

    Questions

    This will depend on if you compare dealerships are your only option BUT with an HDT there are roadside options and truck stops and mobile mechanics, due to the number of commercial rigs out there. To the OP, it really is such a personal choice and your circumstances are unique. People have travelled/lived in every scenario you described and many you didnt. Keep your eyes open and if an HDT is something you are considering seriously, go to a Rally. Outside of that ask questions here and anywhere you see them. We all are generally willing to share our own perspective and you can choose how some of our perspective can fit for you.
  14. I will add as a former owner of a Stalick outfitted 2001 IH 4700 DT530, I would not go back to an MDT, esp not an IH. They are typically outfitted delivery trucks. My wife has the results of a back injury and couldnt last more than 2 hours in the IH, even though we had air ride seats, air ride rear suspension and air ride hitch. So we stepped up to a Volvo 730 and she can go for 6-7 hours without any issues later. We have even done some back to back days and she seems to do fine. And I am into my truck(BTW- only 91K+ miles on my '08) for less than a newer CC DRW pickup and certainly many of the M2-112 trucks I have seen out there that are of similar vintage as my Volvo.
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