Sculptor

31 minutes ago, Vegas Teacher said:

Thanks, I try to keep a positive tone. In this world we have plenty of people who are negative. 

Happy 4th of July weekend! Don't miss the good prices at Harbor Freight. That was the other thing I learned from the mechanics, buy expensive tools you need to do the heavy lifting, buy cheap when the tools made for that application are going to break anyway.

Later,

Cory O

I agree with dblr and want to say I have enjoyed reading about your trips.  Also I’m happy you got back home safely.  We want to visit Zion and Bryce, any suggestions for campsites would be appreciated.  

3 hours ago, sandsys said:

Excellent report. Just like your binder, I suspect. Glad everything went so well for you.

Linda

Times 2.  I remember the first time in a weigh station was nerve wracking for me.  Glad you are both having a smooth trip That way at least.  ps. Fairings are a pain when the time comes to remove/replace.

There is a disturbing lack of gorilla tape in these photos.  I’m partial to gorilla tape since my un-versity diploma is written on it.

42 minutes ago, lappir said:

once the person responsible has a chance to defend themselves in a Duel. 

 

Chad, I can’t add much to the sympathetic posts here, but I’m also very sorry it happened to you and very happy it was not worse.  What’s the latest?  You’re quite busy fetching, loading, and updating right now, especially with regard to the WCR dates looming.

Maybe we’ll bump into you in Montana.  (Wink)

Hope you don’t mind me posting them, Rick.  I took a couple of closeups while I was there.

That’s good news about your dad!  It sounds like his Father’s Day will be a happy one.  And for you too.

In case you decide to track it down yourself I’m posting this.  I hope it helps.  I had some electrical weirdness going on a few months ago, and I read and asked around.  One consistent answer was clean all the grounds.  My truck is second gen, but this quote might help?
 “check buss bar under steer shaft on the out side of cab. Check the ground wire behind battery's on frame. Then check the ground stud above the throttle pedal behind the lower dash panel. After checking battery cables and dead man switch”

These did not help in my case!  But I felt better.  🙂 Then I moved to the fuse box in the top center instrument panel.  In my case, the message had to do with data log failure or something like that.  Symptoms included cruise control and electric windows intermittent fail.  
Interestingly, those fuses were next to each other.  Removed and replaced the fuses. Still no improvement.  Well improved for a day or so, then it was back.  I then removed the fuse and attempted to clean and tighten the contacts.  I would need to revisit and take photos to describe what I did exactly, but the point is I tried to narrow it down (which took time) and the attempted cleaning seems to have helped.  I haven’t had that message in 6 months.  Just hoping this is helpful.

I have been working on many fifth wheel repairs, but finally made time for the Volvo.  I bought some fenders and mounting brackets in Elk City, about March 22.  We stored them in the truck and fifth wheel basement for 2800+ miles.  This week I spent drilling 3/4" holes in the frame, and 3/8" holes in the fenders for the bracket locations.  The old homey fenders, which have served more or less flawlessly for 4 years, are going out in the dumpster tomorrow.  In pieces.  When I get photos I will post them.

In case anyone is wondering why it took so long, first came the internal debate over planning to have a bed made.  (we still haven't)  Then retirement and heading out on the road, then when the ambition and time seem to coincide, the final brick in the wall was the huge cost of having the steel fenders and brackets shipped to a location. 

The truck parts place in Elk City was the first place (last year or this) where we had actually been, and they had them in stock.  I called all over the Rio Grand Valley with no luck.  One custom place had some beautiful fiberglass single axle fenders, but couldn't help me at all with mounting them.  They probably still have them.

12 hours ago, Tahoe Shark said:

Cory, we all have this feeling when we are new to the trucks! Just start the journey.

Yup! Agree!  You will be listening to everything.  Then after a couple of hours, it will fade to normal background. 

We tried a few things, mothballs, sticky traps, sealing with foam.  The mothballs really smelled strong, so I wrapped them in a ziplock.  On the one hand I don't notice the smell at all, on the other hand we haven't had any mice since 2 years ago.  And we are full time and moving around, where we weren't before.

I looked on youtube and found some folks that demo'd mint and/or irish spring and then baited with grain.  The mice ignored the scents in favor of the food.  So examine your storage compartments for "bait".

The more direct approach was the sticky traps.  In short, they work.  But if it's parked near the woods,,,,  what's your budget like?  😉

I have never noticed, and looked recently too, any chewing on foam anywhere.

Then there is this solution:

I'm just getting to this.  Your posts are always inspiring.  I think to myself, "Yeah I could do that."  For about an hour.....

Looks great Robert.

So far I got zero satisfaction from Herrmann. Just a mistake was made somewhere, and my truck is getting the boot.  It doesn’t matter they have insured others with HDT RV’s.  

10 hours ago, Danfreda1 said:

Yes we are still with them. Just renewed everything with them right before the rally. also added a side by side no problem at all. We do have an address through escapees in South Dakota. Don’t know if that helps

Yes that helps.  It sounds like the only difference is our mailing address.  Now I’m really puzzled.  The original agent I used is gone.  I’m talking to another person who claims to have researched this inside out, and there’s no way.  But you just renewed.  Somethings not making sense.  Our soon to be dropped policy is an RV policy through Nationwide.  Can you pm me what yours is?  Commercial or RV through which carrier company?

On 7/13/2021 at 8:38 AM, Danandfreda said:

Try herrmann insurance agency

rapid city 18002821446. We have all ours with them and reasonably rates

I’m having trouble with this agency this year.  Last year no problem.  This year there appears to be a huge problem with the VIN number.  Are you still with Herrmann?

I just got a quote from a SD based agency with Progressive and the dollar amount seems about average, but the hitch requirement is part of the deal, so I will continue to look.  
Much harder when we don’t have any cell signal at all, and Wi-Fi is mostly not available.  Our temporary situation this month. 

16 hours ago, ChaseTheRide said:

Currently in South Dakota written by an agent under Nation wide and have in writing we are a Volvo class 8 registered as a motorhome.  Have read the policy and am comfortable with it.  They required us to insure both Volvo and 5ther in order to do the policy.  

I am in SD also, with a Nationwide RV policy, and after the Herrmann agency rep/agent called around, was told yesterday the VIN in the Nationwide  database is class 8.  She says there seems to be no recourse.  Nationwide will not renew.  I have not heard the final word on a commercial policy yet.

I would be interested to hear more details about your agency since I am searching again.

I have been down this road a couple of times, and now am forced to look again.  It seems many here have the same problem and that is to find new coverage because something changed.  Often it’s because of a change of address, or the rates got boosted beyond what they should be.

In my limited experience I have needed to find a new policy and usually a new agent every year or two.  I got the following news just yesterday, My Nationwide policy through the Herrmann agency just dropped us because the VIN on our truck shows as a class 8.  They are claiming it was a mistake to insure our truck in the first place. (Look of complete disgust here). Axle and hitch change means nothing.  
I have until June 1.  We have an RV title and reside in SD.

As Rick said, there are lots of variables so searching here and other forums for places to look is a start.  

2 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

Hwy 26 is a very easy drive. It runs along the river.  Perfectly OK for any size RV. It's flat.

You may be thinking of Hwy 22 (Teton Pass) between Victor & Jackson.  That's a biggie!  10% grades.

I stand corrected.

I was told by someone on this site, to stay away from route 26 between Idaho Falls and Jackson WY. 
In the summer watch the internet for fire areas. Not usually a problem (I think?) but nice to know about.  

Also beautiful scenery between Ennis and Bozeman (287-84) with one tight curve between cliffs and river.  We made it no problem in our rig just don’t let the tight turns on a short stretch surprise you. Additionally be aware there is a higher pass, and snow/fog chance north of Ennis. If she might go that way.  Lots of boondocking spots on that river too.  It’s the Madison River. 
8 months ago the road got quite rough south of the Montana line, on route 20. It was a few miles not the whole way. I forget exactly where.  Might be after the highway narrows to 2 lanes. 
If your friend likes fly fishing she should come prepared.  There is a fairground in Bozeman we used. It was a decent neighborhood and inexpensive.  Elizabeth City west of Ennis is interesting.  
I hope this helps.

Not sure what you mean by, for a living.  We are relative newcomers.  I bought my first and only HDT a few years before retirement.  We are now full time RVers.  I have no previous HDT experience, it just made sense to me.  Of course I got most of my input from the rallies and the good people on this site and Gregg Shields’s site.  

7 hours ago, Chad Heiser said:

As I mentioned in my solar thread, I am having RR install an RV Flex Armor roof on my 5th wheel.  It was prepped over the last two days and primed this evening (Thursday).  The actual roofing material will be applied first thing in the morning and once that has dried, all the stuff on the roof will get reassembled.  I hope to have it back tomorrow evening.  I am really pleased with the work so far and am looking forward to never having to deal with my roof again.  With all the various solar configurations and component movement I have done to my RV roof over the last five years, I figure I have added over 200 additional penetrations above and beyond what the factory did.  So far I have had no issues with it, but now it will be guaranteed for life.  I will show it off at the ECR starting the end of next week.

They told me the story about a hail storm that left no evidence.  I was impressed.

I removed the old left rear fender and started planning for a new chrome fender.  It appears that it will need to have a gap of 1/2”-1” when aired down.  The aired up distance is 3”.  When I put 3 1/2” boards under the chrome fender it looks a bit too tall.  Still better than the homemade one.

7 hours ago, Chad Heiser said:

Sitting at Rolling Retreats getting some maintenance done and some other work I will reveal later.  Once I’m done here, I’m heading to the ECR (with a quick stopover to install some batteries and an inverter for a forum member on the way).

Wouldn’t mind some of your advice on batteries and inverters for our rig too.  We hope to stop by Deer Run during this next week for a night or 2.