trimster

Drop us a PM when you get to SL. That's our home base. Bob & Lisa

So, cleaned the connections at the alternator. Now charging seems normal. 12.3v @ idle. 13.3v @ 1100 rpms and above. I did have the batteries on charge all night so they were @ 95% when I started the truck. Is the voltage regulator inside the alternator? Or is it external? If external, where is it?

Replaced the dismal stock fog lights. Filled all 4 holes. Good coverage.

Installed....

So, here's what I purchased. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07G31G4VB?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title Just installed, aimed and tested them last night. I'm impressed. Very clean cutoff. Nice wide pattern. High beam lights up the world and then some. I am concerned about the plastic fronts on them seems to scratch easier than a good polycarbonate would. Otherwise, slides right in without issue. Will be on the road for a few weeks. We'll see how they hold up.

So, lately I have been noticing the dash volt meter running low (10-12v), slow to react to high loads, upping the voltage indicating a high charge rate. Tonight it would idle at 10v with headlights on. Turn off all lights and bring the RPMs up to 1500, the voltage would slowly rise. I put a smart charger on at the batteries, and it indicated they were at 43% @ 11.4v . I'm kinda thinking the alternator is going south. Seems if I had a bad battery (in the pair), I would think the alternator would be kicking out 13-14v to try and charge 'em. 130k miles on the truck. Thoughts welcome. Bob

And you are correct. Brights on, fogs off. Interesting design decision. Fogs are not very bright. Think replacements are in order. Thanks.

The casting marks on the axle is "080 TB 105". "Spicer made in the UK" The aprox. measurement from axle center to top of axle spring pad (as it sits in my driveway) is 3". Hope this is helpful. Bob

My LoPro leaf spring width is 3". O.C. width of the u-bolts is 3.5" I'll see if I can get some of the other things you requested. Bob

The fog lights have never worked. The dash switch won't light up when in the on position. I have the dash pulled apart and there's no power to the switch connector with the key in the on or ACC position. The fuse box shows #25 as the fog light fuse and it's good,and there's power across it. Any ideas where to go from here? Thanks Bob

To put it mildly the 4700 has awful headlights. Has anyone had success with the following: Replace with total LED headlight replacement? Which unit? Replace sealed beam housing so you put in HID/Xenon bulbs? Replace sealed beam housing so you put in LED bulbs? Thanks

Thanks. To add to this pile of emergencies...we just had our butts handed to us. 5.7 earthquake. We're just a few miles from the epicenter. Rocked our world. We're fine. Nerves are not so fine. I was in the Silmar Calif and other shakers. It does not get better with time.

As a additional thought... Judd at Jorden Truck Sales 1460 Bankhead Hwy, Carrollton, GA 30116 has been stellar, patient, honest and extremely helpful in our extended dealings with them. Everyone I have spoken with sings the praises of their way of doing business. If things get right again, they will be the first place I look for a 630.

Update... Double whammy on getting the truck. Flights are not possible as they now inform us that 'low booked flights can be canceled at anytime'. Our flight has 90% empty seats. Odds are that it's not flying. Second, the markets pretty much nuked what we had set aside for a truck purchase. As most know, retirement is somewhat fragile... blow up the economy and status quo... and it can be quicksand. I appreciate all your help and advice and experience. We still have a HDT in our future (going to continue running our International MDT for now), once things get back to normal. Which might be a different look of normal. Bob & Lisa (hunkered down...for now)

Actually it's shorter driving down. On the way back we have some stops we need to make...so more road miles.

Thanks. But I still need to kick the tires in person I think. But the option is appreciated. We'll see what plays out.

My wife calls me a 'project addict'. Guilty! Tinker'r is my name. Playing with power tools is my game. However.... if the Feds cut in-country flight travel, we won't get the truck. We have a flight from Salt Lake to Atlanta on Thurs. Even though we have spent a few hundred for inspections, flight (which we might not get a refund), hotel room, we can't justify a car rental, 2000 miles drive down and 2000 miles drive back. Just to much road time for our sched. right now. If they shut it down, hopefully it will be next Friday. Just sayin'. But if they do cut off flights, it will be for the greater good.

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks. on the interior... did you make a new inner wall panel? or did you cut and modify the factory upholstery? I assume the RV window came with some inner trim to finish off the transition between the upholstery and the window frame? Thanks

Thoughts welcome on how to install sleeper side windows, in place of the vents, on a 630 mid roof. I've found used upper sleeper windows. Wonder if those could be cut into the side of a mid roof? Also a read window. I found a source for used rear windows. Are all the VNLs the same size from 2012 to 2016? Thanks

Chiming in as we go through this insurance adventure. We currently have a MDT and 36' 5'er insured through Safeco. They are not interested in handling the HDT even reclassified as a motorhome. I just got off the phone with Lazy Days in Tampa. An hour later.... the quote is equal to the coverage we have now with Safeco for both the truck and the trailer, just $150 more per year...$1092 total. - both have to be insured together through Progressive - bobtailing is okay. - NOT a full timer policy. Vacation use only, although I have not seen the policy yet to determine if there is a day limit which they would bump up the policy to full-time use. If we drop the trailer from the policy, the truck gets bumped up to commercial status and that will be $1476/yr for the truck alone. Now the wrinkle...or as Paul Harvey use to say 'Now for the rest of the story'. Licensing the Volvo 630 we are buying next week, as a motorhome is fairly easy. Well, really easy in Utah. But we can't do that until the DMV puts their eyes on the truck. So no registering the truck as a motorhome in Utah from Georgia where we're buying it. This makes the drive back interesting. It's technically still a commercial truck (even though the hitch and air lines to a commercial trailer removed). The temp tags from Georgia are commercial. The insurance company will start the insurance on the truck (as a motorhome) the day we take possession. But it will not have the Utah motorhome classification....technically. So we don't want to bump into anything on the way back...or get bumped into. That would be a nice mess to sort out. Like others... we will keep posting as this insurance thing evolves. It just can't be easy anymore. Bob & Lisa

Thanks folks. Utah requires no additional license upgrades for motorhomes of any config. There is an upgrade for non-commercial 20001 lb and above that's like a CDL light. But nobody gets it for motorhomes. I'll get the papers together and fly down in a week or so. I'll keep everyone posted on the adventure.

...oh, this is the truck we're chatting about. https://www.truckpaper.com/listings/trucks/for-sale/100064305/2015-volvo-vnl64t630?ST=georgia&CTRY=usa

Ndbirdman; the truck is an ishift. I have a few years in my mdt pulling our 36' 5er. Not a pro, but not my first bar-b-q. The issue I have is, I've not been face to face with this truck yet. It is bring thoroughly gone over by a third party. So I hesitate to buy it sight unseen. I trust the dlr & the inspection company....but... Bob

So, stop at scales? Or keep on truckin'?

Looks like we are picking up our new (for us) Volvo 630 in a few weeks, from a dealer west of Atlanta, Ga. I have read what I can about getting the rig back to home base without a CDL, and would like to enlist your thoughts on the best route. What I am going to do: - have insurance papers in hand - Have state law for repurposing HDT to RV (now this is an interesting area in UTAH policy. Nothing is really written about this. When you call or visit the DMV, they give you a blank affidavit of change form where you list the changes you made. That's it. There's really no great threshold to meet to be considered an RV/motorhome. Bed, fridge, microwave does it). - The commercial hitch is being removed before we hit the road. - The trailer air lines are being removed before we hit the road. - There will be vinyl graphics on the side 'Private Coach Not For Hire'. - The dealer will give us 45 day temp tags. Any thoughts on how to make this as trouble free without the CDL, are welcomed. Bob & Lisa