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Short Trip Report

Yahoo Message Number: 145
First off let me say that I read all of the posts here with a lot of
interest, and thank everyone that takes the time to write, and the
moderators for the forum.
I have a 2007 Four Winds 35B, with the 6.6 Duramax, and we just
returned from a 3K + trip from Texas to Las Vegas, to San Diego, on to
Los Angeles (Castaic) , and back to Texas. I have not weighed the MH,
but I do pull a car dolly(Roadmaster), and a 2005 VW Passat(diesel).
We averaged 8.5 MPG, with a high of 9, 5 thru California (55 MPH speed
limit when towing). We had 2 problems, the turn signals quit, and we
got them fixed at a Chevrolet Dealership in Phoenix, and the automatic
step quit deploying, I replaced the motor and board on this myself in
San Diego.
This was our second long trip, as we went to Phoenix Az and back in
June. On that trip the main slide refused to first deploy, and then to
retract once we jumped the electrical system to get it out. This
wasn't a big problem because we stayed in the Phoenix campground for a
month, and we were able to have a mobile RV repair service fix it
before we left. The problem was the ignition override solenoid located
inside the right rear wheel well. I believe we averaged about 8 MPG on
that trip.
Next up, we leave for the east coast early next week, and this trip
should be another 3K+ miles. I'll post a trip report on this one when
we return.
Thanks
Pat Drake

Re: Short Trip Report

Reply #1
Yahoo Message Number: 146
Thanks for the info Pat.

For the repairs you did yourself did you submit the parts invoice to Thor for a refund?

BTW, there is no moderator on this forum. I'm the forum owner (in terms of Yahoo's classification) but I'm not moderating the forum at all. The only reason I do not allow automatic sign up is that other forums I've been on that do allow "unapproved participation" have been flooded with spam. This way I won't necessarily stop a spammer from getting on but I can knock one off immediately if we detect spam and then they have to go through application with a new address to get back on - and that usually stops them.

I've only withheld approval for one applicant so far. There was no indication that he/she had a Kodiak or was interested in acquiring one. I sent a note back asking about such interest but never got a reply so I didn't approve that person for participation.

We now have 50 participants and 6 of them get no email and check the web site periodically. The other 44 are a mix of individual emails and the daily digest. Those who get the daily digest should recognize that the digest, like web site access, does not include attachments (such as the price list and Kodiak specs that were attached the other day).

Hope your next trip goes well. Near the end of the month we will be taking our first long trip - 1400 miles to Florida. When we get there we will have about 3700 miles on the Greyhawk and I'll be approaching 6 months and the need for a drive train lube (especially u-joints). I'll have to get a grease gun and do it myself since I'm not going to "break camp" (we will be on our lot until mid April at least) and go looking for a lube. In May we will get the first annual maintenance done which will include an oil change. We will have about 5300 miles on and I'm going to ask Allison if waiting to 5300 for the 5000 miles filter change is OK. If they say it isn't (can't imagine that reply) then I'll have to change it before we leave Florida.

Anyone else do their own drive train lube?

Don

pat.drake wrote:


Re: Short Trip Report

Reply #2
Yahoo Message Number: 147
I did submit them to Thor for reimbursement, but since I did not seek
pre-approval I will be reimbursed dealer cost for the step parts.
Their explanation was that if I had called them first, they could have
sent the parts at their cost(which they couldn't have since I wasn't
going to be there that long, but that's neither here nor there the
step is fixed).
When you start to travel and need repairs you may find as I did that
there is a very long wait time for service at RV dealerships, and you
can do it yourself, or use a Mobile RV service to get around the
problem. In either case you run the risk of having to pay up front and
then dealing with Thor for the refund.
On the lube question, my Duramax has the Oil Life system, where the
onboard computer tells you when it's time to change the oil. This
notification came inroute from Phoenix Az to Las Vegas, and I solved
it by having a mobile lube service come to the Oasis RV park and do
the Oil+Filter+Allison Filter+Chassis and Drive train lube for $130.
Sounds a little steep, but worth it to me to eliminate the hassle of
finding someplace to do it and interrupting the trip.
Pat
, "Donald A. Leslie"
wrote:
Quote
Thanks for the info Pat.

For the repairs you did yourself did you submit the parts invoice to
Thor for a refund?

BTW, there is no moderator on this forum. I'm the forum owner (in
terms of Yahoo's classification) but I'm not moderating the forum at all.
The only reason I do not allow automatic sign up is that other forums I've
been on that do allow "unapproved participation" have been flooded with
spam. This way I won't necessarily stop a spammer from getting on but
I can knock one off immediately if we detect spam and then they have to
go through application with a new address to get back on - and that
usually stops them.

I've only withheld approval for one applicant so far. There was no
indication that he/she had a Kodiak or was interested in acquiring
one.

Quote
I sent a note back asking about such interest but never got a reply
so I

Quote
didn't approve that person for participation.

We now have 50 participants and 6 of them get no email and check the
web site periodically. The other 44 are a mix of individual emails and the
daily digest. Those who get the daily digest should recognize that the
digest, like web site access, does not include attachments (such as
the price list and Kodiak specs that were attached the other day).

Hope your next trip goes well. Near the end of the month we will be
taking our first long trip - 1400 miles to Florida. When we get there
we will have about 3700 miles on the Greyhawk and I'll be approaching 6
months and the need for a drive train lube (especially u-joints). I'll
have to get a grease gun and do it myself since I'm not going to "break
camp" (we will be on our lot until mid April at least) and go looking
for a lube. In May we will get the first annual maintenance done
which will include an oil change. We will have about 5300 miles on and I'm
going to ask Allison if waiting to 5300 for the 5000 miles filter
change

Re: Short Trip Report

Reply #3
Yahoo Message Number: 148
I've got the onboard computer oil change calc as well but we won't come close to a change oil message by the end of the first year (since most of our 3700 miles will be at 60 mph and 1890 rpm) as I would expect to get the message at 7000 miles at the earliest (with our Tahoe it was much higher than that and the last monthly report on OnStar for this next change indicates it won't be until over 10,000 miles (well, I get it in KMs and that is over 16,000 kms). We will never know though since we will hit the one year interval for the Kodiak before the mileage limit.

I might look for a mobile RV service in Manatee County in Florida to do the Allison filter change and the chassis lube. Sounds like a good way to do it. Oil change at 3700 would be a bit too early. Perhaps I should just let it sit until April, have it all done mid-April and that is close enough to May 23 that the whole works could be done. Something I'll have to consider if I can find a competent mobile RV service (anyone who winters in the Manatee/Sarasota county area have any recommendations?).

OH, $130 steep? In August of 2006 we had our first annual done for the Ambassador - including oil and filter on the Onan 7.5 diesel gennie (only 12 hours on it). They changed both Allison filters (3000MH) which there was no need for and by the time we were done with extra TranSynd and all the filters on the Cummins ISC in US$ we were well approaching $900. Now you can be happy with the $130 charge. :)

Don

pat.drake wrote:


Re: Short Trip Report

Reply #4
Yahoo Message Number: 149
Great report Pat.
8.5 and 9.5 mpg seem on the low side for 55 mph. Our Kodiak D/A gets a
constant 10+ mpg at 60 mph. Some trips here in MI get over 11 mpg.
Craig Davis gets 10 mpg also. How many miles do you have on your Kodiak?
The oil change light came on ours last spring near Reno, NV. Thought
there was something wrong with engine. Until I got the owners manual
and found out the funny icon meant to change oil. Had just had oil
changed about 100 miles before light came on. Had oil, filter, fuel
filter, and lube done at Speedco for $148.

Re: Short Trip Report

Reply #5
Yahoo Message Number: 150
Looks to me like the dealer didn't reset the oil minder. That is what I like about the Tahoe - it shows the percentage left before it has to be changed. With our Equinox and the former toad (Colorado) we never had it come on so we can only guess that they reset it - but we got the oil changed every 5000 KM (3000 miles). Now the dealer says don't come near us until the light tells you to.

We have yet to get over 8.0 MPG with the 8.1 not towing. I keep wondering what it will be like when we start towing the Tahoe? 7 or less?

D


Re: Short Trip Report

Reply #6
Yahoo Message Number: 151
8 to 9 mpg is what most 8.1's get. You need to spend less time setting
in line at the border. The D/A's should do 10 mpg at 55 easy.
Our MH had 7,000 miles on it when we bought it. Dealer did a oil
change before delivering it. Light came on about 19,000 miles. If it
had never been reset normal miles would have been 15,000. Maybe I am
babying it to much and did not require a oil change. The engine needs
to have a quart of oil added about 8 to 9,000 miles. I start looking
for a place to get it changed after that. Just added a quart this
morning. Need to get oil/lube done when we get on road to TX later
this month.

Re: Short Trip Report

Reply #7
Yahoo Message Number: 152
Ron, we were in Waterford this past weekend but didn't take the motorhome as we left early Sat due to a Special Olympic function on Friday evening. The lineup at Port Huron looked really good - not long at all. 45 minutes later we got through. Someone needs to learn how to do their work. It wasn't much faster on the way home Sunday night.

I sure hope we can get 8+ otherwise we are going to have to stop fairly often to make sure we don't run too low just in case we get stuck in a traffic jam.

Don

ps. Son really had a silly accident on last lap of his last race. Going to cost him several thousand to fix the damage.


Re: Short Trip Report

Reply #8
Yahoo Message Number: 153
Ron, the MH now has 11650 miles, I probably don't drive it like I
should, plus some of the California route was through the mountains.
Pat
-- In KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com, "Ron Hall"
wrote:
Quote
Great report Pat.
8.5 and 9.5 mpg seem on the low side for 55 mph. Our Kodiak D/A gets a
constant 10+ mpg at 60 mph. Some trips here in MI get over 11 mpg.
Craig Davis gets 10 mpg also. How many miles do you have on your
Kodiak?