Somewhat perplexed, non-understanding

[Jon]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mbulriss" <mbulriss@...>
wrote:
>
> Hey Ralph,
>
> I'm sure I still have some of those 8-tracks somewhere if you want
> them.... if I could only find where I stored them!
>
> Mike Bulriss - Never Ever Throw Anything Away! You'll need it
someday.
> 1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
> San Antonio, TX
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gregory OConnor"
> wrote:
> >
> > Ralph, where do you find 8 trac tapes for your deck? Quite a bit
of
> > the old engineering is junk when compared to new tech. I never
met an
> > engineere who didnt want to make change for the chance that the
change
> > was better. Many of the parts are obsolete not because they
are 'just
> > not made any more' but because they have been replaced with
better
> > and are no longer marketable.
> > Origional is ok for fried chicken.
> >
> > GregoryO'Connor
> > 94ptRomolandCa


Go to your nearest Saint Vincent Depaul or Goodwill as they usually
have a big selection of old 8 track tapes. Cheap also! Jon

Jon
Rebel Bird
Washington
> >
>

[Pete Masterson]

I think Ralph has a point -- but he might also be suffering from the effects of a previous owner's poor choices in "fixing" various problems.

For example, I found that my dual water pumps (for the house water system) were both leaking. After exploring the rebuild kits and considering the trouble of the R&R, I opted to remove the old system, simplify the plumbing around the pumps and install a variable speed pump. I've ended up with better water flow and an easier to maintain pump. (If/when it needs to be rebuilt, it will be easier to R&R and there's only one pump to deal with.) I hope my craftsmanship with the installation is of reasonable quality and that some future owner of my coach will be able to quickly see how it's put together, should future maintenance be required. 

I know that I've run across obviously "maintained" items that I find very puzzling. My 3-position exhaust brake, for example, has been modified to only offer a high and low setting. I can see that the relay for the 'medium' setting has been cut out of the system and the wires for medium have been switched over to the low relay. Since I'm now encountering some electrical gremlins in the exhaust brake control system, I imagine that the incomprehensible modification was done to "solve" or bypass an earlier problem. Since I'm now encountering difficult to troubleshoot problems in the same system, it's pretty obvious that the earlier modification didn't really fix the problem. Here, I'm with Ralph that this is a sign of some pretty poorly engineered/thought out repairs.

So, each of the coaches will have their own unique set of fixes and repairs made over the years. Some future owner may 'curse me' for the pump change out I made -- but the new variable speed pumps seemed like a good replacement for the previous (and very complex) dual pump installation. Only time will tell. 

Pete Masterson

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

On Mar 20, 2008, at 3:06 AM, bubblerboy64 wrote:

Good points made on both sides of this one.  Isn't it a little like 

restoring and old car?  Some want it original, some what the "looks" 

of the old car with all new stuff under the surface.  I think Ralph's 

position (at least as I see it is) know were you are starting from 

and were you are going to before you fire up the ole plasma cutter 

and start in on her. <snip>

[bubblerboy64]

Some people have rather incredible skills and abilities to problem
solve almost anything and come up with a very satisfactory "fix"
others should really keep their figures out of it. Most of us are
someplace in the middle. I read a lot of posts before I jumped into
the ownership of one of these things and I remember some one making
the statement something to the effect if you can't do a reasonable
about of fix and repair you better not get into the ole BB's. Likely
the best piece of advice I was given. I know my limits and I have to
be a little careful that I not work too long and too hard and get
frustrated but I usually get it done.( With a little help from my
friends.) So thanks again. Currently sorting out battery problems
and suspecting new ones are in order, they're 9 years old :-)

John Heckman
central Pa
1973 FC
>
> I think Ralph has a point -- but he might also be suffering from
the
> effects of a previous owner's poor choices in "fixing" various
problems.
>
> For example, I found that my dual water pumps (for the house water
> system) were both leaking. After exploring the rebuild kits and
> considering the trouble of the R&R, I opted to remove the old
system,
> simplify the plumbing around the pumps and install a variable
speed
> pump. I've ended up with better water flow and an easier to
maintain
> pump. (If/when it needs to be rebuilt, it will be easier to R&R
and
> there's only one pump to deal with.) I hope my craftsmanship with
the
> installation is of reasonable quality and that some future owner
of
> my coach will be able to quickly see how it's put together, should
> future maintenance be required.
>
> I know that I've run across obviously "maintained" items that I
find
> very puzzling. My 3-position exhaust brake, for example, has been
> modified to only offer a high and low setting. I can see that the
> relay for the 'medium' setting has been cut out of the system and
the
> wires for medium have been switched over to the low relay. Since
I'm
> now encountering some electrical gremlins in the exhaust brake
> control system, I imagine that the incomprehensible modification
was
> done to "solve" or bypass an earlier problem. Since I'm now
> encountering difficult to troubleshoot problems in the same
system,
> it's pretty obvious that the earlier modification didn't really
fix
> the problem. Here, I'm with Ralph that this is a sign of some
pretty
> poorly engineered/thought out repairs.
>
> So, each of the coaches will have their own unique set of fixes
and
> repairs made over the years. Some future owner may 'curse me' for
the
> pump change out I made -- but the new variable speed pumps seemed
> like a good replacement for the previous (and very complex) dual
pump
> installation. Only time will tell.
>
> Pete Masterson
> '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
> El Sobrante CA
> aeonix1@...
>
>
>
> On Mar 20, 2008, at 3:06 AM, bubblerboy64 wrote:
>
> >
> > Good points made on both sides of this one. Isn't it a little
like
> > restoring and old car? Some want it original, some what
the "looks"
> > of the old car with all new stuff under the surface. I think
Ralph's
> > position (at least as I see it is) know were you are starting from
> > and were you are going to before you fire up the ole plasma cutter
> > and start in on her. <snip>
>

[Mike McMahan]

I know exactly where my eight tracks are. Mike McMahan 96 42
Wanderlodge


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "bubblerboy64"
wrote:
>
> Some people have rather incredible skills and abilities to problem
> solve almost anything and come up with a very satisfactory "fix"
> others should really keep their figures out of it. Most of us are
> someplace in the middle. I read a lot of posts before I jumped
into
> the ownership of one of these things and I remember some one making
> the statement something to the effect if you can't do a reasonable
> about of fix and repair you better not get into the ole BB's.
Likely
> the best piece of advice I was given. I know my limits and I have
to
> be a little careful that I not work too long and too hard and get
> frustrated but I usually get it done.( With a little help from my
> friends.) So thanks again. Currently sorting out battery problems
> and suspecting new ones are in order, they're 9 years old :-)
>
> John Heckman
> central Pa
> 1973 FC
> >
> > I think Ralph has a point -- but he might also be suffering from
> the
> > effects of a previous owner's poor choices in "fixing" various
> problems.
> >
> > For example, I found that my dual water pumps (for the house
water
> > system) were both leaking. After exploring the rebuild kits and
> > considering the trouble of the R&R, I opted to remove the old
> system,
> > simplify the plumbing around the pumps and install a variable
> speed
> > pump. I've ended up with better water flow and an easier to
> maintain
> > pump. (If/when it needs to be rebuilt, it will be easier to R&R
> and
> > there's only one pump to deal with.) I hope my craftsmanship with
> the
> > installation is of reasonable quality and that some future owner
> of
> > my coach will be able to quickly see how it's put together,
should
> > future maintenance be required.
> >
> > I know that I've run across obviously "maintained" items that I
> find
> > very puzzling. My 3-position exhaust brake, for example, has
been
> > modified to only offer a high and low setting. I can see that
the
> > relay for the 'medium' setting has been cut out of the system and
> the
> > wires for medium have been switched over to the low relay. Since
> I'm
> > now encountering some electrical gremlins in the exhaust brake
> > control system, I imagine that the incomprehensible modification
> was
> > done to "solve" or bypass an earlier problem. Since I'm now
> > encountering difficult to troubleshoot problems in the same
> system,
> > it's pretty obvious that the earlier modification didn't really
> fix
> > the problem. Here, I'm with Ralph that this is a sign of some
> pretty
> > poorly engineered/thought out repairs.
> >
> > So, each of the coaches will have their own unique set of fixes
> and
> > repairs made over the years. Some future owner may 'curse me' for
> the
> > pump change out I made -- but the new variable speed pumps
seemed
> > like a good replacement for the previous (and very complex) dual
> pump
> > installation. Only time will tell.
> >
> > Pete Masterson
> > '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
> > El Sobrante CA
> > aeonix1@
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mar 20, 2008, at 3:06 AM, bubblerboy64 wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > Good points made on both sides of this one. Isn't it a little
> like
> > > restoring and old car? Some want it original, some what
> the "looks"
> > > of the old car with all new stuff under the surface. I think
> Ralph's
> > > position (at least as I see it is) know were you are starting
from
> > > and were you are going to before you fire up the ole plasma
cutter
> > > and start in on her. <snip>
> >
>

[mbulriss]

> friends.) So thanks again. Currently sorting out battery problems
> and suspecting new ones are in order, they're 9 years old :-)

Ahhh, John, I think you've more than gotten the original purchaser's
money's worth out of them. LOL!

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
SAn Antonio, TX



--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "bubblerboy64"
wrote:
>
> Some people have rather incredible skills and abilities to problem
> solve almost anything and come up with a very satisfactory "fix"
> others should really keep their figures out of it. Most of us are
> someplace in the middle. I read a lot of posts before I jumped into
> the ownership of one of these things and I remember some one making
> the statement something to the effect if you can't do a reasonable
> about of fix and repair you better not get into the ole BB's. Likely
> the best piece of advice I was given. I know my limits and I have to
> be a little careful that I not work too long and too hard and get
> frustrated but I usually get it done.( With a little help from my
> friends.) So thanks again. Currently sorting out battery problems
> and suspecting new ones are in order, they're 9 years old :-)
>
> John Heckman
> central Pa
> 1973 FC
> >
> > I think Ralph has a point -- but he might also be suffering from
> the
> > effects of a previous owner's poor choices in "fixing" various
> problems.
> >
> > For example, I found that my dual water pumps (for the house water
> > system) were both leaking. After exploring the rebuild kits and
> > considering the trouble of the R&R, I opted to remove the old
> system,
> > simplify the plumbing around the pumps and install a variable
> speed
> > pump. I've ended up with better water flow and an easier to
> maintain
> > pump. (If/when it needs to be rebuilt, it will be easier to R&R
> and
> > there's only one pump to deal with.) I hope my craftsmanship with
> the
> > installation is of reasonable quality and that some future owner
> of
> > my coach will be able to quickly see how it's put together, should
> > future maintenance be required.
> >
> > I know that I've run across obviously "maintained" items that I
> find
> > very puzzling. My 3-position exhaust brake, for example, has been
> > modified to only offer a high and low setting. I can see that the
> > relay for the 'medium' setting has been cut out of the system and
> the
> > wires for medium have been switched over to the low relay. Since
> I'm
> > now encountering some electrical gremlins in the exhaust brake
> > control system, I imagine that the incomprehensible modification
> was
> > done to "solve" or bypass an earlier problem. Since I'm now
> > encountering difficult to troubleshoot problems in the same
> system,
> > it's pretty obvious that the earlier modification didn't really
> fix
> > the problem. Here, I'm with Ralph that this is a sign of some
> pretty
> > poorly engineered/thought out repairs.
> >
> > So, each of the coaches will have their own unique set of fixes
> and
> > repairs made over the years. Some future owner may 'curse me' for
> the
> > pump change out I made -- but the new variable speed pumps seemed
> > like a good replacement for the previous (and very complex) dual
> pump
> > installation. Only time will tell.
> >
> > Pete Masterson
> > '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
> > El Sobrante CA
> > aeonix1@
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mar 20, 2008, at 3:06 AM, bubblerboy64 wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > Good points made on both sides of this one. Isn't it a little
> like
> > > restoring and old car? Some want it original, some what
> the "looks"
> > > of the old car with all new stuff under the surface. I think
> Ralph's
> > > position (at least as I see it is) know were you are starting from
> > > and were you are going to before you fire up the ole plasma cutter
> > > and start in on her. <snip>
> >
>

[Jack and Liz Pearce]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ralph L. Fullenwider"
wrote:
>
> Good morning everyone:
>
> Charolette and I are just back in from a nice 9 day camping spree on
the
> Blue River trout stream, one of several in Oklahoma, but was almost
totally
> out of touch as it is a cell phone and Internet dead area.
>

Interesting and thoughtful thread, Ralph. BUT let's get to the really
important stuff, did you catch any fish?

Regards,
Jack

Regards,
Jack and Liz Pearce
Fulltiming in a 1993 Wanderlodge WB40
D'Hanis, TX