Big Bounder refresh

[Roman]

Never thought I would start a build thread for a motorhome. And that's coming from the guy that did a Class A engine swap in a driveway!

So this "new" coach is in relatively good condition for its advanced age. But it still has some cleaning up to do.

Electrical
-Fix basement lights DONE
-Fix interior lights DONE
-Fix exterior porch light DONE
-Install modern stereo DONE
-Fix broken marker lights DONE
-Install upgraded headlights DONE
-Upgrade headlight wiring DONE

[Roman]

There's more to the list, MUCH MORE...

But this is a good start, and my beer break is over.

[scumby]

i really like our metal covering on the awning. and yours has lots of compartments.

why is it's age, 94ish?

[Roman]

Dead on '94!

Wasn't to sure about the awning, since it isn't the run of the mill brand (AE or something like that) but it's in great shape! It's gonna take a long time to get used to this house on wheels.

[scumby]

Dead on '94!

It's gonna take a long time to get used to this house on wheels.

no it won't. i drove that 38' bounder this weekend, wasn't too bad to get used to after driving a 25'er.

[Roman]

Mainly meant where stuff is inside, that it's 10 more paces from here to there...

Should only be a problem after a long night around the camp fire.

The on road difference SHOULD be minor while rolling on the highway, as long as the longer tail handles the trailer ok. The big difference will be in town. Luckily we live close to the highway, but fueling at Fred Meyer's will either become a 2 trip affair (coach/trailer combined length issue) or I'll have to find a new fuel stop.

[bobracing]

Just hit the truck stop, should only cost about $50 more to fill up.

[Roman]

Unfortunately, if I don't hit Fred's, the next fuel stop is Prosser.

Never paid much attention, is fuel more expensive at truck stops?

[bobracing]

I was specifically thinking of the Husky on 395 but yes, in general truck stops are next to the hwy and the closer to the Hwy the more expensive. Not always but if you make past the first couple of blocks, the price drops a bit, generally.

[Danny]

Jose, the Freds on 395 is a POC for fuel, even hooked up. Pull in to the station from the west side and then go to the far east side. You might have to wait a little to get in but I can do it with my 36' towing. Going out make a complete circle around the pumps and go out at the light.

[Roman]

Jose, the Freds on 395 is a POC for fuel, even hooked up. Pull in to the station from the west side and then go to the far east side. You might have to wait a little to get in but I can do it with my 36' towing. Going out make a complete circle around the pumps and go out at the light.

That's exactly what I've done for years with the 27'er and trailer, but when we went and filled up the 34' w/o trailer I had a hell of a time to make the swing to the left (west) after fueling. I had to make a 3 point turn. If I would've had the trailer, I worry I would've swung it into the pumps. This coach has back for days! Think I'm gonna have problems with tail swing...

[Roman]

The other problem is with the extra 7' of overall length, if I have to fuel the Jeep then the combined length will block traffic from driving around the station. Fred's can get congested pretty bad, and must peeps have NO idea what we are trying accomplish with these barges.

[Roman]

It's pretty obvious it has dual roof top A/C's, but I didn't know that on generator power it bypasses the front/rear selector switch for shore power and let's you run BOTH at the same time! That'll be nice at Liberty!

Also, it has dual furnaces... Guess we wonder be Freezing Our Buns any more.

Its being a bit of a pain, fighting me along the way but I AM winning and none of the road blocks I've hit so far are much more than speed bumps.

[Roman]

Trailer plug mounting... a topic I've never thought too much about.

On the old Bounder I wired in a 7 pin receptacle late one night just before heading off for camp. That poor receptacle was still dangling off the piece of SS tie wire I hung it with all those years ago as it drove down my street and out of our lifes.

I'm trying to NOT half a$$ like that on this one. While at Ranch & Home I saw a neat little bracket to mount the 7 pin off of the hitch itself. This coach doesn't have anything near the hitch that I can run a screw through. I didn't want to drill holes in the hitch, and the only other thing close was the bottom of the bumper, and I have to store the dump hose in that (sucks, the old one had a nice cubby to store the hose, still attached) Anyways, not sure if other peeps are in the same boat I was in, but this is the bracket. Its actually CHEAP at Ranch & Rob...


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B81772Y/re ... cxbD8P608P

[TJDave]

Our bumper is also the poop hose storage. I like it that way!
When I added trailer brakes the bracket was screwed to the bottom rear of bumper.
Unless you have a square poop hose, it will never get near the screws.
Do you have a square poop hose?

[Roman]

Last thing I wanted to introduce was sharp screws and metal filings around said hose. I hope to never act out "that scene" from RV

[SPR]

While eating breakfest, the family watched Curtis do the stinky poo poo dance in flip flop at Troy OR. I think his ninja reflexes helped him avoid the corn.

[Roman]

-Inspect fresh water plumbing/fill water tank DONE
-Inspect propane system/appliances DONE
-Fix water heater (Thank you Paul) DONE
-Mount/wire 7 pin trailer receptacle DONE
-Repair braking system... DONE

[Roman]

Not to happy about this one, but as they say, better to find it now.

Took the coach out on the highway the other day, and on the way back the brake light came on, and the pedal started to get soft. Not what you want when you have 20k LBS rolling down the highway! So, after some crawling around, and NOT finding any leaks, and finding a full master cylinder it left only one suspect. BOO!

[SPR]

What do you think it is?

[Roman]

LOL, kinda missed that, huh. It was the master cylinder

Much thanks to Grease Monkey Jimmy!

After some much missed quality time with the Moss Monkey, it appears we have brakes again!

[Wrench]

Better to find out on flat ground than when you are coming down a mountain!

[OldGreen]

I was super entertaining to help with the brakes. Thanks for making me some seat covers for the ride home!!

[Roman]

-Repair braking system... DONE
-Roof resealed Temperaraly

[Roman]

Roof is touched up, for now. It'll require more attention soon, still trying to figure out what direction I'll take that project. I sure do miss the full aluminum roof of the old coach!