linda s

I have a friend with a Chinook shell on a 1987 4x4 chassis with the 22re. Keeping up to highway speeds is not a problem. Extra wind resistance with the pop top shell is minimal compared to a regular cab over motorhome. Linda S

What's a Toyota Tioga. Don't think I've ever seen one before seen though Tioga is a common brand. Love to see a picture of it Linda S

Very nice work Ben Linda S

An 86 or newer Toyota motorhome would already have the full float axle so no upgrading is needed Linda S Well unless it happens to be one of the very rare 4x4 motorhomes. Many 4x4 owners have upgraded to a full float but these stronger axles might be an option on the Odyssey 4x4's which came with single wheels in the back

There was one of these Dolphins for sale in Reno last summer. Coachmen also offered a small class C on the same GM chassis in 1982 with a diesel engine. Linda S

I spent 17 bucks for a Tekonsha isolator identical to the 20 plus year old one I took out. It will probably last longer than me. Fancy doesn't necessarily mean better Linda S

All except for the w46. I wondered about that since I found references to it so many other places. This is my favorite gear finder. Every transmission on earth I think. Darn I'm giving away all my secrets. Just hit the drop down list until you find the one you need http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html Linda S

You guys do realize that there was nothing "Dodge" on the Sprinter other than their right to use their name on it. That didn't last long either. It's Mercedes you should be dissing. Linda S

Yeah your definitely a hard read. But back to Bandit's. They are kind of rare but we usually see at least 2 or 3 of them for sale per year. Sometimes more. They were also built on Chevy S10 chassis and I have seen 1 built on a Dodge D50 4x4 chassis. Company went out of business in 1990 but I have only seen 2 of them with the V6 engine. Those units came with the true full float axle and dually wheels. In fact any after your year would have had a full float. Came out in 86. I'm guessing yours came with fake duallys and someone in the past realized it was safer with single wheels in back. It is and it's plenty for your rig. No reason why you couldn't upgrade to 15 inch wheels. Not that you need it but it would look cool. Linda S

8 inch axle, 3.9 gear ratio, 2 pinion diff and it is a w46 tranny Linda S

If you think about it all LCD TV's have a converter box on the cord. That box changes to voltage from 110 to some lower value. My computer runs on 19 volts. Some TV's that don't even advertise being 12 volts if you look at that little box you will find that is exactly what they are. TV in my room at home is really a 12 volt TV. My girlfriend Gail bought the same deal I got but put it right in her Winnebago. Just had to hit Radio Shack for a compatible 12 volt cord with the cigarette plug Linda S

Yup can be done. Data must be submitted to the Federal Vehicle Safety Standards compliance unit for approval. Their records don't go back far enough for me to get the Dolphin docs online but if they hadn't had it approved every Dolphin with the higher GVWR would have had to have the tags clearly say it was manufactured outside of OEM pass through limits. I'm betting a big company like National RV did due diligence and had all the right stuff done. This is the only company that sought out every Dolphin and Seabreeze on the road they could find and paid for the axle upgrade when that issue came up. Doesn't sound like a company that shirked their responsibilities. Linda S

It says nothing in the rest of the article about them reviewing a test model that is any different than the regular models for sale. To me that reads as the model they drove," tested", for the article and only that. That same weight shows on the Dolphin brochures with no footnotes. Linda S

The complete article says that National RV had the unit certified for the extra weight. Linda S

No disclaimer anywhere but there is an asterisk next to the GVWR on an article from motorhome magazine that the Toyota yahoo group has in their files section. It's just a footnote leading to the weight 930lbs that an owner can add to their RV safely. All ands up to 5950lbs. Linda S

Your transmission is an A43D if it's an automatic. Sounds like you already got tons done. Please start your own thread if you want to ad pics and more detailed info cause stuff gets lost in this very long thread Linda S

I think my biggest issue with the class A's is I can't just pull into a 7-11 and make a quick stop. You always have to make sure you can get out again in most parking lots or even park anywhere where you won't block traffic. Scariest thing about seeing them on the road is it seems the bigger they are the older the driver is. 42 footer you can be just about sure they are 90. Linda S

So it does seem funny to me that my 86 with a full float axle has the same weight rating as a regular truck with single wheels. Are there any other trucks where the max weight doesn't change in the dually model? Yes JD I have seen the same Dolphin brochure and it does give a higher max weight. National RV was a huge company. I can't imagine them just doing that without getting approval from someone. Possible lawsuits would have to had to cross their minds Linda S

I have a 12 volt TV and use it all the time. Not that old either. Microwave weighs too much to have it part of stove vent. Just put it on the top of the fridge. There is a fastening system to hold them in place when moving that works very well. Can't find an example now best way to deal with condensation is to remove the water with a dehumidifier. There are a few 12 volt ones that pull a fair amount out. This one can pull out a liter and a half which is a lot and it has a 12 volt plug. You'll be glad you've got that darn plug http://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-quiet-electric-mini-dehumidifier-auto-humidistat-room-in-car-moisture-/252164061656?hash=item3ab62639d8:g:QZUAAOSwiwVWSU0y Linda S

I have seen only one of these Roll Along's ever for sale. It was owned by a guy near Las Vegas who had quite a collection of unusual motorhomes. He also owned a Clarion. The Roll Along had a lot of water damage or I might have bought it just because I like the straight 6 engine. 16mpg plus does sound a little high though. I had a friend with a Coachmen Caper with the same engine and about the same size and it got 15 but that's putting along at 50 max. They really don't go much faster. The 3 speed is geared pretty low and at highway speeds the RPM's are up there. In the Sierra's it was a dream to drive. No hill it couldn't take with ease. Linda S

That's news to me. I am aware of no differences between an 86 full floater and an 89 except for the wheels Linda S

Check your messages to see your options Linda S

All squishy stuff no syrofoam. Like super sticky play dough. Like this. http://www.amazon.com/Butyl-Window-Flange-Camper-Sealant/dp/B0070O93HA I put it directly on the window edges then push the window into place firmly. Make sure and use enough so that some squeezes out on the side when the window is screwed in. Easy to clean up with a plastic putty knife. The smaller windows it stuck fast enough so I didn't even have anyone outside to hold the window in. On my big back window I did get the kid next door to put his hand up there just in case but he really didn't do anything. Stuck really good all by itself. Linda S

The standard for installing RV windows onto the camper shell is butyl tape. Stay flexible for many years and I have never had a leak after using it on any Rv. I've done quite a few of them. Glass can break. With the butyl tape it is not so hard to remove the window for repairs. I would also seal the glass to the frame before installation. The windows were all intact before they were originally installed and it's a lot easier to place the window into the frame when on a flat surface to center it. Linda S

I would go with the Dorman tank. Fixing the leaking one doesn't sound like a long term fix to me and I think by now you just want this all to be over. Great that your getting the refund. I bet lots of people who end up with those nasty tanks never do. Linda S