arstart
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Posts posted by arstart
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How did you remove the sofa? I see some bolts underneath the sofa but they look hard to get to.
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I just bought a 1986 Dolphin in really great shape. Looks almost new inside and out. I am doing a few minor things to it. I found two small plastic valves/plugs on the floor just to the right of the fuse panel that stick up through the carpet. Do you have any idea what they are for? For some reason I have very low water pressure unless I use the water pump along with the water hose hooked up to city water. I am trying to figure that out too.
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On 3/2/2015 at 1:31 AM, kfisherx said:
I bought my Dolphin (first RV) about 5 years ago and have put 35k miles on it with mostly weekend trips to the beach and such. I am in this thing a LOT. When I bought it, the vehicle was practically new. Less than 20k miles and the interior looked and smelled new. Since I did not know what I was doing, I decided to put an Onan 3k generator in the thing so that I might run the AC on the road... Ah such a big mistake....
I read somewhere on this forum that I should not be afraid to customize my Dolphin (even though it was pretty pristine) and after spending years doing lots and lots of trips in her, I have learned that, for me, less is more... And I have also learned that for my truck, less is more too. My truck has the 22re 4 cyl eng and 3 speed auto transmission. With the AC and generator on it, I was getting around 12-16 mpg on road trips around here. I pulled around 14 mpg on the trip to the beach (over the coastal range). To say that the truck was under powered would be giving it too much credit. The transmission also never seemed to know what gear to be in.
Anyway, this past year, I started to customize. I started with getting all the windows resealed, the inside painted and the cushions all done in this very tough (water proof) black fabric. I am a huge outdoor nut and fish, swim, kayak and bike when I am on the road. Dirty is what I get most of the time. The new fabric is much easier to keep clean and the brighter walls and plain (not patterned) fabric gave the cab a nice clean look. I also took out the jack-knife sofa and had a lift top board put in it's place so I can easily access all the stuff under it for repair. I use this to either store my bikes or other stuff OR, I have another cushion that turns it into a lounge or bed. I have slept on it and like it just fine. The sofa was pretty heavy so that lightened it up a a lot.
Just last month, I had the AC taken out, the heater taken out and the generator taken out. In place of the generator, I have installed a solar panel and another battery with an 800 watt inverter. In place of the heater, I now use a ventless propane heater. I never used the AC so have no plans for it. I also had a solid fiberglass roof put on with tie downs all along the side so I can put things up there. The AC had literally caved in the roof, so I had to have it completely rebuilt anyway so I went all out. I could now put 1000lbs up there it is so strong.
This weekend I took her for a test drive and the difference in the way she drove and gas mileage was not even to be believed. I got 20 mpg over the coast range!!!! I could easily pull 60 mph up the hills that used to slow me down to 45 mph. The transmission did not struggle with gears at all. I never had to have the pedal to the floor. It was brilliant. I am kicking myself in the butt for buying that expensive Onan generator and more so, I am mad at the dealer for recommending it. Getting rid of it and the AC made my RV awesome. I will not be afraid to tackle the mountains anymore. Furthermore, the quiet heater and endless battery (without the noisy generator or expense of gas) make me very happy.I retire in about 4 years, and my goal is to spend about 2 years in this RV on the road.
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Over the years I have had several RVs here in South Texas. Hot and humid is the weather forecast most all the time. RV fridges have a hard time cooling well under these conditions. One solution I have used in years past is to place a small fan near the bottom of the coils at the back of the fridge and face the fan blowing up. This forces air up through the coils and out the top. Hot air rising and going out the top is what is supposed to happen in the first place but the fan just helps it to happen better.
I just got an 1986 Dolphin and that is one of my projects to do. This fridge does not have DC in the back so I will have to find an AC fan.
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I am still trying to figure out all the stuff in this 1986 Dolphin. Under the sofa ( the kind that has the back rest that just folds over and down to make a bed) and just to the right of the electrical fuse box are two grey plastic devices. The are on the floor and sticking up through the carpeting. The look like a "T". Does anyone have any idea what they do? I tried to upload a picture from a camera and from an I-Phone but I got an -200 error, whatever that is.
Thanks for the input.
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Thanks for the ideas. I actually found it on the roof back by the luggage rack. Sometime in the past it had been cut off. Fortunately they left the original fitting so all I have to do is get a short coax 10 or 12 feet and an outside antenna.
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I just purchased a 1986 Dolphin that has had the overhead AC removed sometime in the past. It has a small 110 AC in the window over the divan. The ac plug is currently plugged in on the back bathroom wall. I would like to put in a 110 outlet under the divan but can't figure out how to get the divan up out of the way. It is the style that is super easy to make into a bed. The back portion that sits against the wall just folds down over the bottom portion and makes the bottom portion extend out toward the table.
Here is the problem. I can't figure out how to get the divan up out of the way to put in the electric plug. Any suggestions?
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Just purchased a 1986 Dolphin that is in super condition. The inside connector for the tv is just above the refrigerator but I can't find any outside antenna connection. I think that in years past it may have had a roof antenna. It does not have any TV input near the outside electric and water connections. Where should I look?
Our 1986 Dolphin "fixup"
in Improvement and Do-It-Yourself Projects you have done to Share!
Posted
While you were doing all your updates did you happen to come across two small items (valves I think) sticking out of the floor just to the right of the fuse panel and under the sofa? I just bought this 86 Dolphin and I have no idea what these things are.