I purchased a 1977 American Clipper with the 821F Floor Plan from my neighbor, he had purchased it about 6 months before.
Drive Train:
440 HD
727 Trans
Dual Tanks.
Brand New Tires
The Motorhome has in it:
AC ( Working )
RM2500 Fridge (Working on Electric & Propane)
Generac 3500 Generator ( Working )
Converter ( Working )
Stove Magic Chef( Works )
Hot Water heater ( Works )
Furnace ( Works )
Water pump ( Works )
I've had it for a couple years parked under a tree and decided it was time to get it ready to use :) , I wish :(
First off a branch came off the tree and broke out the ceiling vent and left window in the over hang section, looks like they had been broke for a while. Also the roof above the divider wall for the bathroom and kitchen is leaking and has done quite a bit of damage to the upper kitchen cabnet.
I see the roof repair as the number one priority as to stop further damage ...
1. Where can I find a replacement window, think I need the whole frame with it.
2. Can any vent be installed for the broken vent above the bed.
3. What would I use to seal the roof and all the fixtures sticking out of the roof, I want to completely seal the roof cheap as I can.
Once the leaks are stopped the interior restoration project begins. I will need to remove the complete kitchen in the stove area. A previous owner tried to redo a bunch of the bathroom and did a hack job. (fresh water plumbing is leaking, shower, flooring, ect.). I will also need to remove the complete bathroom. The toilet and shower are in great shape so I'll reuse them.
4. How are the kitchen cabnets mounted and how do you remove them.
5. what would you use to replace the rotten wall and insulation ( I plan to replace all the interior wall and ceiling as I go ).
6. what type of plumbing should I use for the fresh water as I'll be completely replacing it.
7. I'll have to remove the wall between the kitchen and bath, how is it mounted.
8. How is the shower mounted.
The Motorhome runs and drives but needs a bunch of work to get it road ready ( Mostly hoses ).
Is this project worth the time and money or should I sell it and look for a better Motorhome ?
depends on several factors......
1) Do you have a lot of time and a lot of skills?
2) Are you going to be using it a lot? (like say 60+ days per year)
3) Do you like getting frustrated, stumped, confused, and pissed off, because unless you have TONS of electrical, carpentry and plumbing skills, you will experience at least a few setbacks, your vocabulary will degrade, you will be bleeding, and so on.
4) How much did you pay for it? Maybe you can sell it for what you paid for it and look for something else??
But, if you have lots of time, a few spare bucks, average skills, and you LIKE noodling around on projects - keep it, fix it, love it..............you'll not regret it.
As far as your questions - for the most part, just start taking stuff apart, you'll soon figure out how it all fits - some projects are a pain, other not so bad.
dboling,
Welcome! You are in possession of a classic (yet minor, and overlooked) piece of Americana. The American Clipper rests in the hearts of the people of this forum in the same way a Camero or Mustang would to a Motor head. I encourage you to join us, but reparing/maintaining the American Clipper can be an overwhelming task, in which case feel free to pass your Clipper on in the manner of your choosing. Please know that there is a wealth of information and tribal knowledge for this rig here, but sometimes you have to dig deep in the archived posts, and the search feature has helped me out tremendously.You wont find too many dedicated forums for one particular RV like this.
I don't have much knowledge on most of your questions, but as far as the roof leak is concerned, I would start here:
http://www.campingworld.com/category/roof-maintenance-repair/223
and definitely look through their other stuff as it might help.
I am not certain which window is broken in your rig, perhaps you could be more specific? The company that made the side windows with the crank knobs is Hehr:
http://www.hehr-international.com/
Hope these links help, and I hope your Clippers road to recovery is short!
-D
As Horst and pd2 said it's a labor of love, but a labor nonetheless. If you have extensive roof leaks it probably is easier to tear out the ceiling material completely as you will need to replace the soaked insulation too. A messy job for sure. The roof hatch should be sized to the framing that will be exposed when you remove the ceiling. Eternabond is a tape-like material that is great for sealing almost any new installation or an old one that you can clean down to the original surface. It even works on leaky holding tanks. The Clip's roof is solid fiberglass shell so most wouldn't 'seal' the entire roof, just clean/caulk or eternabond any protrusions. If you search this forum you will find pictures from one member who removed his ceiling cabinets as well as multiple post on plumbing mods/repairs. You will also gain insight into the amount of work involved in most of your projects and be able to more clearly decide if you are up to the challenge. You will find very helpful and friendly advise on this forum if needed.
dave
If you replace the escape hatch over the bed don't do what the former owners done with mine. They put one in that a giant could go through. It really reduced the rigidity of the overhead and the vent cover usually flaps when your going down the highway. I suggest putting in one only big enough for you and the occupants with you to easily get out through.
Quote from: mccammonds on August 31, 2009, 11:18:10 AM
If you replace the escape hatch over the bed don't do what the former owners done with mine. They put one in that a giant could go through. It really reduced the rigidity of the overhead and the vent cover usually flaps when your going down the highway. I suggest putting in one only big enough for you and the occupants with you to easily get out through.
Sounds like I can install any size vent above the bed that I choose, long as its not smaller than the rectangular hole that's already there, Kewl !
I don't want a big one, besides the reason you stated it would add to the heat loss.
dboling; You will be very surprised to find how good you really are when you get in to it!!!
My daughter and I are tearing apart the rig to up grade it. Daughter has learned how to remove the motor and trans. She has also learned how to remove the fridge and the pannleing as ours was really beyond repair. I reupholstered the
the couch /bed and captain chairs. Our next task will be to remove the kitchen
/stove.. as is in your msg... Our bathroom is Clostraphobicand would love to enlarge it but as you can see by looking at yours "you can't enlarge the potty"
"Thank god for the window!!!" When you get thfinmished with the rig and drive it
with Pride into that Camp gound YOU will see lots of guys turning their heads to look at your Rig!! Be proud of it !! Because your sweat and blood is in it and if
something geos wrong you -- You will know what to do to fix it!! Plus we are here to give advice!!! Horst and pd2 and JERRYT are real real great at hints and helpfull suggestions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But it is up to you.. I have had our rig for 15 yrs and she does need work in and out but we will get her finished... Let us know how you are doing !!!!! we will always have a howdy for ya and a hint or evebn an answer.. Enjoy!!!! John E. :)
Thanks for all great input, it has given me a lot of motivation.
This weekend I redid most of the plumbing pipe and have all the major leaks repaired. My neighbor is a plumber and suggested I do the plumbing in kurn pex.
Replacing the plumbing was the easy part. The hard part was locating all the fitting and pipe that would interchange between RV and Home piping. not to mention it being a holiday weekend.
I still have a few leaks that need to be fixed, but those leaks are from the kitchen and bathroom faucets. I'm not sure where to get the new seals for them, any suggestions ?
Sounds like your off to a good start, got any pictures?
JerryT
HOOOOOOOORAAaaaaaa!!!!! I knew you could do it!!!!!! ;D :)
Makes ya feel pretty good about ones self Huh!!!!!!
John
Quote from: JerryT on September 08, 2009, 06:25:00 PM
Sounds like your off to a good start, got any pictures?
JerryT
I'll take a few and post them, not sure where the best place to post them would be...
Quote from: John Eversoll on September 09, 2009, 04:42:24 AM
HOOOOOOOORAAaaaaaa!!!!! I knew you could do it!!!!!! ;D :)
Makes ya feel pretty good about ones self Huh!!!!!!
John
Yes and No :)
My skill level is pretty high as I was an Mechanic for over 20 years, repairing everything from VW to Kenworth from the wheels up.
My first real job in life was installing heating and a/c in homes. I also lived in California a few years and did prefab construction.
But ya, it does give great enjoyment to sit down in the motorhome, grab a nice ice cold Coors light from the motorhomes fridge, flip on the water pump and just watch the water run from the faucets :) :) :)
Do these water pumps turn off after a certain pressure ?
My pump say 40 psi on it but doesn't seem to shutdown.
You can post them here in the forum, see "additional options" at the bottom of your post.
JerryT
Pump should shut down. Leak maybe? :o
Hi PD2, Yours shuts down>>>>>>>>>>!!!!!?????
Mine doesn't... I think that is how I blew a water line..
I just shut mine down when it is not in use..
How ya been. Anything new with the rig???
Take care, John E.
"Stranded in Calif." ;)
Just got home tonight ;D.
Yeah, my pump is pressure sensitive, so it pumps up the system to a preset level, then kicks on as needed. audibly tapers off as pressure builds. it goes from zero pressure to full pressure and shuts off in about 10 seconds.
FYI: my water system , including the pump was overhauled by the previous owner.
Cheers!
-D
Well, Wellcome home!!!,
My pump must be the stock pu,p or the switch... It just keeps pumping.....
That is how I blew a line. Going to do any fishing???
Had abuddy go to Colorado and do some hunting a while back. Got himself a real big buck
As he said some where around 400 pounds, I am thinking of 325lbs. He was going to give me
the antlers. But as luck would have it ... His wife threw them out in the trash........Damn!!!!!!
I was hoping to make a real nice home for them above my fire place.... My Luck!!!!!!!
Some day I will get me some antlers!!!
Well, have a nice time at home PD2...... :) John
PD2
Do you have a pressure tank in your system?
JerryT
? not sure what a pressure tank is? ???
A tank (small) of water with air pressure in it just like in a house with a well.
JerryT
Quote from: prophetdaniel2 on September 11, 2009, 08:20:45 PM
? not sure what a pressure tank is? ???
It's called an extrol tank.
basically it's a fresh water holding tank that also stores pressure. this way you can turn your water pump off and still have water and pressure to your facets.
Today I installed new facets for the kitchen and bathroom sinks. Since I wasn't on the Government bail out lists I purchased the least expensive I could :)
I had to remount both facets. The kitchen was converted from center mount to an 8 inch mount facet and the Bathroom was converted from a 3 inch mount to 4 inch mount. I still need to find a plug to cover the hole in the kitchen sink where the old facet was mounted.
While I was at the RV store,
I tried to find a replacement roof vent for the broken one above the bed in the overhang area. The problem I'm having is my roof vent is bigger than the ones available to buy. The one I have measures (20 3/4 x 13 3/4) from inside the motorhome, anybody know where I can get one this size ?
We call it the escape hatch and the Clipper club sells them, also you can order one from most any good R.V. store. Congrats on the progress! If you search my posts I have many pics of repairs and upgrade ideas.
JerryT
Quote from: JerryT on September 13, 2009, 12:20:44 PM
We call it the escape hatch and the Clipper club sells them, also you can order one from most any good R.V. store. Congrats on the progress! If you search my posts I have many pics of repairs and upgrade ideas.
JerryT
Thanks, been a lot of hard work :)
Even after repairing all the leaks my pump wouldn't shut down, it sounded like the pump was trying to pump air.
I have an extra pump, so I was able to examine it. I found that the pressure is adjustable, so I just turned it down and now the pump shuts off and still has plenty of pressure.
The adjustment switch is located on the end of the pump. The guy at the RV store also said low power to the pump will keep the from turning shutting off.
I'm pretty new here and am not sure where the Clipper club store is, can you point me that way ?
Thanks...
If you join the ACOC then you can mail in an order. You can print a order form from the main page http://www.americanclipperownersclub.com
JerryT
Hey Jerry, Where can I find a new sink for the bathroom.... John
I don't know.
JerryT
I guess I will try Camping world and see if they can order one for me
I do thank you for answering my dribble
John :)
Your welcome
Quote from: JerryT on September 13, 2009, 12:20:44 PM
We call it the escape hatch and the Clipper club sells them, also you can order one from most any good R.V. store. Congrats on the progress! If you search my posts I have many pics of repairs and upgrade ideas.
JerryT
Was looking at some of your pics today, Nice Work !!!
Since you cut a 5'x6' hole over your bunk, you might how much room there is to play with between the roof supports ?
I'm thinking instead of an escape hatch a nice skylight might be the way to go.
I do know I have to do something with my escape hatch asap as the cover is totally gone and need to stop the water damage.
Looking at the ACOC order form the stock escape hatch is 13"x22" instead of 13 3/4"x 20 3/4" I measured from inside.
The reason I'm pushing myself to get my Clipper usable is my spouse and I have 30 acres with no power, water, house or anything. We have our horse and chickens there, so at least one of us has to live on the property to tend to the live stock. Winter gets pretty cold here in the Poconos, so the Clipper is our best bet to get through the winter.
I'm thinking of replacing all my 12 volt interior light bulbs with LED bulbs.
They use a lot less power and put out a brighter cleaner light than standard bulbs.
Anybody tried these yet and if so did it improve the lighting at all ?
I have tried a few, I don't care for them, but I do think they will get better. The light they emit is directional, cold in color and non illuminating compared to the stock ones. I use a #67 bulb in half of my two light lights, it uses less power and I like the light better. Technology is great, waiting for it is not :D
JerryT
Yesterday, I repaired the bunk escape hatch and the broken crank window out window on the drivers side of the bunk. I called hehr international about getting the crank out window and it's frame. They said if they made the window 40 years ago their name would be on the crank, my eyes are getting pretty bad so I couldn't tell what the crank said, they also said the complete window frame would need to be pulled to get the part numbers from the edge of the frame. They did give me an estimate of $50. for the window with the frame if they were the ones that made it. Since I'm low on money and time my solution was to have some plexiglass cut and install it. I used liquid nails to glue it to the frame and window silicon to seal it. I also had some thicker plexiglass cut for the escape hatch. I fiberglassed it to the escape hatch frame and now it's a skylight.
Both these are just temporary fixes to get by until probably next year. While I was on the roof I sealed all the vent pipes and anything that looked like it might leak. I did use the proper putty sealer. :)
I pulled the mattress out and it's totally destroyed. The bunk is pretty wet but is drying very fast with the use of a kerosene blast heater I borrowed from my neighbor.
I did the eBay thing and found a 1/4 fuel check valve for the generater since it's been very very hard to start after I hooked it back to the fuel tank. If I put the fuel line in a 5 gallon gas can the generator starts right up.
I also pulled the muffler off so my neighbor could get a new one as it was part of the deal when I bought the Clipper from him.
Now that I have all this work done my neighbor offered me the $1500. I paid him for it. :) Seems he likes the Clipper way better than the huge trailer he bought.
So now all I have left before I can drive the Clipper is to install the new muffler, repair the a leaky trans cooler line and change the oil and filter for the generator and 440 Engine.
Hi there, don't know what motor ya got but I have the 440/ and I was wisely instructed in getting FLO Masters
Mufflers installed!!!! Keeps it very quiet!!!!!! Unlike the ones I had before. Going down hill sounded
like I was at a race track. I remember one time I scared the crap out of some Aisian guy going down hill next
to me he must have thought that I wwas going to break down right there.. Back fire and the bangs and pops
when we got to the first rest5 stop I noticed the guy smoking a ciggerette as I pulled up I noded at him and he informed me in avery undignified way that I scared him....... I just laughed.... Well keep up the good work on that Rig. and I just thought you might want to know about the FLO masters... John
HuH,
I love the way my poorly muffled 440 sounds! 8)
:) PD2 you are great, Even though the Clipper sounded like a dragster going down the grape vine....... I am glad I have the mufflers
John
Quote from: John Eversoll on September 18, 2009, 01:10:45 AM
:) PD2 you are great, Even though the Clipper sounded like a dragster going down the grape vine....... I am glad I have the mufflers
John
If it doesn't sound like my old 1970 Dodge Charger R/T with it's 440 hp engine, then it's just not a 440 :)
However, I don't expect the Clipper to do 160 mph or high 12s in the quarter like the the charger did, or do I :)
I spent the last 3 nights in the Clipper so I could really test out everything. We had a hard rain the first night so I was able to check for leaks. Everything I sealed was dry, however I found another leak. At first I thought it was rain coming in the water heater vent cover, but after a closer inspection I found it was leaking around the water heater mounting to the body. I unbolted it and got it to slide back just enough to get sealing putty around it. It must have been leaking for a long time since the mounting screws had rusted to the size needles and the holes wouldn't hold a new screw. I ended up using self taping screws and just creating new mounting holes sealing the old holes with putty.
A 9 gal propane tank just isn't big enough for me, so I installed an extend-a-stay. Took about 15 minutes to hook up. I also had to test it out, so I hooked my barbecue tank up and cooked spaghetti for dinner. I couldn't believe how hot it got inside while cooking. The extend-a-stay was a deluxe model that was supposed to have a 5' hose that goes to the extra tank and a 12' hose that goes to a barbecue, but it was missing. I called the manufacture and found the company was sold but got a phone number to call, the tech Guy (Mr. Lee) answered my questions about the product but told me to he didn't care the hose was missing and it was my fault I got the kit without the hose, he blamed the RV store for robbing the hose from the package. I might be to blame for not making sure the hose wasn't there, but most companies will make it right with no questions asked. No biggie, I'll take care of it at the RV Store.
It was pretty cold last night so it was a good test for the furnace. It worked very well, except in the middle of the night the fan was blowing cold air. I turn the Thermostat off and back on and it started producing heat again. This happened twice and I'm not sure why it happened or how to fix it.
I saw an A/C Cover on sale for $10. at the RV Store and thought it would cut down on some of the heat loss, not sure it will but it does look nice covering the A/C.
Today I change the engine oil and the generator oil. Changing the engine oil is a no brain-er, but I'm a little confused on the generator.
Hi there dboling, Lucky you, you have a generator!!!! mine was stolen right off the lot where I bought the rig. "The day before I picked it up"
and of course they wouldn't do anything about it.
We4 have had our rig since 1993 and I must say that have been on a nascar crew I have learned to replace the oil alot more than the factory tells you to. I had 288,000 on my big block Chevelle
before I had to do a rebuild! When I pulled one piston out the rings just fragmented and fell off the piston. " It never blew smoke either" So I change the oil every 19 to 2,000 miles nothing more.
I just wish that I could use the Chevelle as my tow car! inseted of the Vw. "Just my masculin pride I guess" I picked up some seats at the Local Pic UR Part this afternoon for 35.00
and will start to reupholster them next weekend. Plus, I am going to go back next weekend they have cars that are coming in that have been turned in from that Clunkers for cash thing...
I saw a couple of fold down DVD tv's in a couple of the bigger Saburbins... I would love to grab one of those for 40.00......I'd just put it in the over head bunkbed.
That would keep the grand kids quiet for an hour or so..
I hope to be driving the rig in 3 months. Well at least that is my goal. We see how good I feel after my surgery.
Enjoy the rig and happy Sailing. :) John
John, Sorry your generator got stolen, that really sucks...
For the past few days I've been working on things I thought I could get by with until next year, But you know how that goes. :)
Yesterday I ripped the dash apart from the drivers door to the passangers door, what fun.
Basically I had no wipers, heater, dash lights, radio, tach, external temp gauge and the alternator discharged with the lights on. But after lots of work all but the alternator are working in top condition or close with some needed parts to buy. I'll list those parts later and maybe somebody knows the part numbers.
Today I went for the wiring in the front engine compartment. The before picts will follow.
The wiring looked like somebody had a fetish of cutting wires and splicing them back together :)
Basically I rewired the everything under the hood and that fixed most of the alternator discharged problem, but I want a much bigger alternator as there is a pretty big power demand from recharging the house battery, headlights, running lights, blower fan, ect......
I'll let the pictures tell the story on the harness.
Here are the before pictures, it's to dark to get after pictures.
:o WOW, worse than mine even! Glad to hear its working out though, Great job!
Quote from: prophetdaniel2 on September 21, 2009, 05:37:55 PM
:o WOW, worse than mine even! Glad to hear its working out though, Great job!
Thanks... :)
Here's a quick dark after picture, I'll get better ones tomarrow.
To give you an idea of how bad it was..., I have 2 feet of the main alternator wire and there are four butt connectors and that many different pieces of wire in between.
I can tell the difference already! I wish I had the time/money/patience to perform a total wiring overhaul on my rig. I may get a good supply of wires and try for a "one wire a day" upgrade in the future. Well see! Keep up the great work and pictures!
-D
Man!!! I am impressed!!!!!!!!
While I have the motor out I might just do the same rewire to mine!!!
You sound as if we have the same Clipper!! No dash lights over cvharging ect ect.
Plus Jerry T told me to get the Altinator with 87amps??? I will have to go back and check the page where he told me.
I plan on having the electric fridge in by end of next month.
wnd the motor.
Keep the pics coming, my daughter took my camera to the poliece Academy with her.......
Later gater, John :)
I think you want the 78 amp alternator John. IIRC. I want one too.
-D
It maybe??? I thought that it was from a newer vehicle, available from any auto parts store
I can't do that right now I just need to get the motor and trans back in.
I am waiting for the trans........... I'll just bolt them together and slide them in at one time.
I just hope that that is possible,,,,Since I took the motor out thru the door and drug the trans out the side........
Went over to Sears and got looking at the power inverters they have there.
They have one that is a 2,000 amp or watt....... or what ever. That would eb enough to operate
just about anything that I will put in the rig and then some. As soon as I can get my Camera back
I will take some pics.
Nice chatting with ya!!! John :)
Quote from: prophetdaniel2 on September 21, 2009, 09:32:09 PM
I think you want the 78 amp alternator John. IIRC. I want one too.
-D
I was at CarQuest today for vacuum line and checked on alternators, they make a 100 amp for around $95.
Quote from: John Eversoll on September 22, 2009, 01:36:32 AM
It maybe??? I thought that it was from a newer vehicle, available from any auto parts store
I can't do that right now I just need to get the motor and trans back in.
I am waiting for the trans........... I'll just bolt them together and slide them in at one time.
I just hope that that is possible,,,,Since I took the motor out thru the door and drug the trans out the side........
Went over to Sears and got looking at the power inverters they have there.
They have one that is a 2,000 amp or watt....... or what ever. That would eb enough to operate
just about anything that I will put in the rig and then some. As soon as I can get my Camera back
I will take some pics.
Nice chatting with ya!!! John :)
Not sure on the Clipper, but dodge has whats called a K-member that the suspension and engine mount to. You should have been able to pull the engine out though the bottom of the vehicle, but either way you pull an engine on an RV is a lot of work.
I have a 3000 watt inverter I used when trucking. I had it mounted in a freightliner and it powered anything I wanted. The problem is that it can suck your battery dead in no time. I also have a 75 watt inverter I use just to operate my television and charge my laptop, I could watch a couple hours of TV without to much battery drain.
I had 3 or 4 batteries in the truck, so I had lots of battery storage capacity + driving 600 - 700 miles a day keeps the battries charged up.
Here's the daytime wiring picts I promised.
I also included the before pict of the main alternator wire, the wire is about 2 feet long.
OOOOHHHH! that old Alt wiring is classy! :o Glad you got that out of service. Nice replacement job!
-D
p.s. there was something about making sure to rewire the (alt gauge?) if you upgraded the alternator. I think, something about too much juice could lead to system meltdown in the old wiring setup. I think this was Jerryt again. I would have to dig for the post.
Oh here it is:
http://americanclipperownersclub.com/techforum/index.php?topic=1266.0
Quote from: prophetdaniel2 on September 22, 2009, 09:26:19 AM
OOOOHHHH! that old Alt wiring is classy! :o Glad you got that out of service. Nice replacement job!
-D
p.s. there was something about making sure to rewire the (alt gauge?) if you upgraded the alternator. I think, something about too much juice could lead to system meltdown in the old wiring setup. I think this was Jerryt again. I would have to dig for the post.
Oh here it is:
http://americanclipperownersclub.com/techforum/index.php?topic=1266.0
I think my alt gauge has been modified already. one wire bolts directly to the gauge post and the other post has a little silver box in between the gauge and the wire.
I've already had the dash apart and the first thing I looked for was a loose alt gauge wire, which was it had. It's very common that it's loose.
Theres another issue I need to look into. The 1970s dodge vans had a problem with the steering box breaking the frame off where the box was mounted. It was a recall item and the dealers fixed them for free. I'm wondering if these dodge frames on the Clippers had the same problem, hope not.
dboling
That silver box may be a circuit breaker. I run part of my power thru the amp gauge and the other part direct to the house battery via a wire from the alternator stud to the battery isolator. I see no reason to run all the power thru the amp gauge. Part of the power will find it's way back to charge the start battery thru the battery isolator when it's engaged (engine running) I run a power inverter while I drive so as to have 110v for the fridge (save propane) and charging toys. If you think about it, with the lights on you have at least 35 light bulbs glowing, plus any coach draw, and battery charging of course. I'd rather do the work and take the safe route then have a breakdown ruin my vacation/Clipper.
JerryT
I could see a manual steering box breaking the frame but not a power box, let us know what you find out as I would like to know.
JerryT
Quote from: JerryT on September 23, 2009, 07:44:26 PM
I could see a manual steering box breaking the frame but not a power box, let us know what you find out as I would like to know.
JerryT
I ran this for B100, B200 and B300 since I wasn't sure what model the Clipper is.
The recalls covered the B100, B200 and B300 and had the same campain number.
I only ran 1977 but the recall might cover more years.
Here a link to the dot recall database.
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls/recallsearch.cfm
Make: DODGE Model: B100
Model Year: 1977
Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION Mfr's Report Date: MAR 07, 1980
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 80V027000 N/A
NHTSA Action Number: N/A
Component: STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
Potential Number of Units Affected: 1000000
Summary:
THE FRONT RAIL EXTENSION MAY EXPERIENCE FATIGUE CRACKING NEAR THE AREA WHERE THE POWER STEERING GEAR ATTACHES TO THE FRAME. IF THE CRACK PROGRESSES THROUGH MOST OR ALL OF THE RAIL SECTION, STEERING SYSTEM FREE PLAY ACCOMPANIED BY METALLIC RATTLE NOISE WILL BE EXPERIENCED.
Consequence:
Remedy:
AFFECTED VEHICLES WILL BE WELD REPAIRED AND A REINFORCEMENT ROD WILL BE INSTALLED OVER THE CRACKED AREA.
Notes:
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT TRUCKS.SYSTEM: STRUCTURE; LEFT FRONT FRAME RAIL.CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: THE CRACK CONDITION MAY CAUSE A COMPLETE LOSS OFSTEERING AND AN ACCIDENT.
It lists all dodge vans 1971-1978 1/2 ton thru 1 ton+ with power steering. I still think it may be a manual steering issue but not reported properly. The power boxes are easier on things than all the twisting that the manual ones take. Still I am going to keep an eye on mine but I am not worried at all. With a power unit, when you hit the turn stops the pump bypasses the fluid inside it which keeps you from over exerting the box. I have seen trucks from out west with broken frames from "running the range" but we don't get that here as we are mostly on paved road and our off-roading is low speed on soft turf. Miles of wash board road is another story!
JerryT
Quote from: JerryT on September 24, 2009, 05:43:55 AM
It lists all dodge vans 1971-1978 1/2 ton thru 1 ton+ with power steering. I still think it may be a manual steering issue but not reported properly. The power boxes are easier on things than all the twisting that the manual ones take.
JerryT
Jerry,
The reason I knew about the recall is I had to fix one right around 1980,
If I had known it was a recall item it would have gone to the dealer since it was one pain of a job. I don't remember the van year but do remember it was power steering.
My boss had me strip the front end and cut the front rail extention off, weld a new one on from the wrecking yard and reinforce it with plate steel. not a job you forget very easy.
I also have a friend in Seattle with a Dodge Tradesman. His front rail extention broke and I directed him to the dealer for the repair. This time I had a chance to inspect how the dealer repaired the issue. The dealer tack welded the frame back together, lay-ed re-bar across the the crack and welded it in place. was one of the uglyest repairs I've ever seen.
I understand what you mean when you say manual steering would create more damage.
I might be wrong but I disagree.
Hydraulics create great force with little to no effort and all hydraulic systems have a check valve.
Examples:
Floor jack against a bumper Jack, floor jack wins.
Hydraulic press against a crank press, hydraulic press wins.
Hydraulic log splitter against a splitting maul, Hydraulic log splitter wins.
Of course the hydraulic pressue depends on the rating of the hydraulic pump, ram and check valve.
P.S.
I did get a chance to read the post you deleted just before this one...
IMPORTANT !!!
While I was playing on the DOT recall search engine I ran into this recall for the American Clipper under equipment. Since the Company is out of business the vehicle owner would be responsible to fix this issue.
Brand Name: AMERICAN CLIPPER Part No. or Model No.: AMERICAN CLIPPER
Production Dates: FEB 01, 1976 - JUN 01, 1978
Manufacturer: AMERICAN CLIPPER CORP. Mfr's Report Date: MAY 08, 1979
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 79V119000 N/A
NHTSA Action Number: N/A
Component: EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE:LPG LINES AND FITTINGS
Potential Number of Units Affected: 3630
Summary:
UNDER CERTAIN SEVERE ROAD CONDITIONS, THE COPPER TUBING WHICH CONNECTS THE HOT WATER HEATER TO THE MAIN PROPANE GAS LINE COULD RUPTURE, THEREBY RESULTING IN A PROPANE GAS LEAK WITHIN THE MOTORHOME.
Consequence:
Remedy:
DEALER WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING COPPER TUBING WHICH CONNECTS THE HOT WATER HEATER TO THE MAIN PROPANE GAS LINE.
Notes:
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTORHOMES.
SYSTEM: L.P.GAS; LINES.
CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: IN THE EVENT OF SUCH A LEAK, THE ACCUMULATION OF PROPANE GAS COULD RESULT IN AN EXPLOSION CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE MOTORHOME AND SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY TO OCCUPANTS.
NOTE: THERE MAY BE NO WARNING THAT A LEAK HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE ODOR OF THE PROPANE GAS MAY BE DIFFICULT TO DETECT. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENTIRE PROPANE SYSTEM BE SHUT OFF AT THE PROPANE TANK UNTIL THE REPLACEMENT RUBBERLINE HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
My 78 has the upgraded water heater propane hose.
JerryT
dboling
I will ask Aarin about the cause of the frame breakage next time I see him. I have seen more problems with the manual set up than power. It's not uncommon for the old manual boxes to wear (sloppy) inside which allows a hammering effect on the fasteners. Once the box starts to move or shuck around I have seen them then break their moorings. The steering ratio in a manual box is higher than a power one so as to provide leverage to the operator. On a power box once you hit pump bypass your done turning the wheel, you can end travel a manual box and do some damage with that type of leverage. Most people don't maintain their cars they just complain when they break. I have a friend that never turns his steering wheel to lock and claims he has never had a steering failure in all the trucks he has bought new. You have seen two of these fail, in your opinion what caused them to break and why don't they all break? Did yours start to have loose steering or was it a good today bad tomorrow deal? I see it was a repair as needed and not a total recall. I wonder how many needed repair? Dodge built thousand's and thousand's of these vans, I see the defect sheet says 1000000! and that was for 1971-1978. They built the B van in Missouri and Canada back then, I wonder if both had the same problem? For that frame horn to break it has to move around and have reason to break off.
I bought all the old Clipper newsletters and read them but I don't think there was ever a problem reported by the members, the propane line/hose recall is in there, and a lot of other good tips and ideas. The Clipper store sells the. complete set. Keep up the good work and posts.
JerryT
:) Hey Jeeerrrrrry, it's me, john....
I was just reading about the cracks in the frame by the steering box.
I had a crack in the frame about four years ago took off the the box ground down the area and welded the crack then ground down the weld and put a piece of plate stock over that and welded that over the crack area and haven't had a prob since. I keep checking the area but will have to check when we get the rig back on the road. As far as the propane lines leaking I will have to check the lines and see if they need replacing!!! John
John
Why do you think your frame cracked? How was it flexing? How did you know it was bad? I did some more research and they call it fatigue cracking which would imply movement. The recommended repair like dboling said sounds pretty lame to fix such a serious problem. I think the plating/bracing idea is much better.
JerryT
Quote from: JerryT on September 24, 2009, 01:54:28 PM
My 78 has the upgraded water heater propane hose.
JerryT
When running my new plumbing I noticed my propane line is copper :(
Can't be cheap replacing it.
dboling
My 78 is iron pipe to the space under the stove, then they used a rubber hose to the water heater but they also used copper tubing up to the stove. What I read was that there was not enough flex in the copper going to the water heater (short run) and the copper tubing would stress crack and leak propane which would ignite from the stove or the water heater's pilot light. Maybe yours is OK the way it is? Be safe.
JerryT
Hi and also welcome:
If you see the motorhome as a fun project then go do it. RV's in general are never ending problems. You have all the problems of both a house and a car.
In the end, the Clipper is a nice looking rig and doing it your self can save boucu bucks. The alternative 80K and up units will also have their problems so that is how it goes.
The American Clipper Club stocks many parts. Mel Guerrera is in charge of the Clip JR. and often brings it to the national rallies. He is also quite knowledgeable on Clippers. I don't know if he uses this web site but you need to be a member to obtain parts thru the club. He likely has "some" windows but that needs to be clarified.
We have a 76 rear kitchen with 140K miles on it. It still does OK but am a watcher of Craigs list.
Moving to PEX for the piping makes life much easier....
Happy Clippering... Mike Hastings (ACOC National Wagonmaster)
Quote from: hastm on September 26, 2009, 09:03:49 PM
Happy Clippering... Mike Hastings (ACOC National Wagonmaster)
I had to look through a few of your posts to find out what a (ACOC National Wagonmaster) was.
Guess you don't change our Clippers wagon wheels :)
How many people are in the Club ?
Quote from: hastm on March 10, 2009, 08:12:18 PM
the ralleyes are generally within 150 miles of the San Francisco bay area.
San Francisco bay area is a bit far for those of us that winterize our Clippers between mid to eastern United States.
I figure round trip is about 6000 miles and the cost would be more than I have into my Clipper (total.)
6000. Miles Round trip
/ 7. Miles per gallon
-------
857. Gallons Fuel
* 2.60 Price per gallon
-------
2228. Cost to drive Clipper round trip to San Francisco bay
Are there any rallies closer to the east coast ?
Yesterday I replaced the vent assembly in the bathroom and replaced the screen door magnets so my dog would quit jumping through the screen when I opened the door :). The old vent assembly was a Jenson, it had a fan and lights in it. The new vent assembly only had a fan in it so I had to add a new light for the bathroom.
I really didn't want to see the water damage around the vent area but needed to replace the vent to stop further damage. I also need to find a beauty ring for the new vent as the Jensen doesn't fit the new vent.
The screen door magnets were pretty easy to install, however the door is much harder to close and I guess I need to read adjust the door.
I ordered a carb kit for the my Generac generator since the carb was flooding out.
The carb kit came today and it was a pretty easy overhaul, didn't even need to remove the carb. The only problem I had was the old needle and seat was missing the sealing ring gasket that seals the seat to the case. I installed the new sealing ring gasket that came with the kit and the generator ran fine for a while and would run out of fuel. I took the carb back apart and readjusted the float to make up for the thickness in the sealing ring gasket and that took care of the fuel problem.
I also installed the 3/8 fuel check valve that goes on the engine side of the fuel switch over valve. The check valve was so I could run the generator and engine from either tank and neither the engine or generator could suck each others carb float bowls dry.
Quote from: dboling on September 27, 2009, 05:46:12 AM
Quote from: hastm on September 26, 2009, 09:03:49 PM
Happy Clippering... Mike Hastings (ACOC National Wagonmaster)
I had to look through a few of your posts to find out what a (ACOC National Wagonmaster) was.
Guess you don't change our Clippers wagon wheels :)
Wagonmaster is a term for a person that coordinates either a single or group of rallies. In the ACOC we do three rallies a year (February, May and October). The rallies are mostly local to the San Francisco Bay area since that is where the bulk of the activity is.
How many people are in the Club ?
The lastest roster shows 150 or so members and has been in a gradual decline. There are many people not affiliated with the ACOC or clubs that are still active. The Clipper may be entering into an "antique" era since it is a nice looking rig and is fairly easy to work on. This wek site shows many interested people.
Quote from: hastm on March 10, 2009, 08:12:18 PM
the ralleyes are generally within 150 miles of the San Francisco bay area.
San Francisco bay area is a bit far for those of us that winterize our Clippers between mid to eastern United States.
I figure round trip is about 6000 miles and the cost would be more than I have into my Clipper (total.)
6000. Miles Round trip
/ 7. Miles per gallon
-------
857. Gallons Fuel
* 2.60 Price per gallon
-------
2228. Cost to drive Clipper round trip to San Francisco bay
We'd love to have you at a Bay Area Rally but alas, I think we are the only active area "to my knowledge". Best bet if you lean in the direction of rallies is to canvas your area and try to get a group together. The ACOC roster has many rigs from other states.
Are there any rallies closer to the east coast ?
Started having more problems with the Suburban furnace. :(
At first the furnace would stop producing heat in the middle of the night and the fan would just keep running.
Now it doesn't seem to want to produce heat at all.
I pulled the cover off the furnace on the side the electrodes are on and could see the electrodes ignite the propane, then the flame would turn off.
At first I thought I was out of propane, but I've been cooking on the stove and making toast in the broiler without any problems.
The reason I thought I was out of propane, is the stove was acting weird around the same time the problem started. the stove burner flame didn't seem to want to light all the way around the burner, This problem has gone away.
This morning was a bit chilly so I tried the furnace again and it still had the same problem. The furnace ignites the propane and turns off about 10 seconds later. I tried getting it to work a few times but the last time I tapped on a little silver box with my mini-mag light in the burner section of the furnace and the furnace started working again.
Anybody have an Idea as to the problem, or what the silver box I tapped on is ?
Here's a picture of the area I tapped on to get the furnace to work.
dboling,
I doubt that silver box thingy has any direct connection to your problem, but then again I dont remember what that little thingy is anymore.
I also dont have any real helpful suggestions for you, but I wrote nearly everything I know about the Suburban furnace and my experience with it in a few previous posts.
Here:
http://americanclipperownersclub.com/techforum/index.php?topic=1549.0
and here:
http://americanclipperownersclub.com/techforum/index.php?topic=1572.0
I would encourage you to spring for the Dinosaur electronics igniter board just simply to eliminate electronics as a culprit.
Give a shout if you have any more questions, and keep up the great work! And the pics.
-D
p.s. I am at work for another week or I would go and look at my furnace to determine what that thingy actually is for you.....sorry ;D
Quote from: prophetdaniel2 on September 29, 2009, 08:26:03 PM
dboling,
p.s. I am at work for another week or I would go and look at my furnace to determine what that thingy actually is for you.....sorry ;D
I like the looks of the new board, it might be where my problem lies.
But after some reading in the manual, it could be the sail switch.
I searched online and found manuals and a trouble shooting guide for the Suburban Funaces.
The Silver box is just a cover and when removed it gives you access to Burner adjustment screw.
Anybody know if we have a section on this board to place manuals ?
Last Wednesday I drove the Clipper to the property and have been living out of it for the last week.
The furnace has been working fine after I blew compressed air through the burner and adjusted the burner valve.
The 35 mile drive to the property was pretty nerve racking.
Even though the engine was purring like a kitten before I left, it seems like one of the Thermoquads floats might have stuck closed or the needle and seat plugged up during the trip. It really took a lot to get up to 70 mph and the engine sounded like it was running on 1/2 it's cylinders. I've ran into this problem before and a carb kit always took care of the problem.
I had a real bad noise and vibration coming the from the right rear dual tire, since this is the first time I've had the clipper on the road I had my son follow me to the property. he noticed that the right rear dual was wobbling, it would stop when I accelerated and get worse when I was just cruising at speed.
My guess is when the neighbor had brakes put on the clipper a few years ago, they missed a bad wheel bearing or didn't get the wheel back together correctly.
The clipper was also hard to steer as the frontend felt really light and wanted to drift back and forth while driving down the freeway.
Besides these few problems, my Clipper has far exceeded my expectations and put a big smile on my spouses frozen bones when she saw it pull onto our property last Wednesday afternoon.
hI THERE, WITH THAT WABBLE IN THE REAR......sorry about the caps.
the rim has a small hole in it and a little bit of a steel tit that fits inside of the hole
of the other rim " if the tire is put on and the two don't coinside with each other then you will get a wabble. that is the cheepest fix that I can tell you.
Where is your property???? Ours is in Oregon...
John :)
Quote from: John Eversoll on October 08, 2009, 12:40:34 AM
hI THERE, WITH THAT WABBLE IN THE REAR......sorry about the caps.
the rim has a small hole in it and a little bit of a steel tit that fits inside of the hole
of the other rim " if the tire is put on and the two don't coinside with each other then you will get a wabble. that is the cheepest fix that I can tell you.
Where is your property???? Ours is in Oregon...
John :)
We have 30 acres here in the Poconos, PA around the Newfoundland area, we also have a house on 3/4 acres about 35 miles from the property. The 30 acres has nothing but trees and a small stream.
John, thanks for the input :) ,it's much appreciated !
When I get time, I'll pull the wheels off to check for the wobble, hope it's as easy moving the tire around.
Nothing more than a BLOCK of wood and a small floor jack wont cure.
But bustin those Lugs can be a real "B....ch.."
use a jack to support the weight of the coach after you get the tires off the ground.
I am just very safety safety safety.....
John :)
YOUR FUEL TO GENERATOR MIGHT BE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUEL IN THE MAIN TANK. THE PICKUP IS HIGHER THAN THE MAIN PICKUP TO THE ENGINE SO YOU CAN'T RUN COMPLETELY OUT OF FUEL WHEN YOU RUN THE GENERATOR.
Quote from: Robert P. Anderson on October 17, 2009, 01:14:37 AM
YOUR FUEL TO GENERATOR MIGHT BE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUEL IN THE MAIN TANK. THE PICKUP IS HIGHER THAN THE MAIN PICKUP TO THE ENGINE SO YOU CAN'T RUN COMPLETELY OUT OF FUEL WHEN YOU RUN THE GENERATOR.
Correct, the tank has separate outlet for the generator, but the way it was setup I could not run the generator from the rear tank.
I have it setup the way I want it now, I have access to the front and rear tanks and can drain all 50 gallons from either tank.