newbie needs good resources

[gamecock fan]

I bought a 1994 Alllegro Bus about 90 days ago. My original purpose for this bus was tailgating. My problem is the more I use it, the more I like to use it.
I have taken this bus to a local rv dealer for some minor service and now I have it at a do all rv shop. I asked them to thoroughly check out the chassis, roof, genset, engine and transmission. If everything checks out, I want to use this bus more. Most of our travelling is single day trips in South Carolina but several times a year we travel 500 miles or more. My biggest concern is taking this thing into the mountains of West Virgina several times for skiing.
I am looking for information regarding
1) Driving in the snow/mountains (links are good personal stories are better.)
2) information regarding what can be used going down the road (furnaces, generator, oven etc.)
3) Interior/exterior customization. ( i want to update the bus without spending tons of money) I am looking for ideas of different things to do to it. I don't necessarilly want to pimp the bus out but I do want to add an outside entertainment system, maybe a new paint job and rims and update the interior(needs new capt chairs, better lighting, side cameras, etc.)

Any ideas and feedback would greatly be appreciated.

Gage

 

[Guest]

Re: newbie needs good resources

Hey now i really like u ,, u own an alegro bus ,, i have one also it's a 97 40ft ,, i did my interior myself ,, and it was pretty cheap ,, the labor part was what saved me ,,, but as i work on rv's for a living i get kinda use to the stuff u can put in them,, but post away ,, we can help ,, most of us ,,, DL has a trip about his diesel smoke smell and all Tex is worried about is his oil wells .. welcome to the forum ,, and as u get more into it ,, u'll see we kidd each other alot .. but that's what makes it fun ,,, but we do get serious and try to answer all the tech questions ,, we even travel in our rv's once and a while ,,, :approve: :laugh: :laugh:

 

[Kirk]

Re: newbie needs good resources

"2) information regarding what can be used going down the road (furnaces, generator, oven etc.)"


The genset can be operated while traveling and with it any of the 120V-AC appliances will work fine. The furnace, refrigerator, & water heater will all operate while traveling, so long as you have propane and 12V-DC power available, which you should have at all times. The roof air conditioners use 120V and can operate from the genset and the same is true of the microwave. The water pump should be on and water in the fresh water tank if you operate the water heater, but that pump too is 12V-DC. With the water pump on, the toilet, sink and all are usable. Of course the things like dash air conditioning also work when traveling. The TV may, depending upon where it is located but it will need a special antenna since the standard ones should be folded down against the roof when traveling. In most cases, a TV that can be seen by the driver will be disabled when the engine is running.

 

[gamecock fan]

Re: newbie needs good resources

Kirk, I appreciate the info. I did not have a chance to thoroughly go over the coach with the dealer due to time constraints. I actually thought the systems would be like my boat and I could figure them out. What I realized was my boat doesnt have an lp system then my mind started wondering about safety issues. I appreciate your input.

730, thanks for the welcome. So far, I like this motorhome thing. My family really likes it. It sure makes tailgating easier.

If anyone has any links to winter driving and customization (pictures for ideas) I sure would appreciate it.

Gage

 

[Kirk]

Re: newbie needs good resources

For winter driving, caution is the main key as well as slow and easy. Really bad roads are not your friend so when it gets really bad, consider letting it sit until things imporve. No trip is worth your life. A motorhome is not a vehicle to practice skids in. They do make chains for them and I would get a set that were made for dual wheels since if you do need them, too much is better than too little. Even though we have now been RV owners for nearly 20 years, I have driven on very few bad roads and while I have done a great deal of mountain driving in all kinds of weather, none of the bad weather driving there was in a motorhome. I'll hope others can be of more help. One thing that you should consider is the extra things you must consider when camping in cold weather. I'm not sure if your 94 has heated storage bays where the tanks and plumbing are located, but you need to make sure that you do.

Let me also caution you before you go too far that motorhome travel can be very additive! We chose to buy one used after the kids left home just to see if we liked it and that lead to a new, larger one, early retirement and fulltime RV living.

 

[gamecock fan]

Re: newbie needs good resources

Thanks Kirk. I understand it being addictive. I am already looking at new larger ones and a way to either justify it or write it off. I keep getting drawn to the alpha golds and worse yet, prevost buses. Man, I really need to win the lottery.
I have driven in the mountains for years in all weather also and I am comfortable with it in any other domestic vehicle. We will not being using the motorhome for sleeping, just getting there. I will drain all tanks and add antifreeze to tanks and lines. I have ordered chains already because it never fails to snow when we are either driving in or driving out. Two years ago a cold front came through a day faster and the diesel in my truck gelled so I have learned my lesson with that too.
I am in the trucking industry and have asked several safety guys for winter driving tapes or cd's but I don't think that is what I need. I should get good tips from them but the vehicles are different. I actually have them looking for tapes designed for straight trucks.

 

[tfraz58]

Re: newbie needs good resources

gamecock fan - 11/18/2007 8:09 AM


I am in the trucking industry and have asked several safety guys for winter driving tapes or cd's but I don't think that is what I need. I should get good tips from them but the vehicles are different. I actually have them looking for tapes designed for straight trucks.

GF,

A lot of safety guys then should be telling you this: "Chains look good...hanging on the racks on the truck. If it REQUIRES chains, we shut down. If it's bad enough to need chains, it's bad enough that we don't run and we just wait till it clears up. Chains are for getting you unstuck. We don't RUN with them." I can count on one hand the times I used chains; to get rolling over the very top of Donner when I got caught with my pants down and a chain LAW suddenly went into effect, to get me the last five miles HOME (I lived in the mountains in western PA at the time,....and that's about it. Just my two cents....but me....when I wouldn't run chains on a big truck....I sure wouldn't risk an RV.

Happy Trails
Tom - former (22 year) tractor trailer driver instructor.