Bouncing around New England, Ohio, then South. Shopping for vehicle to pull home

[Jeff Bayley]

We had to make a last-minute trip to Maine for a funeral and decided to take the coache instead of fly since we had not been across the Florida border in 3 ½ half years since buying our house. It feels totally great to be out and we plan on staying out at least two weeks. We’d be happy to meet up with anybody that is either traveling or lives within our path which is uncharted. There's an offshore boat I want to go see in Cleveland Ohio and another one in FT. Walton Beach Florida and we will probably zigzag our way down from there. If I don’t go to Ohio then I’ll probably head straight back down the East Coast and maybe through TN. We might drift towards parts where anyone lives that would like some drifter visitors. Will stay a day or two or until the guided tour of the area is over. He,he. No worry about me raiding your liquor cabinet. Gave it up a few months back. I’m especially in love with anyone that would want to help me change my coolant which is long, long overdue and after reading Roadunners post on getting all of the old coolant out I don't trust Prevost or any other shop to do it.

We also would not mind picking up an inexpensive toad. In the eight or nine years that I've owned a coach, I have never felt the desire to tow a vehicle but might pick one up if someone has one to unload. The ideal tow vehicle for me would be a Jeep Wrangler or other 4x4. Shape not important. I want something to put in and out of the salt water by my house to launch small boats and Waverunners. It’s going to get ruined. I don't have a boat launch just a smooth bank so if I could pick up a “mule” on the way home for this purpose that would be great. If any of you have something that fits the bill but isn't setup for towing maybe I could have a two bar welded on it. If it is ugly, I don't care about the cosmetics of getting the tow bar on as long as it’s functional (and won’t fall off). I would take a compact truck, Bronco, Blazer, Rodeo or anything compact. Back-and-forth between the side of my house is narrow and the backyard a small so I can't use a full-size four wheel drive truck (which we already have). Would take a nicer Wrangler too but don’t want to spend more than $5k. Wife will say I spend the boat money.

By the way, a Jeep Wrangler can be towed all 4 wheels down w/o issue correct ? Does it matter if it’s stick or automatic. I can rent a U-Haul dolly if I have to. I have found a few suspects in New England Craigslist. I’d also love to find a Suzuki Samurai which is really compact and cheap. If you even know anybody unloading something like I describe we might pass by and get it.

[jonnie]

Jeff,

What type of offshore boat are you looking at in Cleveland?

John

[jj628]

We bought a new 2002 Wrangler in 2001 when we retired then bought and American Eagle to tow it with. Have towed it (Pul-Toi) 75,000 miles and driven it 70,000 with very few problems. Ours is a stick and when it free wheels it doesn't record mileage. We use a Blue Ox tow bar. We found out on our first trip how expensive it is to pull it while still in gear. 3 days and $3500 later we weren't in Kansas anymore.
Other than driver dumbness, it has been trouble free.

[JIM KELLER]

Jeff, Sounds like you need to shop at PARKWAY AUTO SALES in Bristol, Tn. Fellow POG member Roger Foster will " fix you up."

O.K. Roger, let me have it.

[Jeff Bayley]

We are in Pittsburgh and ready to shove off back toward NYC. I ordered a starter for my generator that is grinding intermittently on start to change before it damages the flywheel. I'm going to change it myself but is there any POG'ers within striking distance I could squat at to do the job that might want to help make sure I don't do anything stupid ? If someone reads this and knows of anyone in this neck of the woods or between here and New York let me know and I can PM or email them if they aren't checking this every day. I have the new parts with me. Going to change the mechanical fuel pump also. Does anyone have a service manual for a 17.5 kw Power Tech (Kubota) generator ? The overall Kubota number is V1902122767 but I suspect if I just get something close it will be sufficient and better than what I have which is just the owners manual. The starter is supposed to be on the right hand end of the generator and I need to remove the shroud (same one that covers the belts) to access it I'm told. If not service manual available, I can probably cobble my way through it if someone can give me any obvious things to do (or avoid).

[JIM KELLER]

I think Power Tech has the information you need on a pdf file that you could download on the internet. They are in Leesberg, Fl. and very accommodating. 800 760 0027. Jimmy in parts and Jeff in service. Hope this helps.

[dreamchasers]

We are in Pittsburgh and ready to shove off back toward NYC. I ordered a starter for my generator that is grinding intermittently on start to change before it damages the flywheel. I'm going to change it myself but is there any POG'ers within striking distance I could squat at to do the job that might want to help make sure I don't do anything stupid ? If someone reads this and knows of anyone in this neck of the woods or between here and New York let me know and I can PM or email them if they aren't checking this every day. I have the new parts with me. Going to change the mechanical fuel pump also. Does anyone have a service manual for a 17.5 kw Power Tech (Kubota) generator ? The overall Kubota number is V1902122767 but I suspect if I just get something close it will be sufficient and better than what I have which is just the owners manual. The starter is supposed to be on the right hand end of the generator and I need to remove the shroud (same one that covers the belts) to access it I'm told. If not service manual available, I can probably cobble my way through it if someone can give me any obvious things to do (or avoid).

Jeff,

Click on the link below for access to a PDF copy of the PowerTech 17.5 manual. I have uploaded to my web site for easy access.

http://texasdrifters.net/pog/PTSMH%20-%2015-17.5-20%20OPERATORS%20MANUAL.pdf


Good Luck.

Hector

[Jeff Bayley]

Thanks Hector but its the Service Manual I'm trying to chase down not the Owners manual which I already have. I called Power-tech and they told me I could download the service manual off their web site but no such thing. Fooled again. They closed before I went online and could not find it on their web site. I've tried Goggling it several different ways and nothing is coming up. If someone has a paper service manual for a Kubuta generator and doesn't want to scan the whole thing my immediate need is just for the parts to change the starter and the mechanical fuel pump. I could get those few pages by fax if someone had them to send.

[chtree]

Jeff

Hoffman Coach is in Clarendon Pa. right off of rt 6 between Warren and Sheffield. They may have room to park while you work on it. Talk to Jeff or Doug at 814-723-4550. About 3hrs away.

Good luck,

Chris

[Jeff Bayley]

We wound up to Ohio instead of East to New York. I'm on my way to Cleveland from Pittsburgh now so maybe that changes some options. Besides the generator starter, my sediment filter appears to be preventing the coach from taking on fresh water. I have to track down a Camping World or RV supply and pick up a wrench to get outer case off. I need to do a couple other small things. Wish I could find a fellow POG'er to go to and fiddle on the coach with. Two heads better than one. One of the great things about this forum is the collective knowledge of maintainance and issues and we all have to work on these things ourselves for the most part whether we like to or not. I have a stock of tools (except for tool I need right now to change the sediment filter). I need to email Dale to see what has become of that Map with member locations.

[Denny]

Jeff,
Wish I had read this yesterday; if you still need help call me at 330-550-6020. I might me able to help.

[Jeff Bayley]

Denny and Ruth Ann have heeded my call for a place to squat and do some maintainence and we are already at their place enjoying their hospitality. Denny already helped me identify the starter I need to replace on the very back side of the generator instead of the side of the generator that Power Tech told me. See I told yall I was no good on my own. Thanks Denny and Ruth Ann !

[Jeff Bayley]

We want to extend a great big thank you to Denny and Ruth Ann near Youngstown for taking us in and helping me with changing the starter on my generator. It was so much easier with two people. I would have been saying every word in the book trying to get the bolts in by myself. The starter was on the back side of the generator and it was a half hour job with two the two of us. But their hospitality was so nice and we got to make new friends besides that. I wanted to stay another week but I didn't bring enough other parts to keep working. He,he.

We are now just a few miles away at Oreen Zooks place to get the brakes checked.

Thanks again to Denny and Ruth Ann. We hope to see them again in Maine. We're gonna keep the trip going and see how long we can avoid going home.