1987 345 w\454

[nums]

btw, here's a pic of what went wrong on my shifter.

This view is below the steering column by sliding under the front of the 345.

The bracket shown rotates when one shifts gears. The rotation moves that linkage in the hole further or closer to the transmission ... thereby shifting.

Finally, as you can see, it should have a simple cotter pin holding the linkage in place. With no retention cotter pin, it falls down. Luckily, it stays connected to the tranny on the other end and simply rests on top of some other chassis parts ... not really in danger of falling to the ground.

Super simple fix once you see what is happening.

[rmkrum]

Probably should have a thin flat washer on the shaft resting against the apparent rubber bushing and then the cotter pin to hold the whole assembly together. The washer keeps the cotter pin from ripping up the rubber.


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[Kreimer]

I just noticed the year is wrong on the heading... The coach is an 87... Didn't know that until I ran the vin number! Anyhow, I got the estimate from the RV place to get drive able. Most of it is fluids and flushing. The price isn't too far over what I imagined. The tires are less than I imagined. But the labor is most of the price... That $95/hr is steep... Adds up quickly! Crazy part is we got a good deal on the coach and the initial estimate is over half what we paid for the beast...

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by Kreimer

...But the labor is most of the price... That $95/hr is steep... Adds up quickly! Crazy part is we got a good deal on the coach and the initial estimate is over half what we paid for the beast...

Yep, the initial purchase price is just the down payment when buying one of these things!

[Keyair]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Yep, the initial purchase price is just the down payment when buying one of these things!

Really?
ROFL...
But seriously, once it's running right and good, I don't think there is ANYTHING in the RV world that makes people turn and stare more than a Classic Motorhome! I have driven mine little so far, but when I do, it's all about hooting and waving and people shouting at ya and wanting you to stop.
People just don't do that for Prevosts and other million $ rigs.
Can you put a price on that?

[nums]

Originally Posted by Kreimer

I just noticed the year is wrong on the heading... The coach is an 87... Didn't know that until I ran the vin number! Anyhow, I got the estimate from the RV place to get drive able. Most of it is fluids and flushing. Attachment 253402 The price isn't too far over what I imagined. The tires are less than I imagined. But the labor is most of the price... That $95/hr is steep... Adds up quickly! Crazy part is we got a good deal on the coach and the initial estimate is over half what we paid for the beast...

yeah ... mine is an '88. however, my chassis is an '87. I don't think this was uncommon.

[Kreimer]

The RV place said they would have the motorhome done by Friday the 11th. I have been looking at campgrounds. So far the plan is to pull the safari down to stay in as we clean the motorhome. The problem is finding a campground nearby that is not 55+, and one that accepts all dogs.

[Kreimer]

So after some discussion I think we my have decided to drive the volkswagon cc down. Find someone to reinforce the hitch HD either trailer it behind the beast or trailer it. This option would save money on gas t the very least and we would have the Car if/when we break down... I m seriously debating taking advantage of some poor RV detailing place that would be running a special for the snow birds and having them clean the coach... They may want to charge double though!!!

[Keyair]

Whatever you decide to do, it sounds like an adventure!

[bkahler]

If you're going to flat tow the car then I'm not so sure you really have to reinforce the hitch. Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favor of having the hitches on these coaches beefed up but there is minimal tongue weight from flat towing compared to a hitched trailer.

Might get you home where you can spend all the time you want to get the hitch reinforced.

Just my opinion of course

Brad

[gunner]

I would recommend reinforcing the hitch. I flat towed a 1989 Cadillac for two hundred miles and then towed a 14 ft. bass boat when I went on vacation 6 months later when the hitch tore loose (welds broke) on one side of the hitch and bent down. Lucky that I was going 20 miles per hour when it happened going trough a town. I realize the Volkswagen may be lighter than the Cadillac.

[Paul and Tam]

Originally Posted by Kreimer

I just noticed the year is wrong on the heading... The coach is an 87... Didn't know that until I ran the vin number!

Our '88 345 was built in September of '87, and the P-30 chassis was a July '87 build. I generally check part numbers for both '87 and '88. So far they have always been the same part.

Your new-to-you 345 looks very similar to ours. Same colors and patterns. Which floorplan do you have? We have the E-W Queen setup.

I've been very fortunate so far and have needed to do very few repairs. We have stored ours in a garage for the last eight years, and that really helps keep things from deteriorating due to weather damage. I tarped the motorhome the first two winters and the wind and tarp created a lot of cosmetic "character".

Good luck. I highly recommend reading Mr. Keyair's mega-thread. There is a ton of great information, and I've learned a lot. That's not to diminish the other threads on these classic motorhomes. There is a lot of very good information on this forum.

[Kreimer]

Our floor plan is the sideways queen as well. I am looking forward to not having to make a bed from a couch every morning and night...
We will be storing it with our Safari in a cave 10 floors underground. Here in KC. It is very convenient as it is 8blocks from our house in downtown. Also it is 74 degrees year round. I winterized the trailer for the first time ever this year cause we took it to Delaware and I was worried about it freezing.
We leave in the morning for the nineteen hour drive to pick it up. We are gonna have a mobile RV cleaner come to vacuum out and shampoo the interior. The package we are getting apparently includes making the exterior clean. If they use a power washer I guess I can check for leaks!

Honestly I am a little nervous about driving it. I grew up driving grain trucks but we didn't have to worry about driving over curbs or cars on the farm. And this beast has an enormous bootie! pretty huh!!!

[Kreimer]

Picked her up! Blinkers don't blink. May need blinker fluid. Smells like burning oil going down the road. Temp gauge seems to ride just above 200. Electric all seems to work. Fantastic fan in the bedroom is an automatic thingy and it made my head hurt trying to make it go... Kool-o-magic works and pulls a ton of air. Just needs oil. Solar system says charging. Drives like a bumpy old grain truck and stops like a train. But she is making me grin!!!

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by Kreimer

Picked her up! Blinkers don't blink. May need blinker fluid. Smells like burning oil going down the road. Temp gauge seems to ride just above 200. Electric all seems to work. Fantastic fan in the bedroom is an automatic thingy and it made my head hurt trying to make it go... Kool-o-magic works and pulls a ton of air. Just needs oil. Solar system says charging. Drives like a bumpy old grain truck and stops like a train. But she is making me grin!!!

Unfortunately I think blinker fluid is another of those items that is no longer available for these old rigs, you might have to use washer fluid instead

Glad to hear you're enjoying yourself

[Kreimer]

Post power washing. Smells and looks much better. Very humid... Very happy! Outside still needs a good scrubbing. Blue beacon didn't use brushes for some reason. It was a challenge to keep it at 55 on the hi-way. It wanted to go 65 but there is way too much play in the steering wheel for that speed. And I need to get used to the brakes. Took forever to figure out what switches do what. Lights were a challenge to figure out. Some of them wouldn't come on immediately. Guess she needed time to wake up!

[bkahler]

You're not the only one who suffered from extremely sloppy steering on their maiden voyage. My old 310 was difficult to keep in between the yellow and white stripes due to the slop in the steering components. Start by replacing your bell crank pivots with Super Steer components and you'll be on your way to better steering.

Brad

[tevake]

^^. That and check the steering gear box at the bottom of the steering colum .
An adjustment there took almost three inches of free travel out of the wheel.
I did that adjustment in the P Os driveway and he was blown away at the improvement .

[Keyair]

Awesome!
Relax, enjoy the ride, and keep the updates coming!
The most odd feeling is not only being out over the front wheel, but the see-saw motion over rolling bumps... You get used to it, and its part of the experience.

Burning oil smell is probably a oil seal or gasket that went hard while it was sitting. My geuss would be valve cover, as it weeps and drops right onto the exhast manifold. try just tightening the bolts a little?

The slack steering is common, but check your front tire AND front air spring pressures first. Mine was both, and runs pretty true after I adjusted those.
After that, it's slack in the steering at the column rag joint, in the wheelarch, in front of the wheel, on top of the steering box,. Or slack in steering components, from wheel bearings, steering box, track arms, idler arms, and steering damper.

[Kreimer]

Got on our way. we were on the highway and going uphill or down the motor lost power. Stopped and took the cover off. Have to buy tools to check the filter but a bunch of vacuum hoses were broken and disconnected from the carb. I got those reconnected. Gonna get a set of wrenches from target and an inline filter. Hope it works...