Visit our Popular Forums

noiva · 09-08-2006, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glencoombe

Tim, you're off on a short trip ...er short weekend... or is that both??

__________________
Glen Coombe

Glen,

I should have known you would pick up on that

. Actually, it was both a short trip AND a short weekend (I know, "oxymoron", since a weekend is 2 days by definition). That's as opposed to a "long" weekend - 3 days

. Does that clarify anything

? Probably not...

Best,

GlenCoombe · 09-08-2006, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Glen,

I should have known you would pick up on that

. Actually, it was both a short trip AND a short weekend (I know, "oxymoron", since a weekend is 2 days by definition). That's as opposed to a "long" weekend - 3 days

. Does that clarify anything

? Probably not...

Best,

Huh, ?? What ??.... clear...??? sure is ..... short!

noiva · 09-08-2006, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

Huh, ?? What ??.... clear...??? sure is ..... short!

Careful

! You're now dealing with a full-fledged "Rivet Master"

. Even if almost all my posts are questions

!

GlenCoombe · 09-08-2006, 09:53 AM

Congratulations on the new title, "Rivet Master"! Welcome to the club. I'm gunning for 1,000 before the end of the year.

noiva · 09-08-2006, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

Congratulations on the new title, "Rivet Master"! Welcome to the club. I'm gunning for 1,000 before the end of the year.

OK, so what have you decided about the GV

? Since Rob and I have done ours, we're looking for someone else to spend lots of money

. Beside, imagine how close to 1,000 you could get just dealing with the purchase and install

.

I do plan to take and post the "after" pics along with the "before" pics next week when I put the Blimp up on ramps to change the transmission filter. I suspect I'll be calling on you for help with the pics again

.

ralley · 09-08-2006, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noiva

OK, so what have you decided about the GV

? Since Rob and I have done ours, we're looking for someone else to spend lots of money

. Beside, imagine how close to 1,000 you could get just dealing with the purchase and install

.

I do plan to take and post the "after" pics along with the "before" pics next week when I put the Blimp up on ramps to change the transmission filter. I suspect I'll be calling on you for help with the pics again

.

BTW: I had the shop hook up their machine and clean out all of the trans fluid when they changed my trans filter--not just what was in the pan. Boosted the bill, but I don't know when it was last done. I didn't ask the shop owner exactly how his machinery did this--but I would bet that air pressure had something to do with it. Good Luck!!

noiva · 09-08-2006, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ralley

BTW: I had the shop hook up their machine and clean out all of the trans fluid when they changed my trans filter--not just what was in the pan. Boosted the bill, but I don't know when it was last done. I didn't ask the shop owner exactly how his machinery did this--but I would bet that air pressure had something to do with it. Good Luck!!

Thanks. I discussed the issue with the shop that did mine. They said since I had less than 18,000 miles on the Blimp to change the filter and pan fluid this year, and next drain the whole thing. I'm going to switch to synthetic next time, and should be through with that task for a long time. Keep us posted on how things go.

Best,

noiva · 09-19-2006, 12:14 PM

After much delay

, I'm posting what I've been able to attach so far. Sorry it's taken so long, but I couldn't take the "After" pictures until yesterday. I've spent much of last night, and most of today attempting to get the attachments to work

. I'll figure this out one of these days, but the "Manage Attachments" section always baffles me. I have the most trouble sizing the pictures. Anyway, here are 4 (I hope

) of the "After" pictures. I'll keep trying

on a few "Before" shots, and a few more "After" ones.

Best,

noiva · 09-19-2006, 01:47 PM

OK, now that I have successfully loaded 4 pictures, I'm going to try a few more

. Hope this helps those of you I promised so long ago

, and it gives some idea of exactly how this thing connects. Thanks to Glen Coombe for so much patience with me the first time I did this several weeks ago

.

Well, looks like I can load only 2 more this time...

. I've got about 6 more that may be interesting. I'll keep trying.

Best

noiva · 09-19-2006, 01:51 PM

Is there some kind of limit per day on pictures? I've been having trouble with the site today anyway - being VERY slow, and not even coming up sometimes, but I'm wondering why I can't get the "Manage Attachments" button to do anything at all

? Anyone know?

noiva · 09-19-2006, 01:59 PM

I'm not certain, but it's showing me that I've loaded the last 6 pictures. Please note that the final 4 are BEFORE the installation. If this posts, I'll be a very happy Forum poster

!

Best,

vajeep · 09-19-2006, 02:07 PM

Tim,
The photos look great!!! Thanks for sharing! Can you come up to Highland Haven before we close October 15th?? Maybe a forum rally is in order!!

Abe

noiva · 09-19-2006, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vajeep

Tim,
The photos look great!!! Thanks for sharing! Can you come up to Highland Haven before we close October 15th?? Maybe a forum rally is in order!!

Abe

Abe,

Thanks so much for asking. We're obligated on Oct 14, so that leaves only 3 weekends. I hate to put this off, but any chance you could set a date in the spring, and let us know (whenever you get set) so we could plan on that? I think a forum rally would be great! If not, just let us know which weekend before Oct 14 is good for you, and we'll do our best to get there.

Tim

GlenCoombe · 09-19-2006, 08:47 PM

Tim, great photos! It took me a while to finally come to the conclusion that you've got a different chassis.... I kept looking at the different driveline brake and then the cross brace.... and then it dawned on me... oh! Gillig.
So have you done any kind of fuel consumption testing yet?

noiva · 09-20-2006, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

Tim, great photos! It took me a while to finally come to the conclusion that you've got a different chassis.... I kept looking at the different driveline brake and then the cross brace.... and then it dawned on me... oh! Gillig.
So have you done any kind of fuel consumption testing yet?

Glen,

I was beginning to worry about you! Hadn't seen you log-in on my posts recently, and was getting ready to get a Wally's World posse to go looking for you

. Glad you are alive, and I suppose, well

! It IS important to remember that whoever looks at those GV pictures needs to remember it's not a C30 chassis. From what I'm learning all the time, this Gillig rig is a whole different animal, especially below the floor of the coach. Very little is the same as the C30s. Makes for some difficult times

trying to get information, but so far I haven't decided to sell - although the thought has crossed my mind

.

I still haven't had the Blimp out far enough to do any fuel consumption tests

. I'm planning a long day-trip in the next month to see how she does. My life seems to be constantly interrupted by unexpected things from my aging in-law, parents, and even my "grown" girls (and their husbands

). I'm actually glad I can help out, and they trust me enough to call. It does put a crimp in "MY" plans, of course, but I realize I'm blessed to have them

. Now, don't you feel sorry for me

?

Anyway, I promise I'll post the results as I get the chance to get out. After all, I did finally get the pics up on the GV install, even if it took me over a year to go from research to install

! Actually, it took me almost 2 days just to get the pictures to post! Boy, that process gives me a fit

... Even the forum site was dragging yesterday. I'd spend a half-hour setting up the post, and the whole thing would just quit

. Server must have been having some logistical problems. By the way, thanks again for all your help with posting pictures earlier. I'm SLOWLY

getting it down.

Best,

noiva · 09-20-2006, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noiva

Actually, it took me almost 2 days just to get the pictures to post! Boy, that process gives me a fit

... Even the forum site was dragging yesterday. I'd spend a half-hour setting up the post, and the whole thing would just quit

. Server must have been having some logistical problems.

Just got a message from Janet, on the forum staff, that they were, indeed, having problems with the server yesterday. Now I don't feel quite so bad

!

Geophilist · 09-20-2006, 09:49 AM

Tim,

Glad to hear that the server was having troubles yesterday, I thought it was me!

Really do enjoy the picts, and it makes me almost want to crawl under my ride and work on something, almost.

The pics are great, but what would one expect from a rivet master?

Steve

noiva · 09-20-2006, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geophilist

Tim,

Glad to hear that the server was having troubles yesterday, I thought it was me!

Really do enjoy the picts, and it makes me almost want to crawl under my ride and work on something, almost.

The pics are great, but what would one expect from a rivet master?

Steve

Steve,

Probably just rivets. Pictures take way too long.

Tim

ralley · 10-08-2006, 06:15 PM

All has been quiet on the GV front!! Zeppelin's GV finally works, thanks to the tech support folks at GV, and, as soon as I sort out the Speedometer and the cruise control (which I gather are potentially related if they both fail at the same time) I should be able to report hard numbers if they are still needed.

Because of my really crazy work schedule for the last 3 weeks, (I spent a week in Washington State, and one of the retrievers had 8 puppies) I have been troubleshooting the GV in the evening (houseguests living in Zeppelin for a week slowed this down!) and calling GV the following afternoon to report results. We eventually figured out that the control module was faulty--they sent me new one (took a week--no big deal) and it still wouldn't work. Every time it tried to shift it would blow the inline fuse. The solution was a dime store magnifing glass ($1.50) which determined that somehow in the testing I had switched out 3A inline fuses for 1.5A. Since the GV takes a 3A--you get the picture.

Ran down to Jamestown, VA, Saturday for a wedding and back today. Weather was truly lousy yesterday--forded 3 creeks, torrential rain until midnight. Absolutely glorious today.

I can report anecdotially that the GV does tend to quiet things down. When I had the shop put the GV in, we had to replace the entire exhaust system to get the Hedmans in as well. Since there are no catalytic converters in the new system (only the biggest truck mufflers I have ever seen!!) without the GV, the new 3" exhaust is a bit noisier than I had intended. I't"s amazing how much noise 700 RPM will save you!!

So--somewhere over the last 3 weeks, both Zeppelin's speedometer and cruise control failed. Any advice on troubleshooting these problems? I think they are related, but I don't know exactly how or where.

noiva · 10-08-2006, 07:06 PM

Rob,

So sorry to hear you've had so much trouble! I was wondering what happened to you

. I guess now I know why my shop spent 3 weeks on the install and "testing". At first I was sure the testing was an excuse for taking so long, but now I'm not so sure. Anyway, I've had no problems at all, but that usually means I'll have some tomorrow

.

Since they had to put a new speedo gear in the tranny to have your speedometer correct, I'd start there. You can track it right under your vehicle back to your gage. My guess is that you speedo isn't connected some where, and that's causing the cruise control to not function either. My suspicion tells me it's probably where they did the new gear and then (supposedly) reconnected your speedo cable to the new gear. If that wasn't tightened correctly, it certainly would cause the two failures. If that's correct, at least it's an easy fix

. Too much of a coincidence not to be related, at least that's the view from here

.

Boy, if you went to Jamestown yesterday I'm surprised you made the trip without having to spend an extra day. What a mess! Just across the James River there was very serious flooding.

Keep us posted about your speedo and cruise. I'm anxious to know what you discover.

By the way, I still haven't taken enough of a run to get any hard numbers on gas mileage. I have reported the lower rpms, cooler temps, and less noise. I suspect gas mileage should not be the top reason one puts in a GV unit. It's still a gas engine moving a very large object. 700 rpms should help some, but I doubt it's going to be all that much. I'm getting about 6.6 on short runs, but have had no good long trip runs since the install.

Best,