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gypsychris · 03-25-2008, 12:55 PM

After our tumultuous adventures finding our new home, we have spent the last two weeks cleaning, preping and getting ready to go back on the road... we left CT this morning at 7 AM, and are making our way back to Texas. We're stopped for a short rest somewhere in PA, down HWY 81.. here are some pics of our new home, and of our departure... we will keep you all posted on how it goes... (it's a 1800 mile journey to Austin...and then, we will head west...) See You On The Road!

balrgn · 03-25-2008, 12:58 PM

Happy Trails, looks like an adventure to a warmer climate!

Thanks for posting pics!!!

**moosetags** · 03-25-2008, 01:17 PM

Great pictures; thanx for sharing. I really like your toad. it makes for a really distinctive looking rig going down the road. Keep us posted on your progress.

Safe travels and great adventures,
Brian

utee94 · 03-25-2008, 01:35 PM

Sunny and 76 degrees F here in Austin. I've been driving the convertible top-down all day. Have a wonderful trip!

pcasa · 03-25-2008, 02:00 PM

Liz and Chris - I LOVED reading your blog. I promise to keep up with your adventures - if you need to stop in Dallas - you're welcome to plug in at my house and catch a hot shower inside. Even though I'm not listed as an official "host" - you're welcome anytime. Keep the photos coming. paula

gypsychris · 03-25-2008, 04:55 PM

Wow.. Thank you so much for all the great support and comments! We really appreciate it. we just pulled in for the night at a walmart and guess what...Another -granted more recent- Airstream is on the lot as well

We will keep you informed as to when we finally hit the much needed warmer weather...

Minnie's Mate · 03-26-2008, 02:18 PM

Your rig really looks great! There isn't any motor homes that look as nice as the Classic Airstreams...especially the tandem axle models.

I know you get tired of hearing this and we hate to keep harping on it, but I am concerned about your Bug. Even though the transmission is in neutral, the transmission is still connected to the drive shaft in most manual transmission automobiles. I must admit that I don't know about the new Beetles, but caution you to verify with the dealer that it is OK to tow four down. As the wheels turn, the drive shaft spins the transmission. In most transmissions there is a pump that keeps the transmission fluid pumped to all the gears while it is in operation. Again, I'm going from memory since I'm no mechanic. If the clutch plate spins without lubrication, or if the gears spin even without the load of the engine, heat will build up and friction will build up in the gears and you can wind up with a big transmission bill on your hands. This is something that requires only a phone call to a VW dealer's shop to verify or perusal of the car's owners' manual to confirm that it's OK to tow four down.

With all you went through to get your beautiful motor home, I'd hate to see you faced with a major repair bill on your bug when you arrive in Texas in addition to your epic journey you've already logged.

gypsygirl1 · 03-26-2008, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gypsychris

After our tumultuous adventures finding our new home, we have spent the last two weeks cleaning, preping and getting ready to go back on the road... we left CT this morning at 7 AM, and are making our way back to Texas. We're stopped for a short rest somewhere in PA, down HWY 81.. here are some pics of our new home, and of our departure... we will keep you all posted on how it goes... (it's a 1800 mile journey to Austin...and then, we will head west...) See You On The Road!

Wishing you two a safe, happy journey to Texas... We were in Austin last Sep
for the Austin City Limits Festival and had an absolute blast! ! The weather was hot and the people were friendly. We stayed at the Lone Star Campground there and it was a great place to stay in Austin.....
Happy trails..

Alumatube · 03-26-2008, 05:33 PM

If you get a chance, eat breakfast (they serve it all day) at Kerbey Lane Cafe in Austin. They have four locations, so hopefully you will be near one of them. Their specialty pancakes are INCREDIBLE (and they sell packaged mix--I get the gingerbread, which is great to carry along in the moho) and I absolutely LOVE their spinach, mushroom and artichoke omelette with green chile sour cream sauce (not hot). YUM!

Susan

utee94 · 03-26-2008, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alumatube

If you get a chance, eat breakfast (they serve it all day) at Kerbey Lane Cafe in Austin. They have four locations, so hopefully you will be near one of them. Their specialty pancakes are INCREDIBLE (and they sell packaged mix--I get the gingerbread, which is great to carry along in the moho) and I absolutely LOVE their spinach, mushroom and artichoke omelette with green chile sour cream sauce (not hot). YUM!

Susan

Good advice. The original location (on Kerbey Lane) is my favorite.

Magnolia Cafe is another great breakfast spot here in Austin, especially for late-late night. Their migas are some of the best in town.

If you'd like any other ideas about Austin, please feel free to PM me. I was born and raised here, and I'm always happy to talk to visitors about the city.

Happy Trails!
-Marcus

gypsychris · 03-26-2008, 07:44 PM

Well... our Moho/Beetle tandem tows great thus far...but as newbies, we do have some major concerns over two things: 1st. Our engine compartment sounds like an airplane once in a while--- Let me clarify, when the temp hits a bit above 200, it seems that some sort of Fan kicks in... is that normal? It sounds really loud, and we both look at each other wonmdering what is going on.... It may sound like a dumb question, but since we had been running our beloved 345 pretty much only in the fridgid North East...this phenomenom is new to us..... 2nd) We are parked, started the generator...(which ran great earlier today) and it seems to be gasping for gas..reving up and down...lights diming in synch with the revs up and down.... any ideas? Bad plugs? Not enough fuel? High altitude maybe? we got our moho washed at a truck stop...could that have caused something? Please respond with your tips/advice...we need your help

Thank you again so much for all your tips/comments and support!! Hope to meet some of you (if not all) on the road some day !@ (as for the beetle, we will check more on that in the AM...but am also assuming that if Blue Ox does plates to tow it 4 down...it should be ok...)

bkahler · 03-26-2008, 07:57 PM

The noise you're hearing is the fan clutch kicking in to spin the fan for cooling the radiator. Under normal conditions the fan clutch stays disengaged. What this means is the fan blade more or less free wheels until temperatures in the engine compartment get above a certain temperature. Once that temperature is reached the fan clutch engages, the fan starts turning, and your engine temperatures start falling. Yes it does sound like a turbo when its engaged! To me it sounds like the engine downshifts but if you look at your tach its obvious the engine is still running the same speed. What you need to worry about is when the fan clutch does NOT kick in and your temperatures continue to rise. THATS when you know you have a problem

.

There are some really good posts in the motorhome forums about the fan clutches and how they operate. I encourage you to read throuth the motorhome forums, there is a lot of good info there.

As far as your generator problem if you had it washed at a truck stop its very possible you got water into the generator air filter or the ignition points or distributor cap is wet. You can check the filter by pulling the air filter and seeing if the generator runs ok after that. The only other possibility I can think of is you're down to around a 1/4 tank of gas and the generator is sucking air instead of fuel part of the time.

Let us know what you find out.

Glad you're enjoying your trip!

Brad

bkahler · 03-26-2008, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minnie's Mate

Your rig really looks great! There isn't any motor homes that look as nice as the Classic Airstreams...especially the tandem axle models.

I know you get tired of hearing this and we hate to keep harping on it, but I am concerned about your Bug. Even though the transmission is in neutral, the transmission is still connected to the drive shaft in most manual transmission automobiles. I must admit that I don't know about the new Beetles, but caution you to verify with the dealer that it is OK to tow four down. As the wheels turn, the drive shaft spins the transmission. In most transmissions there is a pump that keeps the transmission fluid pumped to all the gears while it is in operation. Again, I'm going from memory since I'm no mechanic. If the clutch plate spins without lubrication, or if the gears spin even without the load of the engine, heat will build up and friction will build up in the gears and you can wind up with a big transmission bill on your hands. This is something that requires only a phone call to a VW dealer's shop to verify or perusal of the car's owners' manual to confirm that it's OK to tow four down.

With all you went through to get your beautiful motor home, I'd hate to see you faced with a major repair bill on your bug when you arrive in Texas in addition to your epic journey you've already logged.

My guess is the new vw bug is a front wheel drive car with no drive shaft. I do agree however that you're still turning the transmission. There are at least two other people on the forum that tow the new vw bugs so hopefully they will chime in with comments.

Brad

str8strm · 03-26-2008, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minnie's Mate

Your rig really looks great! There isn't any motor homes that look as nice as the Classic Airstreams...especially the tandem axle models.

I know you get tired of hearing this and we hate to keep harping on it, but I am concerned about your Bug. Even though the transmission is in neutral, the transmission is still connected to the drive shaft in most manual transmission automobiles. I must admit that I don't know about the new Beetles, but caution you to verify with the dealer that it is OK to tow four down. As the wheels turn, the drive shaft spins the transmission. In most transmissions there is a pump that keeps the transmission fluid pumped to all the gears while it is in operation. Again, I'm going from memory since I'm no mechanic. If the clutch plate spins without lubrication, or if the gears spin even without the load of the engine, heat will build up and friction will build up in the gears and you can wind up with a big transmission bill on your hands. This is something that requires only a phone call to a VW dealer's shop to verify or perusal of the car's owners' manual to confirm that it's OK to tow four down.

With all you went through to get your beautiful motor home, I'd hate to see you faced with a major repair bill on your bug when you arrive in Texas in addition to your epic journey you've already logged.

we tow a WV thing manual tranny and have had NO problems, granted it is several years older and situations may have changed------but no problem towing ours with a standard WV hitch

gypsychris · 03-28-2008, 08:00 AM

We are now a few hours east of Menphis. We've met a few airstreamers on the way and stopped at a campground last night to dewinterize our Motorhome. To our surprise the standard sewer hose does not fit our airstream? Any ideas where we can get teh right adapter? Also, the auto fill function does not work. - Where do we look for the solenoid? Any ideas? Thanks - I will put more pictures up soon

**azflycaster** · 03-28-2008, 08:33 AM

The sewer adapters on Airstreams are Thetford and most others use Valterra. You can get an adapter from Vintage Trailer Supply and many other places. I am going to get one myself even though I have Thetford fittings on my hose. Some dump stations have a hose to use and with the adapter I can dirty their hose and not mine.

bkahler · 03-28-2008, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gypsychris

Also, the auto fill function does not work. - Where do we look for the solenoid? Any ideas? Thanks - I will put more pictures up soon

I think there might be a little bit of confusion here. I'm assuming since you were staying in a campground you were probably trying to hook up to city water. When doing so the system bypasses the fresh water tank and ties directly into the system. Also your water pump is not used while on city water. Once you connect the city water hose to the motorhome and turn the water on at the spigot you should have water pressure inside.

If this is not the case then you're going to have to start checking out the piping to see where the problem lies.

Good luck!

Brad

balrgn · 03-28-2008, 08:43 AM

I have seen them at Wal Mart and Camping world. I keep on handy, the standard hose fits into a 4" PVC pipe for cleaner storage

bkahler · 03-28-2008, 09:23 AM

Have you been keeping tabs on your gas mileage? If so what kind of mileage are you getting?

Brad

Minnie's Mate · 03-28-2008, 11:54 AM

I couldn't remember if the new Beetle was front wheel or rear wheel drive. If front, then there isn't a driver shaft per se, but the wheels will still turn the transmission and the gears need the lubrication of the transmission fluid. Many cars can be towed without damage, but some will result in damage unless precautions are taken. Some Saturns and some Suburbans have transmissions that recirculate the transmission fluid while being towed in neutral (automatics) and some automatic transmission automobiles require that the drive shafts be disconnected to be towed for any distance.

The Beetle may be one that can be safely towed four down in neutral (manual) but I'd rather see you be certain than to take the word of a hitch dealer that wants to sell you a hitch and doesn't expect to see you again.

Good luck and happy trails!