1998 Tradewinds, Diesel Pusher Motohome

[Handy Don 16,857]

Looking good. Headlights need a re-aiming!

[Pullstart 70,347]

37 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Looking good. Headlights need a re-aiming!

I have four new LED bulbs to install and aim.  It’s funny, this coach takes the old school 2B1 bulbs that are high and low beam.  The outer bulbs are wired for low and the inners for high.  Since I am changing to LED and the load will be lesser, I plan to make them all work, when asked to.  A machine this large, good lighting seems crucial to me.

 

Fun fact, that was one item on the coach that Julie and David were not sure if they worked.  They owned it for 17 years and never drove in the dark!  

[Handy Don 16,857]

12 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

I have four new LED bulbs to install and aim.  It’s funny, this coach takes the old school 2B1 bulbs that are high and low beam.  The outer bulbs are wired for low and the inners for high.  Since I am changing to LED and the load will be lesser, I plan to make them all work, when asked to.  A machine this large, good lighting seems crucial to me.

 

Fun fact, that was one item on the coach that Julie and David were not sure if they worked.  They owned it for 17 years and never drove in the dark!  

Totally agree on good lighting (that’s why I noticed it 😉) however I’m very sensitive to the risk of too much light, especially for oncoming and near-ahead drivers.

Since your coach’s wiring already accommodates separate high and low beam circuits I hope your plan is to add diodes of adequate capacity that will let you power both high and low from the “high side” but only the lows from the “low side." 

I’ve also become a solid fan of my car’s auto-dimming system which uses a video camera and software instead of a simple sensor to detect situations where dimming is appropriate. It can remarkably reliably detect (and quickly react to) oncoming headlights, taillights of a vehicle ahead within radar range (~350 meters), overhead street lights, blinding fog, or daylight.

[ebinmaine 79,452]

1 hour ago, Pullstart said:

machine of any size driven in the dark,

 

good lighting seems crucial to me.

Fixed that for you

[Pullstart 70,347]

1 hour ago, Handy Don said:

Totally agree on good lighting (that’s why I noticed it 😉) however I’m very sensitive to the risk of too much light, especially for oncoming and near-ahead drivers.

Since your coach’s wiring already accommodates separate high and low beam circuits I hope your plan is to add diodes of adequate capacity that will let you power both high and low from the “high side” but only the lows from the “low side." 

I’ve also become a solid fan of my car’s auto-dimming system which uses a video camera and software instead of a simple sensor to detect situations where dimming is appropriate. It can remarkably reliably detect (and quickly react to) oncoming headlights, taillights of a vehicle ahead within radar range (~350 meters), overhead street lights, blinding fog, or daylight.

I do not plan to run both high and low at the same time, but I will have the ability to run 4 low beams or 4 high beams at once.  

[Handy Don 16,857]

20 hours ago, Pullstart said:

I do not plan to run both high and low at the same time, but I will have the ability to run 4 low beams or 4 high beams at once.  

So the LEDs have separate brightness and aim points for “high” and “low"?

I know that Rivian has figured out (and has the only U.S. certified version of) matrix LED tech, also called adaptive headlights. 

Running 4 wide and long illumination high beams will be great for your visibility but could be very intimidating to an oncoming or ahead vehicle, even across a median. Even 4 low beams can put out a lot more light than some state regs permit (32 candlepower or ~400 lumens in NY).

I know that Michigan does not require universal annual vehicle inspections but headlight performance is part of the NYS annual inspection regime (though I concede that some inspectors are less than diligent on areas where there is no income stream opportunity for remediating non-compliance).

[Pullstart 70,347]

16 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

So the LEDs have separate brightness and aim points for “high” and “low"?

yep 

 

16 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Running 4 wide and long illumination high beams will be great for your visibility but could be very intimidating to an oncoming or ahead vehicle, even across a median. Even 4 low beams can put out a lot more light than some state regs permit (32 candlepower or ~400 lumens in NY).

I’ll make it selectable, for that reason 

 

17 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Michigan does not require universal annual vehicle inspections

I saw a 2011 or so Chevy 1500 pickup yesterday with the majority of the box cut off with a sawzall, so it was a frame width “flat bed” if you will.  The frame was so rusted the section behind the cab was at about a 30 degree angle.  Sometimes I wish we did have a safety inspection.   They might feel safe, but my kid could be in the oncoming lane when it rips loose.  

[Handy Don 16,857]

3 hours ago, Pullstart said:

They might feel safe, but my kid could be in the oncoming lane when it rips loose.  

Well said.

[Pullstart 70,347]

On 4/29/2026 at 9:54 PM, AlexR said:

CAT motors are the Cats meow! 

I’m reading and learning and watching videos on these engines and have found the Adept Ape YouTube channel.  Lots of good information there!

 

 

[Pullstart 70,347]

Yesterday Eloise and Cylvia went camping!

 

Our friend’s pusher “Cylvia” has the 8.3 Cummins that I longed for so badly. Eloise has the 7.2 3126 CAT.  Accelerating to highway speeds, or off highway, I felt very light on the throttle.  When we arrived to the campground about an hour and a half away, he mentioned how he could not keep up with me on take offs.  Once again, the 100 hp lesser engine has impressed me!

 

Happy 250th Independence Day, America!

[WHX?? 57,257]

That setup would look really good at Portage... that's where you was supposed to take it's cherry... 

[Pullstart 70,347]

4 hours ago, WHX?? said:

That setup would look really good at Portage... that's where you was supposed to take it's cherry... 

 

You know I’d love to be there… 

[Pullstart 70,347]

One of the last steps in this camper switcheroo of the last year, I’m heading to Pratt, KS to deliver the toy hauler.

It’s 3 am and as soon as Norman warms up a bit it’s wheels up!

 

[953 nut 67,148]

[Handy Don 16,857]

6 hours ago, Pullstart said:

It’s 3 am and as soon as Norman warms up a bit it’s wheels up!

Solo or with company?

[squonk 47,204]

All this RV talk takes me back to the 80's when I worked at an RV dealer. The way they were built back then, you didn't want to tow anything bigger than a little TSC trailer with a Lawn Ranger on it. We had a certified welder in plenty of times to reinforce hitches and frames. 

 

Power wise, Winnebago had a Renault 4 popper diesel connected to a 5 speed manual putting out a whopping 43 HP. Then they added a Turbo and upped it to like 75. Old ladies in Chevettes would blow your doors off at stoplights! Turbo engines also liked to come apart at the seams. Had one where a piston came out of the block and hit the starter. The starter was bolted to the transmission bell housing so it snapped that in half!

[ebinmaine 79,452]

2 minutes ago, squonk said:

Old ladies in Chevettes would blow your doors off at stoplights

 

That's pretty slow

[squonk 47,204]

50 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

That's pretty slow

I drove a class a motor home with a 6.2 diesel to a Buffalo Bills game full of friends once. On the way home one of my buddies said he would buy me a beer if I managed to pass one car on the Thruway. I found an old lady in a Chevette!

[Pullstart 70,347]

9 hours ago, Handy Don said:

Solo or with company?

My buddy Aaron is helping pilot.  We have sold the 5th wheel and are cruising home empty.  Woo hoo!

[Handy Don 16,857]

1 hour ago, Pullstart said:

My buddy Aaron is helping pilot.  We have sold the 5th wheel and are cruising home empty.  Woo hoo!

It is more than a buddy who’s willing to take a 2,000 mile road trip to keep you company and help pilot. 

 

So down to a school bus that still needs converting!? 

Edited 56 minutes ago by Handy Don

[Pullstart 70,347]

47 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

It is more than a buddy who’s willing to take a 2,000 mile road trip to keep you company and help pilot. 

 

So down to a school bus that still needs converting!? 

We definitely do each other favors.  They have had their Motorhome parked at our house most the summer so far, since most of their camping trips are on this side of the state.  They live 100miles east.  He helped a ton with the last of the back yard pool project too, and he has a gift coming Friday that he’s not aware of.  
 

We have Colleen the school bus on Alcoas, and Eloise the diesel pusher.