New Greyhawk 29MV!

[gprapim]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

Will do!



I had the concern about it not helping the wandering as well, but like I said, my nightmares are made of a front-tire blowout. If this add-on will help me in any way to deal with that possibility, it's money well spent. If it "fixes" the wandering, that's a significant bonus. If it doesn't, the alignment to adjust caster up to around +5.5 will move back up the priority list. I'll keep y'all updated on my progress and results!!

Thank you. I agree with your thinking. I’ll be waiting to hear about your trip.

[Camper_bob]

Busy weekend!

Friday night I finished applying Thermo-Tec to the doghouse. It was frustrating to say the least. I kept cutting the pieces upside down!! Anyway, I got that all finished.

Next I got the front passenger seat out and applied the remaining Thermo-Tec to the floorboard. I used almost all of it up here, but I retained a piece for the driver side floor panel. For the spots that didn't get covered, I had another Thermo-Tec product that doesn't have sticky backing. It just has a foil side and then a "fabric" side. More like traditional underlayment. I used that to fill in wherever I could, got the passenger seat back in and called it a night.

Worked at the office Saturday morning, and finished up a few other little things Saturday night.

Sunday morning I changed the oil in the generator. Whoa, it needed it bad. I really waited too long for that. It should have been changed at 50 hours, and I have 71 on the clock. From now on, it'll be every 100 hours.

I also installed the Hatch Lift on the rear "wet" cargo bay. Installation would've been super easy except I had to hold the dang door open while I was working on it! Oh well, I'm happy with the results, and the kit was complete and instructions were clear.

Then I went to take the driver's seat out to finish insulating the cab and decided it wasn't worth the trouble since I couldn't reach the rear two hold-down nuts. So I just did the areas I cold reach with the carpet pulled up.

After I got that done, I went to reinstall the doghouse and button everything up and discovered that one of the reasons I had heat coming out the top of the doghouse is that there were wires hanging down across the seal that shouldn't have been! So I grabbed some zip ties and secured them up out of the way so the doghouse could seal completely all around.

I was also able to finish adjusting my new U-bolts for the Hellwig. I adjusted all 4 corners down to 1" off the OEM leaf pack. The instructions call for a maximum adjustment of 1/4", but apparently Hellwig tech support says to put them at 2". I decided to shoot for somewhere in between at 1". We'll see how that affects ride if at all. But at least I know they're actually doing something now instead of just hanging out back there.

We'll see how it all comes out...

Pics following with explanations...

[Camper_bob]

Insulating dog house and front cab floorboards:

[Camper_bob]

Installing Hatch Lift:

I decided to put the bottom bracket on the radius at the bottom of the opening. It is a bit of a gamble here as only 2 screws secure that ball mount. But those screws bite into some serious material all the way through, so I'm confident they'll hold just fine.

About the only other option that made any sense was to mount one of the other styles to the floor of the compartment, but I REALLY didn't like how that was going to work.

[Camper_bob]

Hellwig U-Bolt adjustment:

There have been a few threads on this dating back to some time around 2014. Jayco began installing a Hellwig product as part of the J-Ride Plus package. I believe they installed LP-25, but some say it's the LP-35. Either way, this is installed on the naked chassis before Jayco takes possession and is not touched after the house is added to the chassis.

If you look up instructions for the LP-25/35 products, they state the maximum adjustment for these helpers is up to 1/4" off the OEM leaf pack. MorRyde (or whoever installs the Hellwig helpers) installs them at the minimum adjustment of 4" or so. At this adjustment, they are basically just bolted on; they provide no benefit. In fact, I was able to move them around with just my hands as they were originally installed.

When I went to adjust the springs, one of the nuts had seized onto the U-bolt for some reason. Either the jam nut was tightened too tight or there was enough slop in the part during suspension cycling to cause the threads to strip. Either way, I could not move the adjustment nut. So I had a buddy of mine make me a new U-bolt and I cut the original off. The threads on the new one weren't "deep" enough, so I had to use spacers.

Anyway, all is adjusted properly now, so we'll see if there's any improvement in handling. I won't be able to tell if just this provides an improvement as I'll also be installing the Roadmaster Reflex steering stabilizer before I get a chance to drive the rig.

[gprapim]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

Insulating dog house and front cab floorboards:

Nice job, let us know how the insulation works out. If you feel it is truly worth the effort, I’ll put it in my GreyHawk too.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by gprapim

Nice job, let us know how the insulation works out. If you feel it is truly worth the effort, I’ll put it in my GreyHawk too.

Will do.

But I won't be able to say if this in itself helps since I did so many things at once. I took a "shotgun" approach and insulated just about everything I could access easily. The only thing I haven't gotten to is the doors, and that's only because I ran out of material. Soon I will order another roll and get into those as well.

As a recap, I supplemented insulation in the doghouse (and cleared some wires that were keeping it from sealing correctly), insulated the floorboards, and laid a layer of Reflectix under the mattress on the overhead bunk.

[gprapim]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

Will do.



But I won't be able to say if this in itself helps since I did so many things at once. I took a "shotgun" approach and insulated just about everything I could access easily. The only thing I haven't gotten to is the doors, and that's only because I ran out of material. Soon I will order another roll and get into those as well.



As a recap, I supplemented insulation in the doghouse (and cleared some wires that were keeping it from sealing correctly), insulated the floorboards, and laid a layer of Reflectix under the mattress on the overhead bunk.

My wife has mentioned that the passenger floor and the floor space between the seats gets to warm. I have felt the dog house, and it gets warm, but not overly so. I will most likely pull her seat and do that area and the center area as well.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by gprapim

My wife has mentioned that the passenger floor and the floor space between the seats gets to warm. I have felt the dog house, and it gets warm, but not overly so. I will most likely pull her seat and do that area and the center area as well.

That's one of the reasons I decided to attack this particular mod. I was sitting in the passenger area barefoot on our last trip, and the floor was VERY hot. Also, the cab area is NOISY. Thermo-Tec is supposed to mitigate BOTH of those problems, so I thought I would give it a try. That stuff is not overly expensive, and the areas I insulated are easy to access. I pulled the doghouse, and there is some insulation in there, but I thought it could use some help.

Also, another user here on the forum applied just the Thermo-Tec to his floorboards and said he noticed a significant improvement.

I pulled up the vinyl floor in the cab when I took the doghouse out and was astounded to see that there was NO heat barrier, and very little insulation. I could easily see daylight through the screw holes in the stamped sheet metal. A lot of the area was basically just the thin vinyl floor laying directly on the sheet metal. There were a couple very small "heat barriers" applied to two "key" areas of the floorboard, but they must have been some kind of joke because their effectiveness would have been very little at best. It was seriously a waste of money for Ford to put them in.

Since most of our travels are across South Texas, I figured ANY attempt at insulation would be an improvement. The roads here get SUPER hot, and Ford's Triton is a known heat generator.

[Jimmyd]

Thanks Bob nice job. Glad you were able to get the doghouse insulated and the struts on the cargo door. I agree that the floor gets very hot between the seats. I had to get a gate to keep our little dog from sleeping there as he was cooking on the floor. He now is forced to stay in the back. It’s also safer for him and us.
Have you ever put Refletix inside the back wall of the cabinets? Another forum that I was on with my previous coach several owners who spend lots of time in the desert used this and said it worked great. Not very pretty but may be worth a shot. Have fun!! Jimmyd

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Jimmyd

Thanks Bob nice job. Glad you were able to get the doghouse insulated and the struts on the cargo door. I agree that the floor gets very hot between the seats. I had to get a gate to keep our little dog from sleeping there as he was cooking on the floor. He now is forced to stay in the back. It’s also safer for him and us.
Have you ever put Refletix inside the back wall of the cabinets? Another forum that I was on with my previous coach several owners who spend lots of time in the desert used this and said it worked great. Not very pretty but may be worth a shot. Have fun!! Jimmyd

Inside the kitchen cabinets does get hot, but I haven’t gone there yet.

[gprapim]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

That's one of the reasons I decided to attack this particular mod. I was sitting in the passenger area barefoot on our last trip, and the floor was VERY hot. Also, the cab area is NOISY. Thermo-Tec is supposed to mitigate BOTH of those problems, so I thought I would give it a try. That stuff is not overly expensive, and the areas I insulated are easy to access. I pulled the doghouse, and there is some insulation in there, but I thought it could use some help.



Also, another user here on the forum applied just the Thermo-Tec to his floorboards and said he noticed a significant improvement.



I pulled up the vinyl floor in the cab when I took the doghouse out and was astounded to see that there was NO heat barrier, and very little insulation. I could easily see daylight through the screw holes in the stamped sheet metal. A lot of the area was basically just the thin vinyl floor laying directly on the sheet metal. There were a couple very small "heat barriers" applied to two "key" areas of the floorboard, but they must have been some kind of joke because their effectiveness would have been very little at best. It was seriously a waste of money for Ford to put them in.



Since most of our travels are across South Texas, I figured ANY attempt at insulation would be an improvement. The roads here get SUPER hot, and Ford's Triton is a known heat generator.

I too travel mostly in hot temps, since I live in AZ. Where did you say you purchased the insulation?

[in the wind]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

Busy weekend!

Friday night I finished applying Thermo-Tec to the doghouse. It was frustrating to say the least. I kept cutting the pieces upside down!! Anyway, I got that all finished.

Next I got the front passenger seat out and applied the remaining Thermo-Tec to the floorboard. I used almost all of it up here, but I retained a piece for the driver side floor panel. For the spots that didn't get covered, I had another Thermo-Tec product that doesn't have sticky backing. It just has a foil side and then a "fabric" side. More like traditional underlayment. I used that to fill in wherever I could, got the passenger seat back in and called it a night.

How much should I buy to do the dog house and the floor..Thanks Bob

[in the wind]

Just went out and looked at my dog house and both bottom clamps weren't even tightened down properly. PO did that.

[Camper_bob]

I ordered Thermo-Tec from Amazon:

This is what I used to insulate the AC units, the doghouse, and most of the floor under the driver/passenger. ETA: Sorry, I used 2 rolls for all of that and came up just a little bit short.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also used this per some recommendations I found in my research. Many said to use BOTH products and that would work the best. I used this second product to supplement the sticky stuff in areas I couldn't cover or couldn't reach.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Camper_bob]

Update with preliminary results:

Just for a refresher on what I'm reporting results on: Installation of Roadmaster Reflex Steering stabilizer, adjustment to Hellwig Helper springs to 1" off the OEM leaf pack, and installation of sound and heat insulation in the driving compartment.

I was able to get my Roadmaster Reflex steering stabilizer installed last night (ordered from Etrailer; I had to order the stabilizer and the mounting bracket separately, but both were in stock and I paid a little to have them shipped faster so I could get it installed before we leave). Installation is relatively easy except that it seems like EVERY fastener used by Ford (you must remove the OEM steering damper), and/or by Roadmaster is a different size. I spent more time digging for the right socket/wrench than I did on the installation itself. Ratcheting wrenches are helpful here since clearances are difficult on some of the fasteners.

Roadmaster Reflex results: I took the Greyhawk on about a 15 mile test loop that included virtually all driving conditions I will face. High speed and low speed country roads, some smooth and some not, city driving (like downtown city; we stopped for ice cream!) that included speeds as low as 30 and as high as 45, and even some high speed interstate driving. Much of the journey even had a pretty stiff cross wind for good measure!!

Overall, results are extremely positive. I'm tempering my excitement and analysis as I wasn't quite loaded like I normally would be, and even 15 miles is a pretty short test loop. I immediately noticed less input required on the steering wheel to keep the rig going straight down the road, so the rig is MUCH easier to control; steering inputs are smaller and less frequent. Cross winds are much easier to deal with, as are wind buffets from passing vehicles. I was able to experience passing a tractor and trailer, and then being passed by same. When I passed him, the wind pushed me over some, and when he passed me, not as much. So, the rig still moves a bit, but the steering input to control that movement is much more "calm", predictable, and precise. The wheel returns to center with more force coming out of a turn which is very nice. I can let the steering do the work instead of having to actively turn the wheel back the other way coming out of a turn. I will update more after a long journey, but preliminary results are EXTREMELY promising.

Hellwig Helper Adjustment: This has been discussed on the forum going back to at least 2014. The Hellwig helpers that J-Ride equipped units come with are set to a minimum adjustment, which basically amounts to them being not much more than bolted on. Apparently if you ask, Jayco will say "leave them alone" and Hellwig will tell you to tighten them to 2". Their printed instructions say you can go as tight as 1/4". I adjusted mine down to 1" off the OEM leaf pack (after having to replace one of the U-bolts). DW said she thought the ride was better in the rear of the coach. She also admitted that she's not very good at judging these things. When I make a suspension enhancement or tweak on any of our vehicles, she never admits to feeling a difference.

From the driver's seat, I noticed an improvement. Body roll was less pronounced, and I did indeed feel like the ride was smoother. Not that the ride was ever what I would consider "harsh". I would say it was time well spent getting that right, and this could contribute to better handling in the front end as well.

Sound/temperature insulation in driving compartment: I noticed right away that engine drone under acceleration was MUCH less pronounced. Previously I remember thinking how loud that V-10 can get when you get it spun up; last night it wasn't so bad. Driving down the road, I could hear and understand DW and DS talking in regular tones of voice from the rear where previously I MIGHT have been able to hear mumbling. As far as temperature, I didn't drive enough to evaluate that IMO; I will know more on that during our road trip coming up. I will say that I did not shoot baseline temps around the cab, so any improvement will be subjective, same with sound deadening, I didn't take decibel readings before the mods (I have an app for that).

Overall, across all of the mods I did, I would say there is marked improvement, and for right now, I would say it was money and time well spent. Again, I will refrain from putting my "stamp of approval" on any of this until after our upcoming long road trip since I will have PLENTY of time in the cockpit to give a definite thumbs up or down...

[in the wind]

Nice review, sounds like your mods made a difference.

BTW, Did I read you right, you don't have carpet in the cab floor? Just vinyl?

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by in the wind

Nice review, sounds like your mods made a difference.

BTW, Did I read you right, you don't have carpet in the cab floor? Just vinyl?

That is correct. The cab floor is standard automotive vinyl with a soft jute backing. Except that I think of jute being more like straw, kind of rough, this is more like denim threads or random cotton threads, all mashed together. It offers very little in the areas of insulation or sound deadening.

Really, I like the fact that my rig has no carpet. I had a small amount of carpet in my trailer, and I didn't like it at all. Of course, we have rugs that we throw down, but the rig has no carpet.

That gives me an idea though; perhaps I can put down some kind of rug in the cab area? I dunno, I'll have to think about that...

[Camper_bob]

I also forgot to mention that while I was down there installing the Roadmaster Reflex, I noticed that I still have the Ford OEM sway bar up front. Hellwig (and others) make an upgrade.

Something else to add to the list...

[in the wind]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

That is correct. The cab floor is standard automotive vinyl with a soft jute backing. Except that I think of jute being more like straw, kind of rough, this is more like denim threads or random cotton threads, all mashed together. It offers very little in the areas of insulation or sound deadening.

Really, I like the fact that my rig has no carpet. I had a small amount of carpet in my trailer, and I didn't like it at all. Of course, we have rugs that we throw down, but the rig has no carpet.

That gives me an idea though; perhaps I can put down some kind of rug in the cab area? I dunno, I'll have to think about that...

Mine has carpet, I kind of like it. Maybe you could get a carpet kit for a van front.
http://www.qualitycarmats.com/FloorM...yABEgIRTvD_BwE