Restoring 2000 Pleasure Way

[OldGit]

Hi all. I'm a retired old git, new to the board, and a new owner of a 2000 PW. The vehicle is in pretty good condition with a strong engine & drive train. Weak points appear to be electrics, some suspension issues, and a few plumbing repairs.

With respect to electrics, what is your opinion as to 6 versus 12 volt batteries? Has anyone installed a battery minder system with a solar trickle charger for downtime maintenance? I will be replacing the worn out coach battery with 2 new ones (6v or 12v) as well as the battery in the engine compartment. The unit has a small Onan generator, which will also need a bit of a tune up.

The suspension seems to function, but is a bit mushy. It has the factory installed air assist springs on the rear axle, which still hold air, after 102,000 miles. I may replace these, but will probably wait to see how the unit handles with a full load. Has anyone installed an anti-sway bar on a single wheel axle PW, and if so, what was the result. Front suspension has had some recent work, bushings etc., but has original springs and shocks. Has anyone replaced their front end springs with stiffer equipment? The shocks clearly need to be replaced.

Plumbing. The engineer who designed the waste system should be imprisoned for negligence. The waste dump valves are 6 inches off the roadway! This appears to be due to the waste line coming accross the undercarrige from the grey water tank, under the black water tank, to connect to the valve exit. Has anyone modified their systems by moving the black water tank inboard a few inches, allowing the waste line from the grey water tank to be routed around the side of the black water tank, thus arriving at the exit valve system 3 to 4 inches higher up?

Hey, any input is appreciated. I've got about a three month window to make the repairs and mods necessary before heading out onto the "Great Trek". Thanks in advance.

OldGit

 

[markopolo-ClassB]

Welcome to Class B Forum OldGit.
There are two Pleasure-Way specific forums that might interest you:

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Ple ... nersgroup/
and
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Pleasureway-RV/

That said, I really hope that you stick around here. :thumbup:
Sounds like you'll have some interesting projects to share.

A recent 6volt vs 12volt topic is here: http://www.classbforum.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2464

My van is plugged into grid power whenever I'm home. Continual maintenance charge. The converter/charger in my van is somewhat "smart". Automatic bulk, normal and maintenance modes. Coach and chassis batteries are all maintained together through a manual selector switch in my rig.

I used to use BatteryMinders for that task. My two BatteryMinders now maintain other batteries in my garage. Backup generator for power outages, lawn tractor batteries etc. I like BatteryMinder products and think their solar charging product would be good. I have 120 watts of solar panels on the van roof that would maintain my batteries but I park it in my garage.

You might find this topic interesting if you plan on extensive electrical upgrades: http://www.classbforum.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2123

Need someone else to help out here re: suspension, air assist springs, anti-sway bar, front end springs, shocks etc.

The lack of roadway clearance when it comes to waste plumbing is a fairly common complaint with Class B's. Would you gain an inch or two with the suspension upgrades you are considering? Maybe your van is sitting a bit low.

I do not recall ever reading about the modifications to the waste plumbing you are considering. Moving the black tank might be difficult unless you can see a way to extend a pipe. Usually there is very little space to work with under a Class B. The black tank (or a part of it) in my home-made campervan is immediately below the toilet. The toilet flange is threaded and it screws into the top of the tank. Yours might be different.

The black tank might actually be in two parts. A small tank immediately under the toilet coupled to the main black tank.

Have fun with these projects and I hope to see more posts from you.

 

[stanw909]

As far as ride hieght and saggy ride. Try pumping your airbags to the max. With over 100k miles if there was a problem wiyh the plumbing being too low that would equal broken pipes. If you are nervous or are planning to travel dirt roads then perhaps you need a lift kit. Enjoy.