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Old 08-30-2017, 08:22 AM   #1
Otacon
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Default Questions For anyone who may know.

Alright guys to introduce myself a bit better and explain some things.

The names Jon. Living in AZ on the river area near Laughlin NV. Bought a 1989 Gulfstream Classic Hi-Rise M8343CH with the wife and am currently customizing it for travel.

Some quick facts about the motorhome:
1989 Gulfstream Classic Hi-Rise M8343CH
John Deere Chassis
Ford 460 Motor (runs strong)
All the other stuff that comes with that model.

I have tried to find out all the information that I could about this motorhome and really cant find much.

I need some advice on some things and some quick information on others if possible. So Im hoping I can get all the information I need from you seasoned Veterans here.

First thing that I am seeking are some wiring diagrams for the Motorhome. I am thinking about upgrading to a 50 amp system from the current 30 amp in the motorhome. I would like to have the wiring diagrams to go over with an electrician to rewire / changeout the 28 year old wiring without causing too many issues. Does anyone know where I can get these old diagrams. I called Gulfstream and it seems they have purged their stuff for like anything older than like 1996. But having these diagrams or a basic understanding of how the thing is wired would be of great help.

Second thing is how many of you guys have customized their motorhomes. So far we have pretty much gutted the inside of ours down to almost walls and floor. Would you guys recommend getting a general contractor to help with the process? We are basically making it into a house to live in for a couple of years on the road. Cause why not right?

Now onto some important things.

Tires!?
The tires on the beast right now are 8R19.5's. Ive been looking at some tires to replace the ones on there as I dont know how old nor how many miles are on them. The couple of questions I have here are:
Are 8R19.5's the same as 8/R-19.5's as listed on some sites.
Is it worth it to make the switch to 225/70R-19.5 as some places suggest?
And without getting new rims is it even possible even though the 225/70R-19.5 have a wider seat need?
What would you recommend tires wise for this size 8R19.5?
I am looking at either Hankook AH11's, Gladiator QR55-ST's, or some Sampson tires at a local shop. Which would you guys get?

The Hankooks, and the Gladiators would be online purchases for the tires shipped to my door. Then I would have to pay for mount and balance. I have seen that some places charge around $200 a tire for mount and balance. Is this true or am I researching the wrong places? Also would be able to finance these tires through the sites a little bit easier than trying to come up with $2k in cash. Which would help out greatly.

The Sampson tires at the local shop would be for $2000 out the door for 6 tires. Mounted balanced and on the rig. This is straight out cash though for these. Might be a better option but obviously alot harder to come up with $2k cash in hand right now.


Financing!?
I was wondering if you guys have found any places that might do small loans for customization of motorhomes. Say a loan for like $15k - $20k. Either that or something that can be classified as a mortgage for around $20k. That way I can make monthly payments and just get the thing done in a year vrs 2 years or so. Personal loans deny you when they ask what its for. So just curious if there is a place people have found out about to help people like me.

Air Conditioners!?
Our motorhome has dual air conditioners one in the bedroom and one in the living room area. I know there is a switch or something somewhere to allow for the rear air conditioner to work. But I cannot find it anywhere in the motorhome. There are two different thermostats in the motorhome as well. Do those make a difference? We only had it hooked up to 120volt for testing to see if they worked and could only get the front one to kick on. What do you guys recommend to test this further.

I have much more to ask but I figure this is enough for the first post. Thanks ahead of time for the help and I hope to contribute all I can to this forum once I am done with it. Thanks Jon
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Old 08-30-2017, 08:57 AM   #2
Chuck v
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Regarding financing -- according to NADA a perfect example of your model coach is worth about $10,000 at present...since yours is gutted it is worth far less. I suspect that no bank or institution would loan anything on a vehicle more than 25 years old in that condition.

Tires -- ALWAYS replace tires that are more than 8 years old. In this century, DOT has a date code on the sidewall, so check it out. I have no other specific guidance on tire sizes as my coach uses much larger wheels/tires, but radials would probably be OK.
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Old 08-30-2017, 09:19 AM   #3
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It is a 34' footer. And the tires are commercial size. I dont know what larger tires there are minus going to tractor tires... lol But thank you.
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Old 08-30-2017, 10:12 AM   #4
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Sorry for causing any confusion Jon,

I was not indicating a change in tire size was needed for your 34 foot gas coach, just that my direct tire experiences were limited to the much larger ones on my 32,400 pound 42 foot long diesel pusher coach that uses 22.5 inch rims...

Chuck
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Old 08-30-2017, 11:45 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck v View Post
Sorry for causing any confusion Jon,

I was not indicating a change in tire size was needed for your 34 foot gas coach, just that my direct tire experiences were limited to the much larger ones on my 32,400 pound 42 foot long diesel pusher coach that uses 22.5 inch rims...

Chuck
Trade me.... lmao. Jk.
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Old 09-04-2017, 08:25 PM   #6
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Anyone else have some input at all possibly?
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Old 09-09-2017, 09:16 AM   #7
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Hi Jon,

For the tires, personally I would go to a truck repair facility and inquire about replacing / balancing the tires. You are talking pretty heavy duty tires and the normal auto places don't have the equipment or the experience. Also, check with Family Motor Home Assoc membership. If you are a member they have a discount program for Michelin tires. Personally I would go with either the Goodyear or Michelin's. If you have ever been in a blowout (I have), tires are the one area you don't want to have a low budget. It is like buying a $10,000 motorcycle and then getting a cheap helmet. For the AC unit, have you found the fuse box - normally the AC units are on separate breakers, or the GFI (if there is one) in the bathroom could be connected to the rear AC.

All the best
Bill
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Old 09-21-2017, 12:45 AM   #8
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re: Dual AC Units on 50a service: 1) From what I read, dual units still run on 120v, and the 50a service essentially provides (2) 120v circuits, each AC Unit running on opposite circuits.
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