Winnebago tour 2013QD

[Ranger Rick]

Have a few questions regarding my tourQD and hope to get some answers from more seasoned QD owners.

1. Would like to install two solar panels and would like to know the best entry point thru the rear portion of roof to connect combiner box to controller.

2. Where is the best place to connect controller to AGM house batteries? Seems like a very long run from rear of coach to battery bank in forward bay. Noticed two jumping posts to coach batt. In compartment with chassis batt, would this be a good connection point?

3. Anyone experiencing a fairly harsh ride on rough roads? Seems like right front corner bottoms out when hitting a rut in the road. My 09 tour had straight front axle and I was hoping for a softer ride from IFS, a bit disappointed. Ride height, tire pressure, alignment and MCD all good. Koni does not make a front shock for the zf-ifs XML chassis. Have I over looked something?

4. Anyone come up with a fix for driver window wind noise? Have played with mirror position ANC weep hole covers, not much luck.

5. Coach feels like you are experiencing a mild earthquake when washer is on spin cycle. Looks like it is rigidly attached to a plywood platform. Maybe some rubber mounts would help?

Lots of question, we do love our Tour, just a few annoying minor issues. Look forward to your advice and suggestions.

[toddb]

Originally Posted by Ranger Rick

Have a few questions regarding my tourQD and hope to get some answers from more seasoned QD owners.

1. Would like to install two solar panels and would like to know the best entry point thru the rear portion of roof to connect combiner box to controller.

2. Where is the best place to connect controller to AGM house batteries? Seems like a very long run from rear of coach to battery bank in forward bay. Noticed two jumping posts to coach batt. In compartment with chassis batt, would this be a good connection point?

3. Anyone experiencing a fairly harsh ride on rough roads? Seems like right front corner bottoms out when hitting a rut in the road. My 09 tour had straight front axle and I was hoping for a softer ride from IFS, a bit disappointed. Ride height, tire pressure, alignment and MCD all good. Koni does not make a front shock for the zf-ifs XML chassis. Have I over looked something?

4. Anyone come up with a fix for driver window wind noise? Have played with mirror position ANC weep hole covers, not much luck.

5. Coach feels like you are experiencing a mild earthquake when washer is on spin cycle. Looks like it is rigidly attached to a plywood platform. Maybe some rubber mounts would help?

Lots of question, we do love our Tour, just a few annoying minor issues. Look forward to your advice and suggestions.

Rick,

Have a 2011 42QD so close....

1) I installed 5 solar panels on top. More correctly AM Solar in Eugene did for me. The entry they used was the same one the factory used for their dinky 10w panel. It's directly above the hallway cabinet with slide controls, Onan 30 controller, tank status etc.

2) The controller went in the bay just aft of the double opening bay passenger side (with slide out). That's very close vertically to the roof entry and only a short 4-5 foot run to the AGM batteries under the slide out tray.

3) Can't help you there, I have a solid front axle in my 2011. I did have Henderson Lineup install Koni FSDs all around.

4) I just use black electrical tape and tape the holes when driving. That does kill the wind noise. The weep hole covers don't make any difference on mine covered or not, taping the holes does reduce the wind noise dramatically. It's a PITA taping and untaping but it works.

5) Yep. Spin cycle shakes the house

Have 23K miles on ours now in 2 years. Still love the it.

[bobmac]

Rick

Can't really help with the Tour but In my Journey, I connected my solar feed to the hot side of the house battery disconnect solenoid. It was about 2 feet from the breaker panel in the rear coach electrical compartment where I brought the feed into and where I mounted a new breaker for the feed to the batteries. It was much closer than the batteries, meant I could use a smaller cable and didn't have the caustic environment of the battery area with flooded batteries. There was also be a large ground connection point to the chassis there so that looked after everything. Sounds like the battery connection points on your Tour would be good as well. I put in two 100 watt panels and am getting atleast 10 amps out although I think much more at midday. Coach is in storage so have not been able to get a true picture of what is coming out. I have a 30 amp MPPT controller and am very impressed with the output. Think I will add a third panel when we return home. Good luck,

[ditto]

I have the same issue ...front end poor ride...we found it was made worse after we had the tag air pressure adjusted when we stopped at Gaffney sc factory freightliner service center. We are heading west in sept and forest city will be on our itinerary to have it checked...
Ours came with the 100 watt solar charger...bobmac post#3 above is a friend of mine...I am not going to let him show me up...I am also going to ask Winnebago about adding to my existing panel...

[Jbmsr]

Ditto
I have an appointment to have my coach weighed and tag axle adjusted in Gaffney soon. Please explain what you mean poor ride. If the ride was worse after they adjusted your tag maybe I should reconsider having it done. Your thoughts? And thanks

Jesse

Originally Posted by ditto

I have the same issue ...front end poor ride...we found it was made worse after we had the tag air pressure adjusted when we stopped at Gaffney sc factory freightliner service center. We are heading west in sept and forest city will be on our itinerary to have it checked...
Ours came with the 100 watt solar charger...bobmac post#3 above is a friend of mine...I am not going to let him show me up...I am also going to ask Winnebago about adding to my existing panel...

[two-niner]

We were pretty disappointed with our 2012 Tour ride. But after weighing and correct tire pressure it got somewhat better. But still not satisified as it wasn't much better than our 08 Tour.

On another forum "tire mounting matching" was mentioned. Googled it and saw an ad for Hunters Road Force balancing. They use it for Indy cars.

To shorten the story went to the only Road Force balancing in the Las Vegas valley on Blue Diamond Road (Firestone). They rotated the tire on the rim (twice for left front and once for right front) for $32.00 apiece. Left there, got on I-15 north, lo and behold, the ride was as smooth as glass. Best money I've spent on a coach.

Kerry

[ditto]

Jesse, I can't tell why the ride is poor. We feel every bump in the road..and when you encounter a washboard effect road...the ride is very poor...Gaffney weighed each wheel and reduced the pressure in the tag...which should have reduced weight on the front axel...I was running at 120 each wheel, now the front axel is 120 lbs and rear/ tag both 90 lbs,per freightliner.

I have always found Gaffney to Be the best...but they are 1000 miles away. So is the factory 1500... But we are going west anyways this fall.

[Jbmsr]

Thanks ditto

I will be in Gaffney June 7th.


Jesse

Originally Posted by ditto

Jesse, I can't tell why the ride is poor. We feel every bump in the road..and when you encounter a washboard effect road...the ride is very poor...Gaffney weighed each wheel and reduced the pressure in the tag...which should have reduced weight on the front axel...I was running at 120 each wheel, now the front axel is 120 lbs and rear/ tag both 90 lbs,per freightliner.

I have always found Gaffney to Be the best...but they are 1000 miles away. So is the factory 1500... But we are going west anyways this fall.

[Ranger Rick]

Could you tell me where the cable entry point for your solar panel is located? Interested in knowing where the factory ran the cable from the roof into the coach.

[ditto]

Jesse, I spoke with Freightliner today..they think the ride height is off...perhaps air bags not fully inflated..I will take it to a local Freightliner dealer Thursday.

[Jbmsr]

Originally Posted by ditto

Jesse, I spoke with Freightliner today..they think the ride height is off...perhaps air bags not fully inflated..I will take it to a local Freightliner dealer Thursday.

Thanks Ditto