Update On Our Momentum Project - Got It!

RamGunner

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2015
Messages
1,136
Location
Sandy, Utah
We got it today, and it was a long, interesting day. It was in fantastic shape, towed very well, but we ran into a Furrion show stopper when we got to our campsite. I wasn't able to get more than one photo, but I'll post a lot more tomorrow.

Project Updates at the bottom of the page... http://www.momentumgunner.com/momentum_project.html

I updated our Towing Notes as well. We took it straight from the dealer to a CAT Scale to get it weighed. http://www.momentumgunner.com/towing_notes.html

It tows very well behind our 2014 Ram 3500 DRW - even through messed up construction zones.

If you have any questions - ask. I'll do my best to answer them.
 
Wish I'd seen this a year ago. We full-time and I took the easy route and used bulkhead connectors in the wall to get to antenna connection. Of course my rigs are mounted on a desk rather than in the pass thru cabinets. Interesting project.
73,
NE5AH


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Great info, thanks for the write-ups. I look forward to reading all the details (a lot of good info for me as I have a 385)
 
Wish I'd seen this a year ago. We full-time and I took the easy route and used bulkhead connectors in the wall to get to antenna connection. Of course my rigs are mounted on a desk rather than in the pass thru cabinets. Interesting project.
73,
NE5AH

I was considering that same idea for the antennas - especially before I got to speak with Nate. Most of the manufacturers didn't want to talk about safe places to drill, etc. A bulkhead connection would be a reasonably safe choice. When I told Nate what we were up to, his lit up and said "you picked the very best spot" and explained exactly how I could do do it. That was SO refreshing of an attitude, and was incredibly helpful.

I'm getting ready to go try to exchange our power cord and see how fast we can get started this morning.
 
I'm getting ready to go try to exchange our power cord and see how fast we can get started this morning.

You might also look into a right angle adapter for the connection to the coach. (if you haven't already) It takes a lot of the stress off the connection.
 
The funny thing about that is that I contacted the factory with a set of questions that included that. I was told it wasn't an issue. I think the input port on the unit won't have issues, and if I had a good cord to start with I think it would be ok too. This would not even fit in up to the threads.

I'm at the dealer now.
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Just got back home a few minutes ago. They replaced it with a cord out of another Momentum and will get a replacement from Grand Design or Furrion. We will be on the way up to the trailer shortly.
 
I also had to have a new cord shipped to me under warranty. It was pulling apart after just a few months of use.

I'll have to flood at your project. What are you using for an HF antenna?


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The plan is to use an Icom AH-2b antenna and AH-4 tuner for HF work, but we also have a G5RV dipole and an Icom AT-180 tuner that we can deploy if necessary.

As for the Furrion power cords, I wasn't overly impressed with the construction of the first one. I'm reserving judgment on the replacement until it's been in service for a while.

I did make an SS2-50R to L14-30 cable for hooking up to a remote generator last week, and have a bunch of converter parts too. I still need to setup an SS2-50R to TT-30P cable.


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Man, I tried installing a CB in my last truck...But couldn't do anything but listen...:confused:
 
haven't even started looking in the coach for ideas yet, still trying to find a place in the new truck for a mobile idea, trying a temp mod in the dash to see if I like it, Ram didn't leave much room to mount anything, love my tried n true IC V8000 for mobile chit-chat

Steve AF7IS
 
Steve - I have 2 Icom 2720's which have the remote control head. I have the body mounted under my seat in the f 350 and the control head fit perfectly on top of the console by the dash. I used s Comet rs730 lip mount to get the antenna in without drilling holes.

It works out great because the wife and I are both hams, so she uses an HT to help give me guidance as we're pulling into spots.
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Man, I tried installing a CB in my last truck...But couldn't do anything but listen...:confused:

With CB's it's generally all in the antenna. If the connection isn't good or the antenna isn't tuned well enough, then it can damage the CB to the point where it won't transmit any more. I ran into this with a friend a few years back when offroading. He didn't know why he couldn't transmit. I checked the output and there was nothing. The antenna he had been using was terrible and the CB was toast. Replaced the antenna, cable, and CB and tuned the antenna and it worked fine.

I'm working on the writeup about our installation now. The CB runs to an antenna mount in one the bed stake holes. The 2m/70cm radio and scanner run to antennas mounted in the roof of the truck with drilled-in NMO mounts.
 
haven't even started looking in the coach for ideas yet, still trying to find a place in the new truck for a mobile idea, trying a temp mod in the dash to see if I like it, Ram didn't leave much room to mount anything, love my tried n true IC V8000 for mobile chit-chat

Steve AF7IS

We ended up getting a very long CB mount, putting it on the floor directly in front of the center seat up front, and mounting both the scanner and CB in that, but vertically rather than horizontally as intended. For the 2m/70cm radio, we mounted it on the floor in front of the other two radios. It ended up working pretty well.

I'll be fleshing out http://www.ramgunner.com/ram_radio_inst.htm shortly to show the scanner and antenna details. We don't have internet access yet at the trailer.
 
Well, we've been in it for a couple of days and nights now, and found a few issues that I'm planning to fix myself.

The hot and cold are reversed in the kitchen faucet
It seems like the AC units aren't getting into the ducts very well.
I think the flow on the kitchen faucet is a little weak - it seems like the bathrooms provide a little stronger flow. Pressure in the park is about 100PSI, regulated down to 50 PSI.

On the AC units, I suspect that tape is up there that others have found. I'm going to take one of them apart tonight and check, and then do the others if that's the case. I will say that the three of them work really well together to keep everything cool at 101-degrees ambient.

Overall, not bad at all. I'm working on updating the website, but we haven't had internet access yet to do so.
 
RamGunner, you mention on your blog that the awnings are adjustable. Do you mean you can lower one arm to create a tilt for rain runoff? Is that true for all the awnings or only the main one?
 
RamGunner, you mention on your blog that the awnings are adjustable. Do you mean you can lower one arm to create a tilt for rain runoff? Is that true for all the awnings or only the main one?

Both awnings are adjustable. What's nice is that the main one comes out far enough to cover my truck if I'm parked close enough to the tailer. In the 100+ heat of the last few days that was kind of nice.
 
I also went through the AC units a couple of days ago, and only the main one was partially open to the ducts. The garage and bedroom units were completely closed off. I opened them up and the performance REALLY improved. I'm a little concerned about something in the main living area. There are two vents over the upper bunk area that put out plenty of air. There are also three others over the main living area, and there isn't much flow through them at all. I'm a little concerned that they may be plugged or collapsed somewhere. I need to research that.
 
I just put a deposit on a 385TH and I have followed your posts and found much of your info informative and had a few questions. I have elected to go with the BW rvk 3600 which I believe is what your using, I also have a ram 3500, albeit a SRW vice your DRW but supposing they have a similar stance what height did you initially set your hitch too? i.e. lower, middle, upper set of holes? I have a short bed mega so I think I will be using the rear most holes but not sure on the height. Thanks
 
If your living room/bedroom is ducted like the 380Th, closing the bedroom vents will force all the ducted air into the living area, and vice versa. Once the rig is cooled down, we usually run the bedroom unit with the ducts closed to cool the living area, and run the living with the ducts open to cool the bedroom. YMMV


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