DX3 Onan RV8000QD Sliding Tray

[murraym]

Has anyone ordered, or requested, or installed a sliding tray for their generator for their DX3?
BClemens?

The way that it is installed into the compartment makes it impossible to lower the service hatch at the bottom of the generator, and very difficult to remove the hatch door. This makes it even more difficult to change the filters since the bottom coach body generator mounting frame obstructs the hatch. So you have to remove the screws to remove the entire door which would otherwise just lower for access. The screw closest to the mounting frame is also partially blocked.
A slider would make this so much easier to service and clean since it is completely exposed to all of the road salt and grime.
I tired looking for the part number for the slider, but the webernets is pretty vague as I only found a part number with a generic technical drawing of the generator slide and not actual photos of the slide or one installed.

As you can see the road salt is already playing havoc on the components.
[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

[joet19711]

Originally Posted by murraym

Has anyone ordered, or requested, or installed a sliding tray for their generator for their DX3?
BClemens?

The way that it is installed into the compartment makes it impossible to lower the service hatch at the bottom of the generator, and very difficult to remove the hatch door. This makes it even more difficult to change the filters since the bottom coach body generator mounting frame obstructs the hatch. So you have to remove the screws to remove the entire door which would otherwise just lower for access. The screw closest to the mounting frame is also partially blocked.
A slider would make this so much easier to service and clean since it is completely exposed to all of the road salt and grime.
I tired looking for the part number for the slider, but the webernets is pretty vague as I only found a part number with a generic technical drawing of the generator slide and not actual photos of the slide or one installed.

As you can see the road salt is already playing havoc on the components.
[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

Yes, very good idea, I would be interested as well.

However, my service door will open and I can get to the filter, spark arrester, etc.

[halla]

Cummins has a few listed on the PDF for RV accessories.

Not sure if one of these will work, but there is a heavy duty slide kit for the Onan 8000.
http://power.cummins.com/sites/defau...ures/f-832.pdf

[FOURWHL]

Huh I didnt have any issue getting my service door open. I ended up removing it the first time but that's because I didnt realize there was a hinge side.

What about using the jacks to buy you another couple of inches?

Not sure how sliding it out is going to buy you any more height, sounds like more things to maintain/break to me.

[jkoenig24]

Yeah, the genset in my 2015 DX3-37RB is BOLTED down in such a way as to BLOCK access. Changing the oil & filter should have been a 15 minute job. Because of the way Dynamax "engineers" designed and installed it, said oil & filter change takes a LOT longer than 15 minutes.


Even without a slideout tray, the genset could (and should) have been mounted so as to allow easy access to genset parts that required regular service. Somebody at Dynamax dropped the ball BIG TIME.

[bclemens]

We fired those people.

[FOURWHL]

Ahhhh I follow ya now. Mustve been a "Revision" for 2016

[murraym]

Originally Posted by FOURWHL

Huh I didnt have any issue getting my service door open. I ended up removing it the first time but that's because I didnt realize there was a hinge side.

What about using the jacks to buy you another couple of inches?

Not sure how sliding it out is going to buy you any more height, sounds like more things to maintain/break to me.

The generator is mounted to a sub frame the same dimension as the bottom of the of the generator main frame. The sub frame is made of angle iron and has tabs welded to the sides. The tabs are then bolted to the main basement compartment center front to rear bottom support frames. When they mounted the sub frame to the compartment basement center and outer support frames they should have located the main generator and sub frame on top of the compartment support frames based on the needed access to the service doors on the bottom of the generator before welding the tabs to the sub frame to mount to the compartment center and outer support frames.
What it looks like they did was just square up the sub frame edge to the compartment outer support frame edge and say, "looks good to me" and just welded and drilled without ensuring correct function for service.

The drop down service door is not only obstructed by the outer compartment frame, but they also in an attempt to make my life harder attached the exhaust pipe bracket to the same compartment outer support frame directly under the same access door. So that is two fails from either the same guy who installed it or two separate guys who just wanted to get it done. So I have to remove the service door screws, then retract the service door thumb latches and pull and wiggle and pry to even get the door off to clear the compartment outer support frame and also navigate it around the exhaust pipe.

There is also a 2" diameter hole at the back right of the generator for the actual exhaust pipe to exit the generator out the back and then down to be bracketed out of the way instead of all up in the way. The hole is for when the generator is sitting on a flat surface and not suspended as ours is. It still would have made more sense to use the hole instead of coming straight down in the way of the service areas.

On a side note of generator problems....
While in there I cut galvanized "chicken wire" with the smaller 1/4"x1/4" holes and clipped out the areas that need access and after unmounting the generator from the sub frame lifted it at the corners and slid the chicken wire in between the sub frame and the bottom of the generator. For the exhaust area as well as the air filter and cowl fan area, I clipped the chicken wire out, and then took the removed sections and used a stainless spring to wind/weave the sections back together to make a hinged door out of the chicken wire section. Then on the other end of the "door" I used stainless safety wire to secure the door back to the chicken wire opening to keep all of the rodents out of it. For the oil drain, I just clipped a 2"x2" opening since it is closed up anyway and a 3/8" drive is too heavy for mice to carry with them. I do not want to have to take a generator completely apart again to repair all of the main ac wires from the actual generator portion. My last toy hauler was at Camping World in Greenwood, Indiana for about 6 months because of their ineptness of not ever fixing it where the generator was also mauled by the infestation of rats or mice from their lot. It didn't happen at my place because I have 4 cats that lay waste to all living things and it worked before I dropped it off. It didn't when I picked it up in disgust and took it to Colerain RV in Beech Grove, Indiana where they fixed the issues it was at Camping World for in less than a week. So I know it happened at Camping World. I would strongly recommend everyone mouse proof their generator and stay away from any and all Camping Worlds as they are not only inept but will blatantly lie to your face company wide. Onan wanted $2500 to fix all the mouse damage (not their fault). So I did it myself for about $350 in parts and 2 days.

I want the generator slides so that the entire unit can be slid out of the compartment eliminating the sub frame all together since it mounts to the bottom and sides and all of the covers can be taken off to service the belt, clean the radiator, and all of the other standard services that are needed as I use it year round for trade shows. The only thing I would have to do is come up with a quick disconnect for the exhaust, and lengthen the wiring harnesses at the back to allow it to slide out.


While I was performing all the service yesterday, I noticed that the hydraulic reservoir for the jack stands was loose and could be moved back and forth literally 6". The manifold assembly mounting bracket was securely attached to the frame bracket with nylock nuts. However, whomever installed the component did not tighten the manifold to the actual mounting bracket with the two bolts. They had backed out a little over 1/4" and were well on their way to completely backing out which would have caused the entire hydrallic assembly to drop in transit and potentially cost thousands of dollars in damage.
At a minimum since there were no lock washers installed in between the bolt head face and the bracket through to the manifold, loctite should have been used. It was not. I was able to fit a 9/16" open box wrench in there and loosen them a little more to fit a bottle of loctite above the bolt threads and douse them with the loctite. I was them able to tighten them back down. This should be a QC check during production.

[jkoenig24]

Originally Posted by bclemens

We fired those people.

That doesn't help us folks who bought early when Moe, Larry, and Curly were building the DX3's

[halla]

Sawzall or plasma cutter?

[murraym]

Mine isn't even 2 years old. It's a late model 2015

[murraym]

I was told that I need 3" on each side with a bulkhead to mount the heavy duty slide to. I did end up speaking to service and they advised me that it was easier to remove the front panel than I had originally thought. I thought that removing the front panel would require access to the top and rear panel as well. Not the case. It is actually REALLY EASIER to access the oil filter as well as the fuel filter by removing the front large panel than climbing under and accessing the service door at the bottom.

You only need a 10mm socket to remove the 9 top and right side screws and the four bottom front screws. It only took a few minutes.



The four bottom screws are longer than the top and right perimeter screws so be sure to keep them separate.
[/URL][/IMG]

Once in there it was a lot easier to see what is going on and where everything is at. One thing I found to be a little concerning was that the antifreeze fill hose with the radiator cap on it that you pull out of the unit to fill the radiator is seriously crimped when you push it back into the unit to close it up.
[/URL][/IMG]

You can't see this without taking the front panel off.
[/URL][/IMG]

I tried sliding a larger diameter 1" heater hose section over the 3/4" fill hose to prevent it from crimping when pushed back in, but it just forced the crimps to another spot on the hose. It is a really crappy design. I looked for a non collapsing 3/4" hose to replace it but could not find anything except the really ridged hoses. I called Onan service again and asked about the hose being bent to a 90 degree angle and why they didn't put a non crimping hose instead. The service guy said that all of the old generators all the way up to the ones that they are making right now have that same length of heater hose that crimps to a 90 degree when it is reattached to the access cover and screwed down. He said that it isn't an issue due to the two smaller 1/4" hoses that come off of the cap fitting, one going to the top front of the actual radiator and the other going to the bottom of the coolant recovery tank. If the system overheats the fill line that goes to the bottom front of the radiator even though it is crimped won't be where the pressure builds. It will build from the top of the radiator where the 1/4" line goes directly to the cap and if it exceeds the caps rated 16psi it will then open the spring loaded cap. My issue with this is the premature wear on the hose having a 90 degree crimp in it weakening the hose wall. Oh well. At least I know how to access and replace it easier.

While I was in there, I used a compressed air wand to blow off all of the collected dirt off of all the components as it was relatively dirty. With the front main panel off, you could also easily spray water through the radiator fins with ease of course making sure to not douse the electrical components # 1 and more importantly ensuring that the generator is OFF and the batteries and battery cutoff solenoids are shut down so you don't get electrocuted.

ON A SIDE NOTE! WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!
The service tech emailed me a copy of the RB8000QD complete generator service manual, as well as the complete Kubota Engine Work Shop Manual. PM me if you want a copy.

Oh yeah. And here is why I do not and have never had any rodent problems on my property or in my coach or other vehicles. My cat Squirt came up while I was working on the generator to prove his worth with a mouthful of mouse.
He literally ate that bastard completely in one setting.
[/URL][/IMG]
[/URL][/IMG]

[joet19711]

Great info. It looks like it may be better than laying on the ground.

thanks for the tip..

Have cat that does the same ..

[bclemens]

Who knew the engineers were so smart...to design it in such a way, to force you to find the easier methods. Brilliant.

[CSWVK]

Really good info, great CAT!

[FOURWHL]

Awesome info. Will look at the front panel next time for sure!

Wish I had a cat like that patroling my barn....

[Delco Bobby]

Excellent report.

Can you bring your cat to visit my place. I am overrun with chipmunks.

[letsgorving]

murraym-sent you a PM would love to have a copy of those manuals if you dont mind.

Love your bada$$ cat!!

[murraym]

Originally Posted by FOURWHL

Awesome info. Will look at the front panel next time for sure!

Wish I had a cat like that patroling my barn....

I have four of them. Chipmunks, birds, mice, moles, frogs, and rabbits all find themselves dismembered on my porch or in my garage. Sometimes I will walk into the garage where they drag an unfinished rabbit through the cat door and leave the remains strewn about. One day the rabbit fought the good fight because there was blood everywhere.

[FOURWHL]

Ugh need to get them a killing room hahah

I was really wishing I had a patrol this weekend as I vacuumed critter poop out of drawers and behind cabinets. Seems I got lazy on the trip home from the factory and left a McDs bag in the trash. Amazing how little it takes!