Hello, just bought a 2002 2550 - suggestions to modernize her

My wife and I are a year or two away from retirement and plan on traveling around to see where we want to retire.  We want to dip our toe in the motorhome water with a modest expediture.  We found a very nice 2002 PC 2550 with the bedroom slide-out and only 53,000 miles.  I restore old cars and motorcycles for fun, so I wanted to get a good used RV and then upgrade it to my exact requirements.  The unit already has hydralic levers, dvd, and back-up camera, but everything else is vintage 2002 PC 2550.  The interior is only lightly used, so I am interested in any upgrade that improves the driveability and usability of the unit.  May I ask the forum a few questions?

1. Other than floorplan, does anyone know the equipment differences between a 2002 PC 2550 and a 2012 PC 2551,2552?
 
2. What upgrades should we consider to make our unit more reliable, driveable, and liveable?
  - Suspension - Trak bars?  Rear sway bar?  Bigger front sway bar?  Bilstein shocks?  Steering stabiizer?
  - HD TV - antenna,booster, scanner?  Flatscreen w/ MIDI computer connection?
  - Internet access
  - Power - Dual batteries?  Inverter?
  - Drive-train - K & N air filter?  Better flowing exhaust?  Other power and MPG improvements?

3. Where can I get an owners manual or book on maintaining and repairing a 2002 PC?

4. Any other words of wisdom?

I apolgize for all the questions.  We had travel trailers when the kids were little, but never a motorhome.

Congratulations on your new purchase and welcome to the forum.  When we were first getting into Rving in 2002 we actually took a factory tour of the Phoenix Cruisers.  We know you got a well built unit because we were extremely impressed with the company at that time and they just keep getting better.  As far as the suspension items go, my recommendation would be to drive it in as many different environments as possible (Interstates, primary and secondary roads, and some back roads) and keep track of any handling problems you may have.  A 2002 chassis is going to have different issues than a 2007 or a 2012.  There are many upgrades that could be added but may not give any improvements. 

Depending on the length of the wheel base different handling characteristics will be felt.  That is, what is needed for a 158 inch wheel base will be different than what is needed on a 190 inch wheel base.  Also, each model has different weight distribution characteristics.  They can also change between model years.

When we had our 2008 2350 with a 158 inch wheel base we had to add a Blue Ox Tiger trac.  With our 2012 2551 that has a 194 wheel base there is absolutely no need for the trac bar.  The only thing we are going to do is add Bilstein shocks at some point.  Also, there are differences between the E450 and E350 chassis that you need to keep in mind.


Barry

Speaking of which... what ARE the differences between the e350 and e450 chasis?  Obviously e450 is heavier duty.

This comment is not intended to start a long, drawn out discussion regarding air filters.
Having been in the filtration and fluid power business for a very long time, in Engineering and Manufacturing, I will say material other than paper or other fibrous medias are not very efficient when it comes to stopping contaminate, which goes a long way with preserving an engine.
For real data, do a little research on the internet. An impartial site is: bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest1.htm
No, it's not this Bob.

This comment is not intended to start a long, drawn out discussion regarding air filters.
Having been in the filtration and fluid power business for a very long time, in Engineering and Manufacturing, I will say material other than paper or other fibrous medias are not very efficient when it comes to stopping contaminate, which goes a long way with preserving an engine.
For real data, do a little research on the internet. An impartial site is: bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest1.htm
No, it's not this Bob.

Bob, I have had very good results with larger K & N filters on other vehicles.  An engine is just an air pump.  The easier it breathes the better it performs and the less gas it uses.   

Brock,
Facts are facts. If you're happy with them, use them.

I read Bob's stuff and can only hope that with his very well thought out testing procedure, that the K&N's I have in all of my vehicles, have a massive pressure drop (and maybe a change in direction of air flow) in that filter box in front of the filter so they at least keep out the bigger rocks/bugs/clods/clumps.  Damn wish I had known about that before I got gung ho on K&N.  Live and learn even at my advanced years.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread, Congrats on the new PC MH purchase.

Brock,
Facts are facts. If you're happy with them, use them.

There is one vartiable Bob did not consider - the size of the filter.  X cfm of air is passing through a much larger surface area of the KN filter.  It would seem that each square inch of filter is filtering less particulate so the color test would have different results.  Regardless, the performance improvement, lower gas comsumption, and less stress on the engine are worth it for me.

We got a little off topic.  I would still like to hear suggestions for improvements to our 2550.

Hi Bbutler,

I am not familiar with the 2002 2550 floor plan.  Regardless I did more than a few things with our 2007 2350 on a 2007 E350 chassis.  Some interior, some suspension.....maybe I should say lots-of-suspension.  Click Here to see them.  You will likely find some applicable as we have the same the earlier chassis and older PC houses.
BTW: The latest 2009-2012 Ford center console snaps right onto your engine cover.  It offers lots more storage.

Brock is correct. This could get way off topic.
If further discussion is desired, perhaps someone would like to start a topic on Filtration.
Back to the Brock's original topic.

Hi Bbutler,

I am not familiar with the 2002 2550 floor plan.  Regardless I did more than a few things with our 2007 2350 on a 2007 E350 chassis.  Some interior, some suspension.....maybe I should say lots-of-suspension.  Click Here to see them.  You will likely find some applicable as we have the same the earlier chassis and older PC houses.
BTW: The latest 2009-2012 Ford center console snaps right onto your engine cover.  It offers lots more storage.

Is that a Ford item or a PC item?

When it came to the TV I found that the existing TV wiring on our 2008 2350 would not support an external satellite dish.  Here is a link to a previous posting that outlined my fix.  Let me know if you need additional information.

http://forum.phoenixusarv.com/index.php/topic,449.msg2573.html#msg2573


Barry

Sorry to get off topic again, but Ron, how do you add a hyperlink to a word or group of words?  I manage four websites, but for the life of me, can't make it work here on this forum.  Thanks.   

Quote from: ron.dittmer on March 04, 2012, 08:48:24 pm

The latest 2009-2012 Ford center console snaps right onto your engine cover.  It offers lots more storage.

Is that a Ford item or a PC item?

That would be a "Ford" item.  Ford E-Series center consoles (the snap-on cup holder thing) are interchangable from the middle 90s thru to today.  They are gray with black plastic tops.  They have 5 top bins, two large front-load bins, and also holds 2 cups.  I believe the people who are selling them, got them from places like ambulance companies who toss them as part of the retro-fitting process.

They are sold on ebay:  Click Here To See One For $45 With Shipping

I have one that if you were close to me (West Dundee, IL) I'd sell it to you for $30.  I was planning to paint it the color of my brown-ish center console, then send it to a shop for the wood grain, but decided against it due to excessive costs.  When it fit my brother's 1998 E350 motor home I then offered it to him as a Christmas present, but his wife didn't like it because with their old fat/wide driver seat with power seat controls inboard, there was not enough room to get her legs past without lifting over the driver seat.  Passenger seat was still fine.