Foretravel Owners' Forum

On New Year's Eve I made a post titled "New member here.  I got my first Foretravel home today".  I had just returned home with my first ever motorhome, a low-mileage 1994 U240 Unihome with a 3116 Cat.  I stated that I thought I would like my new Foretravel even though I was disappointed with the performance.

Those of you who are familiar with Highway 175 between Athens and Jacksonville and Highway 69 between Jacksonville and Woodville in East Texas will know how small are the hills. This MH would slow to 40 mph at full throttle going up these slight grades, and that's without a Toad.  It didn't have the power to pull teeth.  The previous owner told me I shouldn't expect sports car performance, and to get used to it.

I knew something had to be wrong, for many of you tow vehicles with your coaches and I've not heard you complain.  I made a service appointment at Motorhomes of Texas for motor inspection, television upgrades, a couple other minor fixes, and gel coat refinishing.

I just now returned home from MOT with my Foretravel.  It is a totally different animal.  Now it certainly won't run with my GL1800 Goldwing, but now it has the power I expected.

First, the appearance.  The MH had apparently spent most of its' life outdoors and the gel coat was heavily oxidized.  MOT recommended Precision Auto Detailing in Nacogdoches so they compounded, wet-sanded, and waxed it.  It looks great, almost new!  Now, I have a man coming by my house to start planning an RV storage barn to keep it out of the weather.  I want to keep it looking good.

MOT replaced the old 13" analogue TV's with two 22" flat-screen LCDs, and installed a new Winegard satellite TV antennae.  This will give me a place to hide when necessary to preserve domestic harmony.  I guess this may be my 36' doghouse.

Now for the performance.  Keith, the Service Writer, told me at first that it probably was a clogged fuel filter since the diesel had been sitting for a long time and had probably grown algae.  Well, that was true, but it wasn't the main cause.

They found that an exhaust manifold had warped and developed a leak so that the turbocharger was basically bypassed.  At least, that's my understanding.  I'm sure that Brett Wolfe and several others here know exactly what I talking about.  Anyway, new fuel filters, air filter, and a new manifold really make my Cat purr.

My initial post received several replies advising me to join the Foretravel Motorcade Club.  I did so the same day I dropped the MH off at MOT.  It took only about 20 minutes of my time and the first year's membership was free.  Thanks, Beverly!  That was one of the best investments of time I've ever made, for Keith gave me a 10% discount on my bill!  That saved me several hundred dollars.

Finally, even though he didn't have to, Keith gave me complete tour of my Foretravel and explained how to use many of the systems.  Until then I basically knew little more than where to put the ignition key.  I really, really appreciate the level of service I received at MOT, and I WILL be going back.

Hope to see you on the road.

Glen Kenney
Colmesneil, Texas

Glen,
Happy to hear you've had a good service experience at MOT.  There's nothing like professional and competent service.  In the long run, you end up happier, but with a thinner wallet, eh?  I too would not trade money for coach performance reliabiliity. 

You just bought the Foretravel?  You shouldn't have had to pay the first year for Motorcade.  Your first year is free, or use to be!  But if you applied in November, I guess your first year is up at the end of Dec.  But Dec 31 - I'd think 2011 would be your first year anyway!  Most importantly, glad it is running GREAT!!!

Beverly normally just pushes it out for the next year.

YUP, an exhaust leak before the turbo on ANY diesel will sure limit boost and therefore HP-- same for a leak in the CAC (Charge Air Cooler).

Does your coach have an exhaust brake or transmission retarder?

Brett

I edited my post to say what I originally intended to say.  Someday I'll learn to actually read what I wrote before I hit the "Post" button.  I meant to say something about the best investment of time, for the actual cost was zero.  The first year's membership was free.  Thanks, Beverly!  I couldn't believe it when it came time to pay up.  Kieth gave me the itemized bill, and I asked if they honored the Motorcade membership.  He gave me a 10% discount on everything.  I guess I was surprised to see something and somebody  that actually lives up its' advertising.

Brett, I honestly don't know.  From what I understand the transmission retarder was a highly-prized but rare and expensive option so I doubt that I have one.  I've not found any mention of a retarder or exhaust brake in any of the literature, but maybe I'm not looking in the right place yet.  I still have so much to learn about all the buttons and switches, and how to operate my Foretravel.  It should be an interesting education.

Glen

Easy to tell if you have the exhaust brake.

It would be bolted to the turbo as the exhaust heads to the muffler.  Raise the bed and look.  If you only have a pipe (no "machinery") between turbo and muffler you do not have the exhaust brake. 

Note, that does NOT mean that you have a retarder.  But, if you crawl under the driver's side of the transmission and copy down the transmission number, Allison can tell you whether it has a retarder.  I believe (don't know for a fact) that the transmission model number will end in R if it has the retarder.

With the U240, you do need to check your ride height and adjust if it is low.  If you need instructions, let us know.

Brett

MOT or FOT?

MOT = Motorhomes of Texas, a sales and service facility on the east side of the highway
FOT = Foretravel of Texas, the factory, sales, and service facility on the west side of the highway

www.allisontransmission.com/servlet/DownloadFile?Dir=publications/pubs&FileToGet=SA2953EN.pdf (http://www.allisontransmission.com/servlet/DownloadFile?Dir=publications/pubs&FileToGet=SA2953EN.pdf)

If your trans tag says 'HD3060R' it has a retarder.
Actually looking at the trans, at the output just before the driveshaft if there is a big round contraption with two big hoses going to it, that's the retarder assembly

If you don't have a trans retarder, and you don't have an exhaust brake - please consider getting an exhaust brake if you plan on doing any mountain driving. The PRXB Pac Brake Diesel exhaust brakes and upgrades for motorhomes, diesel exhaust retarders (http://www.pacbrake.com/index.php?page=prxb-exhaust-brakes-2) is one of the newer designs and it works VERY well. Often overlooked is the US Gear D-celerator which uses a patented wastegate. D-Celerator Diesel Exhaust Brake (http://www.usgear.cc/dcelerator.htm). I've had people tell me the PRXB was Pac Brakes method of getting the braking power of the US Gear model without violating the patent.

The first time I drove my 36 foot U280 down a 6+% grade with no exhaust brake (Eagle Rock, US 24 coming south toward Chattanooga) I thought I was not going to make it. I blew out one oil seal and the brakes were nearly done in. I ended up replacing all pads and the 2 front rotors within a month. After having the PRXB installed the next time I came down the same grade I not only didn't have to touch the brakes, I had to cycle the exhaust brake on and off as it was slowing the coach too much. 

Keith is the Service writer working for mike at MOT

There is also a Keith in the Foretravel shop that occasionally does service writing. Both are great guys and good to know.

And, of course, there is Keith the Service Tech at Encore, as fine a Service Tech as exists anywhere!
Paul
36' 2000 U320

The Keith who is the Service Writer at MOT is also a heck of a tech too.  He has fixed a number of things for me over the years. THe great thing is when you call in and he asks what is wrong with the coach, he can schedule you for the right amount of time. He has fixed it before and knows the different coaches and which ones are tougher than the other...

Sounds like a bunch of fine Keith's out there.  The one to whom I'm referring is Keith Davis, the Service Writer at Motorhomes of Texas.  I was very pleased with the service he provided me.  Most impressive was "the service after the sale".

I'd bought the motorhome from an individual near Athens.  Having never owned a MH before I didn't ask for a nearly enough detailed walk-through on the coach.  The fella showed me the basics and I drove away, happy in my ignorance.  After MOT had performed the work on my MH I asked Keith if he could give me a walkthrough.  He then spent a good hour and a half walking me through the MH, explaining how to use the house and operate the systems.  That impressed me.

Is there a professional relationship between MOT and FOT?  I know many of the people at MOT were formerly employed by FOT.  Is there any service for which I should take it to FOT instead of MOT?  I'm so confused.

Glen

Glen,
If you are happy with the service at Motorhomes of Texas, then I would continue going there for service. Some here prefer the factory, some prefer MOT and some prefer Encore RV down the street from the factory.

MOT can pretty much do everything. If they can't they will tell you that.

Confusion goes away with time and participating in this forum.

Welcome.

Glen,

There's a long story, but in a nutshell, David Robertson started MOT as an outlet for used Foretravel sales when FT stopped doing consignment sales (2003 or 2004).  David had been in FT sales for years and knows the product very well.  MOT spent a brief period as a FT dealer when the factory went that route with their sales.  Later, the dealership model was redone and FT set up FOT for sales, which basically ended the business relationship between the 2 companies. 

Both are good service facilities.  Steve and I have used both, most recently MOT and our experience mirrors yours.  The one area I would go to FOT for over anyone else (not just MOT) is chassis work, such as alignments.  As Dave (J.D. Stevens) and Norm (Nitehawk) found recently, Wayne at FOT is top notch for that sort of work. 

Michelle