Chassis service question

Topic: Chassis service question (Read 1299 times) previous topic - next topic

Chassis service question

March 22, 2014, 07:19:11 pm

I have been rving for many years but always with gas (chevy or ford) and have no experience with diesels. So as we (DW in particular) started looking at FT I reviewed the mechanical issues. Everything looks great and I guess I should have done this years ago. However, I have serviced or had serviced everything on the gas coaches. While I have never had a chassis problem I have had them serviced as needed at prescribed service intervals. On a FT with a proprietary chassis - who will service it? Will Cummins service it when the engine and Allison tranny is serviced? I really do not want to drive to TX just for appropriate service and I am getting a bit old

to crawl around under an air bag supported chassis. Thanks for any replys.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #1 – March 22, 2014, 07:32:50 pm

I have had mine serviced at big truck repair shops. Have used a local truck shop. And now once in Kansas City at Freightliner when we had a leaking rear wheel seal replaced. Freightliner Ft. Worth did the seal again (long story), and new disc brake pads needed as well. Freightliner had 8 coaches on the lot in Ft. Worth, 4 in KC.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #2 – March 22, 2014, 08:36:04 pm

Any big truck shop can do you service. However make sure they are familiar with air disc brakes as the service requirements are different than drum brakes, and they require a special grease.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #3 – March 22, 2014, 08:37:32 pm

I have used a cummins coach care place with great results.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #4 – March 22, 2014, 09:02:20 pm

Most issues are similar to big truck issues. A reputable "big diesel" service and repair facility should be able to take care of you. An RV service facility who deals in high end coaches should be able to help. A coach with a radiator mounted on the side will provide relatively good access to the engine and transmission.

I would not take my coach to Camping World or Holiday World if there were any reasonable alternative. (My opinion - as are all of my suggestions.

)

Some places will not allow you into their shop and keep the mechanics away from the customers. Others allow communication with the guys who operate the tools. Try to find the latter. Try to stay on site during any service. It makes a BIG difference. The shops in Nacogdoches are outstanding at allowing the customer to participate in the "service experience."

Be aware of one BIG issue regarding putting grease on the chassis. The brakes require a special grease even though the fitting looks just like every other grease fitting. Some people have marked to "special" grease zerks with durable tie wraps. My understanding is that the brakes should rarely have grease added. When they do, it should be a special clay based material. I have read the many fire trucks use the same kind of brakes as the Foretravels. A facility that services the fire trucks might be a place to check for service.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #5 – March 23, 2014, 01:46:44 am

Does FOT / MOT do engine service, such as Valve adjustments etc..

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #6 – March 23, 2014, 08:26:45 am

No, you will have to go to Cummins. The coach care places do a lot of chassis work too.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #7 – March 23, 2014, 09:04:25 am

There is large Cummins NPower service center about 45 min from me. They have done everything engine and generator related so far for me. They have overnight facilities if service takes more than a day. They show you what they are going to do and then what they did. The service manager spent 10 minutes or so showing me where all the filters were and that sort of stuff. Very nice to work with. Prompt, friendly and prices have been reasonable. Nice discount for Cummins Power Club too.

Interstate Powersystems is a big Allison service center about 45 minutes from me as well. They have almost 20 locations in the upper midwest. They have done my transmission service. I switched to synthetic transmission oil and they took the time to go through what I needed to do for service going forward. (Basically just filters for the next 200K)

I rarely go into the Minneapolis or St Paul so being able to make an appointment so I can avoid rush hours and have then get it in and out on time and for what they estimated when I made the appointment is quite nice.

Your Foretravel will out last most other coaches (especially gassers) by several times. Good service pays off now and down the road.

Roger

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #8 – March 23, 2014, 09:10:16 am

Bill,

If you are already in Nac, then Bernd Ramspeck is the best engine, truck stuff repair in town. I was there last week and he was covered up in very high end motor homes. One Prevost was getting its generator bay restored.

He did a stellar job on my valves, air bags, helper springs and slide pins, resonator and some other stuff.

If not in Nac, then x2 what is mentioned above.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #9 – March 23, 2014, 12:09:35 pm

If you need a major repair, like a radiator replacement, diesel mechanics won't do it. I got towed to a diesel service center after the tow truck operator called and verified that they would work on my radiator. After he towed me there the mechanics looked at it and said it was too difficult for them. They called every other diesel mechanic in town and one of them even came over to look at it but said they wouldn't do it either because it was too difficult. I changed the radiator myself in a church parking lot 20' away from the diesel shop while the mechanics watched me. The diesel shop wouldn't even let me stay in their parking lot. After seeing me every day a girl in the truck stop next door asked why I was still there. I told her my story and she said her friend was a diesel mechanic and needed work real bad, so she asked him to help me but he wouldn't, even though I was almost done. There was a diesel mechanic at the church where I was stranded but he didn't want to help me either, although he did help in many other ways. The folks in the church and on this forum were my only real source of help during that ordeal. Some forum members even drove over to help me with the radiator a couple of times. I could have gotten towed hundreds of miles to the next big city but it would have been at my own expense because my insurance only covers one towing per disablement, even if the mechanics refuse to do the repair after that first towing... It was a deeply disturbing experience but it boosted my self confidence in my mechanical repair ability and I learned a lot about my coach and made some very nice friends in that church and on this forum.

*** Be absolutely sure the repair facility will work on your coach before the tow truck operator leaves you there. If there's any possibility they won't fix your coach get towed somewhere that will fix it for sure. The second towing will be at your own expense and will cost hundreds (or thousands) of dollars depending on how far you need to be towed. This is in addition to the thousands of dollars the repair will cost. ***

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #10 – March 23, 2014, 02:36:46 pm

Scott, not to minimize your experience that we all read along with but I feel that is not a normal experience. I still wonder why they would not change the radiator. They do it on trucks all the time. I changed out the radiator on my 99 and had a mechanic helping me or rather I was helping him. He knew what he was doing and it took the two of us a day to do it plus half the next make sure it was working and not leaking.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #11 – March 23, 2014, 02:51:13 pm

Having worked shops, have had calls and show ups that sounded good on phone, but in person, a total turn off, nasty, foul mouthed & bitching right off, were shown the exit pronto.
Not a case of can not, but a case of we do not need it that bad. Know the person would make us happier when they were some where else.
Would guess money would be the issue.
Dave M

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #12 – March 23, 2014, 06:15:10 pm

Thanks for all of the information. I will give a couple of the local diesel shops around here a call.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #13 – March 23, 2014, 06:23:57 pm

The Foretravels are some of the EASIEST diesel pushers to service, with excellent engine access from back (front of the engine) and top.

Many shops do not like working on RV's because most don't even have serviceability in their top 100 list. Not the case with a Foretravel.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #14 – March 23, 2014, 10:30:07 pm

Again, the tow truck operator called the shop to be sure they'd work on my radiator before he left me there. They looked at it and said it was too difficult. I definitely wasn't foul mouthed and I had money to pay for the repair. I was very polite. They told me to get it towed hundreds of miles to the next big city at my own expense. I didn't have the money for both the long range towing and the repair. It cost a couple thousand dollars to recore a radiator that large and it had to be sent back to Detroit for some reason. They called every other diesel mechanic in town and none of them would work on it, even after looking at it. I did the job myself and it really wasn't as difficult as they all thought it would be. I called Foretravel and they told me exactly what to do, and it worked out exactly like they said it would. I have no idea if this was a "normal" case but for me this one repair was exactly 100% of my experience with getting towed to a diesel shop. Please be absolutely sure the shop will repair your rig before the tow truck operator disconnects. You'll be stranded wherever he leaves you unless you're willing and able to pay for long distance towing to another repair shop. This is from personal experience unfortunately.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #15 – March 24, 2014, 12:09:13 am

Roger,

I have had my Transynd tested annually after three years. At five years and 57,000 miles, Blackstone recommended the oil be changed.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #16 – March 24, 2014, 12:17:02 am

Brett, that sounds like awfully small mileage for Transynd, regardless of the years??
JohnH

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #17 – March 24, 2014, 12:27:41 am

Allison instructions say change every three years when a retarder is used. The Allison expert on the forum recommended annual oil analysis if you want to extend service. Who has followed his advice and how long have you gone? Blackstone said acid neutralizing additives were only modestly low, but not worth taking the chance of going further. The next oil change will likely be at 190,000 miles.

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #18 – March 24, 2014, 12:53:20 am

Some truck shops seem to be afraid of taking on our coaches, while others have no problems with our coaches. And at some diesel garages, including some Cummins truck facilities, truckers appear to get taken care of before us even though we might have arrived first.

And places like Coach Care RV Service Centers | Funroads RV Travel "take care of anything on your coach except bodywork and paint". They specialize in coaches and motorhomes. Problem is, Cummins only has about 30 Coach Care facilities across the nation. As a guest at Coach Care, you can also enjoy complimentary overnight parking with electrical hookups. some location also offer sewage disposal and an LP station. Many Coach Care facilities also offer big-screen TVs, Internet access and outdoor picnic facilities.

Coach Care Location Map

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #19 – March 24, 2014, 01:10:38 am

Brett, the 'expert" recommended me not to use Amsoil in Allison over 2 yrs ago ( closed shop mentallity as far as I am concerned) as it would not work. I have retarder too and after 30k it is running sweet and the last Cat oil analisys said it was like new (not in those words of course). I will get another done at end of this year to keep check though. I only have 90+k miles on coach.
JohnH

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #20 – August 03, 2014, 06:28:18 am

Well I have to agree with Rudy on Bernd Ramspeck. 1719 E Main St, Nac. Text to 936-707-1584

Just 8/1/14, Bernd and his workers finished all this: Adjusted M11 valves, replaced 8 air bags, rebuilt aqua hot, replaced fuel lines, replaced coolant hoses, flushed and cleaned coolant system, and more. For a very fair price.

Highly recommended. Bernd is the best I've met in this business.

best, paul

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #21 – August 03, 2014, 04:44:57 pm

Quote from: Paul Smith – August 03, 2014, 06:28:18 am

Well I have to agree with Rudy on Bernd Ramspeck. 1719 E Main St, Nac. Text to 936-707-1584

Just 8/1/14, Bernd and his workers finished all this: Adjusted M11 valves, replaced 8 air bags, rebuilt aqua hot, replaced fuel lines, replaced coolant hoses, flushed and cleaned coolant system, and more. For a very fair price.

Highly recommended. Bernd is the best I've met in this business.

best, paul

Paul, just curious,
What was the charge for the fuel lines, coolant lines, and coolant flush and cleaning?
(Either here or in a PM.)

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #22 – August 03, 2014, 05:19:55 pm

$873 fuel lines, hoses & coolant. fuel lines include AH
$1690 labor
$2563 total

best, paul

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #23 – August 03, 2014, 10:52:45 pm

Paul,
I have been looking at FT and following this forum to understand what to expect if I buy a coach. Can you tell us what the
cost was to replace 8 air bags and rebuild the aqua hot ?

Thanks
Dan

Re: Chassis service question

Reply #24 – August 04, 2014, 06:12:39 am

Well, Bernd got the air bags from FOT and charged us what he paid for them: $195 each. Labor was $680

The AH was not a rebuild, just put new seal rings in the 3 pumps. $66 for the seal rings. Labor was $255

Keep in mind the labor cost can vary a lot. And my air bags were stubborn. Did not come out easily.

best, paul

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