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Topic: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis (Read 911 times) previous topic - next topic

1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

My shop has encountered a failed (cracked) brake rotor, and does not know where to source parts. Would anyone please provide info as to which Chassis builder supplied this chassis in '89? That could lead us to a parts source.

Thanks in advance!
1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #1
Randall,

I believe if you look closely you will find a part number on the outer edge of the rotor.  Shop should be able to locate or cross reference a new one from that number.

At least this is true for the rotors on my coach.  See photo:
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #2
Chuck, thanks! I will forward the info you provided to the shop for their reference.

Randall
1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #3
Randall, you might want to check with Freightliner if you have an Oshkosh Truck chassis.
Email fcccservice@daimler.com and address to Mark Fraedrich or Les Michaels.
If an Oshkosh Truck chassis V-815-2 I replaced the passenger rear rotor about two years ago. Not difficult to get from Freightliner.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #4
That's just it—I don't know which chassis mine is. I don't think it's the Oshkosh, but I could be wrong. Coach literature not helpful on this.
1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #5
If it is a U300, it is a Unihome. Foretravel made the chassis in house. What you need to find out is the who supplied the brake hardware. On later Unihomes and Unicoaches, the air disc brakes are made by Meritor. Likely yours are as well. If it has an Oskosh chassis it won't be a Unihome but it can still be a Grand Villa. Confusing, I know! In any case. There will be identifying  marks cast or stamped on to the components and most likely part numbers as well.
Don
That's just it—I don't know which chassis mine is. I don't think it's the Oshkosh, but I could be wrong. Coach literature not helpful on this.
The selected media item is not currently available.
Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #6
That's just it—I don't know which chassis mine is. I don't think it's the Oshkosh, but I could be wrong. Coach literature not helpful on this.

Post a couple of pics of the undercarriage if you can, we will be able to tell you if it's a Unihome or not.
Like stated above, if it's a U300 and has the 8 outboard airbags, it's a Foretravel Unibody chassis. AND most shops won't believe you when you tell them the chassis was built by the coach manufacturer..........Foretravel.

Been there done that.
Justin & Cathy Byrd
1995 U280 "Old Faithful"
36' Build #4673
C8.3 Cummins
Allison MD3060R 6 speed - retarder
Powertech 10KW  4cyl Kubota

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #7
Randall,
after reading some previous post of yours, you mentioned "bulkhead issues" , if you have had bulkhead seperation problems then you definitely have a Foretravel built chassis............
Hope this helps.
Justin & Cathy Byrd
1995 U280 "Old Faithful"
36' Build #4673
C8.3 Cummins
Allison MD3060R 6 speed - retarder
Powertech 10KW  4cyl Kubota

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #8
Chuck, thanks! I will forward the info you provided to the shop for their reference.

Randall
You might want to think forwarding  information to the shop.  Thanks to this internet thingy you can do the research for as long as you want and until you're satisfied with the information.  "The shop" might not be so inclined and, I personally, am not inclined to pay "The shop" to learn.

We own a '92 U225 Grand Villa and if you look underneath the big flat plate ends on the ends of the truss frame indicate a Foretravel built chassis.

Ours is still sporting its Texan sun faded decals, and where the metal underneath cooled the decal the dye is still intact showing the outline of the Foretravel semi-monocoque frame.

Yes I need a new bay door, and I'll build a mold and lay up a new door after the South East Georgia heat and humidity goes away.

1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #9
Don, Yes, definitely a Unihome. I was fairly sure that it was not one of the vendor chassis, but this confirms that. I will pass the info along to the shop, along with the brake OEM supplier. Thanks!
1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #10
Yes I need a new bay door, and I'll build a mold and lay up a new door after the South East Georgia heat and humidity goes away.
Are you sure you need a new door? FG repair is pretty easy and with the door off, I'll bet it could be fixed so no one could tell. Andy just did a good job on his roof and I don't think he had that much experience.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #11
You have the Meritor air disc brake on that coach. There is a manual you can download here on the forum and also there have been many discussions here about the brakes.
previous 1984 35 ft ORED 250 HP 3208 Cat       
previous 1998 40 ft U295 CAI 325 hp Cummins
previous 2003 40 Ft u320 build #6140 450 Cummins M11.                                                         
1999 Mazda Miata
Ron, Nancy, Tipper the cat, Max The dog
1997 U 270 36 ft build number 5174 8.3 Cummins

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #12
The part numbers are in your foretravrl binders if you have them.
91 GV U300 Unihome 40' Build 3811
6V92TA Detroit

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #13
Are you sure you need a new door? FG repair is pretty easy and with the door off, I'll bet it could be fixed so no one could tell. Andy just did a good job on his roof and I don't think he had that much experience.

Pierce
Oh I'll pull the door, and I have a plan of action to repair it.  Then if it all goes to hell in a hand-basket I'll make a mold and lay up a new one.
I don't believe in emergencies.  I do believe in multiple layers of planning.  I always go to the worst case scenario first.  Things only get better from there.

At our last job, as planning meetings droned on, and on, I'd wait until that "And then a miracle occurs" moment and ask, "And if that doesn't work what is your plan of action?"  Yet another reason we stopped working there.

Oh.  The Siata now has four wheel hydraulic brakes, a parking brake and once I fix a leaky fuel inlet tube a running engine.  And I found the other end of the clutch cable.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #14
I want to thank everyone. As always, you got me headed in the right direction, and I believe I can now locate the relevant part numbers and convey them to the shop for part locating. Also thought the referenced threads regarding ancillary component brake parts and lubricants was excellent for monitoring the work by a shop that has not seen this air disk brake system before.

1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #15
My shop has encountered a failed (cracked) brake rotor, and does not know where to source parts. Would anyone please provide info as to which Chassis builder supplied this chassis in '89? That could lead us to a parts source.

Thanks in advance!
On my 88 grand villa we have Rockwell dura master air disk brake.
Linda Ewan Noe and Nicolas
Traveling the US and Canada when off, with our 1988 40' GV
6V92 MTB648

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #16
You can also get the info on the brakes at beamalarm.com
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #17
I had a rotor replaced at MOT. They had it in stock.
1993 U300 40ft GV SE
Build # 4344

Re: 1988 Grand Villa U300 Chassis

Reply #18
Thanks again to all..

My initial panic was created by an obsolete p/n on the rotor. FT, combined with Meritor, sorted through that mystery and came up with a current number. Once that was done, the part turned out to be readily available.
1989 Foretravel U300 Grand Villa
Build #3410