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FOT Factory Service Visit

I have read many mixed reviews with FOT factory service, and I myself had mixed experiences over the past decade.  I hadn't been back in 2 years relying on a local mechanic, but I was there last week for extensive service, and I'm simply sharing my recent experience.
 
Called Alan Hall in advance to schedule dates and go over service items.  72 month service for coach, engine, and generator.  Flush and refill engine and generator radiators.  Inspect/polish brake pistons and install helper spring kit.  Roof inspection and seal as required.  Entire front end inspection and replace worn items and align as required.  Same with belts, hoses, and fuel lines.  Replace cracked engine radiator overflow tank, and engine bay door rollers.  Correct slide creeping out during long term storage.  Recolor a small area of dash discoloration from pervious vinyl repair of scratches over doghouse.  Retorque sidewall and floor bolts and inspect bulkheads.  Lastly reprogram the master bedroom overhead multiplex switch by the clock which had gone awry. 

Scheduling and communication went fine.  Reminder and telephone calls while in route from California went well.  I arrived a day early, and they were able to bring the coach in the next morning and begin service.  They would have 4 days to complete the jobs while I was away on business in Houston  I was in Nacogdoches for the first 2 days of service and they had 2 or 3 techs attacking the coach.  Most of the faces were familiar to me from past visits.  Lots of experience still there.  All the techs were approachable, communicative and really sympathetic to my desire to have them keep a sharp eye out for impending issues.  They all bought into the project and provided advice and solutions.  Brake pistons polished and helper springs installed, radiator overflow replaced along with new hoses, new engine bay door rollers installed, new extend/retract solenoids installed, new bed overhead multiplex switch installed and programmed.  They found a grounding cable to the starter motor (replaced elsewhere) to be exposed to exhaust heat.  Replaced with a larger cable, rerouted away from exhaust and the exhaust was wrapped where needed.  Roof, steering components, belts and hoses were all fine and no service required. 

There was a miscommunication on the dash discoloration, and the air dryer filter was replaced despite me asking them in advance to delete that item.  They removed those billable items once I called it to their attention despite me telling them that I'd split the cost.  Nice touch.  They also found a generator engine fuel line leak which was replaced.  Overall a 5 star experience.  Everything done, tested and worked to my satisfaction.  Jumped into the coach and ran 1700 trouble free miles.  Prices were in line and they honored our motorcade club discount.
Mark, Monique & Steven Hachigian
2004 36U295 Build No. 6239
2011 Honda CRV 4WD
2024 Dynamax Isata 5 30fw Xplorer

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #1 –
That is the way it should be,  correct?
Nice to see positive feedback when things go as planned.
JohnH
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #2 –
That's the same service treatment we have received on our visits. They've always been flexible and though except for the re-upholstery attempt.  There way behind in that department.

  Retorque the sidewall bolts?  I didn't know that was a thing.  Please elaborate??
Robert and Susan
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit - Candid feedback

Reply #3 –
The services I have had performed by FOT this year has been very good. Parts dept has also been very good. James, Alton, Brad, Alan, Zack and techs Ricky, Carlos, Cliff and the crews are easy to interact with. I tend to be soft spoken but I feel everyone assigned to my coach has really worked hard to listen to me and do the work in such a way that makes sense to the both of us. Example: tie-wrapping old hose rubber pieces around aquahot and engine /generator hose lines near metal rub points and letting me know if they happen find something that may need attention when under the coach (i.e. leaky wheel seal). I do not sense they are incentivized with performance based compensation like some of the other guys and pushed to do a quick job. FOT may not be perfect, but they listen and have been reasonable in their billing charges for the work being performed. I respect them all and appreciate the work they do to keep me on the road. I know I pay more than many of you who are mechanically minded and do it "yourselfers"  but it works for me.
Walt, Dawn, Matt & the Poodles
99 36' U320 #5515 MC #17977 "Axle"
Not All Who Wander Are Lost (not original but I like it)

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #4 –
Retorque the sidewall bolts is a thing alright as I learned this visit.  Turns out the tech they put on that job spent years installing the rubber gasketing around all the bay doors in coach production.  That was a good thing because he removes all those gaskets to expose rows and rows of sidewall bolt heads along the upper edges of the storage bays.  Those were all retorqued to factory specs and then the gaskets were reinstalled.  I'm sorry that I didn't ask for the torque values.  I'm sure they'd share that information with anyone who asks.  As stated so well above I also have so much admiration and respect for the hardworking people at our factory.  They really take great pride in their work.  One last interesting observation is that when I was tuned into a local radio station I heard an advertisement by MOT saying that they were hiring techs.  I spoke to Mel at MOT and he said that they could use 8-12 new hires.  Candidates schedule interviews to continue receiving their benefits, but don't show up to the appointments.  That same gaming is going on here in California.   
Mark, Monique & Steven Hachigian
2004 36U295 Build No. 6239
2011 Honda CRV 4WD
2024 Dynamax Isata 5 30fw Xplorer

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #5 –
Ever notice that when you take your coach in for a problem, that the techs know right away where to go, what to do, and have the proper tools in hand as they approach your coach?
No experimenting for solutions. No need to spend hours ($$$) looking. Their experience and knowledge gained from working on our coaches for years saves the owner of the coach a lot of money.
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: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Hach –
Retorque the sidewall bolts is a thing alright as I learned this visit. 

This is the first time these bolts (and their retorque-ing) have ever been mentioned on this forum (or the Yahoo Archive).

Makes me wonder either

a)  what issue reared its ugly head in the last couple of years that at minimum 2002-2005-ish owners need to be aware of, or

b)  did they offer to flush n' fill the tires with winter air as well
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #7 –
As Michelle said, that is a new one about sidewall bolts. Interesting that the factory is doing that.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #8 –
Tightening/checking on those bolts might be related to rust from water leakage under the horizontal trim strip. I suspect those bolts hold the sidewall to the floor.
Jim

2002 U320 42'
Jim Frerichs
2002 U320 42'

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Jim Frerichs –
Tightening/checking on those bolts might be related to rust from water leakage under the horizontal trim strip. I suspect those bolts hold the sidewall to the floor.
Jim

2002 U320 42'


My thinking as well.

I did check mine, and 100% were tight.  That was at 145,000 miles on our 1993 U240.

Not a bad idea to check them, and should only take a few minutes.

Would appreciate hearing if anyone finds a loose/broken one.  And, if so, what caused it/what other symptoms were observed.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #10 –
Three weeks ago I call FOT to schedule an appointment to replace my windshield, they told me the earliest would be December 13, aprox. 3 months out.  I called MOT and going in the 20th of this month to get replaced.

If anyone cares the cost for a new IH45 windshield  is +6 coach bucks.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #11 –
Ouch?  anyone cares the cost for a new IH45 windshield  is +6 coach bucks.
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: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Jim Frerichs –
Tightening/checking on those bolts might be related to rust from water leakage under the horizontal trim strip. I suspect those bolts hold the sidewall to the floor.

If it is, they should be more forthcoming as to the reason for it...  It reminds me of the dry PTO issue and how close-lipped they were about that.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #13 –
Quote from: turbojack –
Three weeks ago I call FOT to schedule an appointment to replace my windshield, they told me the earliest would be December 13, aprox. 3 months out.  I called MOT and going in the 20th of this month to get replaced.

If anyone cares the cost for a new IH45 windshield  is +6 coach bucks.

Ouch for sure. We had a rock impact yesterday. Crack spread across 2/3 windshield in 15 mins. Ugh. We will be making an insurance claim.

Also need warranty work. Waiting on a call from FOT to give them my $ for the warranty transfer. Mid Dec huh, may be going to MOT also. 
Stacey, Eric & 2 Great Danes
2020 Realm FS6 -  LVMS
Previous: 2015 American Coach-Tradition

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Michelle –
If it is, they should be more forthcoming as to the reason for it...  It reminds me of the dry PTO issue and how close-lipped they were about that.

No question, the dry PTO was close to a 100% failure if either the hydraulic pump splines were not lubed OR a wet kit installed.  This was certainly not unique to Foretravel.  Lots of Country Coaches experienced the same issue.

Again, not sure checking the floor to wall bolts is really an issue.  But, me, sometimes I got bored and found a wrench in my hand. We drove our coach on a LOT of very rough roads (around 50,000 miles in Mexico) and had zero loose or broken.


Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #15 –
I've heard  the issue was no silicone under the trim strip.
Jim

2002 U320
Jim Frerichs
2002 U320 42'

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #16 –
Quote from: wolfe10 –
No question, the dry PTO was close to a 100% failure if either the hydraulic pump splines were not lubed OR a wet kit installed.  This was certainly not unique to Foretravel.  Lots of Country Coaches experienced the same issue.

And I'll add Monaco to that, as one of my Monaco Crown Royale Signatures had one fail.
97 U295 40, Build #5040, 6C8.3 325 HP
Oregon Continuous Traveler
Samsung Residential #RF20HFENBSR,
Xantrex SW2012, (3)AGM8D Hse, (2)AGM Grp24 Eng, Victron BMV-712, 1800w Solar 4 LG & 2 Sunpower
Extreme Full Body Pt w/hdlmps, new furn/floor, 4 down Lexus 2004 GX470 AWD curb weight 4,740 lbs
Prev: 1990 Barth, 10L 300 2 yrs; 91&92 Monaco Signature, 10 yrs, 10L C 300 &  6C8.3 300; 1997 ForeT 6C8.3 325 since May 2017.  Employed by Guaranty RV 14+ yrs.  Former VW New Car Dlr/Service Dlr, Sales Mgr, Rv Sales, and Service Adviser from 1968-2017
"Don't criticize what you can't understand" Bob Dylan

Re: FOT Factory Service Visit

Reply #17 –
Subfloor and Sidewall Bolts inspection and torque is part of the Chassis/House Service Interval published by Foretravel.  My coach ages out before mileage out so as the years go by I just refer to the "months" column for service.  When I got to144 months (12years) I just started over again from the beginning.  I did a 72 month service this trip, and added the sidewall and subfloor work as I was waiting until I got back to the factory.  I'm probably over servicing my coach, but I've learned from boating that your only choice is to fix things before they break or after they break. 
Mark, Monique & Steven Hachigian
2004 36U295 Build No. 6239
2011 Honda CRV 4WD
2024 Dynamax Isata 5 30fw Xplorer