Cummins RV Maintenance OUCH

[DavidC]

Found this on irv2.com

 

[DHayden]

Time to open a small business

 

[TFucili]

WOW!!!

 

[mwilson]

Most of us charge a higher hourly rate for RV's, they are miserable to work on. When you have a coach that has to have both rear slides run out while in the shop just to get the bed up to access the valve cover and as an added bonus it is completely white inside.......so the tech has to make 19 million trips in and out of that thing either in booties or with the entire floor covered with shop paper mats......you get the idea.

But we don't charge that kind of coin......I think it's $20.00 per hour more or something to that effect....

 

[jgillott]

RVing is an expensive hobby to begin with and much worse if the owner is not a least a little self sufficient.

 

[mwilson]

Well, I brought this subject up here this morning...we have one out in the shop right now that needs a camshaft. Couldn't get the pushrods out of the way without removing the access cover in the coach....tech gets in there and guess what??? They TILED right over the hatch....had to remove some tile with a cold chisel and hammer...
Stupid moves like that are part of the reason for the increased labor rates....

In retrospect we should have just removed the damn engine but tech saw the bottom side of the hatch in the engine compartment and figured no big deal if more room was needed.

Some of these coach builders should be shot on sight.....

 

[Wayne M.]

If it’s a pusher, why not just slip the whole engine right out? I don’t know- just applying some Super Duty train of thought.
When and if I get into motor coaching, it’ll be a conventional truck based deal.

 

[mwilson]

Depends on several things, these are not made like a transit bus where there is a cradle system designed for quick engine removal. Sometimes there isn't even enough room to get the radiator out without removing the rear fiberglass. let alone the entire engine....

Poor design as a rule....

 

[DavidC]

Those are all things people do not look at. I sometimes watch these RV shows and it is always about the bling and never about the mechanicals. I have yet to see/hear anyone ask about holding tank size, drains or anything else.

Dave

 

[mwilson]

Those are all things people do not look at. I sometimes watch these RV shows and it is always about the bling and never about the mechanicals. I have yet to see/hear anyone ask about holding tank size, drains or anything else.

Dave

They usually don't like it when I attend an RV show and start asking mechanical questions......my point of view is a lot different than the couple that just sold their second home and figure the coach will be a nice mobile replacement with a Corian Counter upgrade and recessed lighting...

 

[jgillott]

If it’s a pusher, why not just slip the whole engine right out? I don’t know- just applying some Super Duty train of thought.
When and if I get into motor coaching, it’ll be a conventional truck based deal.

When you do look at one, pay very close attention to how things are mounted to the chassis. Unfortunately, most RV's are constructed in a way that doesn't make removal of key components easy. I've looked at Class C's for example where something simple like chassis fuel tank removal for a fuel pump change is blocked by grey or black water lines, propane runs etc. Working on the things that you do on a daily basis, you are more than used to the crazy things that upfitters do. Just know that the same methodology goes in to coach construction only RV builders use far inferior components across the board than say a dump body or service body builder.

I've kicked around the idea of a class C at times. But I keep coming back to the simplicity of a well designed travel trailer or 5th wheel. Yes things can go wrong with a tow behind. But those things are relatively simple, tires, trailer axles, bearings, brakes, etc. There is very little that will leave you stranded along the side of the road for extended periods that someone with even limited skill can't fix in short order. A box with an extra set of bearings, races, seals, a decent jack, and a few wrenches is all that is needed.

 

[mwilson]

These little Sprinters that you see converted to Motor Homes....guess where the Genset is on the ones that I have looked over....

Between the frame rails behind the rear axle....what a joy to get at for simple repairs.....

 

[jgillott]

These little Sprinters that you see converted to Motor Homes....guess where the Genset is on the ones that I have looked over....

Between the frame rails behind the rear axle....what a joy to get at for simple repairs.....

Heck Mike, just the way some of the things are packaged on my simple passenger van makes you scratch your head at times let alone after an upfitter is done with it.

 

[Tuesdak]

Those are all things people do not look at. I sometimes watch these RV shows and it is always about the bling and never about the mechanicals. I have yet to see/hear anyone ask about holding tank size, drains or anything else.

Dave

Watch people find their perfect RV on Great American Country's Going RV.

It's really a spot-on show. We show you 3 RV's that have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING they asked for.

Even what they ask for is "fluff" that they really don't care about most shows. Outdoor TV "bug attractor"... Optional "colors" are a big concern in each show with we don't like this color scheme. Umm... the RV next to you has same options, but, different colors.

A few times they have a concern about the weight rating or let's see another because (you dumb salesperson) this isn't even ballpark close to what we want even by this show's low standards. The RV Park Queen under 35' for BLM boondocking on one show made me puke. Then again I can't get my AF 27-5L in 27' length "new" anymore as North Woods Mfg made the model a "Doublewide Mobile Home" at 29.5' now. (Case in point: 28' is the limit at Navajo National Monument and 27' is the easy to reserve North Rim Grand Canyon spots vs. their unobtainable next size up 40' spots. Yes, I am biased for smaller RV's.)

"This Triple Wide model requires Three Semi Trucks and a two week setup to go RVing..."

End of they day they could be showing 3 similar RV's with what the people want showcasing the changes available for each model. I think one show had a generator mentioned. Yeah, show the bling that's available today while keeping it real with weights, relevant options, void warranties for full-time living in it... Yep, lacking substance is a real life RV sales experience.

Coming away from the show I am considering adding a dishwasher for my RV.

 

[Jim W]

I watch those shows for entertainment purposes only, not for facts about trailers and so forth. Even my wife knows enough about trailers to ask for frame size tire/rim size and capacity of the holding tanks. What one needs to keep in mind is one of the trailers of the three has already been purchased and the show is just showing you two other trailers to make it interesting for the uneducated viewer.
Now if money were no object and I could afford to leave idle a Super "C" RV I would purchase a Renegade motor home. With these you can access the engine bay and drive train somewhat easily and still have a high end motor home with a Cummins diesel engine. But I don't have 500K laying around.

 

[NIsaacs]

When and if I get into motor coaching, it’ll be a conventional truck based deal.

Here ya go: https://showlow.craigslist.org/for/d/1949-white-34-motorhome-bus-rv/6756351242.html

 

[DavidC]

Here ya go: https://showlow.craigslist.org/for/d/1949-white-34-motorhome-bus-rv/6756351242.html

Now there's a classic

Dave

 

[mwilson]

Here ya go: https://showlow.craigslist.org/for/d/1949-white-34-motorhome-bus-rv/6756351242.html

OMG!!! I don’t even know where to start!!

 

[Wayne M.]

That’s pretty cool.

 

[DavidC]

Just had to post it

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