Replacing Large Components

[greatriver]

As we sit waiting for our house to sell so we can purchase a Newell (used)and get on with the next stage in our life a question keeps popping to mind that I'm almost afraid to ask. What happens if say the double door Amana needs replacing? How do you get the old out and the new in? I guess I would go to Maimi and say just do it and don't tell me...we're going to a casino.

By the way doesn't anyone want a really nice house on a golf course in eastern VA? What you may have heard about 2' of snow here last month was greatly exaggerated.

[HoosierDaddy]

I'm not sure about Newell's procedure but I've heard about shops removing a windshield to R/R a large appliance. One thing to keep in mind as you shop ...most appliances are designed with a life expectancy of 20 years. So if you are comparing two coaches of a similar vintage if most appliances/ air conditioners / furnaces have been replaced that should be considered. It's very likely that a refrigerator could be repaired instead of replaced.

[express1]

What is the price range for your house and the Newell you would purchase?

[afrench45]

Ive had to pull my fridge out of the hole before to try to find a leak. Ive gotten it out and maneuvered it to the bedroom of the coach, but never taken it completly out. I would guess that it would fit through the door though, just may be a little heavy.

[greatriver]

express1 will send a PM in reply tomorrow. My post was a bit in jest but the house is on the market and we plan to purchase a Newell when it sells.

[Wally Arntzen]

I suspect that anything inside the coach can be removed through the entry door. I had my refregeritor replaced two years ago and there was plenty of room when they went in and out of the door with the old and new one.

[greatriver]

Wally,

I'm really surprised to hear that, I thought it would be necessary to pull out a window or windshield for one of the big side by side refrigerators.

[Richard and Rhonda]

I, too, have had my fridge out of the hole. Newell told me how to make a simple platform to rolll it out on. I didn't measure it, but I suspect with the fridge doors removed it might go through the entrance door.

However, taking the windshield out is NOT a big deal. When I first heard of that concept it freaked me a little, but it is not a complicated affair. One would need to either pull the front of the coach to a loading dock, or build a scaffold, but the fridge could definitely be taken out through the windshield.

Like Wally said everything else inside the coach can be disassembled into pieces small enough to come out the door.

One of the neat things I notice about the Newell compared to the other coach I had is that Newell screwed most everything together, so if you need to take panels, cabinets, or major pieces loose then a drill driver will do the trick. The other coach, which was no slouch, was built with staples and glue. If you had to take something out, you were likely to make a big mess.

[HoosierDaddy]

I think if I had to remove anything through the windshield I would use a fork lift or mobile scaffold. I've had windshields replaced on both of my Newells. One thing I learned is that once they set the glass in the coach it should not be moved for at least 24 hrs in order for the sealant to cure and seal properly.
Yes , Richard I too have been very impressed with how Newell constructed these coaches with a minimum of glue and staples.

[greatriver]

Now that I think of it if you took the doors off and removed the shelves and drawers handling it through the door probably would work.

Richard, your comment about build quality brought a thought to mind. Sometimes it's the little things that impress more than the big things. When we were at Newell last year Sam Robinson showed us a number of used coaches. One of the first things I noticed was that Newell uses Grohe plumbing fixtures and in particular the Grohtemp pressure balanced and thermostacially controlled shower valve. I put them in our last two homes and I think they are the best on the planet...but they are very pricy. Just the valve inside the wall is probably over $500.00 now.

That impressed me because if they do that with a shower valve that most people would never know about you can bet that everything in the coach is the best quality possible. Of course that's what makes a Newell a Newell.

[tuga]

Hi Larry, good to hear from you again.

I removed my Amana refrigerator from my 1993 Newell. I removed the refrigerator doors and walked it right out of the entrance door with room to spare. The key is to build a plywood platform that you can slide the refrigerator onto; it needs to be about 4" high. I still have mine. It is really not a big job if you have a Newell.

Good luck on the sale of the house!

[greatriver]

Hi Tuga:

Hope you and Karen had a great trip to the Keys last month. I thought about you as were we passing through Louisiana on our way back to snowy VA from Texas.

I don't know why but the thought of having to replace the refrigerator in a Newell really bothered me. I'm glad I made the post and put that non-problem to rest.

I hope we can get together on our next rip back to Texas. I understand that Matt Russo is nearby so perhaps we can all get together for a good cajun dinner somewhere.

My Best,

Larry

[tuga]

Sounds great Larry, looking forward to meeting you and your wife. There are many good cajun restaurants to try - just let me know when you are making another trip to Texas.