Many upgrades

[Barry Rooker]

We've owned our 2001 Newell for nearly seven years, and while we continue to lust after a newer Newell, it's not in the financial cards. So each year we keep updating 'cause it's cheaper to keeper.

Most things were done at Newell, not cheap but they know what they're doing. Creslie Clark's a treasure. John Clark too.

(1) Big tires, on the steering & tag axles. Dropped our front tire pressure from 130 to 100, with a Newell factory weighing. Wonderful improvement in ride. Fortunately we only needed new tires & wheels, the studs were okay.
(2) We put SmarTire on all eight tires. Very comforting to check on the pressure & temp of each & every tire anytime we want.
(3) Toss that Jun-Air 110volt compressor, it's not continuous duty. Replace it with the compressor that's currently used.
(4) Installed the current entry step when our creaky unit was worn out. Much nicer step.
(5) Chicago Rawhide axle seals stop the leaks that happen with Stemco axle seals.
(6) Changed the pull-down window awnings to the current Girard electrified units.
(7) Transformed our coach with a paint color change. Lots of bang for that buck.
(8) Still using lead acid batteries, but sealed eliminates re-fillings issues.
(9) Power-Pulse is a cheap device that prolongs batterie life. You'll need three units. It's been installed on all new Newells for a number of years.
(10) Permanently connected the waste pipe ala' the new Newells. Wow, it's great.
(11) Also installed the permanently connected Glendinning water hose reel.
(12) Next month we're putting an HD tv in the front. Already have a Moto-Sat HD antenna.
Just takes a new monitor & DirecTV HD receiver.
(13) Also next month, recarpeting, the wife's quite excited about this.
(14) Replaced the mixer valve in the shower handle. Now we have pressure again.
(15) Put in the latest nav system with satellite radio & blue tooth for our cell phones.
(16) At 120,000 miles & 11 years, we re-cored both radiators this summer & overhauled the CAC.

[express1]

So Barry, what do you do for FUN? Those things are what must be done to stay happy!

[Barry Rooker]

The Newell is our first RV and it's opened a whole new chapter in our lives, new people & new places. When home in OKC, chasing after various little issues with the Newell is my primary FUN. Naps are good too.

[rheavn]

I'm impressed when some one puts the effort into keeping their coach as nice & up to date as possible & still use it. Unlike you, and probably many others, I prefer the older bus look than the newer style. I am like you in that when we are home & not traveling I too find it fun to do the preventative maintenance , cleaning & detailing. Some guys are "car nuts", but my passion is motorhomes. We still have time to go about 15,000 miles a year.

My experience is that Newell does good work & always uses "Newell quality" materials. Yes you have to pay for it, but I'd rather put my money into nice stuff than depreciation. That Braun step you added is very nice! My Country Coach had a nice step, but when we bought the Newell we felt the only thing that looked cheap was the step. I haven't had the battery problems that others report so I haven't felt the need to install the Power-Pulse, although I'm leaving it open for the future. My starting batteries are dated 4-2004. I hope you'll post a picture of your coach as I'd love to see the new paint job.

If you get over by the Branson, Missouri area feel free to contact us as I'd enjoy talking with you.

[Barry Rooker]

Hi Steve,

Like you, I was a car nut until I got the Newell. I'm a big fan of the pre-2005 Newell look (partly because my 2001 has the earlier look) From 2005 & newer, some could say Newell's are overly embellished, along the lines of Buster Crabbe in his 1930's Flash Gordon series.

Some things I'd like about a newer Newell would be ZF steering; roof air opening up basement space; bigger windshield & side glass; sleeker Girard on the roof than hanging on the side. Things I wouldn't like: front door with no screen; decreased fuel mileage; more complicated systems, all subject to failure; intrusive Valid slide mechanisms; all that added depreciation.

I'm encouraged about your seven year old batteries. My chassis batteries are 5 years old & my house batteries are 4 years old, using PowerPulse from day one.

FYI: Just replaced all eight Michelin tires this summer, even with a trucking buddy helping me, they were a thousand dollars each! Since they calendar out rather than wear out, my tire cost is rougly 25 cents per mile while my fuel cost is roughly 50 cents per mile. That's with us driving some 6,500 miles annually, California in the winter & Michigan in the summer.

I'll try to get some pictures posted. Struggling to understand this website. Look forward to seeing you somewhere out there.


Barry

[encantotom]

hi Barry,

can you please give me the model number and maker of the 110v compressor you put in?

thanks

tom