Tech Talk Archives 4

[Neweller]

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401 8/26/2001 11:14:14 PM 8/29/2001 Greg York gwyork@attglobal.net Newell & DDEC In what year did Newell start using 6V92TA and
8V92TA engines with DDEC? Were any or all 1987
coaches DDEC? What were the major advantages of
the DDEC computer controls?

[Neweller]

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402 8/27/2001 6:52:21 AM 8/29/2001 Brent Coursey bcoursey@ineva.com Rust on '78 Newell We are looking at buying an older Newell in the '78 - '82 year range. We looked at one that had alot of the metal panels underneath the coach rusted out and this caused some rot on the plywood panels above the metal. I also noticed a crack on the external skin about 4-5 inches long above the entry door. My question is, when you see rust like this, how hard is it to fix? Could the crack above the entry door be signs of some internal structural problem. The coach has 475K miles on it. As a general question, what should we be looking for in a coach of this age.
Thanks In Advance

[Neweller]

Q
404 8/29/2001 2:39:27 AM 8/29/2001 Greg York gwyork@attglobal.net Late '80s Central vs. Roof Air I am trying to understand how "Central" air
conditioning is implemented in the late '80s
coaches. Where is the ducting? Where are the
air units located? I am making the assumption
that this might be a quieter system than the
roof mounted units. Are there any drawbacks
to the central air system? For instance, can
an older roof unit be replaced with a commonly
available off the shelf unit today? What is
the availability of replacement parts or units
used in the central air system, by comparison?

[Neweller]

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406 8/29/2001 2:52:48 AM 8/29/2001 Greg York gwyork@attglobal.net '89 Road Air System On 1989 coaches, there is an option referred
to as the "Road Air System". This appears to
consist of a 24V alternator, split voltage
battery system, and a 5KW inverter sufficient
to run one or more air units from the 8V92.
From a design standpoint, I understand the
theory and attractiveness of improved efficiency
as a result of lower current flows in a 24V
system. Was this a popular option? Will a
coach with this system installed suffer from
higher maintenance costs, parts availability
issues, or decreased reliability?

[Neweller]

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407 8/29/2001 9:53:43 PM 9/2/2001 Dean Stoops 67gto@bright.net Rust on '78 Newell I am restoring a 78 Newell. On my coach the steel floors under the holding tanks had rusted badly from 25 years of moisture accumulating there. I removed the tanks and the flooring down to the frame, sandblasted the frame, put a new floor in and reworked the tanks. Most of these things can be rebuilt if you haven't got too much money into the coach. The crack above the door is something I have never seen but if you sight down the side of the coach and the rivets are straight with no diagonal wrinkles in the siding it should be straight. Just some thoughts from a newbie!

[Neweller]

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408 9/2/2001 5:39:30 AM 9/2/2001 TechTalk Staff techtalk@newellcoach.com Basement Air Elec Loads We would expect to see loads more in the area of 13 - 15 amps per unit. However, there may be some other small loads showing on your ammeters. More to the point, if the a/c is performing well..."if it ain't broke,..."

[Neweller]

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409 9/2/2001 6:45:36 AM 9/2/2001 TechTalk Staff techtalk@newellcoach.com Rust on '78 Newell With an owner willing to perform the required maintenance and repairs, a Newell will last virtually forever. However, at 23 years of age and 475,000 miles, the challenge is obviously the cost to repair and restore versus value of the restored coach, modified by the "hobby enjoyment" and pride of accomplishment of the restoration project. A major variable is how much of the labor an owner can perform rather than have contract out at retail labor rates.

[Neweller]

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410 9/2/2001 7:00:14 AM 9/2/2001 TechTalk Staff techtalk@newellcoach.com Late '80s Central vs. Roof Air This is a pretty wide ranging question, but we'll offer some discussion as thought starters. The central air units installed in the 80s were "split systems," with the condenser and compressor units installed in the belly areas, and the evaporators installed upstairs, blowing cooled air directly into the interior. Typically, little or no ductwork is used. The noise levels are comparable to roof units. An advantage of central air is the clean roofline, giving the coach a nice, tidy appearance.

[Neweller]

. A disadvantage is increased maintenance, partially because of connections for the freon lines that run from the underfloor compressor/evaporator units and the evaporators upstairs. In addition, availability of repair parts have become a problem after some 15 years, while roof airs are virtually self-contained, allowing an entire obsolete unit to be easily replaced with a current model. It is not very practical to replace an older roof air with a central air unit, although not necessarily impossible. Simply a question of time, effort, and money.

[Neweller]

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411 9/2/2001 7:11:43 AM 9/2/2001 TechTalk Staff techtalk@newellcoach.com '89 Road Air System We installed several of these systems in the 80s using 5000 watt inverters. They operated satisfactorily, but suffered from poor reliability. The inverters suffered a variety of failure modes. We concluded that we preferred way to operate 120 volt a/c units was from the a/c generator set or shore power. In recent years, on special request, we have equipped a few new coaches to operate an a/c unit from a Trace or ProSine inverter. However, we still don't like the high amount of dc current flowing through the cabling from the batteries to the inverter to produce enough power to operate an air conditioner. A simple loose connection can start to arc, heat up, and create a significant problem. There are those who disagree, but the Newell staff is not enthusiastic about operating 120 volt air conditioning from inverters.

[Neweller]

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413 9/5/2001 7:45:12 PM 9/7/2001 Don Koenig donkoenig&juno.com Irregular Bridgestone Tire Wear I had to replace a dual pair of Bridgestone R293 tires becouse if irregular wear. Most of the tread had a depth of 9/32 which is about 40% of the original tread. About 14,000 miles earlier I had the steering tires with"cupping" swapped for the outside drive tires as recommended in the Newell documentation. First question, has anyone else had tires "self destruct" so quickly?

[Neweller]

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414 9/5/2001 7:53:40 PM 9/7/2001 Don Koeng donkoooenig@juno.com Bridgestone R293 labels After replacing two of these tires I looked closely at the 4 tires I could see. All 4 had the label "max load single 6430 at 105psi". A "max load dual 6000 at 105 psi" was on 2 tires and a "max load dual 5640 at 95 psi" was on the other 2. All are LR G PR14. Is the label incorrect or are there classes of LR G Bridgestone tires?

[Neweller]

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416 9/5/2001 8:09:23 PM 9/8/2001 LOWELL G MICHELS lgmgwm@aol.com 35 to 40 ft no slide out I WOULD LIKE SOME INFO WITHIN CERTAIN LIMITS. WHERE DOES THE TAG AXEL BECOME REQUIRED? CAN A SHORTER COACH STILL HAVE THE 500HP DETROIT? IF I WERE TO COME TO MIAMI, WOULD I DO BEST TO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT? I ASSUME THAT THE LONG LIST OF OPTIONS ARE JUST THAT AND CAN BE ADDED OR DELETED AS PREFERRED. LET ME HEAR FROM YOU. THANK YOU, LOWELL MICHELS MY HOME PHONE IS 952 454 3456---OFFICE 1 800 456 5600---CELL PHONE 612 963 6122--HOME ADDRESS 8095 UPPER 129TH CT APPLE VALLEY, MN 55124

[Neweller]

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417 9/5/2001 9:23:22 PM 9/7/2001 d.castor jkc0106@aol.com towable vehicles can anyone advise which suv is most compatible to tow?

[Neweller]

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418 9/6/2001 11:03:54 PM 9/7/2001 David S. West SlingerGn.aol.com My 1970 Newell Motor Choach I have just gained a 1970 Newell, I know very littel about. Like the size of the engine,were to get a repair book on opperating parts and body,the value of the 70" Newell,and were can I go to have repairs done in the Roseville, Ca. area. Thanks Dave.

[Neweller]

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419 9/8/2001 2:29:03 PM 9/9/2001 Clyde Moore clydemor@cwnet.com My 1970 Newell Motor Choach Mr. West.

Please give me a call. I am in Yuba City and have a 1967 Newell. I may be able to answer many of your questions.

Clyde Moore 530-67109275

[Neweller]

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420 9/10/2001 8:20:12 AM 9/12/2001 Ed Sandidge esandidg@aol.com Proper Tires? For those who need tires with more load handling capabilities than the Michelin 11R24.5, Goodyear make a G286 tire in both 11R and 12R24.5, load range H. The 11R has 7,030 lbs single/6170 dual. The 12R has a whopping 7,660 lbs single/6,720 dual. Both are rated for 65 mph speed. You can check them out on the Goodyear website.

[Neweller]

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421 9/10/2001 3:52:50 PM 9/12/2001 ken mccarl mccarlk@home.com info needed i have a 1984 newell 40 ft coach that suffered fire damage in the rear, need pics of the engine compartment, and tire size for the rear tires, also info on where to get rear aluminum wheels, thanks ken

[Neweller]

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422 9/10/2001 6:05:08 PM 9/12/2001 Dave Copeland d_copeland@msn.com towable vehicles There are many SUVs that tow well. I have a 2002 Ford Explorer that I tow behind my Newell. When ordering you have to specify that you want to tow 4 down and they have a switch that the dealer adds. Very easy to operate. The only way you can tell that a SUV is behind a Newell is to look in the rear view camera.

[Neweller]

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423 9/11/2001 10:39:21 PM 9/12/2001 Bob Marlatt insidegolf@cablespeed.com Alignment I have noticed that my new front tires are showing some wear on the outside tread with only a couple thousand miles, is there a recommended toe-in or toe-out alignment? It is my understanding that the straight-axle can only be adjusted in this fashion.

[Neweller]

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424 9/14/2001 6:21:32 PM 9/15/2001 +Bill Burch bmburch@swbell.net towable vehicles I tow both a GM suv and a Plymouth Voyager. The GM is 4-wheel drive and requires simply putting the transfer case in neutral. There is no speed restrictions and no stopping every 200 miles. Just hook up and go.
The voyager uses a transmission pump and works very well.
I have friends with vehicles that use a drive shaft disconnect and my understanding is they all have problems.

[Neweller]

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425 9/14/2001 7:19:40 PM 9/15/2001 RICH WATSON COACHDRIVER13@AOL.COM towable vehicles AS A DRIVER OF A NEWELL I TOE A KITCHEN TRAILER FOR A RACE TEAM. IF YOU ARE GOING TO TOE SOMETHING YOU SHOULD MAKE IT SMALL. I HAVE FOUND THE LESS WEIGHT I TOW THE LESS IT TAKES AWAY FROM THE WONDERFUL RIDE.

[Neweller]

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430 9/15/2001 7:52:42 AM 9/15/2001 Don Koeng donkoooenig@juno.com Irregular Bridgestone Tire Wear E-mail address correction

[Neweller]

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431 9/15/2001 9:46:36 AM 9/15/2001 Leon Henson lebe007@swbell.net 1968 Newell manual,tires etc My 1972 newell also sags on the drivers side. A little troubleshooting I found one of the rubber donuts, "theres two on each side," one on each side of the wheel, leaking air. I,m gonna try putting some type of solution to try to stop the leak. If I plug the airline to the one donut the other airs up just fine but still not level enough. Wish me luck. And I thought that generator/sets and carbureators were tough to work on.

[Neweller]

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432 9/17/2001 3:43:29 PM 9/18/2001 Mrs.Marilyn Foy John316maf@hotmail.com 1973 Newell Motor Coac h My inlaws are thinking about buying a 1973 Newell. But they are not sure of the value. It is in very good condition. It has a back engine and 555 Diesel. If anyone could give us any information on the value we would appreciate it.

[Neweller]

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433 9/18/2001 9:27:11 AM 9/30/2001 TechTalk Staff techtalk@newellcoach.com Alignment The preferred toe-in specification for a STRAIGHT AXLE Newell is 1/32". However, not all alignment equipment will measure this small a toe-in setting. Up to a maximum of 1/8" can be used, although tire wear may increase with the larger amount of toe-in. For Newells equipped with independent front suspension, the recommended toe-in is 1/8" to 3/16". You are correct in that the other axle settings, camber and caster, at not adjustible, as they are cast into the axle during manufacture. These settings do not change unless the axle is put under a great deal of stress, such as in an accident. The axle manufacturers do not recommend allowing these axles to be adjusted by bending, but the axle beam should be replaced if they have been damaged and taken out of specification.

[Neweller]

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434 9/20/2001 10:38:50 AM 9/30/2001 Ed Sandidge esandidg@aol.com R134 retro fit The company who make Freeze 12 have a website with lots of good info. It is www.technicalchemical.com. Included on the website is the recommended procedure for conversion, frequently asked questions, pressure-temperature conversion chart, and conversion data. Among the benefits of conversion is that Freeze 12 not only costs less per pound, but it has lower specific gravity, meaning it requires fewer pounds to fill your system. It has much lower pressure at all temperatures above 35F, which means less wear and tear on compressor and connections. The only problem I am having is finding a local shop who is setup to use it. It requires installation of new service ports and the shop has to be able to connect gauges and evacuation equipment to these new ports.

[Neweller]

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435 9/27/2001 4:52:27 pm 9/30/2001 ken mccarl mccarl@home.com canadian newell owners looking for any owners around ontario, canada, rebuiding a badly burnt 1984 coach, willing to pay for pictures of the engine area,

[Neweller]

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438 10/1/2001 4:56:00 PM 10/2/2001 heas@mindspring.com CANADIAN NEWELL OWNERS I have an 82, probably the same configuration, I can take photos if you like, e mail them to you

[Neweller]

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444 10/14/2001 7:17:12 PM 10/15/2001 RICH WATSON COACHDRIVER13@AOL.COM Bridgestone R293 labels As a driver of a Newell coach for years I have found that Karl Blade and his staff have devoted many hours to tire problems. While recently getting some preventative maintenance done at Newell, I couldn't help but notice the huge tire specification board placed next to the employee time clock in the service department. Hats off to them for devoting so much attention. My personal and professional opinion as a driver is to use the Michelan Pilot, which I have found to be the best.

[Neweller]

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445 10/14/2001 7:23:37 PM 10/15/2001 RICH WATSON COACHDRIVER13@AOL.COM Any other Newell Coaches in San Antonio? I am a driver for a race team and our coach is based out of Campbellton TX. Which is about 40 miles south of you. I believe that I have seen your coach at a camping area near San Antonio.

[Neweller]

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448 10/15/2001 6:20:43 AM 10/15/2001 JC jvclark02@cs.com 1973 Newell Motor Coac h A 1973 Newell will require a considerable amount of loving care. If they are not into self help and shade tree mechanics I would recommend against it. The Cummins "triple nickle" went out of production in the late seventies/early eighties. Parts and technical expertise for this engine is becoming a problem.

[Neweller]

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449 10/15/2001 6:25:41 AM 10/15/2001 JC jvclark02@cs.com info needed I have an '87 40' w/8V92. If Newell will confirm a similiarity I will take the pictures and e-mail them to you.

[Neweller]

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450 10/15/2001 6:31:36 AM 10/15/2001 JC jvclark02@cs.com towable vehicles I have had good luck with Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee 4X4's I am now pulling a Ford F150 4X4 pickup with an Ultralight trailer in the back. I recently returned from a 15,000 mile Alaska trip with no problems other than stone chips.

[Neweller]

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451 10/15/2001 6:16:16 PM 10/17/2001 JC jvclark02@cs.com E-3 error code-Link 2000 I had the same problem, so I added a small blower fan aimed at the unit that comes on with the generator fan. One caution, if you experience too many over temp shutdowns, the unit will stop resetting itself. jc

[Neweller]

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453 10/23/2001 2:21:38 PM 11/10/2001 Tuga Gaidry tuga#@cajun.net towable vehicles I tow a GMC Yukon using a REMCO driveshaft disconnect; it has worked without any problems for 4 years. Prior to using the REMCO driveshaft disconnect on the Yukon, I used it for 5 years on a Ford Explorer with no problems. So after 9 years of use, I can say it has been trouble free!

[Neweller]

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454 10/28/2001 3:48:38 PM 11/10/2001 Bill Burch bmburch@swbell.net Auto-start Generator I would like any information about installing an auto-start feature on my l995 Newell with the 20kw Koehler Generator. Does it work and what about reliability? I would appreciate any information from either Newell or Newell owners that may have used these units.
















koehler

[Neweller]

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455 11/7/2001 4:11:26 PM 11/10/2001 Gary Slutz gjslutz@sssnet.com Jake brake controlmodule Where would I find the Jake Brake
control module on a 1990 420?

[Neweller]

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456 11/12/2001 7:32:03 AM 11/19/2001 Dick Quirk quirkrjiii@cs.com Shocks for a '78 I need new shocks on my '78, 38.5 foot Newell (6V92 engine). I would like to get Bilsteins, since others have not lasted more than 2 years. Does anyone know the proper Bilstein model number for our coach?

[Neweller]

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458 11/19/2001 12:44:20 PM 11/19/2001 Tuga Gaidry tuga@cajun.net Winter mountain driving... I am planning a winter vacation to Breckenridge, CO in
February 2002. I have never driven in the mountains
during the winter. I would appreciate any driving tips
such as, how to obtain local weather reports (radio or
state police). Are road signs posted when ice conditions exist? What should do motorists do when they encounter ice conditions? Should I disconnect the tow vehicle? I would
especially appreciate feedback from any Colorado Newellies.

[Neweller]

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459 11/20/2001 6:31:03 PM 11/21/2001 Gene Morace genemorace@hotmail.com roof paint I recently purchased a 1994 Newell, and the paint on the roof is beginning to come off in several areas. I am interested in re-coating the roof with a rubberized coating if anyone has any words of wisdom concerning these products.
Thanks