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03-30-2011, 07:18 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 91
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Towing Your Newell
In Wally Arntzen's thread on the failure of his differential, he discussed towing issues stating that a tow truck could not tow his rig without damage and that a lowboy was needed. Now I hope to never tow my Newell, but if I have to I what it done right. Unfortunately, I don't know what is "right". Does anyone know what the recommended towing method is? Lowboy for all Newells or just a subset? Why is the lowboy necessary? I have seen other motorhomes towed with a BIG tow truck, why not Newell? I a hoping that from the responses to this thread I can work up an emergency towing procedure so I know what towing methods to demand and why. I want to avoid being bamboozled by a towing firm that thinks they know what they are doing but really don't. Oh, and let's not forget things that need to be done to the rig in preparation for the tow (disconnect drive shaft, pressurize air brakes, ???).
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Tim and Laura
2000, 45', Single Slide
Coach 541
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03-31-2011, 01:41 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 433
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Tim,
I too am interested in any one's personal experience. I had to have my Country Coach towed three times. The Country Coach owner's manual explained the towing procedure very well and the towing each time went without a bad incident. When I read the Newell owner's manual & saw no towing procedure I contacted Newell for their towing procedure. They had none. On the Country Coach they had to hook an air hose to keep the suspension aired up, but the connection was in the front. On the Newell it is in the RR compartment. Hopefully some one who has had the unfortunate experience will educate us. Otherwise I see a low boy as the only option.
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Steve
Newell
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03-31-2011, 02:43 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: mesa, az
Posts: 1,375
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attached are a few pictures of towing my coach. there was so little clearance at the trailer hitch when going up the bed of the truck that they put a set of wheels to prevent it from causing problems.
i just didnt want to have them take the driveshaft off.
i had a cracked head so i didnt want to run it much...i did enough to raise it a little.
this was a humongo rig i gotta tell you
tom
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03-31-2011, 03:44 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Thibodaux, LA
Posts: 1,221
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Wow, not much clearance on the sides!
Do you remember where they hooked the cable to winch it up?
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03-31-2011, 04:33 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 326
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Hi Guys, the truck that Tom's went on looks like the same one that picked up mine. I raised the air bags all the way up as far as they go and it went on with nothing scraping or even coming close to it.
The tow guy was impressed at how high I could raise it and once it was on truck he had me lower the bags all of the way down to assist in getting under the low bridges on the highway. There was no need to disconect the drive shaft because with the differential out it was not able to make anything go.
The first guy that came out to get me said that his truck could lift my coach and haul with no problem but the way it was constructed it was not possible to get the arms under the coach to lift without doing a lot of damage to the coach. The bus repair garage spoke to this guy before he came out and informed that they prefer to have Prevost's and Newells and some other coaches hauled to them on a LowBoy type vehicle to prevent any further damage to the vehicles coming to them for repairs.
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Wally and Phyllis
1988 Newell Coach #163
40' with tag 8V92
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03-31-2011, 11:16 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 433
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Tom,
Thanks for the pictures. They are helpful. There is another type of lowboy, but I have no pictures. The other type is easier to get up on & limits the hitch clearance issue. Yes, unfortunately, I have used this other type. The tractor unhitches from the lowboy trailer. The front hitch area of the trailer lowers down & becomes the loading ramp--less angle than the one Tom used. The coach is winched up with the front pointing to the rear. The trailer front is then raised back up & locked in place. The tractor then hitches back up. With my Country Coach on board he was able to go from Buckeye to Tucson without exiting at bridges, but my Country Coach was only 11'9" tall. My Newell is 13'3". The tow was over $1600 and my AAA RV tow insurance paid the entire bill. I now have two tow insurance policies, but that is another story for another time! Hopefully this helps someone make a towing plan that they never have to use.
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Steve
Newell
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03-31-2011, 02:30 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Iyopawa Island, Mi. (sometimes)
Posts: 421
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This just happened on our return trip from Fl. and we were very lucky that it happened, I think, just before we stopped to fuel and I noticed while we were fueling during my walk around. Hopefully this info will help others avoid a similar problem, and a towing adventure. Our Detroit Series 60 has a canister (no one can tell me it's purpose) located on the side of the engine on the curb side. A fuel line runs into it and then continues around the front of the engine to the drivers side. The way it was run allowed for it to wear thru causing a major fuel leak! Newell service tells me it must not be a necessary item because it was discontinued on later Series 60 Detroits. My coach, #365, was an early Series 60 so, you may want to give yours a look see! Hope this avoids a future problem for my fellow Newell owners. We were lucky we didn't have to be towed, which I dread the day if it were to happen. (A big knock on wood!)
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1994 Newell #365 w/Corvette, 2002 streetrod 34 ford golf cart, 2009 Smart Car, 1958 Century Coronado, 1965 Cruisers Inc, CAR & BOAT CRAZY! LOVE OUR NEWELL!
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03-31-2011, 03:00 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Riverside, California
Posts: 1,543
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All this talk about towing makes me nervous. So far my problems have been solved in the field (blown tire and starter trigger wire, loose connection on rear panel). I do, however, carry several forms of towing insurance just to be sure I'm fully covered. If Good Sam and/or AAA fail to cover everything then my coach (auto) insurance policy will pick up the rest.
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03-31-2011, 03:21 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 433
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Don't mean to make any one nervous but as a veteran I can tell you my third tow was easier than my first. And that was because I planned what to do to make it easier the next time. By the third time the tow driver said that having some one present who knows the towing procedures for their coach was very helpful. Even with that it is not a pleasant experience & I'm with Larry knocking on the biggest piece of wood I can find! Now I'm going out to check all my fuel lines for wear. Thanks Larry.
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Steve
Newell
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03-31-2011, 07:30 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Stanley,KS
Posts: 45
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When I blew an inside rear tire, it took out both airbags. With no air in the system, the body drops to about an inch or two clearance over the tires. The tow driver disconnected the drive shaft, "keyed the brakes", replaced the tire and placed a 4x4 block of wood somewhere underneath where he hoped to keep the body off the tire. No such luck. It was crushed and the tire started taking out the insulation. Got off at the next exit and called for a low boy. No one wanted to take the job because of the bridge height issue. Luckily an older gentlemen came over and asked what the problem was. Told him and it turns out he owned a garage across the road. He called in a mechanic to repair the air bags the following week.
The Allstate Motor Club would not dispatch a tow truck until I could tell them the exact distance from the front bumper to the center of the front wheel. I suppose for purposes of dipatching the correct size tow truck. Luckily I had a measuring stick.
Hope that never happens to anyone else!
Larry P.
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03-31-2011, 11:11 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: south louisiana
Posts: 654
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Towed!
OK, now thats out the way. Who has NOT been towed in last 5 years....
Me, for one and I've traveled alot in 3 different coaches
I now thank VMSpc for keeping me alert on most info.....
Don't drive much after dark.
Keep fluids clean.
and most important, Watch out for the other jackass.
Hope I can go 5 more years without being towed.....
Limping in does'nt count.......
Most likely will stay on the porch in 5 years and wave as other go past
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if you think my spellin is bad, you should sea my handwritten. #437 w/flex toad (STAY AWAY FROM LARRY BELL aka larrynjeri) he is a lier and a lock picker.
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04-01-2011, 02:52 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Muskogee, OK USA
Posts: 208
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Towing
How about these pic's
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Jeff and Pam
1996 Newell 45'/Tag
60 Series Detroit
Coach #432
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04-01-2011, 03:38 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Thibodaux, LA
Posts: 1,221
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Wow! Do you know what caused the frame to break?
Hope he didn't have to haul you too far with that rig.
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04-01-2011, 11:33 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Muskogee, OK USA
Posts: 208
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Forest
No..Do not know what caused the frame to break. Newell never said for sure. As you can see with the rust on the frame it had been like that for some time.
They had to haul it for 90 miles to the factory. 5 hour trip @ 20 mph!
And the really sad thing...We had just purchased the coach, was on our way to Newell for new tires and etc. Spent 5 hours on side of the road and then the 5 hour trip to Newell. LONG NIGHT!
This is one of the things that is now on Newell's checklist to check on each coach.
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Jeff and Pam
1996 Newell 45'/Tag
60 Series Detroit
Coach #432
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04-01-2011, 12:51 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: south louisiana
Posts: 654
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Wow!
Ain't no limping back on THAT. My coach was built 5 later...437. Did Newell cover the repair to frame?
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if you think my spellin is bad, you should sea my handwritten. #437 w/flex toad (STAY AWAY FROM LARRY BELL aka larrynjeri) he is a lier and a lock picker.
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04-01-2011, 01:03 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Riverside, California
Posts: 1,543
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Jeff and Pam....OUCH! What a way to start your Newell ownership! Like others have asked, did Newell cover the repair?
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04-01-2011, 05:14 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 433
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Jeff & Pam,
You have brought new meaning to the phrases "working the bugs out" and "new coach blues". I'm glad you were close to Newell & they were able to get your gorgeous coach roadworthy again.
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Steve
Newell
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04-02-2011, 01:00 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Huntington WV
Posts: 1,041
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Larry,
Can you take a picture?
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Richard Rhonda Ty and Alex Entrekin
1995 Newell # 390 DD Series 60, Allison World Trans
Subaru Outback toad
CoMotion Tandem
Often wrong, but seldom in doubt
Rhonda's chronicle https://wersquared.wordpress.com/
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04-02-2011, 01:49 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Muskogee, OK USA
Posts: 208
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Newell did not have to cover, our insurance took care of it all. Two new lower air bag frames, four new air bags, new shocks, new leveling valves, 8'x10' of new skin on the drivers side rear (rivets broke out and skin rippled), paint and re securing the wheel flares. A lot of damage was also done by the wrecker. They hooked their chains to two points that they thought were strong enough to lift the coach. They were able to lift the coach about two feet up (this allowed the drive wheels to get off the ground). It was in the air for about a minute when there was a loud noise and the coach fell to the ground. The points they hooked to were actually part of the cartridge that the engine and trans are mounted too. This allows the engine and trans to slide out after removing two 3/8's bolts on each side. These bolts sheared and the couch fell, the wrecker was still hooked to the engine frame. thus twisting it until the chains flew off. Newell was great, and worked with us through out the whole ordeal. I will take some pictures of where they first hooked up and ripped up the cartridge slides so this does not happen to anyone else.
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Jeff and Pam
1996 Newell 45'/Tag
60 Series Detroit
Coach #432
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04-02-2011, 01:58 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: south louisiana
Posts: 654
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Throw in the Towel
I've got to say, you guys held it together..... I would have thrown in the towel and Drank a few Jack and cokes.......and taken up aquariums....
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if you think my spellin is bad, you should sea my handwritten. #437 w/flex toad (STAY AWAY FROM LARRY BELL aka larrynjeri) he is a lier and a lock picker.
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