Tech Talk Archives 9

[Neweller]

A
1106 10/2/2003 12:15:49 PM 10/2/2003 Jon Kabbe jckabbe@earthlink.net Vintage Newell I have a 1977 coach with 190,000 miles. The interior and drive train were updated prior to my purchase more than a year ago. According to the previous owner he had been everywhere from Alaska to Guatamala in it with few problems. I've had two problems, the fuel injection system and corrosion on the lower body side panels. The injection problems were due to aging of the hoses causing hose particles to screw up injectors and the pump. The hoses didn't look bad but were slightly stiff. I wasn't having problems with the generator so the problems had to be on the drive motor.

After driving this March over salted roads, I have had some of the body panels at the wheel wells get holes corroded completely through. I took the following actions. I put a heavy blue shrink wrap film used for boat storage between the aluminum side panels and the steel wheel wells. Then I ordered some of the matching anodized aluminum from the Newell factory and cut nice looking patches to cover the "holey" areas and glued them on using high strength double sided trim tape from 3M. While not perfect it looks pretty good. I had to do some unriveting and reriveting to really do the job right, but even then I only had about 8 hours total in the job plus a little money.

Other than those things "Da Bus" runs, drives and performs amazingly well and I have few doubts it will run a very long time. Everything is solid with no rattles. Like any vehicle plus a house there are things that happen with aging (damn, even my body is giving me similar signals), but nothing catastrophic that I can see. All you can do is check to see the previous maintenance pattern and then make a judgement about what you will spend to get it up to your standards and keep it there.

I hope this helps.

[Neweller]

A
1107 10/2/2003 5:21:50 PM 10/3/2003 Dennis mckim81520@bresnan.net Time needed to build What is the approximate time needed to build a new coach, after an order is placed? Thanks.

[Neweller]

Q
1108 10/3/2003 7:28:04 AM 10/3/2003 TechTalk Staff TechTalk@newellcoach.com Coach engine heat The addition of a coolant pump as standard equipment for off-engine
heaters began in the 1980s. Installation of a 12-volt booster pump is
fairly straight forward. There are a number of possible locations, but
ease of access, availability of 12-volt power, and a forward location,
should be prime considerations. Contact our parts department toll free at 1-888-363-9355 to order the parts you need. You may also need to consult with the Newell Service Department regarding the pump model they recommend.

[Neweller]

A
1109 10/3/2003 7:34:40 AM 10/3/2003 TechTalk Staff TechTalk@newellcoach.com Time needed to build A coach ordered from scratch today would be scheduled for delivery around July 1 of next year. Currently, we have the owner's demonstrator and one new show coach in inventory for sale. In addition, a total of four unsold demonstators and show coaches are on the schedule between now and next summer. While some of the specifications are "locked-in" on these units, a number of the decor and optional equipment decisions are still flexible, depending on the time remaining before completion.

[Neweller]

A
1113 10/8/2003 9:15:09 AM 10/8/2003 Springer Jones springerjones@yahoo.com Air conditioner problem In July we purchased a very nice 1991 41.5 Newell with 165,000 miles on the 8V92 Detroit. We departed for a two month trip from our home in Mexico through Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada and California, returning home the 1st of October. Having a number of motorhomes over the years, we were used to breaking down two or three times a week. The Newell was a delight. However we had a problem with the central air conditioner about half way through the trip. This model has three a/c's located in the basement, left forward. The center a/c started making a very loud noise, (vibration) a few minutes after turning it on and then shut down by tripping the circuit breaker in the closet. We tried it a few more times from time to time and the same symptoms occurred. The compressor would kick in and then a few seconds later the shutdown would occur. We stopped using it and now wonder if anyone else has had this experience. We are not where we can get a qualified diagnoses or repair and because of the location of the a/c's I am not familiar with the unit. Can a good RV shop fix our problem? Any help will be appreciated.

Springer Jones

[Neweller]

Q
1114 10/8/2003 9:52:17 AM 10/8/2003 TechTalk Staff TechTalk@newellcoach.com Air conditioner problem We recommend you have an RV technician familiar with central air conditioning diagnose your problem. If no such RV tech is available, a serviceman familiar with central home a/c should be able to help, as Newell central air conditioning is very similar to a home unit. If no expericenced a/c techs are available and you want to get into this yourself, remove the shrouding from the unit. Take a look at the components, including the bracket securing the fan and motor, as this bracket sometimes fails. Parts for the older a/c systems are getting a little bit tough, but try the factory parts department once you identify what you need.

[Neweller]

A
1115 10/11/2003 6:28:48 AM 10/13/2003 Al mymtr1@aol.com Monocoque Chassis and Newell Is the Newell a full monocoque design or semi-monocoque? How does Newell's chassis/frame design compare to the Prevost shell? Aren't both of these designs greatly compromised with the addition of slide-outs?

[Neweller]

Q
1116 10/13/2003 12:08:24 PM 10/13/2003 TechTalk Staff TechTalk@newellcoach.com Monocoque Chassis and Newell This is a complicated question. To start, there is no agreed definition of "full monocoque" or "semi-monocoque." Newell uses a combination of welded steel framing from the floor down and rivited aluminum framing above the floor, with the majority of the load carried by a wide steel channel going front to back in the center just under the floor (the top of the chassis). This construction is certainly some form of moncoque, rather than body-on-frame, but a hybrid to be sure. The typical bus shell extends the steel structure above the floor and across the top, with the majority of the load carried in truss like structures running front to back between the windows and the floor. Without question, this is full monocoque. When Mr. Newell designed his structure in about 1970, his goal was for the chassis to be "self supporting," not relying on the coach body, specifically the sidewalls, for support. He wanted to be able to locate doors, windows, furnace vents, etc. (slide-outs!) anywhere required without losing the structural integrity of the vehicle. By the same token, Newell solidly and permanently attaches the body structure to the chassis so that the finished unit has the much of the structural advantage of a monocoque without depending on the walls for strength. Cutting slide-outs into the walls effects the structure of both a Newell and a bus, but not as much with the Newell since the majority of the load is carried by the center channel under the floor. Hence Newell has required only a small amount of structural upgrading to go to four slides, while buses are typically limited to only two slides. We would not agree that the chassis/frame design has been greatly compromised in either case.

[Neweller]

A
1117 10/13/2003 4:06:56 PM 10/16/2003 Jon Kabbe jckabbe@earthlink.net Switches On my 1977 coach I have two switches that I have no idea what they do. One is marked "ACC" and the other is marked "OVER-RIDE". I'm in the planning stages of adding the booster pump for the front heater/defroster and I need to add a switch. If I can use one of these spaces I can avoid drilling a new hole.

Thanks.

[Neweller]

Q
1118 10/13/2003 9:08:06 PM 10/16/2003 Kelly Scott kscott6264@netscape.net Monocoque Chassis and Newell Anything you do to the chassis would alter it. But the design is for comfort, along with protection. A tour of the factory would answer all your questions.

Kelly Scott

[Neweller]

A
1119 10/14/2003 3:22:32 PM 10/16/2003 Mike zzdoc@yahoo.com Streamline Trailer.... I have a model #28 Steamline trailer. Does anyone know where I can obtain owner manuals, reference diagrams, etc?

[Neweller]

Q
1120 10/15/2003 6:18:45 AM 10/16/2003 Brian Zachary zach407@msn.com All electric instead of gas Do you now or will you in the future offer an all electric option on your coaches instead of gas?

[Neweller]

Q
1121 10/16/2003 2:18:49 PM 10/16/2003 Charles charlesbco@paxemail.com Monocoque Chassis and Newell There are 'Prevosts' presently rolling with 3 Slides and there is one presently in production. --- So I guess they can accept a 'Third Slide'.

[Neweller]

A
1123 10/16/2003 7:45:04 PM 10/16/2003 TechTalk Staff TechTalk@newellcoach.com Monocoque Chassis and Newell We stated that "buses are typically limited to two slides." You are correct in stating that there have been three slide buses. But the numbers have been very limited. Bus shells with "factory built" slides are limited to two. It is our understanding that this is for structural reasons. We have talked with an independant installer of slides in bus shells. He told us that in his opinion the structural changes required to install a third slide in a bus and the size and location limitations of the third slide made the concept, in his opinion, unattractive. We stand by our original statement that buses are typically limited to only two slides.

[Neweller]

A
1124 10/17/2003 2:53:52 PM 10/17/2003 TechTalk Staff TechTalk@newellcoach.com Streamline Trailer.... For those not familiar with early Newell history, L.K. Newell purchased the motorhome division of Streamline Trailer in 1967, with the Streamline Motorhome essentially becoming the 1967 Newell. Now, the bad news. We have virtually no documentation from the Streamline operations, and certainly none pertaining to Streamline trailers. After selling their motorhome operations to Mr. Newell, Streamline continued to produce trailers until, we are told, they shut down during the 1974 energy crisis. Also, few RVs manufactured in those days had anything resembling an owner's manual.

[Neweller]

A
1125 10/17/2003 2:59:55 PM 10/17/2003 TechTalk Staff TechTalk@newellcoach.com All electric instead of gas We began offering all electric coaches beginning in about 1994. Subsequently, very few Newells featuring propane were built, primarily because customers preferred the large electric refrigerator-freezers and the diesel heating systems introduced at about the same time. It has now been perhaps two years since we built a coach with propane.

[Neweller]

A
1126 10/20/2003 6:47:27 AM 10/24/2003 doug potter doug.potter@hds.com Tag Axel I'm just about to purchase an 86 model without a tag axle. It has the 8V92. That is a heavy engine. Is there anything I need to watch out for here? The coach has been upgraded to 24.5" wheels.

Thanks, Doug

[Neweller]

A
1127 10/20/2003 11:47:12 AM 10/24/2003 doug potter doug.potter@hds.com Twin to Queen Conversion Did you get any replies via email? I am looking at doing the same thing. It looks like I will just need to make a small platform between the twins. I will also need to remove the center cabinet. Building the new side cabinets is not a big deal. The problem will be having to crawn into bed from the bottom. Making it a walk around looks like more thatn I want to tackle.

Doug

[Neweller]

A
1128 10/21/2003 6:05:48 AM 10/24/2003 Bubba Romero nnar@bellsouth.net Adding a slide We have recently purchased a 1984 Newell coach. We were not sure if we would enjoy this but turns out we do. Problem the wife now would like to have a slide out so is looking @ newer coaches. Is it possable to add a slide up front to this coach. Does Newell offer something a hands-on person could perform themselves or would it require factory instalation? If offered, what would the cost range be. We like the bus but I know she will win.

[Neweller]

Q
1129 10/22/2003 2:34:25 PM 10/24/2003 Rich Farr toptin@cox.net Allison 653 transmission fluid Due to leaky hose, need to add transmission fluid to our 1979 Newell -6V92 DD with Allison 653 5 speed auto. Allison folks recommended new synthetic ($38.00 per gal), then dropped back to C3/C4 - ??
Don't want to mix synthetic in older unit and uncertain whether should use Dextron III or Type F. What readily available (old red) auto transmission fluid does Newell recommend for this unit? Thanks in advance.