1988 Newell Coach Differential failure - Luxury Coach Lifestyles
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Old 03-30-2011, 04:36 AM   #1
Wally Arntzen
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Default 1988 Newell Coach Differential failure

Two weeks ago while stopped at a light I started to move forward and had a terrible noise in the rear of the coach and I lost forward movement, while still moving I accelerated and the engine roared, the jake went crazy and I managed to roll off to the side of the highway. I was two blocks from the RV park I was going to in Gold Canyon, Arizona and called my mechanic friend in Minneapolis and he said to start the engine and put in any gear and go see if the drive shaft is turning. It was turning and he informed me that I had a broken axle or differential.

I called my Good Sam towing service at 1:00 PM and finnaly got a low boy out at 1:00 AM, yes I sat on the side of the road for 12 hours before I finnally got hauled to Phoenix to a Bus repair garage. Went back in the morning and they removed both axels and they were good so it was obvious that it was the differential.

The pinion gear was riveted to a plate and 3/4ths of the rivets broke at the same time and left the coach imoble.
They also showed that my muffler had a large hole in it the elbow before the muffler also had a hole.

They reattached the pinon with #20 hardened bolts and replaced the exhauset system in three days and $3000.00 dollars later I was back in service. I was very lucky that nothing in the differential got damaged other the rivets and I was there when they removed the differential and seen all of the broken ones that were inside. They informed me that the damage was probably a combination of age and stess with the rivet damage and I do probably take off from a stop a little faster that I should which contributed to event taking place. Just thought that would let you guys and gals know that stuff happens when least expected.
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Old 03-30-2011, 05:11 AM   #2
chockwald
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Wow....12 hours.....good thing you were in a Newell. Did you go to Tom's mechanic?
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Old 03-30-2011, 06:09 AM   #3
Wally Arntzen
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No I did not use Tom's mechanic because Tom was busy at work and I could not get ahold of him. My mechanic friend in Minneapolis recommended the shop I used and they were fantastic. The price was very fair and they went out of their way to get it done in a hurry for me.
One thing I did not mention is that my coach has 204,000 miles and probably over loaded because I carry many things that most don't such as parts and tools. We are full timers and always run my tanks full of fuel and water. Over time and use of the coach the rivets just had enough fatigue to die at the spot I was at and made it clear that I probably should drive it in a more gentle fashion.
On the tow, I informed the insurance company that I needed a lowboy type of vehicle to haul it in and they called the bus repair shop who also told them the same thing. They sent me a truck around 6:00PM that had a lift and he seen right away that he could not lift it because of the way it is built and called the insurance company and told them to send out the lowboy which finally arived at 1:00AM.
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Old 03-30-2011, 01:41 PM   #4
chockwald
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So, the insurance company was trying to save a few bucks, and their stubborness caused the delay.....well, all is well that ends well....eventually. Glad it is fixed.
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Clarke and Elaine Hockwald - FULLTIMING!
https://whatnewell.blogspot.com
1982 Newell 36’ DD 6V92 TA
2002 Thunderbird Retro
Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Cannondale F600
2 Terra Trike Tadpoles
Intense 5.5 mountain bike
ALBUM: https://newellshowcase.com/thumbnails.php?album=213
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Old 03-30-2011, 07:18 PM   #5
tuga
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Wally,

First of all, sorry to hear of your mishap.

I also have Good Sam towing in my MH policy and I am curious to know if they paid the entire towing bill less any deductible?

I only pay about $4.00 every six months, so that is why I am questioning how much the insurance company actually pays on a real life claim!
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Old 03-31-2011, 04:23 AM   #6
Wally Arntzen
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Hi Tuga,
I pay 99.00 a year for Good Sam towing insurance and 98.00 for an Alstate program that is the same. On my situation they sent out the wrong truck which came from 40 miles north of Phoenix which was about 90 miles from where I was located. They had to pay him for the trip and I don't know what he charged them. At that time the dispatcher which is an independent company that Good Sam contracts with to locate towing services made a committment to me that he would cover my entire tow and get me to the service garage that I selected. There only obligation to the policy holder is to get you to a facility that can do the repair that is needed to get you mobile again.
After I assisted the guy getting my coach on his truck I had to sign a release for the tow which included the fee and it was 1,000.00. Normally they try to get the tow cost for 400.00 or less but because he made the committment he honored it and covered the cost.
I certianly appreciated them covering the cost but did not like the fact that I had to wait for 12 hours to get it done. The distance from my location to the bus repair garage was about 50 miles and we traveled at 30 mph at 1:00am slowing down for all of bridges. One bridge he stopped at the beginning of it and pulled out an extending aluminum rod with a light on the end and put up to the bottom of the bridge and it gave him the correct height which was 2" higher that the coach on the truck. If we could not have made he would have to back up and go to the exit ramp and go over and around the bridge to the down ramp on the other side. My coach is an 88 so your coach and the new coaches would habe to use the on and off ramps on severall of bridges that we were able to go under. It was a testy day, its over, the tow went well, the repair went well and I will continue to love my Newell Coach.
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