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Do-It-Yourself Maintenance

Yahoo Message Number: 20743
We've been motorhoming since 1999 and have always performed maintenance items ourselves. Early on we always had trouble finding information, and still do in some cases. We found quickly that a large old-fashioned washtub was an essential tool - it fits under the coach and will contain either transmission fluid or motor oil.
The coach manufacturers are a bit slow to recognize the new breed of owners - those who do their own work - and the dealer shops are aghast that someone other than their techs actually understand how to do anything.

At the recent East Coast Reunion a dealer service tech could not believe that we had replaced two ride height valves ourselves. Many of the techs are accustomed to folks who just buy, drive, and "take it to the dealer".

We have learned more about our coach than some of the factory guys know - based on a couple of phone conversations with them when we have had problems. Of course there are always people who shouldn't even try to repair something, but a lot of new, younger owners will be demanding more information from the manufacturers than they may be prepared to support.

As long as we all continue to share stories on this forum, we should be able to keep our rigs going.

Jim and Mary Jo Brown
2002 Allure # 30778

Re: Do-It-Yourself Maintenance

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20745
Jim,

While I agree owners should more about their coach than anyone, it is up the owner to decide if they do the work or have a professional do the work. (most of us are amatuer mechanics) To me finding a pro to do the work is a challenge even then you should check behind them. No one but the owner dives it and the more you know the more you can go with those rodaside stops.

Paul

01' Intrigue #11309

Quote from: mjbrown46
We've been motorhoming since 1999 and have always performed > maintenance items ourselves. Early on we always had trouble

finding

Quote
information, and still do in some cases. We found quickly that a > large old-fashioned washtub was an essential tool - it fits under

the

Quote
coach and will contain either transmission fluid or motor oil.

The coach manufacturers are a bit slow to recognize the new breed

of

Quote
owners - those who do their own work - and the dealer shops are > aghast that someone other than their techs actually understand how

to

Quote
do anything.

At the recent East Coast Reunion a dealer service tech could not > believe that we had replaced two ride height valves ourselves.

Many

Quote
of the techs are accustomed to folks who just buy, drive,

and "take

Quote
it to the dealer".

We have learned more about our coach than some of the factory guys > know - based on a couple of phone conversations with them when we > have had problems. Of course there are always people who

shouldn't

Quote
even try to repair something, but a lot of new, younger owners

will

Quote
be demanding more information from the manufacturers than they may

be

Quote
prepared to support.

As long as we all continue to share stories on this forum, we

should

Re: Do-It-Yourself Maintenance

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20762
"pcummings4",

The challenge will be to find true professionals. As an amatuer mechanic I usually know more about my coach than 90% of the people who call themselves "professionals". I had a situation with the Country Coach representative at Tucson Beaudry who diaganosed a problem which I felt was incorrect. I took it home, called HWH for tech support and fixed it myself. The problem was what I had told the CC rep, but he was not about to trust an "amatuer mechanic". Be careful out there! If you don't understand your coach's systems you'll never be able to pick out who is and who isn't a true professional mechanic.

JMHO
Steve

Intrigue #10673
 

Re: Do-It-Yourself Maintenance

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20769
Steve,

You are right on, HWH are the professionals in this case for sure.
I had a semilar experience with my dealer. I paid to have the part shipped in to him for the install. I later discovered the dealer had not connected new valve's electrical connection.

Having said how important it is to understand your coach keeps me reading those Tech Manuals and the CCI mag. In closing, I was checking out the Ememgency Stop relay and could not find it in the engine area. I looked in the bay (front left)and found it and a rocker switch that I have no idea what it does. My thinking is to take a digital photo and email it to CC Tech support to find it's purpose.
Paul

01' Intrigue # 11309

Quote from: rheavn
"pcummings4",

The challenge will be to find true professionals. As an

amatuer

Quote
mechanic I usually know more about my coach than 90% of the people

who

Quote
call themselves "professionals". I had a situation with the

Country

Quote
Coach representative at Tucson Beaudry who diaganosed a problem

which

Quote
I felt was incorrect. I took it home, called HWH for tech support

and

Quote
fixed it myself. The problem was what I had told the CC rep, but

he

Quote
was not about to trust an "amatuer mechanic". Be careful out

there!

Quote
If you don't understand your coach's systems you'll never be able

to

Quote
pick out who is and who isn't a true professional mechanic.

JMHO
Steve

Intrigue #10673

> Jim,
>

> While I agree owners should more about their coach than anyone,

it

Quote
is up the owner to decide if they do the work or have a

professional

Quote
do the work. (most of us are amatuer mechanics) To me finding a

pro

Quote
to do the work is a challenge even then you should check behind > > them. No one but the owner dives it and the more you know the

more

Quote
you can go with those rodaside stops.
>

> Paul

> 01' Intrigue #11309
>
>
>

[quote author=mjbrown46"
>]
> >

> > We've been motorhoming since 1999 and have always performed > > > maintenance items ourselves. Early on we always had trouble > > finding

> > information, and still do in some cases. We found quickly

that a

Quote
> large old-fashioned washtub was an essential tool - it fits

under

Quote
the

> > coach and will contain either transmission fluid or motor oil.
> >

> > The coach manufacturers are a bit slow to recognize the new

breed

Quote
of

> > owners - those who do their own work - and the dealer shops

are

Quote
> aghast that someone other than their techs actually understand

how

Quote
to
> > do anything.
> >

> > At the recent East Coast Reunion a dealer service tech could

not

Quote
> believe that we had replaced two ride height valves

ourselves.

Quote
Many

> > of the techs are accustomed to folks who just buy, drive, > > and "take

> > it to the dealer".
> >

> > We have learned more about our coach than some of the factory

guys

Quote
> know - based on a couple of phone conversations with them when

we

Quote
> have had problems. Of course there are always people who > > shouldn't

> > even try to repair something, but a lot of new, younger owners > > will

> > be demanding more information from the manufacturers than they

may