FishAR

15 hours ago, Gary 05 AMB DST said:

The front axle is the place to connect a tow. The 2" hitch in the back is best for a rear tow. This advice came from the manager of the Roadmaster assembly plant in Elkhart in 2008. Dig out in front of the tires to create a ramp and put in a board. See if you can stay longer for more drying time. Good Luck and have fun.

Gary 05 AMB DST

I have nightmares about getting stuck, not sure how you hook to the front axle and get the strap low enough to pull without getting into the front cap.

My Camelot is in the body shop in Sarasota right now having tow truck damage fixed. I noticed on my estimate that diamond shield removal was $1425. Replacement was $1875.

My middle ac blower started vibrating, I thought oh great I'll have to buy a new fan. Went up there and took the cover off and the fan motor was loose.  Tightened it up and thought it was good. Started it back up and still vibrated.

Went back up again and took it all apart. Mud dabbers had put a large nest on the inside of the squirrel cage when I could barely see it. Took it out and threw it on the ground. Wife screams at me "baby wasps are crawling out of there!" and she's doing a dance stepping on all of them.

How that squirrel cage sat still long enough for them to build that with the heat we had in Florida at that time is beyond me.

My Camelot is at Gerzenys body shop in Sarasota getting the tow truck damage fixed. Probably be done in about a week.

Figure it's going to cost me about $1000 in fuel to get it home. Actually considered just driving it back to the lot and leaving it there but:

Don't want it in the florida sun all summer

Need to get it in my shop and paint the roof, wax the sides and do some other things

I don't think I'd be able to sleep with it sitting down there and me up here.

15 minutes ago, Trinidaddave said:

I chose the NSA READY BREAK, initial installation takes a few hours.  It can be moved to another vehicle, but the new vehicle would need the installation kit.  Just completed round trip California to Texas with  2009 K-1500 Silverado extended cab.

 I had a hard time deciding which system to use.  I wanted to to buy the RVi-3 but read some things communications, tablet battery life and I was concerned about customer service.

If I was doing it again, I might go a different direction, but it works for now.

If Richard recommends RVi-3 you might look closer at it.

That's what I have, except it took me a few hours just to figure out how to route the cables before I even got started.

Approximately 2 weeks after I filed a claim with my insurance company I got a lot of subrugation instructions, as in don't have any contact with Goodyear Towing or their reps, don't sign anything, we'll keep you apprised of the situation. Then a few days later I got an email that State Farm had deposited my deductible back into my checking account. Apparently it didn't take them long to get Goodyear Towing and their insurance company to see the light.

Dropped the Camelot off at Gerzeny's RV collision center Friday april 22, then we came back to IL. Supposed to be able to pick it up in 2-3 weeks.

Some of you may remember my problem going south to Florida in December. I had a crank no start condition at a nice campground outside of Troy, Alabama. Coachnet provided a tow to a shop in Troy and they fixed my issue, a bad connection to my lift pump. In retrospect I should have just called a mobile mechanic on my own dime first but didn't, so here we are. I will next time if I'm already at a campground.

The driver didn't want to unhook my driveshaft, kept saying he'd been doing this 22 years and it wasn't necessary, but I insisted. He couldn't get his fat ass under there so he called the truck shop he was towing me to and they sent out someone to do it.

When we got to the repair shop I looked the coach over. Crack above the front electrical bay door, underside of front cap all roughed up, generator slideout crooked. Gouge out of fiberglass on bottom in front of passenger side tire. What I didn't see until we got to Florida was that he'd also bent the bottom of my rear electrical bay door with my mudflap when he raised the coach way up so he wouldn't have to bend over to attach the wheel straps. Didn't know then that the mudflap needed to be removed and it was his responsibility, now I do. I showed him the damage I saw and told him I was going to file a claim.

I filed a claim with coachnet and they got on it. Contacted the tow service and got the insurance agent. The stall began. Then the insurance agent claimed Goodyear didn't want to turn it in. Coachnet called Goodyear and they said that was a mistake, they wanted to pay. Then serious stalling began. Finally just this week I contacted the adjustor again and she said Goodyear would not cooperate, wouldn't even talk to her, so her hands were tied.

I turned it over to my own insurance company, State Farm, on Friday. I had 16,000 deposited into my checking account by State Farm this morning. Now the body shop at Gerzeny RV World is lining up parts so we can get an appointment for repairs. State Farm will now go after Goodyear and their insurance company and hopefully make them pay and get my deductible back.

I would have turned it in months ago but I was convinced Kevin Goodyear was going to pay as they had accepted responsibility and said they were going to pay. My mistake.

Little canned ham pulled by a 69 chevy truck. Water pump and icebox. Then son and I would sleep in the camper shell of my 78 chevy truck after selling the 69 and canned ham. Next was a 32 ft travel trailer for work. 71 travco with 413 dodge was next. Spent more time working on it than using it. Mercifully a tornado finished it off.                            Then a long break until I retired.                                                                                                 Fixed up a 26 ft terry and a 32 ft hr I had taken in on trades and sold them. Then I got offered a job out of town that would still allow me to draw my pension. Got tired of motels and bought a 2015 jayco 26 ft. Too small so got a 29 ft sunset trail.                         Then we decided to leave a trailer at our lease in Florida and bought a 35 ft windjammer.                                                                                                                                     Thought about going full time and traded everything off for a 2019 42 ft Montana 5th wheel and a Ram dually.             Was plenty happy until I started fixing this monaco for my Mom to sell. We liked it so much we sold the dually and 5th wheel and bought it.           

2 hours ago, Hypoxia said:

As Trinidaddave mentioned, the PTCR is also a likely suspect and is mounted on the start capacitor.  PTCR  I replaced all of my PTCR's with a Supco SPP6 as I believe they are more reliable.  You can usually tell if the PTCR is going bad by smelling it, they turn stinky and look crispy.  If your residential refrigerator quits working that's the first thing to check.  My A/C parts manual lists the Compressor Start Capacitor and PTCR as "Compressor Start Kit"

Capacitor Discussion

Without the model number no one can tell you what capacitor is needed.  When you eventually shop for the capacitor do not buy one Made in China unless you want to replace it again.  MARS is one good brand.

I thought the spp6 was the entire hard start kit. I just replaced a capacitor and start motor with one in my rear #3 heat pump. Wired into the run capacitor.

I stay halfway between Ft Myers and West Palm Beach so not what you're looking for. I can however give a double thumbs down and middle finger to Sun Outdoors Sarasota. Only place I could find when we had to go to Sarasota for a few days in January. $115 per night for a miniature lot made out of chat which stuck in the treads of our shoes. Helpful people there though. I was watching my wife in the mirror as she directed me back into this postage stamp lot and someone screamed Stop Stop! I slammed on my brakes and see some guy waving his arms at me. He says You back up any farther and your jacks won't reach! I said thanks pal but I have no jacks only air.

What do you have.?

My rig has one heat vent in the bottom of the dash console and then you have to go to the kitchen sink to find the next one. On diesel heat a thermometer up front will show 65 while up by the sensor near the other end of living room/kitchen it will be 72. So I have to turn up the heat. Not a problem on heat pump since there are vents all over the ceiling.

I'm probably the most careful person I know when it comes to putting my awning in even in a light breeze. The other day it was calm, I was chipping golf balls at a bucket about 10 ft from the side of the motorhome. A gust of wind hit, awning billowed up in the center, ripped the support out of the motorhome on the rear side, and flipped it up on the roof. Carefree Eclipse.

I was shocked. No wind was forecast for that day at all. Luckily no damage to side of motorhome or roof. Awning braces both look ok. I got it somewhat rolled in and the back awning support tied off where it can't beat against the coach. Called every mobile rv service on google for this area, only got 2 return phone calls. Busy time of year. One could get here in a week. One whose website advertises service in every town around me and towns even farther away said "well you're a little bit far for us to go". well ok don't advertise that you'll service stuff 30 miles further away than I am.

I had been helping the Michigan contingent put up a gazebo earlier and they wandered over. They've convinced me we can fix it ourselves so I'm waiting for the exploding rivets and roll of butyl tape to arrive via Amazon.

When I was cleaning up existing butyl caulk and the awning support I found the source of trouble. The paper tape was still on most of the butyl caulk. The bottom rivets were all corroded and broke easily.

Coachnet rep said yesterday that tow company had turned it over to their insurance company and we should have a claim number Monday. I am very relieved and kudos to coachnet.

37 minutes ago, Wrayj1 said:

Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions regarding my mystery leak.  Based on info I received I'm suspecting it is the backflush backflow prevention valve, however, I will look at tyecvacuum breaker as well  as they are next to each other.  I will be back flushing in a couple of days and will have my wife watch the valves as I turn the water on and off to the back flush.  I will report back once I have it solved so others can use it for future reference should they have the problem.  Thanks again for all the input.

 

Ray

The first time I used the black tank flush water started pouring out. It only happens when a hose is hooked up with pressure though. It was the backfkow preventer. Was a real bitch to get to. In cabinet against outside wall behind hydro hot furnace fan. I cut it out and put 2 pex 90s in and a piece of pex pipe. Same thing I did in my Montana. These things are prone to failure. I use a little screw in backflow preventer from home depot where the tank flush hose screws in.

Got my estimate. $16,600. Tow truck really roughed it up. Generator exhaust squashed flat. Front cap needs reglassing of the back side. 

On 12/26/2021 at 3:55 PM, woodylmiller said:

I have coachnet.  Don't like them.  Of the times I called for help they pretty much have been more hassle than help.  For towing, probably the best and that's why we keep their coverage.  Customer service is terrible at best, at least it has been for every time I've dealt with them.  Never needed a tow.  But when needing the name/number of a mobile mechanic or tire shop, they come up with nothing.  They ALWAYS want to tow.  Gen not starting?  Tow.  Flat tire, a tow and a new tire.  Muffler dropped, a tow.  Every single time regardless of the help I needed, they come back with towing as the only solution.  My last flat tire, just went flat and needed the bead reset, I needed a mobile tire shop.  Coachnet once again wanted to tow, when I refused that as completely idiotic, they then went with a new tire, the flat one was brand new with less than 500 miles on it, from another state sometime the next day maybe.  I found my own tire shop.  Les Schwab of the Dalles, OR. which promptly ripped me off, charged two hours to re bead the tire with the air blaster, did not need to remove the tire, the shop was a couple miles away from where I was parked, and charged that amount, $240, without shame.  Coachnet did pay half of the bill. 

I guess I was raised a little better back in the day.  I admit I have no patience for idiots or lazy people.  I do wonder, how did all the call centers and customer service jobs go to the idiots?  Maybe a big job fair or something?  Sorry, my a** is still burning from my last phone call with the customer service guy at Coachnet.  For towing, they are the best, d*** the luck.

A kind word of advise for Coachnet; take you call center folks out and show them a 40 or 45 footer and ask them how they would go about towing it and if that makes more sense then sending a mobile mechanic.

Woody Miller

09 Dynasty

 

Tow will be my last option after this debacle.

1550 a year in Illinois with State Farm based on $125000 total loss. I had progressive on the montana but they wanted 2 grand for the motorhome.

On 12/16/2021 at 10:58 AM, Chuck B 2004 Windsor said:

There are so many bays in their shop, there are so many technicians in their shop, there are so many hours in a day, and so on.  I do not feel they are trying to ignore you.  Would you like it if they put someone to the front of the line thus missing your appointment?  Where I live, one waits for their turn.  

At least they are honest with you saving you a trip.  I do not understand your thinking!   

Well I'll explain it to you. I only want an ESTIMATE. I also expect, as a customer, to be CALLED BACK after leaving 2 voicemails. Not IGNORED for a day or 2.

I gave construction estimates for a number of years. Lots of times I'd have to drive 2 hours to the site to do them. When a customer called, if I was unavailable I called them back within minutes, NOT DAYS.

This has nothing to do with "going to the front of the line", "waiting my turn", or any other of the nonsense you spouted.

Back to the original purpose of the thread, I called Gerzeny's in Nokomis FL yesterday. Immediately got the collision center manager. He immediately made me an appointment for January 6 for an estimate. I thanked him for being so much more competent and concerned than his competition. It's 90 minutes from the resort but well worth it to me to not have to deal with arrogant people who don't return phone calls or even act interested in having my business. I'm trying to book a week around that time now near Sarasota where I have friends so I can play golf and visit with them along with getting my estimate. Going to be hard to do but I'm trying.

I got a claim number and claim representative from coachnet and have sent them pictures of the damage.

North Trail RV gave me an appointment for an estimate on Jan. 24. Over a month just to get an estimate, never heard of such a thing. I guess that's why they didn't return my calls, they have enough business to ignore me.

Currently looking for and working with coachnet on finding another place to go.

2 hours ago, Chuck B 2004 Windsor said:

This might be a good time for members to look over their options and knowledge when such emergencies happen.  In the heat of the chase one will make wrong decisions that will cost them a lot of money to just get the necessary repairs to get back on the road again.  Add to that the stress of not getting to your destination as planned.  

Meanwhile the majority of our members do not monitor this site until they have a problem expecting those who do to come up with a magic solution.  Many of them do not return to this site to help others.  JMHO,

No information is better than bad information. Lots of members may not possess any knowledge about Monaco systems. I know I've only owned this Monaco for around 4 months. I did some work on it for my mother before I ended up buying it from her.

I talked to coachnet. They told me to get an estimate and email it to them, and make sure everything is on it as in there may be damage that I haven't even seen yet.

Waiting on a call back from North Trail RV.

Coachnet is going to make sure the wrecker company pays the bill.

56 minutes ago, bunlacken said:

I had this happen a few months ago. Make sure you get it to the proper engine shop.

I was towed to a deisel shop & $2000 later found they didnt have test equip.

Went to Cat authorized shop, 4 hours diagnosed ECM.  $6000 fix + hotels & first shop $2000. Hope you have insurance.

Was a choker, just bought it, no warranty 3 days before.

 

I just bought coachnet roadside before we left for florida. If I hadn't I'd have called a mobile mechanic.

Alabama Heavy Truck in Troy is where we went, they were great. Spend the night there and there were people climbing around testing connections all morning. $600 was kind of tough but I was fully expecting a lift pump replacement and I figured that would run 2 grand maybe.

Had a crank but no start situation in Alabama on our way to Florida at a campground. I changed the fuel filters but still no start. Called coachnet, they said they'd arrange a tow. I asked about a mobile mechanic and they said they could do that but if it didn't work and I then needed a tow they wouldn't pay for it, so I figured I had no choice but to tow.

Wrecker came out pretty quickly. I asked him whether he was going to take the driveshaft loose or pull the axles, he says "We're only going about 7 miles, I can tell you that going that far won't hurt anything and I've been doing this 22 years". I Informed him he wouldn't be moving my motorhome without doing one or the other. Disgusted, he tried to get his portly self under there and couldn't so he called the truck shop and they sent someone out to do it for him. I was so disgusted by this time I didn't noticed he didn't remove the rear flap until we were following him down the road. I didn't really think anymore about it until a few days later when I discovered it had got into my rear electrical bay door and bent the 45 degree bend on the bottom into a 90 degree bend.

The damage I did find while he was asking me to sign for the tow and told him I'd be calling his boss for reimbursement for repairs:
Front electrical bay door now not aligned with front cap
Crack in front cap from electrical bay door opening about an inch long
Misaligned front cap
Scuffs in bottom of front cap, mainly in the clear protective covering, obviously done by him due the the now bent license plate.
And now the bottom flange on the rear electrical door needs to be rebent and painted.
And a scuff at the bottom of the fiberglass in front of the front passenger side tire.

He took pictures, I took pictures. He reached in and rebent a front cap brace and straightened up the front a little bit and acted like he'd done something great. I got his boss's info to call.

I registered a complaint with coachnet when they called me back asking how everything was and they asked if I wanted to file a claim. I said yes but give me a few days, I need to get to florida to our winter site. She told me to look on the app, I thought I saw File A Claim on there but now that I'm at our resort I can't find it. I guess I'll call them tomorrow along with the tow operator supervisor.

Has anyone ever done the file a claim thing with coachnet for something like this?

I guess I'll have to pull up stakes and take the motorhome 40 miles to Ft. Myers and get estimates sometime soon.

BTW the problem was a loose connection from the ECM to the lift pump.

The $100 temorary camera I bought is junk but the good news is wife can see enough of the truck in the Monaco rear camera that we know it's there. She says it just looks like it's covered in fog or smoke. It cleared up a little since we left so she can see the shapes.

I lease a spot at The Glades RV Resort and Marina, about 40 miles east of Ft. Myers. More central than west.

9 hole golf course on site, pool, marina, nice restaurant. Thing that I like that others wouldn't is it's a 15 mile drive to the grocery store in Labelle. Out in the middle of nowhere on 80.

It was half empty last year but I hear things are picked up this year, leaving tomorrow to go down there.

11 hours ago, Steven P said:

My dash has just a panel that lifts up for access. I don't have a pic, but it's right in front of the steering wheel.  If you post a pic of your dash, someone may be able to help.  Are you coming thru AL on I10? That passes close to me if I can help. 

That's where mine is, I didn't try to just pick it up I assumed it was attached at the 4 corners where the upholstered buttons are. I will try that today.

We're getting off I24 at Nashville, taking 65 to 231 and Troy Alabama and spending the night. Then to Marianna Florida and get on 10, going to Lake City and spending the night there. Thanks for the offer but I haven't allowed myself much time except for driving and sleeping.