[Marius]

I’m not as computer proficient as guys like Tim, but it doesn’t matter how any of us maintain logs or service records.The important thing is that we have the ability to review when maintenance or repairs were done and perhaps plan when they need to be done next.

But do not stop with just tracking oil changes. I am in the middle of replacing a Headhunter toilet and find they changed just about everything, including how it is wired. I have rewired the coach as necessary (not a big deal, just time consuming) but I am adding drawings to my log books so if I want to I can revert back to the old style timer in case the new timer fails. Future owners will be able to read where to find the old wires, and how to disconnect the new wiring and retro fit the old timer. I have done that will all sorts of modifications such as adding a second thermostat to the HW tank. Future owners will be able to find the source of power and wiring so they aren’t scratching their heads trying to figure out what I did and why.

[Walter]

Jon,

Would you please find and buy a nice bunk coach, get all the bugs worked out in a couple months, then sell it to me with good records? I will pay what you need and be forever grateful! 🙂

[Fred F.]

Sorry Kurt, I expect unlike Tom, this will be our last coach.

Your coach is out there, you just have to keep looking. One thing potential buyers do have to understand is every one of us has compromised when we bought our coach, and we have to set a budget, list the important things with the most important things at the top and then things that would be nice to have. I would have loved to get coaches with known service histories but I did not. Now in my fifth year of this coach I am almost done replacing stuff and truly making it our own with a full and complete service history. This year it is air bags and norgrens and as many compression fittings as practical. With that milestone I will now be beginning to repeat all my preventive maintenance because except for rarely serviced items like bearings and brake calipers.

You may have to buy a coach that has most of your checklist, but may require you take it to someone like Tradewinds to modify it for bunks.

[Archived]

Tim: Please post an image of your Google spreadsheet logbook.

Jon: Please describe and/or post pictures of your logbooks.

I’ve found it very valuable to walk in the footsteps of others who have gone before me … and to shamelessly plagurize the work of others.

[Corey]

My log book consists of a number of elements.

The basis for planned maintenance is shown in this article: https://prevostcommunity.com//articleDetail.asp?ID=7

Every time I do a maintenance I fill this out, and it shows what I did and when something is due. I review this proir to starting maintenance to make sure I have all that I need to complete what is sheduled.

The second part of my log book is a page that allows a summary or narrative. Obviously I list the date and miles or hours, but I also describe in general terms what routine maintenance has been done and the pages listed above are stored in the log book following the narrative. There are always going to be things outside of routine or scheduled maintenance so in this page I also write what I did regarding a repair or modification, often including part numbers, sources, and I attach any receipts or instruction manuals or notes or diagrams so in the future the sources are known as well as what specifically was changed if there were mods.

The third part consists of sketches, diagrams, parts lists or anything else that clearly shows non-standard repairs or modifications. This will be where I jog my memory about where I got a certain wire attached, or how I ran some wires or lines plus it will tell how to completely remove my modification or change and restore it to 100% original condition.

I hang on to my stuff a long time, and by having documentation I can always refresh my memory on what was done, how I did it and part numbers, plus where to get parts or repair kits.

One pet peeve is too many take their coach somewhere once a year for whatever they want to call that service. If the owners that did that spent an evening or two organizing all the required maintenance events required on the coach, the generator and the house they would quickly understand there is no such thing as a single maintenance event but a series of events that never seem to fall on the same day or month. The only way to attempt (I am not sure I catch it all) to do agood job of maintenance is to first write down every needed task, its interval in miles or hours or calendar time and try to set up a program where it all gets covered and written down. If it is not written down nobody is good enough to track when something is due with all the stuff that needs attention.

[Will]

Dick,

If you copy one’s work it is called plagiarism, however if
you copy multiple people’s work, it is called research. So, get out there and do some research.

3-F

[Archived]

Dick,

By no means is my Log Book, which I created in Google Sheets, as comprehensive as Jon’s. I don’t track the part numbers or have diagrams, but I did use Jon’s Maintenance interval schedule as a guide.

I’ve tried upload the google sheets, which I converted to JPEG’s, but they all loaded up-side-down. I then turned the JPEG up-side-down, and they still loaded up-side-down. I don’t know if this is a “MAC” issue when uploading photo’s, but I’ve not been successful in getting the JPEG’s to come out right-side-up. And, yes, I did take the JPEG with my IPhone horitzontally.

[Per]

Tim,

Try saving the Excel file to an Adobe one (.pdf). This has been successful with other files. If it still loads upside down, the ebd user has the ability to rotate the image to right side up.

[DON]

I save the Google Sheets as a PDF first without success. I got an error message when I tried to upload the file as it doesn’t except “pdf” file extensions.