[Michael]

Prevost-Ft. Worth has now replaced –

• Engine Air Compressor

• Air Dryer Cartridge

• R-14 Relay Valve

• Driver Side, Tag Axle R-12 Relay Valve

• Air Governor

• Check Valve from the Wet Tank to the Primary Tank

• Check Valve from the Primary Tank to the Secondary Tank

I have mentioned several times other Prevost Community Members have had problems with the air line leaving the Engine Air Compressor. They told me that air line was ok.

Replacing the R-14 and R-12 valves took them 12 hours. The Prevost R-12 valve was a different shape from my original and there was one line that was a smidge short and would not seal. They spent five or six hours trying to make it fit.

Three times Prevost-Ft. Worth told me the problem was fixed and three times, I left for home only to return. The 1st time, last Saturday, I did not even make it out of their driveway before I saw my Front and Rear Air pressures ahd dropped to 72psi and 77psi with just two brake applications.

Then they replaced the R-14 & R-12 valves and told me I was repaired. I made it 18 miles away before the Rear air pressure dropped to 80i while I was driving, applying no brakes and the Engine Air Compressor would not kick in. I returned.

The third time they found oil in the Air Governor and replaced it. That was Tuesday. I made it 8 miles this time before the same thing happened and I had to return.

The fourth time was today. They replaced both Check Valves and when they test drove my bus, they did not make it but a mile or so before having the same problem. I had to have these two Check Valves overnighted from New Jersey because in all of the Prevost Parts System, these were the only two available in America.

My bus has been at Prevost-Ft. Worth for over two weeks now with the same problem. I have been here for eight going on nine days. I drove up LAST WEDNESDAY to pick up my bus because the told me it was ready. So I only brought one change of clothes.

The problem is the Rear Air System looses air while driving and the Engine Air Compressor is not kicking in. I think Prevost-Ft. Worth is trying hard and is as stumped as I am.

Very Frustrated – Michael Power

[Michael]

Prevost – Ft. Worth is replacing my R-14 valve as we speak. They think this is the problem. They said it was leaking air and the diaphragm failed. They showed me the valve and it looked ok, no water or rust inside the ports.

[Michael]

Mike and George;

Thank you for your replies.

I am currently at Prevost – Ft. Worth. The bus has been here for almost two weeks now.

Here is what they told me would solve my problem and if I approved or disapproved the repair –

• Driver side wheel seal leaking – APPROVED
• Replace tag shocks – APPROVED
• Generator service – APPROVED
• Level 3 Service – APPROVED
• 2 red rear marker lights out – APPROVED, HOWEVER THEY DID NOTHING, telling me they could not match my marker lights with LEDs. My marker lights are ALL LED.
• Air system service – APPROVED
• Replace engine air compressor – APPROVED
• Fuel leak near Webasto preheater – APPROVED, however, I told them to just cap off the leak
<strike>• Replace upper control arms</strike> – NOT APPROVED
•<strike> Replace lower control arms</strike> – NOT APPROVED

I drove up to Prevost – Ft. Worth Tuesday, July 8th and spent the night so I could be ready for my 6am APPOINTMENT. After spending Tuesday night at Prevost Ft Worth and getting up at 5:30am for my 6am APPOINTMENT, it was 6 HOURS, close to NOON, before anyone came out to the bus to help me.

• 6:00AM – I spoke to the Lot Walker and he said, we’ll send someone right out to you.

• 8:10AM – I called my Service Writer and he said, we’ll send someone right out to you.

• 9:15AM – I called and my Service Writer was in a “Meeting”. The Front Desk said they will ask the Lead. He told the Front Desk to tell me, we’ll send someone right out to you.

10:15AM – I called my Service Writer and he said, we’ll send someone right out to you.

• 11:55 AM – A Tech finally wondered to my coach and took my bus in for inspection after I described the parking brake / loosing air pressure problem.

• 1:30PM – I was told I needed a new D/S drive axle inner wheel seal, the brakes had over heated, and the engine compressor had failed, etc.

• 2:00PM – I was told it would be Friday before all repairs would be complete and I could not stay in the bus

• 2:30PM – I was told in would be Monday, July 14th before all repairs would be complete and I could not stay in the bus. I had my son in Dallas drive me three hours home.

• Monday, July 14th – I was told it would be Tuesday or possibly Wednesday, July 16th before all repairs would be complete. I told Prevost I would drive up and sleep in the coach Wednesday night.

• Wednesday, July 16th – I arrived at Prevost at 7pm and they were still working on the bus

They continued working on my bus until Friday, July 18th, finishing at 3pm as they were closing.

I try to leave the next morning, Saturday, I press on the Service brakes to stop twice, once at the Exit Gate and once in front of their office and brake pressures drop from 115psi to 77psi & 72psi. Parking Brake light come on.

I am still at Prevost – Ft. Worth for the same problem I brought the bus in for repair to begin with.

I have driven this bus 272,000 miles and been a Prevost – Ft. Worth customer for around 25 years. My brake air pressure would only drop a few psi when the service brakes were applied. A drop of 20psi is unacceptable and dangerous.

Prevost – Ft. Worth drove my bus 11 miles and had the engine running for over 6 hours while my bus was in their possession. How could they miss this drop in air pressure ? They told me my problem had been repaired and were letting me drive the bus home in this dangerous condition.

While everyone has been very polite and professional to me, the lack of progress, the time to solve and repair my service request is appalling. It used to be much better here.

The Air Service is supposed to check for air leaks, check service brakes system, check park brake system among other items. Did they actually check the brakes since that is why I brought my bus in to begin with. I caught the problem after just stopping twice.

I am still here for the same problem that brought me here to begin with.

• What is going on with my parking brake and what is allowing me to lose all that air pressure so quickly ?

MICHAEL POWER – 1998 Prevost XL-40 Country Coach Conversion, Original Owner

[Michael]

I have heard of coaches your era with 250 gal tanks. I believe Colorado bus may have had one.

[Michael]

David, take a bow. Few of us will wear out tires before they age out.

I had the opportunity to talk tires with Prevost a long time ago, and a few years back spent a week at Michelin learning about tires. The Michelin training was intense.

The tires used on Prevost coaches from Michelin were developed in concert with each other and both companies did extensive testing of the tires and coach suspension tuning. The original equipment tires had the best combination of characteristics to provide long life, good handling, excellent ride, etc. That does not mean they are the best in all categories but are the best combination of characteristics for a seated Prevost application.

You have to determine if your needs are other than what the original tires provide.You might want better rolling characteristics for better fuel economy, longer tread life in terms of miles, smoother ride, better traction, or any other need but just remember it will come at the expense of another characteristic.

Some changes are subtle so it might not make any difference to you if the ride is a little harsh or if you lose a little fuel economy.

[Michael]

With the rubber gasket lubed, push the glass into it towards the center post. It is unlikely you can push its entire width all the way in so try to get the inside center of the glass in the groove along the post and into as much of the horizontal top and or bottom grooves as reasonable. You may only succeed in getting a lot of the top or bottom in the rubber groove along with the vertical part at the center. Then using the nylon tool work the rubber groove around the glass starting at one point and continuing around.

The outside curverd part of the glass has to be pretty much lined up with the gasket groove. If the windshield is not seated in the groove at the center post it is unlikely you can slide the whole windshield into the groove from the outside end without breaking the glass.

If in doubt practice on the broken windshield.

I hope this helps because it is hard to describe but when you have the glass in hand you will see what I mean.

[Michael]

If you want to see how well a Prevost chassis holds up under testing here is where you can learn all about it:

http://apps.altoonabustest.psu.edu/buses/reports/477.pdf?1499095116

[Michael]

If you have a 12v master disconnect switch? it may be turned off. My Liberty has a 12v master cutoff/disconnect switch in a bay. If its off my bus loses all the stuff your talking about.

If there is a battery isolator downstream from the 50DN? it may have failed and isn’t allowing the low house batteries to be charged by the newly rebuilt alternator.

[Michael]

Here is a summary of my last fuel stop.

Note the TSD Fee is $1.75, which equates to 10% of my total discount.

So my total discount was only $15.72 = $0.14 per gallon = 6%.

LOVES #272 – TRAVEL STOP – KINGMAN, AZ

Fuel $297.98

Discount ($17.47)

Total Fuel $280.51

TSD Fee $1.75

Total Fuel Cost $282.26

Total Galllons 109.19

Avg $/Gal $2.59

Michael

[Michael]

Greg,

I can understand your logic regarding buying from a reputable dealer, and I agree with that logic.

If I should go the other way (purchasing directly from a seller), I’d intent to have someone that is qualified to go over the coach fully. A private seller wouldn’t give me the luxury of a warranty (even 90 days) so that would surely be a point of consideration.

[Michael]

A Great American. Was not afraid to tell the truth. He will be missed..

[Michael]

Early on in our Prevost ownership we parked at a campground, plugged in shore power, and we couldn’t get shorepower in coach. I figured problem with campground power. Told manager. She frowned and followed us to the coach with a bag of tools, meters, testers, and stuff. She checked her side and pronounced it “working”. She frowned again. She stood ready to test various points in the coach. I crawled into the first bay, drivers side.

There I found the problem. Packing up at home I’d pushed the long washing pole in too far and turned a master switch/breaker off. Flipped it on and a minute or so later we heard the auto transfer switch flipping from inverters to shorepower. The campground manager smiled. So did we.

[Michael]

FMCA has been struggling for years. The move from a Motor Home business to an RV (any RV) business appeared (to me) to be doomed from the start. I was an FMCA member from 1994 with an F# of 192XX. I was a loyal member right up to the point where they decided to be just another Good Sam club.

Some say I am a class A snob but that does not explain my position at all. I will never own a class C, a trailer, a 5th wheel or anything else and I am not interested in reading articles about any of these products.

I “used” to love FMCA. I dropped my membership immediately when FMCA decided to put profit as their only focus. I predicted the demise of FMCA when they made this unfortunate decision and it appears my predictions are coming true.

It’s such a shame. FMCA “was” an amazing organization. They put too much money into the Assist program and the business ended up collapasign upon itself.

[Michael]

I’m pretty sure everyone is sad to be missing this Rally…I know we are…

Just waiting to hear it’s safe to roll again… can’t wait !!

Be safe all & stay home if you can !!

Cheers, Diane

[Michael]

Me too Joe, I was looking forward to your Lithium battery order.