[Mike]

If we want to help ourselves understand why some people shy away from a used Prevost but will spend serious money on a conventional RV we should look at our forums.

A substantial part of our discussions relate to service issues. To an observer it might be concluded all of our coaches are unreliable money pits. We create the impression stuff breaks, we have trouble getting parts, and we don’t have a lot of places in a short distance that can fix our coaches.

But let’s try to put this in perspective. We have as of this writing about 2870 members, most of whom own a Prevost. Now look at the actual number of problems that are discussed in a thread over the last month. As a percentage of the number of coaches represented here there are not many problems. If we want to consider this further, look at the age of some of the coaches that are being discussed when we are talking about problems. How many 15 or 20 year old motorhomes are even on the road, yet here we are as owners discussing details about keeping a 15 or 20 year old Prevost conversion running reliably.

Of course a Prevost can have issues with wheel hub seals, or need to replace air bags. But so does a motorhome. Our “houses” are very robust but as well built as they are we do need to upgrade things like inverters because we need to have pure sine wave output because of the progress in technology. But nobody has ever had an issue with a frame failure around a slide, nobody has ever discussed a structural issue with the chassis. Nobody has ever complained about how the chassis or the interior was falling apart or no longer safe or roadworthy.

What we have to do is let owners of conventional motor homes understand how robust and strong our coaches are, and that its design for commercial service is why it lasts so long, why if it rolls over it will not disassemble itself, and how it meets certification standards no motorhome can meet.

[Mike]

Yes, about 2004ish.

[Mike]

Looks like old man Tiffin’s customer service credentials aren’t being passed down to the younger Tiffen’s as they presumably take on more responsibility.

They don’t read or have chosen to ignore the forums where countless people keep on saying the only reason they buy & continue to buy Tiffin’s is because they can pick up the phone and speak to Bob anytime who usually sorts them out regardless of how old the coach is. Stuff like that is alien to bean-counter types who just see it as a huge overhead not as repeat business.

[Mike]

When you rebooted the Techlink system, did you turn off the inverter switches during the process?

Did you;

Turn off things inside coach like TVs, heaters or A/C

1) disconnect coach from shore power or shut down generator

2) turn off 2 main chassis battery switches in engine bay

3) turn off 2 inverter switches by inverters

Wait a couple minutes then

Reverse the process to re-power up.

Remember to re-set you inverters to ON at the inverters displays in the bedroon

Inverters will go directly to bulk charge for awhile and then automatically go to float

[Mike]

Same here. The use of extended life coolant saves a lot over its six year life in terms of labor and the need to maintain SCAs.

[Mike]

Actually an engine will do real well without it. In fact an engine will run real well without an EGR system.

For now those are the systems required to meet the current EPA standards for emissions so newer vehicles are going to have them. What is bad about them is the standards have to be met so the engine manufacturers have added these systems to comply and a lot of the issues related to the engines are associated with these add-ons.

[Mike]

Prevost sells regular and high capacity gas struts. The regular right now are on sale for $20 each. The high capacity are $67 each? These can be used with two hi capacity on a door for a very heavily loaded door or one of each for a more balanced door. Remember, too much lift is more of a pain than not enough. I have mounted a step platform on the front curb side bay door and used one and one with just about correct pull down stress. Using a bar clamp as in an Irwin 36″ from Lowes works well to control length of strut while installing. Be careful.

[Mike]

I fill the diesel at about 1/2 a tank, that puts me filling with DEF at every 4th tank.

It’s not a big deal as the system works fine, no troubles in almost 35,000 miles. It’s just that the DEF handle will constantly cut off unless you hold it perfectly.

Mr. Gonecrazy… generally, we are never in freezing weather so no problem in that regard.

Side note: We do not get a discount on DEF through the Fuel Discount Program (pay at the pump), just on the diesel.

Mark

[Mike]

There is no magic to swapping fuel filters.

Before I remove the old one I fill its replacement with fuel, lubricate the gasket and have it handy to install. I don’t bother turning off the fuel although I have a valve. I just spin off the old one and spin on the new one. I lose very little fuel, and never lose the prime. As far as the supplemental fuel filter that is typically in addition to the two spin on filters, I pull the filter, install the new filter, and refill the filter housing before closing it up. On my coaches that had the Racor fuel filter / water separator I made sure the filter was a 30 micron so it did not choke off flow, and I also made sure the visible bowl was free of water or contaminents.

[Mike]

Brett, other than a minor adjustment…ours has been flawless. Plus, when we do have to re-seal it will be less than 9000. Geo.

[Mike]

I’ll bet we have seen 90% of those routinely. If we ever complete a trip without someone cutting in front of us and hitting the brakes, or having someone come from our far left, cut across and barely make the exit, we will think something is wrong.

[Mike]

Tim, before you change, did you try to adjust / correctly position the lines into the valve?

Same thing happen to me and it was just a matter of disconnecting the lines, reposition the valve, ensure lines are going in and seated correctly, adjusted for desired pressure to raise the bed, and done.

If I have to change the valve, and lines look ok, no leaks, they are indoor / no weather elements to wear them out(other than maybe heat…) I would not change them.

[Mike]

that pedal in my fire truck is the siren

[Mike]

EZ Pass would be at the top of My List if I were taking a Coach to NE, For Sure ! Thank You both for Your service to Our Country.

Safe Travels !

[Mike]

Thanks to everyone’s input, I have talked to Headhunter and they do not know why I have had so many pump failures. The size piping is correct, the distance from the freshwater tank is 2 feet, etc. They claim that the Mach 5 has been very trouble free for them. Either way I have installed an accumulator tank and an auxillary pump. If and when the inevitable happens, I shall be ready. Tight quarters putting all that in such as small area.

Jon, Thank you for the pictures, and the heads up on the size pump and pressure tank to get. It works just as you described.