2012 Access 2000 Mile Shakedown Run

[coachmanrvr]

Well, I'm new to the Winnebago line and we started our trip with a fairly ambitious 2K mile trip just a few days after our purchase. What we found:

1. The LP tank read 1/3 when we received the coach and will not accept propane. (Tried to fill in two different stations.)
2. The front powered fan vent top does not seal correctly. It is not completely sealed so the fan spins continuously and the there is some wind noise.
3. The rear TV coax is bad. Not a bad connector, just bad. Ohm'd out the center pin and it is open.

Not a bad deal for a shakedown cruise. I would consider that a pretty good run!

Some observations about the coach.
We traded a Class A Holiday Rambler 38PLT for this rig knowing that it was smaller. That was a plus for us.

1. What we found is that it is not only shorter, but also quite a bit more narrow which we did not plan for with our pets.
2. The class C tends to wander on the road. The A coach tracked rock solid. The C is very good on the road, but requires constant corrections.
3. The tank capacities are going to take some getting used to!
4. The windshield wipers WORK! Our A suffered greatly in the rain. Never cleared the windshield in a good rain.
5. The water heater being heated driving down the road is great! Also the RR heater in the rear of the coach works fantastic.
6. Noise was expected from the front engine, but was more than expected.
7. Driving at night is easier in the C. The A coach always had lights ghosting around the windshield and the mirrors tended to reflect too much of the rear cars headlights. (The A's mirrors are mounted more forward where the C's are more to the side.)
8. MPG was lower than sold by the dealer. 11...really? Try 7 to 8.


That's the big stuff off the cuff. I think we will be happy with the coach, it is just a different animal than the A. Couple of things we did right off is to add a Progressive Dynamics hardwired surge guard, the Tire-man easy air up valve stems, and new single handle faucets. We also added a porcelain toilet which took quite a bit of fitting but worth the work.

Regards and happy RVing.
CWW

[John Hilley]

Have you tried adjusting the propane gauge on the tank. Loosen the screws and rotate. Rotate to either indicate 3/4 or full which ever you prefer. The tank may actually be full. Are you sure the doghouse cover is completely seated? On our Class C, the doghouse cover would work its way loose in strong winds. Tire pressure makes a big difference on how it handles and rides.

[coachmanrvr]

Ok, didn't know I could adjust the gauge. The inside gauge gets its signal off of the outside gauge so that might actually be the issue. We had considered that the tanks might actually be full, but not verified the issue yet.

We are pretty sure on the dog house seal. Class C's are just going to carry more noise than an A with the engine 40ft behind you.

I am a fanatic about tire pressures. The rear is at 80 and the fronts are at 80 until I can get the rig weighed. Then I'll check the weight vs. air press recommendations from the Mich. man to get the correct pressures for our weight.

Thanks for the pointer about the gauge. I need to go pour some hot water over the side of the tank and see if it is actually full.

CWW

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Hilley Have you tried adjusting the propane gauge on the tank. Loosen the screws and rotate. Rotate to either indicate 3/4 or full which ever you prefer. The tank may actually be full. Are you sure the doghouse cover is completely seated? On our Class C, the doghouse cover would work its way loose in strong winds. Tire pressure makes a big difference on how it handles and rides.

[WeatherTodd]

one thing I noticed about the C class rigs... the air intake is smushed pretty narrow.
Coupled with the weight... I dont doubt the MPG is low. May want to look at adding a cold air intake

[coachmanrvr]

Ok....I have been looking at the Banks Stinger systems for the rig. Headers alone might give me some more mid range grunt. I don't want more noise! So more research to do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WeatherTodd one thing I noticed about the C class rigs... the air intake is smushed pretty narrow. Coupled with the weight... I dont doubt the MPG is low. May want to look at adding a cold air intake

[coachmanrvr]

The LP problem was a bad gauge....the sending unit and gauge are one unit so swapping it out solved the problem. The tank was full was the reason it would not take propane. They also fixed the vent. Too bad, their "Cable" guy was not in today. Another service trip assured.

We go back out at Thanksgiving and will put another 4 to 500 on the Winnie. Were still getting used to it, but like it so far.

[coachmanrvr]

I finally climbed up on the roof to look at the vent repair and was quite disappointed. While the repair works, I wish they had talked to me prior to the fix they implemented.

The tech custom fabricated a piece of sheet metal as a wind break for the vent. It is 4 to 5 inches high and blocks the wind from hitting the vent. My problem is he used 6 screws to mount it and just went straight into the fiberglass roof. It is sealed with the flow sealant fairly well, but in my opinion never penetrate the roof!

If they had asked, I would have purchased a vent cover that would have done the same and it would not have put holes in my roof. I'll probably remove the custom wind break and put a cover on to replace it. Lots of sealant to cover my 6 new holes.

[forest]

Width of the Access is the same as what you class A would have been. Just a difference in layout. The Access is 101.5" wide.

[coachmanrvr]

The width I was discussing had to do with interior width with the slides pulled in.
It is a good bit smaller there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by forest Width of the Access is the same as what you class A would have been. Just a difference in layout. The Access is 101.5" wide.

[John Hilley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by coachmanrvr I finally climbed up on the roof to look at the vent repair and was quite disappointed. While the repair works, I wish they had talked to me prior to the fix they implemented. The tech custom fabricated a piece of sheet metal as a wind break for the vent. It is 4 to 5 inches high and blocks the wind from hitting the vent. My problem is he used 6 screws to mount it and just went straight into the fiberglass roof. It is sealed with the flow sealant fairly well, but in my opinion never penetrate the roof! If they had asked, I would have purchased a vent cover that would have done the same and it would not have put holes in my roof. I'll probably remove the custom wind break and put a cover on to replace it. Lots of sealant to cover my 6 new holes.

When you redo the vent cover, just fill the 6 holes with an epoxy filler rather than putting a lot of sealant over them. It will keep the roof a lot cleaner.