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JavaJelly · 02-07-2007, 04:56 AM

Have been attempting to leave the Buffalo area since Sunday to get to Spartan and Newmar. One of the major fixes was on the inside duallys that keep leaking and vibrating.

This morning checked tires for pressure. Inside dually is not only flat but, off the bead. Call Spartan roadside and they are tying to get someone out here but, they have to have a tire too. Won't send out anyone w/a tire. She said the Michelin 305/70 22.5 are hard to find.

Get this, they pay for the trip in and trip out. I have to pay for all labor and parts on site. They'll try to get to me today or tomorrow.

Dealer is sending out a repair guy and paying for the whole thing. I hopefully will be leaving by mid-afternoon.

Spartan Roadside (CoachNet) was helpful but, I'm not happy w/having to pay for service when the problem is right out of the factory. I also could "feel" her eyes roll when she found out it was a Spartan Chassis w/Michelin tires.

I really am shocked that a tire problem isn't covered.

BTW, as of last night the EMS is now not working and the generator tailpipe chrome cover fell off.

BTW2, it is 0 degrees and I'm crawling around under the coach.

Somebody please convince me that this is going to end soon.

JavaJelly · 02-07-2007, 04:56 AM

Have been attempting to leave the Buffalo area since Sunday to get to Spartan and Newmar. One of the major fixes was on the inside duallys that keep leaking and vibrating.

This morning checked tires for pressure. Inside dually is not only flat but, off the bead. Call Spartan roadside and they are tying to get someone out here but, they have to have a tire too. Won't send out anyone w/a tire. She said the Michelin 305/70 22.5 are hard to find.

Get this, they pay for the trip in and trip out. I have to pay for all labor and parts on site. They'll try to get to me today or tomorrow.

Dealer is sending out a repair guy and paying for the whole thing. I hopefully will be leaving by mid-afternoon.

Spartan Roadside (CoachNet) was helpful but, I'm not happy w/having to pay for service when the problem is right out of the factory. I also could "feel" her eyes roll when she found out it was a Spartan Chassis w/Michelin tires.

I really am shocked that a tire problem isn't covered.

BTW, as of last night the EMS is now not working and the generator tailpipe chrome cover fell off.

BTW2, it is 0 degrees and I'm crawling around under the coach.

Somebody please convince me that this is going to end soon.

phototex · 02-07-2007, 05:31 AM

Scott,

I'm really sorry to hear about your recurring problems.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> I also could "feel" her eyes roll when she found out it was a Spartan Chassis w/Michelin tires. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Is this a "problem" combination? Maybe I missed something in previous posts. I would hate to think that CoachNet has a negative impression of us Spartan owners.

SX_RVing · 02-07-2007, 06:15 AM

Scott,

When I have had a problem on the road, I found CoachNet to be just OK. They always wanted to do things their way...Which means that they'll pay for the service call and nothing else (no parts or labor, etc..). If it's a warranty issue, contact Spartan directly. Spartan will do a three way conference call and direct CoachNet to provide the service that will satisfy your situation. You may have to pay for the service initially, but Spartan will reimburse you. I've called Spartan directly on two separate occasions...I've been more than satisfied both times. I urge you to call Spartan.

Good Luck!

Lug_Nut · 02-07-2007, 11:41 AM

If CoachNet's "she" rolled her eyes (or at least it seemed so on the phone) that it was a Spartan on Michelin, I'm definately going for more than rolling my eyes at CoachNet, I wouldn't even deal with them. Scott, there is no problem with Spartan or Michelin. I know sh.. happens, but both Spartan and Michelin are top line. Apparently CoachNet are not.

Peter

P.S. Things will be better soon.

Jestme13 · 02-07-2007, 12:04 PM

Whats up with Spartan and Michelin

rebelsbeach · 02-07-2007, 02:06 PM

I have to weigh in here....Having been towed three times and thus dealt with CoachNet on at least three different times, I have this to offer...

Spartan Roadside Assistance,while under a Spartan warranty period,is administered by Coach Net...They are NOT a road SERVICE agency,but they are a road ASSISTANCE company.
When you call them and arrange for help, they tell you they are responsible,under their contract with Spartan,to get you to a SAFE place or the closest service facility, WHCHEVER is closest. In my second "event", they actually towed me to a campground and then they came back Monday and towed me to the service facility. If in fact you choose to be towed to a facility farther than what the dispatcher agrees is necessary, they tell you that you MAY be responsible for those charges....They HAVE to tell you that,but please jump in if you've EVEER paid a dime...My best friend has an '06 MADP which was in the 400 ISL wrist pin failure issue and he chose to have his coach towed to another facility, he paid NOTHING...

In Scott's instance, although the tire failed, the issue is that CoachNet isn't a repair facilitator....
It is ENTIRELY possible that Scott could've asked the folks at CoachNet to halp him find a facility to help with the tire....that may or may not have happened..We'll have to wait and hear what Scott says tomorrow...

JerryKelly · 02-07-2007, 03:15 PM

Scott, first thing I did when I bought my MADP 4304 was order a tire. Installing a tire on the road is easy...finding a 305 is not. It sits in the slide tray on the drivers side. I hope I never have to use it.

By the way, I had tire problems after delivery. I had a local Michelin truck tire dealer remount and balance all 8 tires. We ultimately replaced 2 tires. 5 tires were mismounted which caused excessive vibrations. All of this was covered under warranty. BTW, Spartan buys their tires and wheels mounted and balanced.

It will take a better part of a year to work out all of the bugs. If you ever need a stop over on your way to Nappanee, give me a shout. We are a short distance off your route, in the eastern suburbs of Greater Cleveland. I have a 1 site campground on my property with full hookups.

JavaJelly · 02-07-2007, 03:56 PM

Sorry to have caused a controversy. Am now at a Flying J near Cleveland. BTW, Verizon RevA card is amazing.

Summary of this post is valve extensions can be evil, CoachNet is all right, and I didn't pay a dime.

When I posted, I had been up since 5:30 getting the coach ready to leave, which included among other things, loading, gen start, block heater, roof sweep and checking all tires. Checked tires and find two inside duals at 0. One separated from bead, one not.

Hauled a compressor through a 4' snow bank which did not work as the tire was off the bead.

Please realize, I am on a mountain 40 miles SE of Buffalo. We are 5-10 degrees below Buffalo on any given day. We are also in a high wind area, so high that I have windmill leases for my property. I flip channels tonight and Lou Dobbs of all people is talking about the cold in Western New York.

That is a really long way of saying it is frigid, I mean really cold.

I called the dealer on his cell at 7:50 a.m. who had no idea how to fix at that time and hadn't even showered yet. The Coach Net lady had been a bit aloof and seemed to put down Spartan and Michelin. Probably my misinterpretation. I was in a less than cheery mood. I believe she was frustrated at the prospect of trying to find a Michelin Tire. Verified by JerryKelly.

Here's what happened. Coach Net lady, Debbie, called around to find an onsite service facility and a tire. I called too as at this point I didn't trust the process. One shop I contacted was actually on the phone w/her when I called. Now I'm impressed but, the shop she has still can't get to me until tomorrow.

I call the Dealer back explaining the situation. He gets his tire shop to come out and bill him directly.

Tire shop shows up at 1:00. I spent the next 2.5 hours in the cold w/this guy fixing the valves. Turns out the valve extensions, installed by the dealer, were vibrating to excess and caused the rubber valve seal to tear on both wheels.

This was caused by them not being tightened enough by the dealer and an unbalanced wheel. Service guy says he sees all kinds of problems w/extensions. He took them off and put DOT pass through caps on the inside duallys.

He also said, get aluminum inside wheels. Better balance. I have plenty of lug stud to mount the extra thickness. (that sounds odd doesn't it?)

I got on the road about 4 p.m., 3 days late for my appointment.

I am now able to change the tires on a coach and in sub-zero temps. I believe I will be buying an extra tire per JerryKelly's recommendation. I just gotta figure out where to store it.

Lug_Nut · 02-07-2007, 04:26 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">He also said, get aluminum inside wheels. Better balance. I have plenty of lug stud to mount the extra thickness. (that sounds odd doesn't it?) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Your lug studs may or may not be long enough, but the fenders may not be wide enough. You would have a good chance of tearing or at least cutting a fender with one of the outside tires given the allowable side movement torerance. Additionally the outboard bearings will have an increased load due to the offset. I think the CoachNet guy should stick with his day time job and leave the designing to who built it.

Peter

rebelsbeach · 02-07-2007, 04:43 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">This was caused by them not being tightened enough by the dealer and an unbalanced wheel. Service guy says he sees all kinds of problems w/extensions. He took them off and put DOT pass through caps on the inside duallys. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Scott, I'm at least glad you've found the answer to your tire issues....

JerryKelly · 02-07-2007, 05:16 PM

Scott, buy your fuel at the Flying J in Ohio. It is the cheapest fuel you will see for a while. You don't want to buy fuel in Indiana.

Brigadoon · 02-08-2007, 03:28 AM

Here's my 2 cents.

I wonder why Newmar keeps putting these hard to get tire sizes on the Dutch Stars. Mine came with 275/70's load range L tires (Michelins). It took me 3 weeks to get a spare to put in my basement. The Michelin dealers that I called to locate a tire said that they have no call for that size therefore they do not stock it.

Now the side story on these tires. They rode rough. So I took the coach to Spartan in Michigan. Spartan changed the front airbags, shocks (10% less compression), and swapped the front tires to 275/80 series load range H tires. This improved the ride considerably and increased the load capacity on the front axle. Additionally, the 275/80 tires are widely available around the country. I also switched the rear to 275/80's which improve the rear ride somewhat.

When I did the rear tire swap in Grand Rapids, MI, the tire dealer confirmed that the 70 series tires were generally not stocked and much harder to find. I'm glad that I now have the 80 series tires all around.

Even though the 275/80's are readily available nationally, I still carry an unmounted spare in the basement.