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08-10-2017, 04:32 PM
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#29
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Mpls, MN & Indio, CA
Posts: 338
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Our coach is the latest casualty of this issue. Arrived at Newmar last night with a short list of unrelated repair items, and this morning noticed the driver's side tag tire was totally bald as the coach was leaving for service. Pieces of the steel belt are sticking up in the air, the tread area is shaved totally bald, and there are flat spots at the edge around the entire circumference of the tire every 10" or so. I have never seen anything like this before.
The coach has to be driven to Freightliner in South Bend, and cannot get in until sometime next week so this will become an extended repair visit. Newmar said they have seen this one time before. Our production number is not listed in the PIB but the production date is April 2016.
We were lucky this was discovered before we hit the road again. There can't be more than a few miles left before the tire blows, which would have been quite bad for the rear fender area, some engine parts as well as our Mini Cooper toad.
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2019 LTV RTB
2017 Newmar Dutch Star 4369 (SOLD)
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08-10-2017, 07:54 PM
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#30
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Pompano Beach Fl
Posts: 486
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Barmats
Our coach is the latest casualty of this issue. Arrived at Newmar last night with a short list of unrelated repair items, and this morning noticed the driver's side tag tire was totally bald as the coach was leaving for service. Pieces of the steel belt are sticking up in the air, the tread area is shaved totally bald, and there are flat spots at the edge around the entire circumference of the tire every 10" or so. I have never seen anything like this before.
The coach has to be driven to Freightliner in South Bend, and cannot get in until sometime next week so this will become an extended repair visit. Newmar said they have seen this one time before. Our production number is not listed in the PIB but the production date is April 2016.
We were lucky this was discovered before we hit the road again. There can't be more than a few miles left before the tire blows, which would have been quite bad for the rear fender area, some engine parts as well as our Mini Cooper toad.
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How many miles do you have on the coach?
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Mitch & Laura
And The Doodle Brothers
2018 DSDP 4369/2018 Subaru Forester
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08-10-2017, 08:44 PM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Mpls, MN & Indio, CA
Posts: 338
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Just over 8000
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2019 LTV RTB
2017 Newmar Dutch Star 4369 (SOLD)
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08-14-2017, 05:31 PM
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#32
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Ponchatoula,Louisiana
Posts: 867
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2015 Non-Steerable Tag
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lug_Nut
I too feel the passive steering tag is just a marketing hype. It is a great solution for a problem that never existed. Motorhomes did fine with air up or unloaded tags. They are not buses that might have to turn in confined hotel parking lots 6 times a day. And it is definitely not about tire wear "Scrub" The standard air up tag tires lasted as long, in fact better, than the rest of the tire positions.
No, this marvelous answer to a non-existing problem is in fact an added mechanical issue.
If it ain't broken, don't fix it!
Peter
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Went to go look at a 2018 MA, as the young man was moving some passive tag axle M/H's all I could do is cringe. I guess you have to be straight before you start in reverse as he did give it time to lock in place and drug tires at a angle side ways. I told him and he just shrugged me off, maybe I am wrong!
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David and Sharon
2017 Newmar London Aire 4519
2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
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08-14-2017, 09:46 PM
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#33
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,519
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Newmar and Spartan are a great combination which has worked for many years and is still the best choice today.
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08-15-2017, 03:47 AM
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#34
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Chester, VA/Zephyrhills, FL
Posts: 1,330
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lakebuster
Went to go look at a 2018 MA, as the young man was moving some passive tag axle M/H's all I could do is cringe. I guess you have to be straight before you start in reverse as he did give it time to lock in place and drug tires at a angle side ways. I told him and he just shrugged me off, maybe I am wrong!
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You are right, you need to drive straight a couple of feet for the pins to engage before you reverse. I saw a tech move a Mountain Aire before the bags fully aired up. But when I stopped him and told him at least he stopped and waited for them to fill. I guess some of these guys either are in to big of a hurry or don't care.
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Tom and Gloria 2022 Newmar Dutch Star 4081, TOAD: 2017 Buick Enclave/2023 GMC Sierra Denali, Blue Ox Towbar, Baseplate and M&G Braking System
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01-31-2018, 06:12 PM
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#35
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Marblehead, OH
Posts: 215
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Can you please explain what it means that:
slightly higher cargo capacity on the Spartan is due, at least in part, to the fact that it is all digital
Refining my choices on our DS 2018 4362 about to be ordered - thx!
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Steve, Erin & Stella Marie (English Bull Terrier)
2018 Newmar 4362 / Blue Ox Avail
2018 Grand Cherokee Ltd.
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01-31-2018, 06:22 PM
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#36
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Member
Solo Rvers Club
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 35
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Right move, Paul !!
Enjoy 🚎
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01-31-2018, 07:50 PM
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#37
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,519
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We keep hearing that this tag axle problem has been taken care of by FL, but still a lot of owners from DS to Essex on FL still working on this problem.
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01-31-2018, 07:59 PM
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#38
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Registered User
Newmar Owners Club Appalachian Campers Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Midlothian, VA
Posts: 4,774
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When you're trying to push Spartan you hold on to FL problems, even though FL has fixed them. Spartan has pretty ugly issues of their own as noted on this forum. FL has the best customer service, they call you, you can email them, service centers all over, much larger market depth and experience in this market space, much larger company. All vendors have their problems, some representing one will bash the other. I could not be happier with my FL, I've had great experiences with them and they are patient in handling my questions. And maneuverability is very important in large motorhomes.
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01-31-2018, 08:29 PM
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#39
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 6,425
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NealC
When you're trying to push Spartan you hold on to FL problems, even though FL has fixed them. Spartan has pretty ugly issues of their own as noted on this forum. FL has the best customer service, they call you, you can email them, service centers all over, much larger market depth and experience in this market space, much larger company. All vendors have their problems, some representing one will bash the other. I could not be happier with my FL, I've had great experiences with them and they are patient in handling my questions. And maneuverability is very important in large motorhomes.
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Neal, now thinking like you, how do you know that “FL has the best customer service”? Have you owned a Spartan? Taken your Spartan in for service? Just curious
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Newmar 2016 Canyon Star 3710
Newmar 2018 Dutch Star 4369 SP
Newmar 2023 Dutch Star 4369 FL
Entegra 2025 Cornerstone 45D on order
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01-31-2018, 09:45 PM
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#40
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,399
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I have owned both FL and Spartan. I can say the build quality is much better on the Spartan. Also feel the service is superior as well. Spartan has been in the luxury coach world for years. Fl has been in the low end market for years and is making an attempt to get into the luxury market over the last 3 or 4 years.
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Kert and Angela
2018 provost marathon h3-45
2018 Ford F350
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01-31-2018, 11:02 PM
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#41
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 813
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Even if Fl may have fixed the tag axle and drive axle alignment issues, it took more than 2 years. FL failed to issue any recalls for all those units. What happens to all those units whose owners are not aware and are still driving around with the out of alignment tags and drive axles? The problem was known to FL since early 2015. Why they neglected to issue a recall? Is that a sign of a good company? Yes there are many decent people who work there, I have known a couple. It is their management and decision makers who are irresponsible to put it politely. criminal is more apt.
same goes for the fan housing support frame. There has been no recall for that defective design either. What happens to those owners who may experience that failure after the warranty is over? The owner will be paying for it not FL.. That is the sign of an irresponsible corporation. specially one that makes many many $Billions in profit. It is not like by recalling some 2000 units is going to break their bank account. Likely just some looser manager/exec who is covering his incompetence.
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17LADP/FCCC
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01-31-2018, 11:18 PM
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#42
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 813
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zman62
Fl has been in the low end market for years and is making an attempt to get into the luxury market over the last 3 or 4 years.
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That is exactly the reason. IMHO, FL just took their entry level chassis, which was a fine chassis for the 20-30k# coaches, and modified it for the hi-line. I can't speak for VT or DS, but for the hi-lines, it is a very poor design, even if it didn't have all the known defects. It simply is not fit for the #40+K units. IMO they just modified their 40' chassis and assembly line to make it a 45' chassis and extend the chassis rails to add the tag axle. Thats why they had the problems with the alignments. They also modified the front axle for the #20k weight. The likely reason the driver side toe link is bent, in order to relocate the shock and other components to increase the weight rating. You have to ask, what kinda engineer would design a chassis from scratch with a bent toe link????
This passive steer chassis, was not designed for the hi-lines. it was a modified version of an inferior chassis to make a quick jump into the hi-line market.
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17LADP/FCCC
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