Community Forums

Lug_Nut · 12-31-2006, 11:50 AM

Did the tow driver re-install the drive shaft when you got to the fishing camp, or did you have to do that prior to getting going?

Peter

rebelsbeach · 12-31-2006, 12:23 PM

Dick, the short answer is use your gut....I should've used MY gut when my coach was towed the last time...
The guy was rude and quick with his manner of speech which gave me the first bad feeling. I made mention that it had been towed before and that the axle was pulled, he said he knew what he was doing and had been doing it 13 years...
He beat the drive shaft cover so bad trying to get it loose they had to replace it...He bounced the front of the coach off the wrecker boom and while the damage wasn't as bad as those pictures, the genny cover AND the front of the coach both needed body work....
I was behind him in the toad and he was doing 80 on the Interstate...I flew hot and called his boss and he slowed down a little, only to arrive in Atlanta and close the gate on the coach when he tried to pull through the closing gate....
Gut feelings have never let me down, except when I didn't follow them...

Coach Net is "ok", but they're only as good as the person you get on the phone....BE FIRM!!
They always want to tow you to the "closest" place....do a little research and figure out the next closest big city and try and figure out whether there's a Cummins or Coach Care there...INSIST they take you there and that you'll pay the difference....(Haven't been asked by Spartan to pay....YET!!)
DO NOT let them take you to "Jethro's RV Repair" or anything like that....USE A Spartan,Cummins or Coach Care facility...

Ecker · 12-31-2006, 12:39 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Road Pilot:
How do you make sure a tow truck driver knows what he's doing? Your rig has just died. You're on the side of the road with semi's going by at 80 mpoh rattling your windows. "Coach Net" sends someone out. You just want your rig towed to someone that can fix it.

How do you determine the tow driver knows what he's doing? Or do you just hope and pray? In our case - thanks to Lug_nut I asked about indexing and he said he didn't know what that was. But when he went under the coach to check the drive shaft using a cell phone display as a flash light I figured it was bad. Then he said he never towed a MH before.

But what do you do then? Coach Net says they've sent out people that know what they're doing. You think not. What happens then? Do you tell Coach Net to send someone else? Or do you roll the die?

By the way, Wallynm's towing damage was done to a 35 footer. Every tow guy that looked at our 45 gulped. I certainly wouldn't want to be towed by his driver. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I was towed two times with my prior motorhome and used Coach-Net each time. I was careful to give them the weight and desacribe the size to be towed and then asked when they said who it was if they had discussed the weight and size with the tow company, I got a good truck each time but last had not towed a motorhome but he would listen when I explained what needed to be done. BTW He started out wanting to tow it from rear.

The third use of Coach-Net was for a battery jump and I didn't think to emphazie the size of the rig. The guy came with one of those automotive hand carry jobs. He did have a diesel tow truck so I supplied cables and got his truck close enough to mine that we could use his big batteries to get it started. So, My recommendation is flood them with info and question there every move.

JerryKelly · 12-31-2006, 01:25 PM

Dick, you probably want to put this experience behind you by now. However, is their anything else that we can all learn from this? Anything you would add to your tool and/or spare part box? I agree about using your gut with towing. If it doesn't seem right, trust your gut. You can't go wrong. Great feeling to get back on the road and get where you want to be. By the way, my wife can't deal with the limited space of a Prevost conversion. She likes having the 4 slides and a large kitchen you can actually cook in.

rebelsbeach · 12-31-2006, 01:46 PM

They're now available in a 3 slide model,although the second slide is in the bedroom.....

While it's true the 4th slide does open up the kitchen, with the Prevost conversions and their three slide model you can at least design the kitchen you choose....

Nothing like four slides though....

smlranger · 12-31-2006, 02:51 PM

I was towed once but it was my old gasser. It died as I was entering the field where I store my rig (fuel pump in the tank failed). The tow truck could not get to the front of the coach and used a block and tackle tied to a big tree to winch the coach in a position he could deal with. He took care (2 1/2 hours before he left my house) and seemed knowledgeable. As he was exiting the field with my rig in tow, his tow truck stopped running and it took him another 20 minutes to get it started (it was a large tandem axle Peterbuilt). There was no damage to the rig but it was an experience. I had Good Sam ERS at the time...now have Coach Net.

Bottom line...if I call Coach Net and they send some guy who doesn't seem to know what he is doing, he isn't towing my rig anywhere. I am surprised to hear of so many issues with folks sent by Coach Net. I thought they had the expertise to handle RV's. If you call and tell them you have an Essex 4508 or a Winne Journey 36GD, they should have a database that tells them what they need to know.

rebelsbeach · 12-31-2006, 04:05 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by smlranger:
I thought they had the expertise to handle RV's. If you call and tell them you have an Essex 4508 or a Winne Journey 36GD, they should have a database that tells them what they need to know. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Spartan Roadside Assistance is adminstered by Coach-Net....When you call the number they even answer the phone "Spartan Roadside Assistance" which gives one the MISTAKEN confidence that you're speaking to someone that has a clue...
I will say that when I've been passed on to the techs and past the operator, THOSE folks seem to know which side of the coach belongs up....

I STILL am mystified at how they profess to be doing you a favor when they tow you to these "mom and pop" operations.

smlranger · 12-31-2006, 04:33 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I STILL am mystified at how they profess to be doing you a favor when they tow you to these "mom and pop" operations. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Bob:

How much flexibility do they (Coach-Net) give when asked to tow to a location more favorable to the customer, e.g. Coach Care, Oasis, etc.?

In my area, RV'rs would get the best of service from my local, indpendent RV shop. If they can't fix something, they know who can.

rebelsbeach · 12-31-2006, 05:08 PM

Gary,
When my friend Jeff's ISL threw the rod, he was nearest a mom and pop shop outside of Sioux Falls,IA and Coach-Net wanted to tow him there instead of another 30 minutes up the road to a Cummins shop....They insisted he'd be held responsible for the difference in money to tow him there but he's never been billed....
Interestingly enough, this was a sister shop to one in Sioux Falls,SD where the coach ended up being towed for the complete replacement....

In my situation I've been towed to a campground, to a tow yard and to the actual facility where the repairs were made....

I'm with Lug_Nut.....the next tow will be for trade in...

Ecker · 01-01-2007, 03:57 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rebelsbeach:
Gary,
When my friend Jeff's ISL threw the rod, he was nearest a mom and pop shop outside of Sioux Falls,IA and Coach-Net wanted to tow him there instead of another 30 minutes up the road to a Cummins shop....They insisted he'd be held responsible for the difference in money to tow him there but he's never been billed....
Interestingly enough, this was a sister shop to one in Sioux Falls,SD where the coach ended up being towed for the complete replacement....

In my situation I've been towed to a campground, to a tow yard and to the actual facility where the repairs were made....

I'm with Lug_Nut.....the next tow will be for trade in...

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

My experience on two occassions has been different. They mentioned two or three options and the one they preferred I go. When I chose a different one they simply warned me that I would be responsible for towing difference if it turned out I was dissatisfied and wanted to go to yet another place.

rebelsbeach · 01-01-2007, 04:18 AM

I WILL SAY that neither my friend Jeff nor I has ever seen a bill from Spartan for choosing some place different...

It's also safe to say the most recent tow company in fact saw a bill FROM Spartan for all the damage they did to my coach...

Road Pilot · 01-01-2007, 04:27 AM

GaryKD,

We're in the ORA at St Lucie West. Had an enjoyable new years last night, except the music was too loud. Would like to see you again if you're in the area.

Peter,

The tow truck fellow was set to pull the drive shaft using his cell phone for a light when the Canadian trucker came by. The tow guy waited around 2 hours while the trucker reinstalled the fan assembly, then after we tested it he left. So the good news is the tow guy never touched the rig. From here we go to Pelican Lake in Naples. Turns out the repair facility in Ft Myersonly does engines so looks like final repairs will be done in Tampa. Do you know of any good repair shops in Ft Myers??

Lug_Nut · 01-01-2007, 05:09 AM

The Cummins shop in Fort Myers is apparently top shelf, though I have only driven by so far. I'm going to get the oil change there one of these days.

Peter

KenSherwin · 01-01-2007, 06:26 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">The tow truck fellow was set to pull the drive shaft using his cell phone for a light </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The morning after the HEADLIGHTS(!) failed in my KSDP, I bought one of those big rechargable spotlights and tested it to see that I could see the road well enough to drive by for a little while. The headlight problem was intermittant and I never did find it.

The light did come in handy when a passing trucker got my attention about sparks coming out from under the coach. The light came in handy while I fixed the problem. It lit the underside real well.

I would think that a good trouble light would be a necessary item in everybody's coach. It will be in mine (I don't have a cell phone, ya see).