Any American Coach owners here?

[Gary RVRoamer]

We just purchased a 2004 American Tradition 40V (triple slide). Haven't seen any mention of American Coach in this section and am wondering if there are other Fleetwood/American Coach owners active here?

This is our third Fleetwood product - had a 1987 Wilderness fiver, a 1996 Southwind motorhome and now this Tradition. Had some other brands in between, each with some things we liked more and and some things we liked less than "Fleetwood style".

[Gary RVRoamer]

We just purchased a 2004 American Tradition 40V (triple slide). Haven't seen any mention of American Coach in this section and am wondering if there are other Fleetwood/American Coach owners active here?

This is our third Fleetwood product - had a 1987 Wilderness fiver, a 1996 Southwind motorhome and now this Tradition. Had some other brands in between, each with some things we liked more and and some things we liked less than "Fleetwood style".

[Colette and Joe]

Gary, glad to see you here. We have fallen in love with an 07 Tradition 42V.
We are overly anxious to have it.
But - Alas - we have to wait for our property to sell to be able to buy it. (
We hope that soon, we can do it.

[jimandsandy]

Hi Collette,
We have look at some of the Tradition 06, and they were supper, I loved the outside colors. Hope you can get one soon.
PS we got that Boat we looked at, while at the Rally in New Bern.
JimandSandy

[Gary RVRoamer]

We were waiting for some investments to mature before buying ourselves, but when we came across this one we decided to go ahead anyway rather than risk losing the opportunity. But it was only a couple months early for us and we can eat beans and drink water until our funds become liquid, whereas selling property is an unknown time frame. Hope it sells quick so you can start shopping in earnest!

We had a high end gas coach with all the options before but this Tradition is still a leap up for us in terms of features, equipment and finish quality, amenities, etc. We are still kind of dazzled by it all!

[Colette and Joe]

Gary, Congratulations.
We decided to jump in early on our '01 TS and have never regretted it.
But we are looking forward to being free of our businesses and big house and doing much more traveling in the 07AT.
We know you will enjoy your Tradition.

[Colette and Joe]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jimandsandy:
Hi Collette,
We have look at some of the Tradition 06, and they were supper, I loved the outside colors. Hope you can get one soon.
PS we got that Boat we looked at, while at the Rally in New Bern.
JimandSandy </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Jim and Sandy, that is a 'HOOT'!! Congratulation. What water do you put it in and did you name it?
Enjoy.

[smlranger]

Hey guys, I like my current rig but am always browsing and dreaming about the next one. On my list for future shopping is American Coach...every one I see always gets my attention.

I realize Americans are high level coaches but am unsure about their pecking order...Eagle, Dream, Tradition...top to bottom?

Also, I understand the Americans are built on a Liberty chassis build by FL and delivered to American in two pieces then modified by American.

Finally, I've also read that a fully equipped Revolution LE is very close to the Tradition and built on the same line. I do also like the looks of the Revolutions I've seen.

Have fun shopping.

[Colette and Joe]

The pecking order is Heritage, Eagle, Tradition and the Dream is no longer made. You can have your choice of Spartan or Liberty.
The one we like is on a Spartan.
If you start looking in every nook and cranny the experienced thought put into their design is incredible, easy access to virtually everything that would ever need to be serviced or replaced.
We like the 42 , the Revolution LE only goes to 40 but is built at the same plant as the Americans. It is a great looking coach.

[Gary RVRoamer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Also, I understand the Americans are built on a Liberty chassis build by FL and delivered to American in two pieces then modified by American. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

"Liberty" is American's name for their customized chassis variant. My 04 Tradition is on a Liberty, but its really just a Freightliner, custom ordered by American (just as most other RV manufacturers do) to their needs and with American's framework added to support the coach floor, provide basement storage, etc.

Don't know about the two pieces, though. Can't imagine why they would do that, unless American wants to build their own rail section for the storage bays.

Follow-up note:
The Liberty is indeed delivered in two pieces from FL and then integrated by American, according to Bob Gummersall of RVers Online. AC does that to make it a semi-monocoque design rather than frame & rail. Monocoque chassis designs will have less flex and vibration than rail types, all other things being equal (which they never are). See the RV Chassis article at Diesel RV Chassis

[smlranger]

Gary:

I tried to get some info on the Liberty from the FL website but found nothing. Wondering if the Liberty chassis has only the four air bag suspension like my XC? Also, is the front IFS or solid axle?

At any rate, every American coach I've seen always seemed to have a quality look.

[Gary RVRoamer]

"Liberty" is a Fleetwood trademark, not Freightliner's, so you won't find Liberty info at FL. FL supplies major components, including the front and rear suspension, but it is sold as a Fleetwood Liberty chassis.


From what I just learned, Fleetwood/American Coach builds the mid-section, so yes the suspension system is probably one of those that FL uses in their own chassis, e.g. a ZF or maybe Meritor. It is an IFS, according to American Coach. See 2007 Tradition - Libert Chassis

[RVDude]

Exactly. The "Liberty"� part of the chassis refers to just the extending "rails" between the front and rear chassis "halves"� and the associated chassis stiffeners. Think of a chassis in three parts - 1) the front end with the steering, suspension, and wheels, 2) the back end with the motor, drive axels, and wheels and 3) the middle that holds the whole thing together and provides the structural integrity of the entire chassis. Each of these parts is equally important in coach design. Spartan delivers a fully functioning chassis to Fleetwood that is only say about 15-20 feet long or so (they bolt the front section directly to the rear section). Spartan does not provide the "rails" that extend these two chassis sections for coach use. Hence, the chassis and all its driving components (engine, suspension, steering, brakes, etc.) are all provided by the chassis maker (Spartan) and Fleetwood bolts in their Liberty rails to extend that chassis to fit the coach and provide the rigidity they want/need. Fleetwood believes they can make a better (stiffer and flatter) mid section than the chassis guys. Might be true when you consider that Newmar takes a full Spartan chassis and the first thing they do is heat it (can't be a good thing) to remove the engineered bow in the Spartan rails and then add their own stiffeners to maintain the flatness required for a coach. Liberty does away with this Newmar rework by bolting in their own entire Liberty "rail" sections. The structural rigidity of Liberty is also demonstrated by they were the first with the full wall slide which requires massive chassis integrity.

[Gary RVRoamer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">The structural rigidity of Liberty is also demonstrated by they were the first with the full wall slide which requires massive chassis integrity. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually they were second with full wall - Rexhall introduced them in the T-Rex models at least two years before Fleetwood.