Community Forums

drp46 · 08-20-2007, 12:15 PM

This hapened to my parents on a long hill climb. The exhaust pipe where it exits the motor home on the driver's side, the storage compartment was set on fire by exhaust heat. The entire bottom of th compartment melted and ignited. This happened while driving up a steep grade. As luck would have it, this was the compartment that housed that housed all of the water tank and sewage valves. One of the water hoses let loose and emptied the water tank into the compartment. All of the panels, valves, etc. had to be replaced. luckily the sewer pipes were only melted on the surface and did not leak.

The motor home is a 2004 Georgie Boy Landau. Has anyone experienced a similar situation???

drp46 · 08-20-2007, 12:15 PM

This hapened to my parents on a long hill climb. The exhaust pipe where it exits the motor home on the driver's side, the storage compartment was set on fire by exhaust heat. The entire bottom of th compartment melted and ignited. This happened while driving up a steep grade. As luck would have it, this was the compartment that housed that housed all of the water tank and sewage valves. One of the water hoses let loose and emptied the water tank into the compartment. All of the panels, valves, etc. had to be replaced. luckily the sewer pipes were only melted on the surface and did not leak.

The motor home is a 2004 Georgie Boy Landau. Has anyone experienced a similar situation???

DriVer · 08-20-2007, 12:25 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by drp46: </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I just wanted to come into this thread early and state clearly that there isn't anything related to an exhaust system that can be attributable to Workhorse as a "Fire Hazard".

Workhorse has been routing their exhaust system from under motorhomes since the year 2000 and this is the very first we have ever heard of this type of event.

Unfortunately the coach manufacturer has more interest in this matter as regrettable as that might be. Bringing coach work into close proximity to hot surfaces may cause a fire condition however given adequate clearance, exhaust systems at their tips rarely get hot enough to combust adjacent materials.

Easyrider · 08-20-2007, 12:50 PM

About 2 years ago I had a similar experience without the fire. We had used our motorhome on a very warm weekend and had also taken an unfamiliar road when returning home which ended up taking us up a very long and steep hill. When we got home I noticed that where the exhaust tips exited out from underneath our motorhome they had what appeared to be melted plastic on the top of the tips. I got down and looked closer and discovered the tips had gotten hot enough to start melting the plastic side panels of our motorhome where the exhaust exited directly underneath them. I showed it to my dealer and they adjusted the exhaust pipes downward so that the tips wouldn't be so close to the panels. The damage to the panels was minimal and can't be easily detected without stooping over and looking for it. It didn't melt all the way through but just did some surface damage to the underneath part of the panel. The dealer's service people said the exhaust pipes must not have been adjusted correctly with enough clearance between the pipe and side panel. My long winded point here is that the exhaust pipes can get hot enough to do some damage and everybody should check to be sure your pipes and motorhome have enough separation to prevent anything from getting too hot!

ghamblen · 08-20-2007, 01:52 PM

I had a similar problem on our motorhome. The exhaust pipe caused the bottom of one compartment to become soft and warp. I placed a piece of plywood on the inside bottom of the compartment and a piece of sheet metal on outside bottom of the compartment and bolted them together with carriage bolts. This forced the bottom of the compartment flat again. Then I painted the bottom surface of the sheet metal with high temperature silver paint to reflect the heat from the exhaust pipe. No problems since.

DriVer · 08-20-2007, 03:14 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Easyrider:
My long winded point here is that the exhaust pipes can get hot enough to do some damage and everybody should check to be sure your pipes and motorhome have enough separation to prevent anything from getting too hot! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You know we have seen that here before on a different chassis where the RDP had a fire in the surrounding structure plus I believe there was some type of screw shot into the side of the pipe from the coachwork. This was a long time ago.

Deaop · 08-20-2007, 03:28 PM

I had my tail pipes replaced in May. The person who did it wanted to bring the one pipe out the left side so he did not have to mess with the axle. I told him I wanted them the same. Out right side. Mine have a heat shield over them and have worked well so far.

Ron
2002 Bounder

Oemtech · 08-20-2007, 03:44 PM

This is not a WCC problem but a coach manufactures problem per si. Yes, WCC hangs the exhaust but the OEM has the responsibility to have the correct clearances when they build the coach.

I had the same problem on my coach. I fixed it by heating the support rod with my torch and bending the pipe angle until I had about 1" clearance.

Clay L · 08-21-2007, 07:23 AM

There is a substantial metal heat shield above both of my exhaust pipes where they go under the storage compartments.

I had assumed that WH provided them, but based on the other posts maybe Winnebago added them.
If so, the issue in not a WH issue but a motor home builder issue.

parts_expert · 08-21-2007, 09:28 AM

This type of issue IS most certainly a coach maker problem.

Workhorse offers the coach makers different exhaust options (single outlet, dual outlet, other side, etc.) when they order the chassis. Many systems come with heat shields installed in key locations.

Still, coach makers modify exhaust systems, including removal/relocation of heat shields and stretch/shorten chassis (which would include exhaust work) to mate a body with a chassis. Not always, but it happens.

It is up to them to be sure an exhaust doesn't interfere with their body as well as adding additional heat shields where necessary.

John-D · 08-21-2007, 11:46 AM

I have driven this Damon Intruder (Workhorse W-24) over a couple of mountains where... Well,, let me put it this way.. .One of them i had to drop the towed to make it over the top.. I mean 10 MPH was not maintainable pedal to the metal.

And I've never melted a compartment due to exhaust heat...

I have, However, put that road on my "Do not go there" list

drp46 · 08-21-2007, 06:56 PM

My GS w22 gets a hot or burning smell after long climbs, but we cant find anything hot after the fact. Still it is not a good feeling.

FrontRangeRVer · 08-22-2007, 02:25 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John-D:
I have driven this Damon Intruder (Workhorse W-24) over a couple of mountains where... Well,, let me put it this way.. .One of them i had to drop the towed to make it over the top.. I mean 10 MPH was not maintainable pedal to the metal.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Huh? Where was that? I see tourists up here un-hooking their toads and figure they just aren't used to the altitude....

FrontRangeRVer · 08-22-2007, 03:46 AM

On the short pipes that exit my mufflers and go out to each side as they exit to each side, they angle down LOW in front of the tires....VERY LOW....I have been concerned that the pipes are angled down too low, but now after reading this post, maybe Winnebago had them exit low for a reason....a good reason...