Community Forums

DriVer · 11-02-2009, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theberrys

When was the last time you did brake PM on your car? How long do you expect the brakes to last on your car?

Dick, Good question ... can't figure out where to start!

max49 · 11-02-2009, 07:36 PM

I think you guys are among the most forgiving gentlemen I've ever known. Unless you just Hate Ford, Freightliners and Other DP's.
My worst nightmare is having to be towed in the MH and my trip totally screwed by waiting for weeks to get it fixed while I'm hundreds of miles from home.
This has not happened to me, yet, but I could'nt press my luck with another WH. I've just read too many horror stories here.

I expect my brakes to last at least 60 to 70,000 miles, like any other vehicle I have owned.

DriVer · 11-02-2009, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by max49

My worst nightmare is having to be towed in the MH and my trip totally screwed by waiting for weeks to get it fixed while I'm hundreds of miles from home.

Max, I was in Iowa and was struck by lightning. Lots of stuff was damaged including some very critical electronics components and I did not need to get towed - ever! We have owners here approaching 100,000 driven miles without being towed and it's not all that unusual.

The specter of being on the road was more important to me when I was ill and my wife was left alone in the motorhome while I was in Intensive Care. If not for our friends we might not have fared so well.

max49 · 11-02-2009, 08:00 PM

Well you're right Driver, sickness or injury and worrying about loved ones would be much worse. I should have said " One of my worst nightmares................................."

Glad everything turned out good for you.

jdsr · 11-02-2009, 08:08 PM

Yes, having your mh towed and your hard earned vacation ruined is a nightmare but pressing the brake pedal and it going to the floor and the mh not stopping is a nightmare for our family and the ones in the cars in front of us if we dont get it stopped.

DriVer · 11-02-2009, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by max49

Glad everything turned out good for you.

Max, Thanks. You know ya never know if something is going to break. One of our former members had a brand new Newmar Essex and he didn't make it very far down the road in his 1/2 million dollar motorcoach before it broke and he had to get towed.

Stuff happens and no matter what the situation is, it's always the most dreaded thing that any of us can think of. I would bet a stack of yellow pages that more folks were towed off the road with J71 problems than were ever involved with W series brakes. Either scenario is regrettable however we're not seeing a lot of members complaining about getting towed off the highway due to a brake problems. Yes, some have!

You know this is a serious problem and for the life of me I just can't figure why some people are just trying to make it worse. We have a campaign and a manufacturer that is ready and willing to do the repairs as soon as the parts are available. I guess no one talks to that because it's not all bad News.

max49 · 11-02-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriVer

Max, Thanks.

Stuff happens and no matter what the situation is, it always the most dreaded thing that any of us can think of. I would bet a stack of yellow pages that more folks were towed off the road with J71 problems than were ever involved with W series brakes.

Oh Thanks alot, You made me feel so much better now

I have the J-71 autopark

. You just had to remind me, huh?

They replaced the actuator under warranty because it had a slight leak. No other problems with it so far. Have a spare 'rotten green switch' , just in case it can save the day

jdsr · 11-02-2009, 09:10 PM

I to believe we are forgiving folks but I cant believe that a small % of folks say we are bashing wh or are Jerry Springer fans because of what we have been through and reported and now what wh is putting us through about the reimburshments. I can only speak for myself but when I bought this chassis I had to spend 6000.00 dollors more just to get a wh chassis and I didnt mind or complain about it. I then had to buy trac bars, stablizers, shocks just to get it to drive and handle right ( and yes its been weighed front, back, and four corners). I spent the money and nevered complained here or anywhere else for that matter. No problem. But when the brakes failed multi times and spending thousands more just to be told by a select few here, workhorse, and workhorse rsm's, sorry, wh doesnt have a brake problem. Then nhtsa says, yes they do have a problem and its with 2001- 2008 chassis. Now just when we think its all over and wh will fix my brakes and surely reimbursh me for the money I spent just to get my mh back on the road. I mean, my mh falls within the recall dates. I kept all the paperwork, and maintaince reciepts and sent them to wh just to be told again, sorry, you repaired your brakes in june and august of 2007. The date we are using for reimburshing is nov 2007 ( because imo it eliminates alot of repair bills ). Now for the life of me I cant understand how anyone couldnt understand how we could be upset about being turned down for money spent on brakes that are being recalled. We are not asking for reimburshment on parts that are simply just worn out but are defective and in a recall.

edgray · 11-02-2009, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by max49

I think you guys are among the most forgiving gentlemen I've ever known. Unless you just Hate Ford, Freightliners and Other DP's.........

This has not happened to me, yet, but I could'nt press my luck with another WH. I've just read too many horror stories here.........

Max49: as for me, I don't "hate" any other chassis brand. I bought my optional-at-extra-cost W-22 because I wanted the 8.1L and Allison. I wanted to replace my older Pace Arrow with Ford powertrain which was wrecking my budget with cost of repairs, after only 75,000 miles. I feel I've been well served by my choice.

Regarding your decision about Workhorse, may I ask how many times you did not make it back home under your own power? In other words, how many times has your workhorse P-32 prevented you from completing a round trip from home and back due to a mechanical breakdown? If any, please tell us what broke.

Realistically, what you call the "horror stories here" are the reports of a fairly small population of motorhome owners who have experienced unfortunate and maddening problems with their units (mostly brakes). I'm not trying to minimize the seriousness of the reported problems and failures, but the vast majority of owners I meet at shows and rallies have not suffered a failure and are quite happy with their workhorse chassis. Now, the ones I've met who have had brake problems are understandably upset, and a few have been quite vocal about their problems, just like what we see here.

I think it is human nature to get mad and loud when we think we've paid our hard earned money for a product that failed or broke. But that can sometimes cloud our judgement about what is a reasonable solution to a problem, too.

Can your next MH chassis provide you with a trouble free ownership? I hope so, but I doubt it. I do believe that the newer offerings from the various chassis builders are "better" than what they produced in the past, that has certainly been my experience. ED

"007" · 11-02-2009, 09:34 PM

Max to take a brake

thought you were pretty impressive sitting in your big red plow truck talking to that reporter on TV.
I have had some brake downs in Fords and WH, one Ford had Hydro boost oil line for brakes let go on Maine turn pike at 60 mpg and no matter how hard you press the brake pedal had nothing just prayed and guide coach into a rest area for a few hundred yards.
Had another Ford replaced manifolds dealer mechanic screw up placement of oil pump on distributer shaft so no flow of oil seizure of engine going 60 rpm thats first tow.
Second tow was when we were heading to Indiana route #80 pulled into rest area shut off engine and white smoke came up from steering column.
Workhorse had to be towed 50 miles to shop.
Have many others but won't bore you, you just have to realize as someone said stuff happens if you let it get you down you shouldn't be RVing.
If you think a DP would be more fun we had someone that had three expensive DP's that always seemed to have a dark cloud over his head gave it up, so enjoy what you have and just don't be surprised if something will happen because most likely it will.
Safe travels everyone.

max49 · 11-03-2009, 06:02 PM

007, that's funny you said that because this past snow storm was the 1st one of the year, and it was a little more than we usually get in Oct, the TV stations actually came out and even rode with the plow for awhile. But you must'nt have saw me because my plow is ugly C DOT orange.

I know any thing, if man builds it, can break down. I have the P-32 and there are no more of them. If I bought another WH , it would have to be the W20 or 22 and they have unresolved brake problems, so I would'nt want to buy one now. I know many of you love your W-22 but I have'nt been impressed that so many of you had to buy trac bars, torsion bars, Koni shocks and I don't know what else just to make it drive acceptable to you. I know the P-32 does'nt have the best reputation, but that's one thing I am impressed about mine, it rides so smooth for as big as it is and if it's not windy, I can pretty much drive with my knee.

Another reason I don't want another WH is that they don't seem to learn from their mistakes. They continue to build new chassis with the same brakes. They continue to use the Actia IP that has been such a nuasance for their customers. If they would just separate the odometer and oil pressure from Actia, most of us could care less about the other features and they are not necessary, but we have to have an odometer, and oil pressure is important too.

Also they seem to have changed their mind about recalling the FCA on the UFO and decided it would be better to change them one at a time as they fail, making great inconvenience for the owners when they break down and have to wait weeks for the repair.

I just don;t see any thing that they are trying to do to improve their product or trying to make life a little easier for the people who have spent a lot of money for their product.

I know Fords can have problems too, but Ford has better resources to afford to fix problems and preserve their reputation better than WH.

I know it's a long winded post, but that's how I feel and the reason I would not buy another WH now. Maybe soon I will be see that they are trying to improve on these things that are hurting their reputation about as much as it hurts their customers.

Just my opinion, of course, but that's why they have lost this repeat customer.
But you're not getting rid of me that easy. Even if I buy a Ford or a DP ( which won't be for awhile), I'm still coming back here to talk with you guys

gonzo · 11-08-2009, 10:29 PM

This is our first MH. The chassis was never a question when we looked around. Floorplan and other options were more important to my wife. Since I am 6'7 tall. I need to fit behind the steering wheel and get in and out. One thing I notices right away is that the Ford dog house is a lot taller. The lower WH dog house made it easier for me.

As for PM's, I do my stuff by myself. I replace ALL fluids every year. Overkill? YES absolutely. But I know that my fluids are clean and up to snuff.

We don't put much miles on. We are still young (38y me and 35y DW) so I have to work and don't have the 12 weeks vacation time. We never even considered a DP. Too much $$$ to purchase and to keep.

Our coach is everything we expected. So war the only chassis repair was a broken DRL module, that I replace with a module I found at the junk yard and I had the re-align my head lights. My brakes never gave me any problems and I don't even thing about them when I drive.

Our Holiday Rambler is not an entry level coach. It has many features of higher end coaches. The best of my coach is that my tanks are heated and my 4 door fridge (don't even have that at home). I absolutely love our coach and think we made the rights choice in house and chassis.

For what my expectations are and the price I was willing to pay, this is the best coach I can find.

rogueii · 11-09-2009, 10:00 AM

I went through a RR failure 1 month ago--It was repaired and I was back on the road in about 3.5 hours--no cost to me -except time. I like my WH W22 and would buy another, if I decide to upgrade. Would go for the UFO

George Z · 11-09-2009, 11:25 AM

My initial question being; If your not happy with your WH chassis unit, what would be your alternative gas class A?
Received one post stating they would buy a Ford or DP but not a WH if and when they buy another. Most would buy a WH again and some like myself a UFO.
Had a few WH is no good or they didn't reimburse my money for whatever reason comments. These seem to show up in every WH chassis or WH / Bosch brake post.
No alternatives were offered there. I'm happy with my WH, and would buy another for a gas chassis.