1989 35' Coachmen Sportscoach 4

[spopoff]

Any info or past owner experience's would be much appreciated. thanks Sid

[BBear]

Hi sid,

I just purchased a 88 Coachmen Catalina, based on Ford chassis. I don't know much about it (actually it'd be more accurate to say I know nothing) but maybe we can share some info.

Here are pictures of my rig:
outside pics here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bborges...7623550832215/

component pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bborges...7623550838211/

Later mate!

BB

[spopoff]

Hi BB, my coachmen is a class A diesel pusher, its quite different than yours, thanks anyway and I hope you have better luck than I had ! Sid

[BBear]

Thanks mate for the clarification!

Good luck,

BB

[canaca]

Back in Spring 2010 I purchase a Class A Sports Coach IV Diesel Pusher,
Detroit diesel 8.2L fuel pincher, Alison Transmission and Spartan Frame

Great solid unit, no slide out but everything on it is great, complete with stabilizer jacks, generator and much more, but allot of things have been updated or removed ...

it used to have solar pannels ... now gone ... only wiring left behind ...
the coach battery charger has been replaced and the original 2000Watt inverter ... gone

I like to replace everything but I'm not sure how much it will cost ...

The outside pannels are faded and I will try to buff them or clear cote them again ...

I do have lots of original manuals, I should make electronic copyes to share ... let me know what you need

Lets enjoy this great rig !!

[johnboy2]

Works great for me. I've had it since 05 and put 20000 mi a year on the old girl I really havent had that many major problems.

Replaced

tranny computer (ouch) 2300.00
frig cooling unit 300.00
elec step 200.00 from bone yard

Those are what stick out in my mind.I do most of the maintence myself.

John

[dlock]

I recently purchased a 1990 Sportscoach IV and would appreciate any info or copies of manuals i might be able to get

[QuietWater]

I don't know if this will help much, but here is a link to the generic owner's manual for 1989 Coachmen motorhomes.

http://www.coachmenrv.com/OwnersManuals/14185911.pdf

It's a big pdf file so be patient. If you are on dialup, don't even try.

[canaca]

Originally Posted by dlock

I recently purchased a 1990 Sportscoach IV and would appreciate any info or copies of manuals i might be able to get

What style and configuration is yours? (I love to see a picture, does it look like mine, look in the previous posting, boxy but good ) whats is the frame chasis (mine is a Spartan, quickes way to tell, look at the steering wheel center logo)

what engine do you have, and tranny (I'm sure is an Alison)

does yours leaks fumes from the rear engine compartment? In mine I found holes along side the rear of the bed and the back wall. I will reseal in the spring.

[dlock]

Originally Posted by canaca

What style and configuration is yours? (I love to see a picture, does it look like mine, look in the previous posting, boxy but good ) whats is the frame chasis (mine is a Spartan, quickes way to tell, look at the steering wheel center logo)

what engine do you have, and tranny (I'm sure is an Alison)

does yours leaks fumes from the rear engine compartment? In mine I found holes along side the rear of the bed and the back wall. I will reseal in the spring.

My coach looks the same as yours. It's a Spartin chassis with a C series Cummins and an Allison trans. I haven't noticed any exhaust fumes from the engine compartment yet but I will be checking the seal and for any holes. I will try to post pics if I can figure out how to. Is there any chance you may have any manuals on the air, electrical or any other systems for these coaches? When I bought the coach i flew to Tucson to pick it up and the owner told me he had all the manuals but could'nt find them at the time and would send them but never did

[poorgreg]

Hello All,
I have a 1989 Sportcoach IV with a 3208t Cat motor and Allison transmission, 43000 miles. I have been rebuilding the coach (slowly I might add). If anyone has any manuals, ect that can help, I would appreciate this greatly. To date I have replaced the chairs and couches, flooring, countertops and table, wallpaper, windshields, and interior lighting, . On the mechanical side I have replaced the dash heater control, stone bennet shifter with a cable shift, electric steps, headlight switch, and generator control board. If there is any info I can help with please ask.
Thanks, Greg

[poorgreg]

The fumes come from a gap along the bed on the drivers side cabinet. I used a piece of wood molding cut to length and caulk to seal out the fumes.

[kevinmc]

Originally Posted by poorgreg

Hello All,
I have a 1989 Sportcoach IV with a 3208t Cat motor and Allison transmission, 43000 miles. I have been rebuilding the coach (slowly I might add). If anyone has any manuals, ect that can help, I would appreciate this greatly. To date I have replaced the chairs and couches, flooring, countertops and table, wallpaper, windshields, and interior lighting, . On the mechanical side I have replaced the dash heater control, stone bennet shifter with a cable shift, electric steps, headlight switch, and generator control board. If there is any info I can help with please ask.
Thanks, Greg

hi greg.
have the same coach and was curious how u changed out the air shifter to a cable shifter.....any info will be appreciated

regards kevin

[poorgreg]

Hi Kevin,
Glad I found someone with the same coach. Here is what I did. My shifter would not go shift the transmission from D to N, N to R, ect. To rebuild was $700, Replace with new $2100 or go with a cable shifter for $275. The problem with the stone-bennet is that they do not like sitting for weeks/months at a time. So I decided to go mechanical after talking with the allison transmission shop.

I ordered the parts from The Parts House in Illnois. The phone # is 309-343-0146. Email Jason at jason@thepartshouseinc.com. I would change two things on what I ordered, Get the Neutral switch, I did not get the Neutral Safety switch, so I had to trace the wire back and ground the yellow wire (relays located in shifter cabinet) And order the shifter for cable position #1.

Here is what you need.
Orscheln Shifter 55051-1142, 36 foot series 40 cable and the transmission cable mount,3/8 cap for air line and 3 pan bolts.
You need to take out one pan bolt from the transmission and match it up at your hardware store as the long bolts you remove from the old shifter won't work. It was a fairly easy job to remove the old shifter,install the new mount and cap the Air line, I routed the cable along the passenger frame rail until I got to the front of the coach. I drilled one hole in the bottom of the fuse cabinet and routed the cable into the shifter cabinet using the existing hole for the harness. I made a new cover platefor the shifter cabinet due to mine being broken, but you can use the template to cut out the old one. Once you attach the front shifter to the cable you adjust the tread to match your transmission and presto, a shifter that won't go bad in our lifetime. Let me know how it goes, it was worth it on my end, no more getting under the coach to hand shift back to N.