I think my Class A is cursed!

[zeddy]

Two years ago in January I bought my first Class A, which was a big step up from our TT. I bought a 1999 Trailstar tracker, Which is basically a Fleetwood product, closest to a Flair with a few extras. It's 30ft long with a GM p32 chassis under it with a 454 and 29000miles.

Well I thought this was a great buy since it looked basically new with low miles. But I ran a Carfax on it to be safe and everything seemed to be in order.

The problem is, every single time I use it something breaks. I am not one to cheap out with repairs, I usually pick the absolute best way to repair it.

When I purchased it I did a full tune up on it and replaced all the fluids, and everything looked great from the rad to the tranny to the rear end.

Here are a few of the things I have fixed

House water pump-replaces with a shur-flo 5.7 extreme---TWICE!
Hot water pump curcuit board
Converter-replaced with Xantrex prosine 2.0 inverter/charger
Front air bags
Bell crank
tierods
shocks
balljoints
wheel bearings
Front brakes/calipers and rotors--seized!
Starter
Cap/rotor/plugs and wires-after original tune up
water pipes breaking-twice
awning-replaced
all tires-two blowouts!
all batteries house and coach
resealed windshield
resealed roof-twice
replaced every hinge on cabinets
stereo quit!
guages quit


Thats about I can think of right now

Did I get a lemon or is that the norm with these things?
Would a brand new coach be the same once it gets a few miles on it?

I just returned from a 20 mile trip! thats right twenty miles and have two new problems, I have a squeek in the drivers front wheel that is rotational but not brakes? I thought wheel bearing but it's not hot at all? Also I found a 2 foot piece of gm 5/16 fuel line with the factory style clamps hanging from the fuel tank but I cannot find anything missing anywhere? any Ideas?

This thing is killing me, I am not sure if I should be running out of things to fix or if I buy a brand new coach will it be the same? or should I just go back to a TT or 5TH OR look for a new hobby!

[Jackm]

It's hard to tell how much work was actually done in some cases (i.e. tierods, shocks, ball joints, etc.) but your list isn't extraordinary for a ten year old RV. I bought a new rig in 2004 and by 2014, I'll have a pretty long list of things that will have been done to keep it running.

In terms of blowouts, you might have been dealing with older tires. Everybody replaces batteries and shocks. RVers also have to replace various components now and then. Just be glad your refrigerator is still working ($$$). As for me, I'm on my fourth water pump.

Short answer: Your situation is fairly common, especially when purchasing an older rig. However, after a while, you'll have fewer problems and a much more reliable (and enjoyable) motorhome. Be patient, make sure all your tires are in good shape, keep a good supply of spare parts (belts, filters, hoses) and enjoy the lifestyle. The worst is definitely over.

Jack

[RV Wizard]

I have found that systems and RVs in general do better the more they are used than those that are only occasionally used. I agree with Jack that for the quality of coach you purchased and for its age, you are having about the normal issues.

[dieselclacker]

zeddy, it sounds to me like a lot of the maintenance you have done to the coach has been preventive. The rest is pretty much normal for a 10 year old coach.
Check your front hubcaps while looking for that front wheel squeek.

Dieselclacker

[JimM68]

Any older used vehicle will have some issues, seemingly more so when bought by a DIYer who likes everything to work and "be right."

It's an uphill climb at first to wade through all the PO's deffered maintenance items, neglect, and stuff that was marginal or ready to fail at any time.

Eventually, you'll hit the top of the curve, you're about 3/4 of the way there now!

[nbounder]

Z-dude.....just a suggestion . . . .next ime something breaks, go to a DIFFERENT SHOP!! Being myself from the NYC area (although 30 yeqrs ago), I immediately suspect somethings amiss when I read the list. Example - needing new plugs and ignition parts after having a fresh tune up raises my suspicions. Maybe its not the rig after all!!!

[Rick Long]

I did alot of the same stuff... didn't have to deal with the suspention stuff except new shocks. New batteries and tires (ouch) had to replace one with less than 1000 miles on it.. O'ring on the NEW airless valve extentions totally disintigrated.. lost air and didn't even know it.. not sure how many miles I drove on it but couldn't take a chance with it. $350 gone for nothing!. New converter, new motor for air conditioner.. $170 (thats highway robbery) and I installed it!

[WeatherTodd]

fuel line might be an old generator feed.
Who is working onthe coach?

[Darryl]

I agree with what others have said. I too have an older coach and had to go through many of the things you mentioned. Age takes its toll on some things. I'm a bit surprised that the ball joints needed replacing however. House water pumps failing seem to be more frequent these days, especially some models. I think the electronic variable speed models seem to be the worst ones. I have one too, just replaced this year. You should be about through with the worst of it. Minor interior/exterior plastic things need replacing after about 6-8 years. But, for the most part they are cheap to replace. As for the squeek in the front wheel, it's likely the hub cap. I had a Winnebago class C that was notorious for this problem.

[hillbilly3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nbounder Z-dude.....just a suggestion . . . .next ime something breaks, go to a DIFFERENT SHOP!! Being myself from the NYC area (although 30 yeqrs ago), I immediately suspect somethings amiss when I read the list. Example - needing new plugs and ignition parts after having a fresh tune up raises my suspicions. Maybe its not the rig after all!!!

I agree, but that does not always work, I had a 06 Toyota Tundra, at 30,000 miles it started cutting out while going down the freeway, after a while it would start running right again. I had a feeling it was a loose connection somewhere, but the dealer said it was a bad fuel pump. After replacing FOUR full pumps at about $1200 a pop, at four different dealers in two different states, it quit the fifth time 20 miles from the last dealer that "repaired it". They took it back in, then said "Oh, we noticed the fuel pump connector was cracked when we replaced the pump" After they replaced that, it hasn't quit since from that problem. Don't know why they kept charging for something that was clearly a warranty issue, but the company I work for just kept paying the bill.

[hamguy]

A friend of mine has a '01 Adventurer U35. I have an '02 Suncruiser U35. Ever since I got my unit I have had random problems. Water heater, AC control board, brakes, and others. He always chided me about my "luck" and expenses.

Well, in the last year, he has had almost all the same failures some more, some less expensive. He now has about 10,000 fewer miles but the ~same collection of paid bills.

As I told him, you begin shaking an RV apart when you first take it off the lot.

YMMV

[Chickadee]

Or.........maybe it IS...."cursed!!!" Steve

[dieselclacker]

[QUOTE=hamguy;

As I told him, you begin shaking an RV apart when you first take it off the lot.

YMMV [/QUOTE]


Yep, about the equivelent of a 5.5 earthquake going down the road.

Dieselclacker

[Pete & Linda]

This sounds rediculous to me. I would make a barn fire out of it. Why would you have to replace the cabinet hinges?