Community Forums

2chiefsRus · 06-03-2018, 07:18 AM

We have a 2007 Monaco Knight. The generator has just over 1100 hours on it. Generator runs fine and we have been doing the other preventative maintenance on it. Do we really have to remove the generator in order to change the belt? Does it have to be cut out or are there bolts that can be removed? Has anyone had this done and how much did it cost? Anybody change the belt themselves? How was that to do? Just starting to think about this maintenance issue and trying to figure out the best way to proceed.

Thank you for any replies and suggestions.

jacwjames · 06-03-2018, 08:30 AM

You will have to look at access to see if you can remove the rear panel. There are probably ~12 bolts that hold it in place, some on each side and across the top. If the panel can be removed and/or tipped back you may be able to change the belt. You have to be able to take the pulley off the water pump to change the belt.

If you can't remove the panel then you'll have to remove the generator. No idea how hard this would be since mine is on a slide.

I had to go the the Cummins shop for something and as I was walking in a customer was walking out towards an RV. He commented on the cost of them doing generator maintenance, his had to be dropped, can't remember the cost but must have been high.

8.3Oilbuner · 06-03-2018, 10:51 AM

Hi 2chiefsRus; Agree with Jacwjames, have never changed the belt, but one of the panels should come off. Had the drivers side panel off in my 7.5 Onan back in 05 when I had my first 2000 Monaco Windsor. Lots of bolts to take off. Some of the panels are kind of like Jig-Saw-Puzzles. You might have to remove this panel to get to the one you want to access. Can't remember as that was back in 05. If your generator is not on a slide out tray as in my current 01 Windsor, this might make removal of the gen necessary to change the belt. Also I would look at the Onan manual and see when the belt is recommended to be changed. Have not read a lot about changing the belt in this forum, but that subject probably has been discussed here. Try putting a search in the box at the top right of this page about, 7.5 Onan Generator Belt Change, and see if you get any results. Good luck!

Golfer Guy · 06-03-2018, 02:31 PM

following this thread as I too need to have this done on my 8K. In looking at mine it seems you can remove the front slide out that is part of the coach then need to cut out the front of the generator cage and weld back together when complete. Looks like getting it out wouldn't be to hard with a fork lift and then do the maintenance and reinstall. I have heard it's a $1000 bill or better to get the hoses, belts, and thermostat changed for the 1000hrs service.

Good luck I would like to know how you do on this.

Steve

2chiefsRus · 06-03-2018, 02:56 PM

thanks for the replies so far. I'm wondering if anyone has done this and at the same time added a better way to put it back in so it was more accessible for future work to be done? So far we are considering just doing the maintenance that we can do as it is and waiting until before our next trip to Alaska to have the rest of the 1000 hour pm list done.

bborc · 06-03-2018, 05:07 PM

I have done it on our 07 Knight. The gen has to come out. there are four bolts that hold it to the frame. The front hood or door I guess you would call it has to come off. If you look on the bottom of the hinge you will see several sheet medal screws that you remove and the door will come off. I then cut the cross bar that the hinge was screwed to, yea I know sounds scary but its not. I then made a 4 wheel dolly out of 2x4s to roll under gen. I made it a little higher than when the motor home is setting with the air bags deflated. I then raised the mh up with the jacks till the frame rails that the gen sets on was even with the dolly. Removed fuel and elec lines also remove tail pipe. put a strao around gen and hooked a come along to the truck and slid it out.Make sure the dolly is narrow enough to go thru the door opening. When putting it back together the cross bar that you cut can be remonted with 2 inch al angle from home depot. I just used the cross bar I cut out from the door frame and used short pieces of the angle to mount it back on the rail.Once the gen is on the dolly you can roll it around. All the side panels can come off and you can work on it. I did this by myself, if you have a helper its even better

bborc · 06-03-2018, 05:32 PM

bborc · 06-03-2018, 05:40 PM

RustyTools · 06-04-2018, 10:45 AM

Had an '06 Endeavor with an 8kw Onan. The belt shredded itself within 15 hours of taking new-possession, but fortunately found a Cummins center place nearby.

Dunno if it's the same install as yours (hope so!) but they were able to replace the belt without removing the gen-set.

(Spent the next 70k+ miles waiting for another to break, but never did.)

RustyTools · 06-04-2018, 10:46 AM

Love the ingenuity, bborc!

2chiefsRus · 06-04-2018, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustyTools

Had an '06 Endeavor with an 8kw Onan. The belt shredded itself within 15 hours of taking new-possession, but fortunately found a Cummins center place nearby.

Dunno if it's the same install as yours (hope so!) but they were able to replace the belt without removing the gen-set.

(Spent the next 70k+ miles waiting for another to break, but never did.)

I thought the Endeavor would have had the generator on a slide out?

RustyTools · 06-04-2018, 07:59 PM

It did. Guess I wasn’t clear - I was referring to not having to actually remove the genset. The shop just slid it out on the rollers to get access to the panels. Sorry.

bridluz · 06-05-2018, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2chiefsRus

We have a 2007 Monaco Knight. The generator has just over 1100 hours on it. Generator runs fine and we have been doing the other preventative maintenance on it. Do we really have to remove the generator in order to change the belt? Does it have to be cut out or are there bolts that can be removed? Has anyone had this done and how much did it cost? Anybody change the belt themselves? How was that to do? Just starting to think about this maintenance issue and trying to figure out the best way to proceed.

Thank you for any replies and suggestions.

My 05 Knight had the generator belt shred a few years back. My gene does not slide out. I took the RV to an Onan repair facility and they had to unbolt it (my bolts were very very corroded and difficult to remove as well.) and use a forklift to bring it out to gain access to the belt housing. I don't recall the the total cost but it wasn't cheap considering a belt is $30-40.