Community Forums

Mustanghoot · 04-18-2014, 07:29 AM

Would you buy a Monaco Camelot with the Cummins 400 and the history of Monaco windshield issues?

William Willard · 04-18-2014, 08:07 AM

We have a 07, 42' Camelot with 70,000 miles & have no windshield issues --I have air leveling,but some with hydraulic jacks have had some problems with the 3 point system twisting the front & poping the windshield -- I`m also carefull about going over curbs & such that may twist the coach -- William Willard

MikeyG · 04-18-2014, 09:26 AM

We have a 2008 36 PDQ and LOVE IT!
400 Cummins is a great power plant.
Yes, I do have a crack in the upper drivers side window, but that was my fault. I crossed a speed bump at an angle and it twisted the frame. My bad.
We have hydraulic jacks, but I do not use the automatic level. I always level manually. Back first, then side to side with the back jacks, then I drop the front jack and level front to back. Works for me.
No problems.
Good luck,
Mike

bgbranch · 04-18-2014, 09:54 AM

We have a 2007 Camelot 42PDQ and love it, no windshield issues. We also have air leveling.

chawkins99 · 04-18-2014, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeyG

We have a 2008 36 PDQ and LOVE IT!
400 Cummins is a great power plant.
Yes, I do have a crack in the upper drivers side window, but that was my fault. I crossed a speed bump at an angle and it twisted the frame. My bad.
We have hydraulic jacks, but I do not use the automatic level. I always level manually. Back first, then side to side with the back jacks, then I drop the front jack and level front to back. Works for me.
No problems.
Good luck,
Mike

My user manual says to lower the front (center) jack first. This creates a pivot point to eliminate the chassis twisting. Then drop the rear jacks and level side-to-side and finally adjust the front for front-rear level.
I can see where raising the rear end and levelling side-to-side could cause twisting particularly as I have already dumped the airbags by then.

MikeyG · 04-18-2014, 02:07 PM

You're right Chris.
I had posted it backwards.
Front down to touch the ground, then a little more for a pivot, then back and side to side.
CRS kicking.
Mike

tankcj · 04-18-2014, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeyG

We have a 2008 36 PDQ and LOVE IT!
400 Cummins is a great power plant.
Yes, I do have a crack in the upper drivers side window, but that was my fault. I crossed a speed bump at an angle and it twisted the frame. My bad.
We have hydraulic jacks, but I do not use the automatic level. I always level manually. Back first, then side to side with the back jacks, then I drop the front jack and level front to back. Works for me.
No problems.
Good luck,
Mike

Wait?...what?..you cracked your windshield going over a speed bump?..I'm guessing that my coach and yours are pretty much the same. Do you have the rubber gasket/seal around your windshield also? If so, should I be worried about this?...I have air leveling so the 3 point jacks isn't an issue for me but I do go over speed bumps and up and down driveways at an angle quite a bit so as not to drag the front or rear.....

Lars99 · 04-18-2014, 10:18 PM

Is the windshield cracking issue only known to happen with one piece windshields?

Johnontheroad · 04-19-2014, 06:06 AM

We full time in a 2009 Camelot with the 425 Cummins. Both have worked well for us. The Cummins is so quiet back there it almost feels like an electric RV!

Never had any windshield problems (air leveling) and have been on some crazy angles. I try to avoid them, but sometime (like where I am now: a huge speed bump in the middle of a curve!) you can't avoid irregularities.

Don_SueB · 04-19-2014, 06:55 AM

I've got an 2006 38PDQ with 3 point hydraulic leveling. I just drain the air bags and auto level it. The front single comes down first then the rears. Generally, I've noticed that it gets it fore/aft level first then the rears move to solve left/right to do the final level. It doesn’t seem to put a lot of stress on the frame. I hear more creaking when I am draining the airbags as it settles off of them.
Love the motor. It does a great job with my size coach towing our Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.

MikeyG · 04-20-2014, 08:47 PM

Tankcj:
Yes, going over a speed bump at an angle. I wasn't paying attention and when the rears crossed the bump at slightly different times, it twisted the frame, cracked the upper left corner on the inboard lite of the laminated windshield. Yes, it is set in the rubber gasket.
It also threw all the clothes on hangers in the rear closet on the floor.
I knew better, but was not paying attention at that exact moment.
Always, always, always cross speed bumps at an exact perpendicular to the bump.
And cross VERY slowly.
Mike

moisheh · 04-21-2014, 05:47 AM

I don't know where the OP got his information re a windshield issue. There is no issue! We have an 08 Dynasty and the windshield is still original. All class A's are subject to windshield damage if the driver throws caution to the wind. We cross some crazy speed bumps in Mexico and have zero problems.

Papa_Jim · 04-21-2014, 06:55 AM

I didn't know that Monaco had windshield issues.

Jim

StuckySB · 04-22-2014, 05:47 AM

I back our 2008 Camelot into the driveway all the time with an angle at least as bad as speed bumps. I do have to manually air up the chassis bags to max so the receiver hitch does not drag. Not sure if it is related but we also have a bad wind noise any time there is a cross wind. It seems to come from upper corners of windshield but only in cross wind.