Community Forums

Nasdaqsam · 06-22-2017, 11:57 AM

Who made Magnum chassis's? I have a 2004 Beaver which when I first bought this a little while ago I was told by Monico it was on a Roadmaster chassis. Now I am being told it is on a Magnum. I have never heard of these. Good? Bad? Anything I need to know?

Thanks

1doodadd · 06-22-2017, 12:12 PM

I have a 2000 Beaver Marquis with the magnum chassis. It is a Beaver product. I love the ride, and quality of its design. I have a total of 12 air bags on my coach, 4 per axle with no problems in the structure at all. Still have original bags. I would tend to think, your coach being a 2004, it would be a roadmaster. Beaver had already been purchased by Monaco at that time. Both are proven designs and quality ride.

Golfer Guy · 06-22-2017, 12:12 PM

My understanding is the Roadmaster was on the pre Monaco purchase of the Beaver coaches. After Monaco purchased Beaver the Roadmaster chassis was renamed Magnum. Virtually one in the same. I think Monaco owned Beaver in 2004 therefore it is a Magnum chassis.

Just my understanding I could be 100% incorrect though.

Nasdaqsam · 06-22-2017, 12:17 PM

With so much back and fourth at that time with owner ship it looks like it could be just about anything......lol. It is listed on the build sheet as a Magnum I have confirmed but it makes a difference in some of the parts as to what it is. This one is a baby 37' Beaver so just the 4 bag system but from the little I have driven it, it is very smooth. I knew hitting my first bridge it needed shocks though. And as I am finding out this is another part that is VERY hard to source.

Oh, according to the rep at Monico they bought Beaver in 2002 but then said they have very little as far as info on the 2004 Beaver because hardly anything came over from Beaver. Wait you just said you bought them in 2002 this is an 2004. You should have built it. Ahhhhhhhh........

I don't think they really know to be honest about it.

BillJinOR · 06-22-2017, 12:39 PM

Magnum is a beaver/safari owned and made chassis that was very similar to the roadmaster my understanding is that it had larger airbags and more frame isolation depending on the model. When Monaco who used their own Roadmaster chassis bought beaver in 02? They continued to make Beavers in Bend Oregon at the beaver plant for a couple years with only minor Monaco changes and one was the renaming of the magnum to roadmaster-m. As they used up those chassis. When production was moved to Coberg Oregon at the Monaco plant (04?)Beaver made the transition to being a clone/ rebadged Monaco with upgraded interiors and cat motors. At least that's the story I've been told. they added models to the beaver line that were similar to existing Monaco brands (Chevy/Buick )
Actually I believe the magnum was actually a Safari chassis that was put on the Beavers when Safari bought the Original Beaver in the 90s prior to monaco buying Safari/Beaver
My guess is you have a roadmaster-m chassis . It should have a frame ID plate in the engine Bay Area on the frame.

Nasdaqsam · 06-22-2017, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillJinOR

Magnum is a beaver/safari owned and made chassis that was very similar to the roadmaster my understanding is that it had larger airbags and more frame isolation depending on the model. When Monaco who used their own Roadmaster chassis bought beaver in 02? They continued to make Beavers in Bend Oregon at the beaver plant for a couple years with only minor Monaco changes and one was the renaming of the magnum to roadmaster-m. As they used up those chassis. When production was moved to Coberg and the Monaco plant Beaver made the transition to being a clone/ rebadged Monaco with upgraded interiors and cat motors. At least that's the story I've been told
Actually I believe the magnum was a Safari chassis that was put on the Beavers when Safai bought the Original Beaver in the 90s prior to monaco buying Safari/Beaver

That sounds just about spot on from what I have seen so far. This one does have 4 massive air bags so that makes sense also.

Sourcing parts is pretty much a full time job. Then to get any kind of deal is even more research. For the Bilstein shocks Monico wants $303/each. I just bought all 4 for $356. I can not recommend www.eshocks.com enough, very helpful.

Of course we have no idea if they are going to be right or not. Monico shows 2 different sets of shocks for front and back, Magnum has them as the opposite part numbers as Monico. I confirmed the front numbers by looking at them but have not had the chance to get to the rears yet.

BillJinOR · 06-22-2017, 01:39 PM

Beaver coach sales in Bend Oregon or Source Enginering in Coberg should be able to help you identify what you have. Also if a member of FMCA join the Beaver ambassador club BAC group there ..you can see some of it free It's pay to join and ask questions and access member only sections ( the real "dirt"

) but the info you can get from the members is spot on and has has paid my member fees in savings and knowledge several times over.

mhughes · 06-22-2017, 02:11 PM

Pretty easy to tell which chassis it is. All the Magnum chassis I've seen had "I-Beam" steel for the H-Frames. The Roadmaster RR8/RR10 chassis has 2" x 5" rectangular tubing for the H-Frames.