Renegade Verona Comprehensive Review - Mike Mas

[Idleup]

Hello IRV2 Forum Members - After spending nearly a year researching and driving dozens of Renegade Verona’s and Classic Cascadia’s, I finally made a decision to acquire Renegade’s Verona 34 VQB.

In this Comprehensive article, I’ll share dozens of modifications and improvements of which you might consider for your Verona, as well as some great Fall images taken here in the scenic mountains and lakes of North Georgia, where I reside.

I’ll also share a number of technical modifications, such as my “$46 Air Bag Dump”, which takes only 4 seconds to drop the coach, adding a new dimension to leveling or squeezing into a garage with only 12’2" of clearance. Unlike some costly air dumps installed incorrectly by a few dealers, this dump leaves all your original air lines to the bags un-touched. Most important, it won't dump the secondary air tank and requires only one 12volt valve instead of two to operate.

I’ll also included some images of my upcoming video on a “state of the art” Lithionics lithium battery upgrade, where I converted the Verona to all lithium system, capable of even running the roof top air conditioner for up to 8-10 hours (50% cycle). My design included moving house batteries location (now lithium) from its “open air” drivers side compartment, where the batteries were exposed to extreme temperatures, road dust, and tire salt spray, to the opposite side of the coach, to a larger compartment which is temperature controlled. This compartment also houses the Xantrex inverter, BMS, solar controller and battery isolator, to allow very short cable runs. This unique design, captures “Free Heat” generated from the inverter and AquaHot compartment to supplement the Lithionics batteries internal self-heating system for uninterrupted operation when encountering freezing temperatures. The video will also include installation of a 1.5kw Xantrex Flex Panel Solar system, for those interested.

I’ll also disclose a Programming Flaw called “Fuel Sense” in the Alison’s shifting protocol, where a simple programing change, reduced my 0-60 speed by a full 7 seconds, offering a major difference in overall power and hill climbing. I’ll also share a number of other modifications as installing a macerator, a dust-free exhaust pipe, high glossing your interior, CB installation, Exhaust Brake & Cruise switch Relocation, LED’s, BlueFire’s Virtual Dashboard, plus many other tips on this great conversion from the folks at Renegade.

Since I will update this article from time to time with additional tips, I placed it on my server. To view the article please click on the link below.

http://www.rotory.com/coach/verona/

Please Stay Safe - Mike Mas

[RonLC]

I read all of your excellent article. I want an air dump too... someday. Where are you in North Georgia? May come see you.

In regards to tire pressure, I am sticking with my friend the tire dealer. We weighed our Verona LE 40's, loaded as normal, and run 120 and 110.

In regards to the CB I have the same as yours but it works as it should. The multiplexer installed by FL is the road block. Take it out of the circuit for the CB (SWR 1.0) and run a rubber ducky antenna to it for the AM/FM.

[Paul R.]

Thank you for taking the time to write that. It was very informative. I’m taking delivery of a 36VSB next year. Is there any additional information you can share about the transmission programming?

[enjoyrv]

Interesting thread.

[Idleup]

Originally Posted by RonLC

I read all of your excellent article. I want an air dump too... someday. Where are you in North Georgia? May come see you.

In regards to tire pressure, I am sticking with my friend the tire dealer. We weighed our Verona LE 40's, loaded as normal, and run 120 and 110.

In regards to the CB I have the same as yours but it works as it should. The multiplexer installed by FL is the road block. Take it out of the circuit for the CB (SWR 1.0) and run a rubber ducky antenna to it for the AM/FM.

Thanks for the replies guys - the supplied half wave mirror mount antenna works good for both the CB and radio antenna. The problem with the Gamin is it uses the same antenna as the CB, so when you transmit, the 5 watts of RF swamps the radio. This can be solved by using two separate antennas as you did. On a range test I got a little over a few miles, so its working. For the most part I only use the CB when traffic comes to a stop to see what's going on. My Cobra CB has to be around 20 years old now but its still ticking. LOL

Stay Safe - Mike

[Idleup]

Originally Posted by Paul R.

Thank you for taking the time to write that. It was very informative. I’m taking delivery of a 36VSB next year. Is there any additional information you can share about the transmission programming?

Fuel sense is designed for stop and go truck deliveries, this is far from typical use of a motorhome which is used 90% of the time at constant highway speeds. Fuel Sense market is a guy doing short hauls with the M2, where the driver could care less if the engine lugs 70% of the time.

There is now three different versions of Fuel Sense, and everyone crams in gears to save fuel. I feel this is more of a problem for us on M2's since they fall into the "Truck Category" more so than the same engine in a pusher.

My 2019 Newmar shifted perfectly, the gears wind up nicely before shifting. Regretfully everything is now built and geared to saving fuel. For me getting this right meant everything, my L9 had less power than a lot of 6.7 L I dove, so it was not-acceptable. Since the change, I could not be happier with the performance.

This short video pretty much explains why everything is wrong with fuel sense where they show a bus, trash truck, delivery truck, all different from RV use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYqn9CJl8Qg

Regards - Mike

[Renegade RV]

Mike first all thanks for putting this well written article together. I have it bookmarked for future reference if I attempt some of your upgrades. I especially like the dash switch relocation as the current location of some of the switches as been a pet peeve of mine since we got our coach.

[Idleup]

Originally Posted by Renegade RV

Mike first all thanks for putting this well written article together. I have it bookmarked for future reference if I attempt some of your upgrades. I especially like the dash switch relocation as the current location of some of the switches as been a pet peeve of mine since we got our coach.

Thanks for the reply - Yes the switch placement was horrible. With my hands the wheel, I don't even have to take your eyes off the road. I did notice Renegade moved the Brake switch "somewhat" closer to the driver but it's still in the wrong position and requires taking your eys off the road.



Enjoy your great RV - Mike

[UAV]

Very well done Mike, as usual.

We seriously considered a New Aire a couple of years back and I remember seeing all of your posts on that coach as well. Decided we wanted a coach with a nose, a cab over bunk (Kitty Storage area), among other things.

I have numerous questions but this is my current project (note it is a Valencia, not a Verona):

Trying to install a CB/Ham Radio in the upper center area where you have yours. That plastic panel where you have your radio is screwed in but the top center bolt is blocked by the plastic "ceiling" material around it. If that makes any sense. I simply cannot get to that one bolt. How did you get that panel off to cut the opening you needed?

Also, no coax to be found when I took out the sunglass holder above the driver side and as per Renegade they "think" it is in the door but weren't really sure. Plus, I do not see any coax feeding from the door up into that area where the radio would be so my guess it really is in the door or there is not at all. Any ideas?

Thanks again for your detailed notes and review.

[John Lorang]

On the air dump valve, do you need to leave it on all the time or is it just on a short time?

[Idleup]

Originally Posted by UAV

Very well done Mike, as usual.

We seriously considered a New Aire a couple of years back and I remember seeing all of your posts on that coach as well. Decided we wanted a coach with a nose, a cab over bunk (Kitty Storage area), among other things.

I have numerous questions but this is my current project (note it is a Valencia, not a Verona):

Trying to install a CB/Ham Radio in the upper center area where you have yours. That plastic panel where you have your radio is screwed in but the top center bolt is blocked by the plastic "ceiling" material around it. If that makes any sense. I simply cannot get to that one bolt. How did you get that panel off to cut the opening you needed?

Also, no coax to be found when I took out the sunglass holder above the driver side and as per Renegade they "think" it is in the door but weren't really sure. Plus, I do not see any coax feeding from the door up into that area where the radio would be so my guess it really is in the door or there is not at all. Any ideas?

Thanks again for your detailed notes and review.

Thanks for your reply - When I went to install my trusty Cobra 29, I figured at most it would take an hour, man was I wrong! The entire CB installation is a horrid mistake!

"Those Screws" I know exactly what you're talking about, I got so frustrated tying to get to those fasteners I was about to give up. I finally resolved the problem with a small pair of tiny channel locks which I clamped to the thread portion of the "hidden head" screws from inside the opening and unscrewed them enough to get my needle nose in there and rip them out. I know it sounds bad but I was at the end of my rope spending at least 30 min to remove a few screws. LOL by the way, you don't need to put them back in!

On my truck it appears the antenna traces down the pillar and goes through the fire-wall in a type of converter module by the pedals on the left side of the steering. My antenna connector (which had the wrong end on it) was tucked in by a windshield pillar. I also found the power plug there also, only reachable by removing the small sun glass compartment. If you can't find the power plug as an alternative you can tap into the courtesy lights 12 volt supply. If you can't find the antenna, you got a job on your hands. On another M2 where there was no CB antenna, I ended up mounting a small CB antenna horizontally in that void, it received fine, but was weak on transmit. Since I didn't want to wait for an antenna adapter, I just soldered (spliced) on a PL-259 I had on another antenna.

Stay Safe - Mike

[Idleup]

Originally Posted by John Lorang

On the air dump valve, do you need to leave it on all the time or is it just on a short time?

Thanks for the reply - by using a "Normally Closed" valve should you lose power or the switch short out, or the valve coil fail the bags will remain inflated as normal.

Therefore, it takes 12 volts to dump the bags. After you dump and ready to re-air again, by flipping the switch again your removing the 12 volts (no power) so the normally closed valve closes by spring pressure.

Regards - Mike

[RonLC]

Originally Posted by UAV

Also, no coax to be found when I took out the sunglass holder above the driver side and as per Renegade they "think" it is in the door but weren't really sure. Plus, I do not see any coax feeding from the door up into that area where the radio would be so my guess it really is in the door or there is not at all. Any ideas?.

The was no coax in the overhead on my Verona LE. I did grab power up there, however. Next I traced the antenna coax from the mirror to where it started through the firewall via a double connector. On the other side of the double connector, in the cab, I disconnected the coax that leads to the multiplexer and connected a new piece of coax long enough to reach, via the A pillar, the CB overhead. That established a direct connection between the outside antenna and the CB.

Then, since on my coach, the CB antenna was designed to supply signal to both the CB and the AM/FM Garmin Fusion radio I put a rubber ducky antenna outside...see picture above... and connected that to the coax I disconnected on the cab side of the firewall that leads to the multiplexer and on to the AM/FM

This was a giant science fair project because the RAM company that supplies antennas to Freightliner sold them on a system where the CB antenna is shared with the AM/FM. In my model it never worked. There are a number of posts on the Renegade Owners Facebook forum about this issue. I know of about 6 installations that did what I did to get it to work. The up side is that this direct connection will give an ASWR of 1.0 and work like a champ.

[Idleup]

Originally Posted by John Lorang

On the air dump valve, do you need to leave it on all the time or is it just on a short time?

John,

Sorry, I'm not sure I answered you question correctly - I used a two position switch. When the switch is off, everything is normal (bags inflated) and there is no power going to the valve. In the other position, the switch powers the red wire to the valve and it dumps the bag. As long as the switch (power) remains on, the the bags will remain deflated.

On a side note - I was very surprised just how shallow the wheel wells are on the rear tires. When the coach drops, I have less than 1/4" of space above the tire and the tire sidewalls are almost touching the inside fender well. This sort of reminds me of my New Aire, if you were to turn the front wheel then dump the bags it would tear the fender wells apart.

Here's an image of the two position dump switch mounted on top of the reel switch module in the power reel compartment.

Thanks - Mike