I know this has been addressed before but gotta ask again! Diesel coach maintenance seems to overwhelm me as to how to set up a plan to even do all the maintenance (or what I can myself). There is such a list of yearly stuff how do you organize it all to keep track of it. Seems that you will constantly be maintaining and not have any time to use it for traveling? Or am I just panicking with this being new to me.......HELP!
I see in your profile that you were a mechanic. You will have no trouble at all doing your own work.
I do all mine as well. I do most of it in the spring as I do use my MH. year round. Some suggest doing it in the fall before storing if you do not do winter trips. It really is not that difficult once you get into it. It can be a great father and son project as I have done with my own son. He was 12 when we got our MH. He helps change the oil, fuel filters, put shocks on he can do just about anything. It has been fun and he now thinks he may want to be a diesel mechanic after finishing high school.
My DH does it once a year (January or February in FL) over a 3 day period.
1. Day One: grease the front end, service the generator since it's in the front of the coach. Then take ibuprofen. LOL
2. Day Two: change engine oil & filter, coolant filter and fuel filters. Take some more ibuprofen.
3. Day Three: grease drive shaft rear drive line, and check rear end grease. Ibuprofen again.
Other maintenance only as needed based on Cummins recommendations (years or miles). We just took ours to a Cummins shop to have the air dryer serviced for the brakes. Ours is a 2004 coach. We just replaced the front shocks and will replace the back shocks in June.
He keeps a journal and lists maintenance (what was done, the date and mileage at the time). At first it seemed overwhelming but once he got into a schedule it's not so bad.
Lonny & Diane
2004 Country Coach Allure 33' "Big Blue"
Towing 2008 Chev Colorado 4x4
Semper Fi
The real challenge with the maintenance is the volume of liquids involved, and being able to dispose of them properly. The generator is no big deal, but the engine in my coach is 22 quarts, the rear end is 16 quarts, the hydraulics is 28 quarts, the cooling system is 12 gallons, and the transmission is 4 gallons. That is a lot of material to handle (weight and mess). While I do all of my maintenance on my vehicles, and I have done the transmission and the coolant on my coach, I take it in for everything else. It may cost $100 to get the rear end or hydraulics's changed, but it isn't done that often so to me it is worth it.
2004 Rexhall Rose Air
2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee toad
Lonnie & Diane have it right. I wash down the ibuprofen with beer however. You just need to eat the elephant one bite at a time.
Most likely your maintence will be on a time schedule rather than mileage. You should check with your engine manufacturer to be sure as there are a few 5 k oil change intervals around.
ENGINE: Most likely annual
1. Oil & filter
2. Fuel filters ( may be 2)
3. Coolant filter (may not have one) & check SCA level. Educate yourself about coolants as this is very important in diesels.
TRANSMISSION: assuming Allison 3000
If DEX III annual fluid and filters; if TES295 fluid, 36 months/filters & 48 months fluid or base fluid on analysis.
OTHER CHASSIS:
1. All zerk Lube points. No longer than annual. Some recommend 6 months on U joints & drive shaft spline.
2. Air dryer. Depends on manufacturer. 1-3 years
3. Air filter. Watch filter minder change at 3 years regardless.
4. Front wheel bearings. If oil bath check regularly & drain/ refill 3 years if grease pack 3-5 years.
5. Hydraulic fluid. Check regularly. Change filter if you have one 1-3 years.
6. Differential oil. Check annually or if you see leakage. Change 3-5 years.
GENERATOR:
Usually on a hours basis. Should check for your specific model.
A good way to get an education about much of these issues is to attend a rally like FMCA and attend many seminars.
You can also go to a Speedco for a lube/oil/filter service and watch. They will let you go down in the pit to watch.
I created a three ring notebook.....computer programs are great, except when you're greasy and out working on the coach.
My notebook includes a list of all the filters my coach needs and their numbers. I also created a date/mileage sheet for changing those filters and lubing the chassis. Monaco produced a booklet on lubing the coach and also had all of the lube points in the owner's manual. I photocopied the lube points and added that to the notebook.
I have the Oil Change checkoff and filter check off list in a Word Perfect Format. If you want to PM me, I can email the formats that you could modify for your own coach.
Like others, I do all of my servicing in the spring. It usually takes me one day to change all of the fluids, filters and lube the chassis. Things like the generator filters and air dryer filter I change every other year.
Don & Mary
2005 Monaco Diplomat 36SKT
400 Cummins
2012 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ CrewCab 4WD
2013 Polaris RZR 800 LE
We do the maintenance yearly because we are new full timers and do put lots of miles per year on the rig.
We did the air dryer at 8 years/80,000 miles.
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