HWH, Coach-Net, Newmar cluster-F and some manual slide operation humor

[GlampDaddy]

I feel so…..validated! No that’s not the right word. Whatever. But at least I know I’m not aloneI was finally released from Sidney NE with my rig back in one piece from Floyd’s (not sure I can recommend them) and so far operating properly. A little over $3,000 last week. I’m going to spend the $$ on a couple hours of diagnostic time tomorrow at a more official FL shop in Lincoln to check all the work that was done over the last week. Anyway apparently I’m not the only one….

Headed to Missouri? This: 37th International Rally - Sedalia Missouri - Newmar Kountry Klub ? I might head that way myself.

BTW I’ll be at HWH next Monday so if you need me to get someone on the phone for you let me know. I’ve been told the same thing - “a tech will call you back in around 3 weeks”. Something has definitely changed there.

Thanks for the HWH offer, but I'm OK without them for now, maybe even longer given their response times.

We are scheduled to arrive at the rally on Saturday morning, but I won't make it by then. Probably be sometime Sunday. We can meet there if you like.
Good luck with Freightliner!

 

[Neal]

The bigger question at hand here is what is the future of HWH? They stopped Active Air installs due to labor and skill, the owner is in his 80's I believe, and I'm not sure what the future plan is but doesn't sound great. My guess is Lippert acquires them too?

 

[Rich W.]

The bigger question at hand here is what is the future of HWH? They stopped Active Air installs due to labor and skill, the owner is in his 80's I believe, and I'm not sure what the future plan is but doesn't sound great. My guess is Lippert acquires them too?

Paul was pretty proud of the fact that his was the last of the privately owned major RV systems providers a couple years ago. And back then customer service was excellent. Things have clearly changed, but Lippert? I sincerely hope not.

 

[Rich W.]

I have a question for HWH you can ask. I have flown airplanes my whole live with hydraulic systems. For critical system like putting down the landing gear (or retracting the slides/jacks in a MH) there was always an effective manual back up system. Using these big screws to pull slides in is not a solution that makes sense.

So ask HWH if they have ever considered some kind of back up system for failure of the primary hydraulic system. I could envision a kit with a small 12 volt hydraulic pump with quick disconnect fittings that could be snapped in place to manually retract the slides and jacks bypassing the built in plumbing. I have flown some older airplanes that actually have a manual hand operated hydraulic pump to lower the gear. It takes a while but it works.

An excellent idea - If I can find anyone who will listen to me I’ll broach the topic. I’m curious to see if Paul is still on site - in ‘21 he still went to work everyday. In this picture he is reviewing my AA install with the lead engineer:

 

[turbopilot]

The bigger question at hand here is what is the future of HWH? They stopped Active Air installs due to labor and skill, the owner is in his 80's I believe, and I'm not sure what the future plan is but doesn't sound great. My guess is Lippert acquires them too?

All the more reason to have a backup pump.

An excellent idea - If I can find anyone who will listen to me I’ll broach the topic. I’m curious to see if Paul is still on site - in ‘21 he still went to work everyday. In this picture he is reviewing my AA install with the lead engineer:

B&W has just introduced a hand operated hydraulic weight distribution hitch for towing trailers. These little pumps work very well. There is no reason they could not be plumbed into the HWH hydraulic system to pump the slides in or pull up the jacks. You only need it for emergency retraction. Too complicated to think about using a hand pump for extension.

 

[purring along]

Oh, hell no, don't cancel my reservation! We'll be there...I'll probably have embellishments to the story by then. A few drinks around a campfire is just what this story needs to become RV legend!

I sure would love to be around that campfire, we all have a service horror story to tell.

 

[John&Andrea]

On September 16, my HWH hydraulic motor/pump blew a 40-amp fuse and melted the fuse holder. Of course, the pump stopped pumping and all things hydraulic ceased operation. After replacing the fuse and holder, it all worked again, but the terminal post to the HWH motor was wiggly and jiggly...not a good sign. So, on the 18th I called Newmar for some diagnostic assistance (replace the pump, she said) and a quote for the new part (I'll have to get back to you, he said).

9/24 - Hydraulics were working, so off we go to Minneapolis for three days. Slides out, jacks down for two days, then we had to move to a different site.

9/27 - Jacks up, and uh-oh, FWS isn't coming in...the pump went 'legs up.' It's beginning to look like we may be late to the Newmar International, just over 500 miles away. Coincidentally, the Newmar parts quote arrived today...$1,964.93, plus labor. 8-10 days out. And, just 10 days to get a price!

Somewhere in there I called HWH. A lady answered the phone, but told me a tech would not be available for about a month. Thank you and good-bye.

Aha! I'll call Coach-Net and do the manual slide operation thing. Then we can be on our way and have Newmar techs fix it at the rally.

Called Coach-Net at 6pm and they said they would have someone out in about an hour and that the slide would be in before bedtime. They called back at 6:30 saying it was too late to get a mobile tech and they would take care of it first thing in the morning.

9/28 - 8:30 call from Coach-Net to say they were on the job and would get back to me. So, I called Newmar customer service with questions about how to manually move the slide in. It's easy, she said, just use the long screws that came with the coach. A little reading on my part says the floor has to be raised before that happens, so I called back. Oops, she says, that's a separate operation, just follow the owners manual. But, I have questions...click.

Coach-Net calls back. They found a tech, the only one in the Minneapolis area, but he's three hours away and says he can probably do the job. OK, send him. I keep working on raising the FWS, which has four screws that are used to raise the slide. I can only find three screws, so call Newmar again and get a different CSR. Rick says it will be faster and cheaper to just replace the pump. Then he explains that the fourth screw that I can't find involves removing the drive wheels and wheel well cover. A day and half at best, he says. (Like I can lift the frekin wheels).

Search, search, search the internet...thank you, StarLink! And I find a possibility...Stuart's Service in Elkhart, IN. I call and speak with Chuck, the owner. An incredibly helpful gentleman who lead me and my volt meter to troubleshoot the problem and verify that the motor has failed. And, yes, he has one in stock. And, yes, he will ship it overnight via UPS. And, holy crap! It's only $409, plus freight.

And now I'm still waiting for a promised call-back from Coach-Net. And my head is still spinning from Newmar's crazy mark-up and super-lousy instructions.

But mostly, I'm really grateful for a guy named Chuck at a place called Stuart's Service in Elkhart.

We'll still make it to the Newmar International, though a day late. I sure hope I run into the new president, Cody?, 'cuz I've got a thing or two I'd like to discuss with him!

-End of rant-

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Hang in there. I hope your on the road soon.

 

[Rich W.]

Is this a Newmar price or an HWH price? Seems quite inflated.

 

[Rosy]

Stories like this make me grateful to have a cheap, simple RV where everything can be operated manually if need be.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

HWH makes many models, some of which have a manual pump. We have one of these on our Renegade.
This is a Newmar issue, they just aren’t using the model that has the backup pump.
Here is the HWH on our renegade, manual pump on the left end of the manifold.