What's up at Newmar anyway?

[Neemer]

Thanks for that explanation @Neal. I tried to do mine once, but…fail. My attempt resulted in some unmatched paint lines. Will try again.

 

[lostinfla]

Also,.. if done with suspension dumped or not at ride height, it will change slightly when on suspension.

 

[Richpatty]

I also have challenges with balancing getting the doors aligned to minimize slamming while keeping the paint aligned. For now, I split the difference.
I feel like I would need to remove the door to adjust where the hinges are attached…

 

[Rich W.]

I feel like I would need to remove the door to adjust where the hinges are attached…

That really wouldn’t work. There are about 20 screws holding the hinge to the coach and the same # of rivets holding the door to the hinge. There is no room for new holes to realign the hinge/door, and the adjustment needed would be so small that the new screw holes would interfere/overlap the old ones. Also some doors arent removable without first removing the wheel well body work first, which would be a total pain and renders them more or less unremovable. I’m not really ready to tell the story yet, but I speak from first hand experience.

 

[Richpatty]

Yea…. Don’t disagree. Which is why I never did it….

 

[FLSteve]

Also,.. if done with suspension dumped or not at ride height, it will change slightly when on suspension.

I am up at Nappanee right now and asked this question ... and my tech said that they make all door adjustments with the coach aired up at ride height and all slides in.

FLSteve

 

[Neal]

I adjusted my forward passenger side door to get paint lines to better align and that caused problems with closing the door. It would work but require a slam, so I reverted to my hard push test. I realize all of the aired up and whatever yadda yadda, but I also think after years things flex and move so adjust expectations accordingly. I care more for a properly closing door than paint lining up.

 

[Rich W.]

Yea…. Don’t disagree. Which is why I never did it….

I had to replace a door this year and bought this to secure the hinge to the new door: M12™ Rivet Tool (Tool Only)
Really made all the difference in the world over a hand rivet gun and half the cost of a good air unit. Very nice and makes a very tight rivet joint. Hopefully you’ll never need one but if you do have to re-rivet a hinge to a door, this is the tool for it. My wet bay door hinge is a little sloppy and I might remove and re-rivet it now that I have the technology.

 

[RKins]

@Jim I've heard there is a sticker on the driver's window that has info on the specialist to call for your model. I am not sure if that sticker is removed since you bought it used?
I have communicated with Devon Miller - he's been with the company for like 52+ years and does the estimating for them.

 

[JRS]

Another Happy Camper with Newmar's Customer Service Center. We were there again this past May with good results.

 

[FLSteve]

Put us in the "happy camper" camp as well. Just spent a week there for our 1st warranty checklist visit and it was a very successful experience. Everything on our list was addressed and they even put us up in a nice inn one night when they needed to keep it overnight for some paint issues. I do admit a lot might have to do with the technician you are assigned, and fortunately ours was a very good one.

A few pictures ... several of my items required them to get under the coach, so they used the jacks to lift the entire coach off the ground. I have never seen the front wheels turned all the way as I am always in the driver's seat, so that was neat to see how much wheel cut there is. Also, the last thing they do is wash the coach for you.

And as a bonus, we got to meet @ARD as she was there the entire week as well.

FLSteve

 

[Jim]

I'm glad for both of you. I guess they just don't like me or maybe they put the qualified tec's on your coach and left me with the trainees.

But tell me something, cuz I don't want to gripe if this is normal. But the fellow I bought this coach from dropped a large sum of cash having the FWS fixed and adjusted before the coach was sent to me. And I can't bring myself to believe that that Newmar adjusted this FWS correctly.

Look at these pictures and tell me if this is normal. I just can't imaging that it is, but hey, what do I know?

 

[Webz]

I wouldn't think that they should be touching. The only place mine is close is at the bedroom door. What does Newmar say?

 

[Rich W.]

Looks like an issue to me. Shouldn't need feeler gauges to measure that. Hope it doesnt damage the woodwork.

 

[FLSteve]

I'm glad for both of you. I guess they just don't like me or maybe they put the qualified tec's on your coach and left me with the trainees.

But tell me something, cuz I don't want to gripe if this is normal. But the fellow I bought this coach from dropped a large sum of cash having the FWS fixed and adjusted before the coach was sent to me. And I can't bring myself to believe that that Newmar adjusted this FWS correctly.

Look at these pictures and tell me if this is normal. I just can't imaging that it is, but hey, what do I know?

Yes ... it does look a little tight to me. I know in your case it was not possible to stay with your coach during the repairs, but I have found that staying there at the service center does help. You can talk to your tech during the day and can look at the work being done as it progresses. This certainly helps in getting it done like you want. They seem very receptive in having the owners involved in the process. At least that was my experience.

Just my 2 cents.

FLSteve

 

[Rustymayes]

Nope, didn't matter to me when it got done. I wasn't able to use the coach until the end of our park season.

I even went back and reread the email chain with Newmar, and nowhere in it did I ask them to do everything 100% wrong and charge me for the privilege. I wonder where they got that idea?

This really reinforces the concept of making a representative show you exactly what was done and where the work was done as well. One of my huge pet peeves when any work gets done on a vehicle of mine is a mess left behind. If I am paying for work to be done I expect to have the problem corrected and the area that was worked on to be clean.

 

[Jim]

Update. I received an email from Nevin at Newmar. He said:

• Slide out adjustment - when in the "in" position the slide out should be in close proximity of being flush with the side of the coach. There may need to be an adjustment made to the ceiling fixture
• The BIM 225 - that is the part that was replaced. It is the incorrect charge bridge for your coach. The correct 250 amp was installed.
• The cover on your transfer switch - I have no explanation why that is not in place other than it may not have been snapped in place correctly. There was no work done on it here at Newmar Service. The previous owner may have information of previous work....just a thought.

So some of what I'm learning, all of this may not be Newmar's fault.

The slide out may be fitting correctly, but I don't believe it should have left Newmar if the slide was basically scraping the ceiling fixture. But I'll look into adjusting the fixture up (if that is possible) and hopefully I can get it straightened out.

According to Newmar, the he BIM 225 was installed elsewhere, and then replaced with the right part at Newmar. I guess they left the incorrect part in the bay for myself, or whoever.

And the cover off the transfer switch must have been removed by a previous service department. Newmar says they have no idea why it's not on the box, and at this time, and at this time, I have no reason to believe they had anything to do with it. But it would have been nice if Newmar had mentioned it when they were working on the BIM 225. If for no other reason, just to distance themselves from anything that was preexisting.

So at the end of the day, it appears there has just been a series of issues that pointed to Newmar's service department, some of which I will agree may have been interpreted incorrectly by me.

I'm going to go with their assessment of the situation, well, except for the basement doors, lol. As so many have been pleased with Newmar's work, I think the benefit of the doubt is in order on the rest of it.

 

[bpaikman]

@Neal ... any chance (when you have the time) that you could post a thread called "how to self-adjust your basement doors for dummies ... including pictures" ?????

FLSteve

When we bought our used Newmar, we noticed the crummy door closings -Bob had the dealer service tech teach him how to adjust the doors. I'm still unimpressed with how the Ventana doors close compared to our old Winnebago Journey. They seem cheap - we still adjust them fairly often. I don't recall ever adjusting our old Winnebago.

 

[bpaikman]

As soon as @Jim pays the invoice. Then I can disclose the hard labor

Short story, it's just a matter of taking a 7/16" wrench or socket and adjusting the hooks on the coach side. Check up/down so your paint lines match, then move them in/out to your liking. I had to move Jim's slightly out (away from coach) so the gasket wasn't compressed so much you had to super slam the door. Slamming the doors will cause a slight "nail pop" indentation (outward) in the thin aluminum door if you slam them a lot. My test of what's right is my ability to push hard on the door, not slamming, just close and push, until it latches. If you can't push it to latch then the "hook" on the basement side needs to come outward. You still want the gasket to compress for water protection, but no need to super slam a door.

Agree! Same with car doors - I taught my kids to gently close the door most of the way before the final click, so as not to catch air resistance. I hate hearing any door being slammed.