09-23-2020, 08:32 AM
Figured I would share my experiences as a new coach owner. I purchased the coach about 4 weeks ago and had our maiden voyage on Labor Day week. Like any custom coach all the fun is figuring out what you don’t know and working your way thru the “user errors” to figure out what really needs looking at - we had a full week of that.
Coach 1511 spent last week in Miami Ok getting a once over by the team there and an updated annual/new owner service. The folks at Newell are so amazing and accommodating - its a really nice buying a product that the company stands by. Of course the team at Newell finished my 52 item punch list and I was figuring I may have the coach “zeroed out”. Well not so fast - LOL.
The coach got back to NY yesterday (where I live - as I sent it to Ok with a driver). As luck would have it, I was doing my walk around inspection and when I went into the utility bay I could hear an air leak in the Valid slide control manifold. Fortunately (and some coincidence), I had just watched the 12 part series on Newell Coach air systems basics and tools that was recorded at the Newell Guru gathering. The picture below of the manifold is where my leaks are - all four of the press fittings are leaking (enough to be audible and used soapy water to confirm).
The fix (thanks Richard) is replacing the leaking press fittings with straight DOT compression fittings at the manifold (1/4 pipe by 1/4 NPT) and probably replacing the lines because Newell cut them so short there is no slack for the fix. Probably also replace the elbow fittings on the other side (with DOT compression fittings). Looking forward to getting under the coach and finding the other connection points on the air lines and slowly replacing them with compression fittings. I also got a list of items from Richard to purchase (I went to McMaster on-line) to keep in the coach for both long term and quick fixes to get me rolling.
Here is the list from Richard -
“So your shopping list should include
1/4 tubing by 1/4 NPT These are the most common on my coach
1/4 tubing and 1/4 NPT elbow. Second most common
3/8 tubing by 1/4 NPT
3/8 tubing by 1/4 NPT elbow
Get a roll of 1/4 DOT tubing
Get a roll of 3/8 DOTtubing but will never use it all.
Now here is the get you out of trouble stuff.
Get some 1/4 by 1/4 tubing connectors for splicing a line with a hole in it
Get some 3/8 by 3/8 connectors also
And finally the really handy in stuck on the side of the road situation.
Get the same connectors as above but in PUSH ON
And finally get a few plugs of 1/4 and 3/8, they will be at the bottom of the page for push to connect fittings. The neat trick is to use a push on connector and a plug to quickly cap a line. Sometimes you just need to stop the air leak to get going. The quick way is pull the air line out of the existing fitting, put a push on straight connector on it, and then use the plug on the other end of the connector. It will save your bacon.”
Here is the picture - forgot to add the attachment
Coach 1511 spent last week in Miami Ok getting a once over by the team there and an updated annual/new owner service. The folks at Newell are so amazing and accommodating - its a really nice buying a product that the company stands by. Of course the team at Newell finished my 52 item punch list and I was figuring I may have the coach “zeroed out”. Well not so fast - LOL.
The coach got back to NY yesterday (where I live - as I sent it to Ok with a driver). As luck would have it, I was doing my walk around inspection and when I went into the utility bay I could hear an air leak in the Valid slide control manifold. Fortunately (and some coincidence), I had just watched the 12 part series on Newell Coach air systems basics and tools that was recorded at the Newell Guru gathering. The picture below of the manifold is where my leaks are - all four of the press fittings are leaking (enough to be audible and used soapy water to confirm).
The fix (thanks Richard) is replacing the leaking press fittings with straight DOT compression fittings at the manifold (1/4 pipe by 1/4 NPT) and probably replacing the lines because Newell cut them so short there is no slack for the fix. Probably also replace the elbow fittings on the other side (with DOT compression fittings). Looking forward to getting under the coach and finding the other connection points on the air lines and slowly replacing them with compression fittings. I also got a list of items from Richard to purchase (I went to McMaster on-line) to keep in the coach for both long term and quick fixes to get me rolling.
Here is the list from Richard -
“So your shopping list should include
1/4 tubing by 1/4 NPT These are the most common on my coach
1/4 tubing and 1/4 NPT elbow. Second most common
3/8 tubing by 1/4 NPT
3/8 tubing by 1/4 NPT elbow
Get a roll of 1/4 DOT tubing
Get a roll of 3/8 DOTtubing but will never use it all.
Now here is the get you out of trouble stuff.
Get some 1/4 by 1/4 tubing connectors for splicing a line with a hole in it
Get some 3/8 by 3/8 connectors also
And finally the really handy in stuck on the side of the road situation.
Get the same connectors as above but in PUSH ON
And finally get a few plugs of 1/4 and 3/8, they will be at the bottom of the page for push to connect fittings. The neat trick is to use a push on connector and a plug to quickly cap a line. Sometimes you just need to stop the air leak to get going. The quick way is pull the air line out of the existing fitting, put a push on straight connector on it, and then use the plug on the other end of the connector. It will save your bacon.”
Here is the picture - forgot to add the attachment
Brian & Andrea Wasserman
2015 Newell 2020P
Coach #1511 - “God Speed”
2020 Jeep Wranger Toad