The older birds, prior to 98, where (and still are!) all steel. The only exception to this is the end caps on the last in the series, which had fiberglass end caps (as do most coaches). All those were built on a massive steel box rail frame with steel encircling girders and panels comprising the body/house portion. They are extremely tough coaches. I know of one that rolled avoiding an accident that occurred in front of it. The coach was set back on its tires and driven home. Both windshield panels remained in place! I personally have pulled parts off a wrecked 96 that rear ended a semi at speed (highway traffic stopped short). While the front cap was destroyed, much of the front interior components were still in decent shape. Yes, the coach was totaled; but the driver survived and I think had the factory still been in operation, the coach may not have been totaled.
The LXi's and 450's have stainless substructures built on a railed frames chassis. I'm pretty sure the LXi's are still steel panels, though the 450's went to aluminum panels.
The 380's also utilized aluminum body panels. I don't remember what the framing is made of, probably the same stainless as the 450's.
One advantage of a framed coach is the ability to not have to have air leveling. We've been in some RV parks that needed tires off the ground to get level. The HWH hydraulic leveling can do that. Usually, I adjust so that the offending corner will have most of the weight off the tire, but not have it off the ground.
Ok, I'll get off my Bluebird soap box. Back to your regularly scheduled Newell programming!
i do love those wanderlodges too!
tom
Maybe the website needs a Bluebird section added ?
Harry,
A troll is a person who intentionally posts a topic to rile people up. Quite often it will be disguised as innocent. The RV.net forum has a number of known trolls. The admin tries to block them, but they reregister under a different name.
Hi Richard,
Ah yes the ol triple cross double deviate trick, aka "Troll". It is truly a shame there are those who feel that lies, deceit and misdirection is the field to play on. I often wonder who was missing in their lives who never told them about "honesty, integrity and your word"! Oh well, a Troll, what a poor thing to be!!!
Hey good for you Tom, showing those Wonderlodger's where to go... I do say that with a smile on my face by the way!
You guys have mentioned a Murphy bed a lot, what is the largest bed you can get with the Murphy setup?
Does anyone know the wheel cut of the 1999 - 2004 vintage 45' Newell?
Thanks guys and I must tell you honestly, I am "Trolling" for information!
Harry
as most of you know, david brady owns and operates the wanderlodgegurus.com forum. when he started it up he asked my permission to be similar to our forum and not only did i agree, my son did the initial set up of his forum.
we are all buddies here in *guru.com land
tom
Oops, one other thing I wanted to ask, again going back to the 1999 - 2004 45' Newell's. What are the top 3 or 4 areas of difficulty when performing maintenance? I mean issues that come up as you perform your own maintenance that is really a pain in the backside to get too?
Thanks guys,
Harry
Tom, I do hope you know that my comment about Wonderlodge was 100% well intended with no slight of hand! Sometimes an attempt at humor can be looked at as not that funny!
I don't have any information that would indicate anything larger than a standard queen size murphy beds in the year range you list. I understand that coach 1280 (a 2009) has a king size murphy bed and 1228 (a 2008) has a California King murphy bed.
harry, yea i knew that but wanted everyone to remember how wanderlodge gurus came about.
as for areas, that is a very open ended question and depends a ton on if you are doing things yourself, if you are paying someone, how experienced are you or the shop, what are you willing to do yourself or source parts for yourself, what condition the systems on the coach are in and on and on.
for me it comes into two main categories. things i have the tools to do and things i dont. i had the wheel bearings, airbags, brakes all done at a bus shop. now that i have a soon to be large shop, i might have done a number of those things myself. at least now that i have seen it done once. it is very easy to get yourself into trouble and need help.
richard changed a cylinder sleeve and piston and bearings in his 95 while parked at a koa near his house in the winter. most couldnt do that but for him it was just a challenge. others are challenged by much simpler things.
i have done ALOT of work on both my previous 90 and my 02. i view things as research, ask others, tear into it, figure it out and get er done. (and then call others if i get in trouble). alot of folks here have gotten calls for help from me and done so.
some folks here have done fairly involved bodywork and painting on their coaches. most would not try that.
as for routine things....changing fluids/filters on the coach engine is not hard. it is just a LOT of fluid. 20 gallons coolant, 10 gallons oil, etc. but not hard. genny is easy,
aquahot is fairly straightforward as long as rudy is still here, brakes are very seldom done the way we drive them, adjusting the valves is probably the most intense thing and most pay to have that done. (richard, you will have to come and we will do them together sometime).
so, probably not what you wanted, but the answer is "it depends"
tom