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Anyone replace the exhaust tip so that the exhaust goes out road side instead of all over towed vehicle. Our coach has the flared outlet that comes straight out. Does not look as simple as buying an elbow as the body skirt does not have a recess on drivers side like it does now straight aft.

My driveway is very steep. I managed to bring my coach to the house and got it into the driveway with lots of patience and blocking. Now that I'm much more familiar with the systems inside the coach does anyone know what the max over lift is using the HWH raise feature? From where my coach is currently sitting I've got the rear raised about 4 inches just using the HWH. This may not seem like much but the angle its parked at right now when in travel mode, the receiver hitch is touching the ground when aired up. So 4 inches is miles. My thought was not that i rebuilt the Aqua Hot i can just spin the exhaust pipe out and wont need as much clearance to get out of my driveway. I currently don't have the under coach pipe that goes through the roof. I will replace that when i move and have a more level driveway. The generator exhaust just needed an 8 foot 2x6 to lift the front end enough to clear. If i had 4 extra inches of height... I don't think ill need blocks at all.
I do know that the over lift will be limited to the total height of the bags. I was just wondering if anyone had a measurement, or a timeline of how long it can stay like that?

On a side note. Does anyone know where the leveling(ride height control valve) for the drivers seat is? Or should i just disconnect the air line?

I’m posting this about the owner of a facility that finally resolved my handling issue. 

It has been a long journey for my wife and I and many of the Newell Guru’s have provided me with great advice. In my particular case I did what I thought was right at that moment in time. I hope my experience can help others avoid the pain and suffering. I want to recognize Richard for standing with me during this difficult period, he not only helped with my problems, he guided and taught me how to take different approaches to the causes. Thank you Richard!! 

I posted the following on another forum in hopes someone benefits from it.

PUBLISHED VERSION IN IRV2


A Proper Axle Alignment is critical to being a Happy Camper… But what does that mean??

My story applies to every Motor Coach that has wheels. Here’s a few of the details. 

Well, I’ll not bore you with all the gory details but I will tell you this. My wife and I had gone through heck the last three years trying to understand why our luxury coach would not handle well and that is an understatement. It got to the point that I limited our drives to four or five hours at the most. I would be mentally and physically exhausted after a drive because the bus would not drive well. It would dart from one side of the lane to the other. I didn’t dare take my eyes off the road or I’d be on the side of the road or crowding the centerline. Totally pathetic. If there were rumble strips that’s all I hear… and the boss yelling at me… 

We’ve experienced a mental and financial rollercoaster until I read in a forum about a guy that I now call…

“The Alignment Whisperer”

His name is [b]Bill Rajewski and his alignment shop is in Columbia Missouri near Interstate 70 in the center of the state. [/b]
His business is [b]Perry Legend Collision Center.[/b]
3101 Lemon Industrial Blvd.
573-442-7883

How well does your Diesel Pusher roll down the road? Do you even know? Does it track properly?? 

I hope you’re happy with the way your rig handles, I certainly wasn’t. I had to follow my gut and ignore the endless advice that I was driving a box. 

Do you use the excuse “I’m driving a box… what can I expect”… must be the wind…

Those were the explanations and excuses I was told and started believing when I tried to describe my experiences driving our rig to others. I was even told that my “expectations needed to be managed”… That was the wrong thing to say to me, a career pilot that has been trained to identify a problem, gather facts, execute a plan that must end in a positive result. 

Here’s a little history that caused me to stay after my mission to solve the Newell handling quandary. 
My RV life started in 2017 when I bought a 2008 Winnebago Journey 39Z. Miles were in the mid 90k range, it was the first RV I’d ever driven. *I’m sure I started out like most, small local adventures until we felt like we could broaden our horizons on the wonderful highway system of the good ol’e USofA. I had no idea what I was in for. It was on a west bound trip through Oklahoma on a windy day when I got my first taste of what a bad suspension felt like. Driving on an overpass with a gust of wind felt like I had no control of my machine. 
My wife made a comment one day that has stuck with me to this day… “You look like a NASCAR Driver with a bad setup”… *

Thousands of dollars later, new parts, and numerous opinions I finally found out that drive axle bushings were making my life difficult when I drove the Winnebago. Constantly making steering corrections because the rear end was moving around. Like a hook and ladder fire truck without a rear driver. 
$5k in a bushing change and tweaking a TRW gearbox made the Winne drive like new (plus a lot more). I became just short of an expert on that Frieghtliner chassis when I decided to go big or go home… 
I mention this only because I knew something wasn’t right and stayed after it until the problem was solved. Trust your gut. 

In 2019, my wife and I stepped up to a 2005 Newell Coach with about 55,000 miles on it.  I wanted a different kind of build with a more stable platform. Our choices were limited to a Prevost, Wanderlodge, or Newell. We live 90 minutes from Miami Oklahoma so we went in that direction. 
We loved our new coach and started to get used to ownership of a much different machine. Little did I know what was ahead of us. 

My first clue of an alignment problem was a report from a friend following me that my bus was dog tracking… okay, I’ll add that to the list of things the factory service center was going to address. I didn’t spend a lot of time dwelling on why my coach was dog tracking because I was confident those that hand built it would fix it. 

The next five years were a learning experience for us that I hope no one else has to experience. Our issues were unique in some ways because of the design but as far as axles, we all share the same thing. 
I educated myself about my suspension, I will say the factory was right there with us trying to solve why my coach would not drive like it was designed but nobody could put their finger on it. I finally decided to complete refurbish the entire undercarriage but there was still something off. Believe me when I say that I’m leaving out the messy details but we live and learn. 

I hope someone else with “handling” problems can benefit from my experiences that eventually lead me to my new friend [b]Bill Rajewski![/b]

For the last three years I’ve learned and researched, ask questions, contacted industry experts, overstepped boundaries with many but always came up empty until one day I came across a forum thread that described perfectly my experience driving my coach. That owner ended up on Bill’s doorstep and left a Happy Camper when his rig finally rolled down the road straight as an arrow, all because Bill and his team know how to align axles and make them work together not fight each other.

I contacted Bill and asked if he had ever worked on a Newell Coach with a ZF RAS suspension. He had not but told me it didn’t matter. If it had axles he could make it roll straight down the road. 
I was apprehensive because the ZF Rear Axle Steering system is not like anything else in the motor coach world. Yes there are tag steering systems but not like what you find on a Newell. Bill didn’t care. He reminded me often that he’ll take the hydraulics out of the picture and set up the mechanics then hook the hydraulics back up… 

Bill spent hours with me on the phone listening to my story, a story I even get lost in. He always reassured me that he will make it drive right. The last three years of my RV life have been consumed in trying to understand the ZF system and accumulating documentation. I thought for sure Bill needed to fully understand how the ZF suspension behaved so he could tame it. I assembled a binder of documentation and manuals, sent it to Bill so he could study it and he did but he kept saying it’s the mechanics that need to correct, the hydraulics are along for the ride. 

My window of opportunity finally opened and I booked an appointment with Bill. I set aside three days for he and his technician Paul to undo what ever was done or had gone wrong with my coach. 

Step one, Bill takes the rig for a test drive and evaluates the situation.

Step two, Bill and Paul discuss an action plan. 

Step three, Paul goes to work inspecting the overall condition and then using HUNTER Alignment equipment, he starts to determine the alignment of the steer axle, tag axle, and drive axle. 

Bill and Paul know exactly how to set up the suspension so the rig rolls properly down the road. Bill reminded me that not only would I actually enjoy driving my coach, I’ll also see an improvement in fuel efficiency. 

The last step was the test drive after basically one and a quarter day of tweaking the axles. Bill drove first to verify that all was well. Then he turned the wheel over to me. 
All I could do was drive the coach in complete disbelief. It had never driven that way before. If the highway is halfway decent, the coach will only require minimal steering input. 
I was shocked how well it handled!! Our nightmare was finally over. 

So what was the problem? Bill explained that my TAG Axle was trying to turn the rear of the bus to the right and the Drive Axle was trying to turn to the left. The Steer Axle needed major adjustment as well. There is more than meets the eye with an alignment.

 [b]If your rig’s suspension and steering doesn’t have the proper geometry it simply won’t function properly.[/b]

Bill also noted that due to limitations in the ability to make adjustments to the steer axle, he wasn’t able to add the caster he wanted. I’m just lucky he and Paul were able to make recognize the problem and get us on the straight and narrow. 

My rig basically weights 55,500 pounds when my wife and I travel. We pull a Jeep Gladiator. I left Bill’s shop in Columbia and headed south down through the Lake of the Ozarks to Springfield Missouri. It’s a winding hilly drive and the bus drives like never before. I was able to stay with traffic as it handled the curves with ease. 

This is just a snap shot of what my wife and I went through since we became interested in owning a RV. Maybe I was just unfortunate and kept getting rigs that were messed up. 

What I can say now with complete certainty… it is so refreshing to have found a team that is more concerned with quality not quantity. Is knowledgeable and methodical. Is willing to go out on a limb with you, but most importantly is trustworthy in this day and age… hear me now, believe me later… 

If you want something done right, do it yourself or go to an EXPERT…

Thank God for Bill “The Alignment Whisperer”… 


Be safe, JK

I didn't want to take away from the other thread so i started my own. My original question was how everyone else has such easy access to their basement units. As it turns out mine aren't that difficult either. As it also turns out, I have 2 of them. The original build sheet said room would not allow for the second one so i assumed that what i was looking at was one very large unit from 1996. From what i can tell by looking at the ductwork the smaller front A/C unit supplies cold air to the outlets above the drivers and copilot seat at the front of the salon. That seams to be all its for. the second A/C unit is in the bay between the inverter and the house batteries. The only access for now is from the drivers side of the coach as their is still a vintage outdoor entertainment center on the other side. The entry steps have a filter behind them to serve as the cold air return. This however great in theory, looks like it doesn't actually work well. Most things on the underside are not well sealed and they just suck in outdoor air.

      Drivers side front A/C access
      Driver side with panel removed
      Passenger side front A/C access
      Passenger side with panel removed
      Drivers side rear A/C access
      Passenger side rear A/C access for now
      Entry step cold air return area

Looks like the control boards are not easily accessible from what i can tell. I did not continue to remove panels to find them. Once i discovered i had a second one i made this thread.
Now i have to see how i can remove the outdoor entertainment center to gain access to the other side of the rear A/C unit. I will see how much space is in there for a swing out flat screen once that's done and then it will be easy to service. 
As i write this I'm thinking about how easy it would be to run a tri zone mini split with the "outdoor" section tucked neatly behind the entry steps. That would free up so much storage space in the bay area. Things to think about.

This is pretty cool - where to travel to find 70-degree weather all year round https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/...ee-weather

Going to be visiting the Newell factory next week and staying at the regatta at grand lake resort in grove ,oklahoma. If I remember there are a few newell owners close to there with coaches close the the #480 that I have. Would love to meet up for a few and look at some of your mods you have done. Especially if someone has done mini split conversion from scs units.  Let me know and thank you.

I'm considering upgrading my rear camera system. Is there a vendor/ brand that anybody could suggest for rear and side /surround system?

A talkative fellow in an older Country Coach with California plates parked next to me in Moab mentioned that he wouldn't be able to renew his tabs because his diesel engine was manufactured before 2010. That got me thinking, which got me researching, and what I found has me scratching my head. As I read it, as of 2024 California is requiring that all heavy vehicles (including RVs) with diesel engines be California CARB (think EPA) compliant, which means 2010 or newer engine with all the bits working, subject to narrow exceptions.  One exception is to limit travel in California to 1,000 miles per year (with lots of documentation requirements). Another is a general exemption for out-of-state RVs that are never used for commercial purposes, so no problem if a Newell with pre-2010 power is personally owned by someone residing outside of California -- but what about coaches owned or registered by a business (Montana LLC or otherwise)? I have thoughts (not good ones) but would value insight from anyone who has taken a deep dive on this as I suspect that ignorance won't cut it when the plate reader returns a business as the owner and the blue lights start flashing and I would want to know before getting turned away and having travel plans disturbed (or worse). 

I see that the underlying issue was addressed in a thread in 2021 but it is not up to date and doesn't address the ownership issue.

Respectfully submitted,

db

Jack grab some coffee,

I've seen multiple posts with this same issue so I solved it. 
There have been many posts about the Teddy heater under the salon couch quitting. when i rebuilt the entire aqua hot system i found some of the blowers didn't work. The teddy heater was one. I started by removing the couch to gain access to the heater box. turns out it was held down with 6 3/8ths lag screws.  Once the couch was unbolted from the floor i flipped it up out of the way and revealed the problematic heater.
   
As you can see in the picture i used a test light to make sure i had power. Test light from MAC tools will test power and ground and if your arms are long enough test the whole circuit for continuity. Power was reaching the unit. I unplugged all the wires making sure i didn't arc them, not like finding decent grounds is easy in these coaches. From there i dismantled the entire assembly to get the electric motor out. My hope was that i could just source a new motor and slap it back together. Curiosity got the best of me. I removed the double squirrel cage by grabbing some pliers and undid the constant tension rings. I pulled the two squirrel cages off, grabbed a wrench and removed the two bolts that held the motor together. At which point I noticed the brushes were bad.
   
  I have brushes, I can fix this! I went back to the coach I grabbed the spare March brushes and compared sizes.
   
 They would need some filing but they would work. I filed the new brushes down,    
 test fit,     and then soldered them on. Once the brushes were appropriately sized I began to reassemble the DC motor. This took way longer than it should have (because i was fighting with the springs holding them back with one hand, trying to put things together) but I got it done.    
 Once the motor was reassembled a quick floor test with the battery showed the motor worked just fine. I replaced the squirrel cages and the constant tension  rings, reassembled the motor into the housing with the heater core, put all the screws back in, and plugged in the wires.     Ha Ha! It works.  At this point it was getting late and dinner needed to be done. Ill finish strapping the heater down and put the couch back tomorrow.

Moral of the story, you might not need a $300 heater you might need some cheap brushes and about two hours of time. For those wanting to have spares. a set like this on Amazon would fix just about everything including those Aqua hot pump motors.
https://www.amazon.com/RICHERI-Electric-...1_3?sr=8-3
 And for once, my wife is happy I bought quality tools.    

  Don't mind my amazing green carpet, it's nasty and ugly and I'm going to replace the flooring before long. I've got 4 very large dogs, and carpet just wont work.

My wife would like to add... (No I'm not - I'm typing this for him because I type way faster than he does.

I determined the front SCS blower motor cap is bad by hand spinning the squirrel cage fan and getting it to work.  Looking for a part number and any info on location.  Is it one of the caps behind the circuit board or do I got to get to the motor to replace it???? Any help would be greatly appreciated! 

Thx