We can't let maintenance items on the Journey go undone, so I'm looking at scheduling some much need preventive maintenance while we're still here for a little while longer.
Item number one is an oil and filter change on our Cat diesel, as well as two new fuel filters and a chassis greasing. I was going to drive the one hundred miles up to the Gaffney, SC Freightliner shop and have it done, but a better idea came onto my radar.
We have an Onan 8 KW Quiet Diesel in the Journey. It has been a totally reliable unit and has given us great service. Now it is time for me to have it gone over for some major wearing parts to be replaced.
Top of the list is the fan belt for the radiator. Along with that the radiator hoses need replacing. The belt and hoses are supposed to be replaced at the 1000 hour mark and I have 1800 hours on the genny. I don't want to take any chances of a belt or hose failure during our summer travels when we will need the generator to run our air conditioner during hot boondocking stays.
Along with those items, I'll have the thermostat replaced and the plastic coolant reservoir tank carefully inspected, as well as the brushes on the generator stator, not to mention anything else that even remotely looks sketchy.
Why? In a nutshell, the generator is mounted in the front of the Journey and has to be dropped down and out from underneath the frame to get at the insides. Because it is a labor intensive job (read expensive) to remove and replace the generator, it's in my best interest to have all this work done at the same time, instead of having to have the generator removed and replaced again at a later time to replace something simple that could be changed out now. I wish I had a generator slide on the Journey like some motorhomes have, but it was not built with one. The next motorhome, however...
Doing some research on the Internet, I found a nearby (18 miles) Cummins Onan dealership.
I'm going to take a ride up there hopefully this week and talk to them about getting an appointment and an estimate for the generator service. The best part about this shop is it is also a Coach Care shop.
Coach Care service centers are set up to work on any RV out there. I can have them do the chassis service and engine oil changes at the same time, a "two-fer". They have free hookups for customers if the work needs to take two days. This is a win-win for me because now I can drive just 36 miles instead of 200 to get everything done. With the price of diesel fuel and the money I'll save, I can probably pay for the parts alone. Sometimes you win one.
We sure do enjoy our travels in the Journey and money spent on keeping it in tip top shape is an investment in our future fun and adventures.
Thanks for visiting and feel free to leave a comment.
When we were looking for our M.H., the Journey was on our list. So thankful we found our Tiffin first.
ReplyDeleteBeing proactive is much better than reactive. Good for you!
Glad to see your keeping up on your chores. Demerits if you don't
ReplyDeleteWe had a terrific experience @ Cummins Coach Care in Kansas City. They're our "go to" spot for service. Hope your experience is great, too!
ReplyDeleteJust because the Journey didn't come with a Gen-Slide doesn't mean it can't be changed over. The Coach Care shop should be able to do it for you. That will also add to resale value when the time comes to trade it up. Be Safe and Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteIt's about time.
I guess we did not use the Genny enough, we only had around 200 hours in six years. Annual service was only oil,and filter changes with a one time coolant change. Sure glad the belt never let go:)
ReplyDeleteOh my that certainly does sound expensive especially if they have to take the whole thing out to do the work. Does Winnebago get a kick-back on the service? If they don't, they didn't plan well.
ReplyDeleteYou're right though as long as you're hanging around you might as well accomplish something.
Good for you finding a closer place!
ReplyDeletegood luck with the maintenance work!!!
ReplyDeleteThe preventive maintenance is money well spent, good to keep it up.
ReplyDeleteSmart move, Chief !!! Get iit done while you're sitting still is a whole lot cheaper and less stressful, than on the road, SOMEWHERE!!!!
ReplyDeleteHope your day goes great !!!!
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ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your review of the service you get. We were going to have everything done in Gaffney when we went there in March for Camp Freightliner, but we had to push that back to July, so we'll get our servicing done here in Red Bay instead.
ReplyDeleteWill add Coach Care shop to the list of " check these out". We had also planned a stop in Gaffney this fall when we are headed to Georgia. Looking forward to your review!
ReplyDelete36 miles versus 200 is a much better alternative. Glad you found a more convenient location.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of generator hours. I don't think we have 500.
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