Jumped into a Class A Yesterday!

[thegabrielles]

Hi all... after a LONG time and many changes to what we wanted we opted for an "older" Class A.
We bought a 2004 Winnebago Journey wkp39k. It has the Cat C7 330HP diesel Pusher with only 47K miles on it. It seems to be in really good shape inside and out but we went ahead with a 3rd party warranty since its good insurance, just in case.

So the questions are... Is there anything I should know? Maintenance I should do "no matter what" before we get to camping? It is being prepped and the DW will be out of town so we won't pick it up for a couple of weeks.

Also, what are some "must haves" for the A class? We have owned a Hybrid TT in the past so we know the basics.

[DRTDEVL]

Oops... I forgot to add. That 9.6 wasn't with a 330 CAT, it was with a Cummins 8.3C (predecessor to the ISC). Mechanical injection through a Bosch P7100 pump. The same engine that came in the military's M939A2-series 5 ton trucks. No EGR, no other emissions controls, backed by an Allison MD3060 transmission with a double overdrive (0.75:1 5th gear and 0.65:1 6th gear ratios).

9.6, no matter what. Towing the Montero? 9.6. Driving through the Rockies? 9.6. Tailwind? 9.6 (once got 11, but I called that a fluke). Headwind? 9.6.

It was very consistent.

[thegabrielles]

Thank you! We do live in Atlanta Ga, so it's fairly flat around us, but certainly, there will be some short climbs here and there. I am not that concerned with mileage although I do want to maximize it, especially on the longer trips. Getting 7.5mpg is higher than I was assuming when we were shopping so Id even be happy with that. If it gets more, then awesome! Ultimately I did not buy it for mileage and driving a big house down the road cant compete with Prius mileage. We will be towing my wife's car most of the time when we tow. It will be on a trailer so I'm expecting to be towing about 3500lbs. (car is about 2200lbs) If I end up with an enclosed trailer weight will be slightly higher, but with everything I read it doesn't seem that it affects it too much.

I can't wait to get it home and compare the research I have done with the coach and get it ready for its first trip. There is a LOT to do before we camp the first time, but it should be fun!

Thanks again for the advice!

[smlranger]

First, congratulations. We owned a 2002 36' Journey DL with the 3126E 330 CAT for 8 years and it was a great motorhome.

Good advice already given regarding the roof to sidewall seam. Also agree (unless you have records from dealer or otherwise) with changing out all fluids, filters and don't forget to service the air dryer. Many folks just ignore them. Keeping the rear cooling pack clean is also a must since the CAT likes to suck stuff off the road, pass it over the oily engine and push it thru the radiator/charge air cooler.

Now, not to disagree with those who claim they got 8 - 9 mpg, I think they must have always had a tail wind :-). That little CAT will work to move a 39' coach, depending on what you take along and what you tow, and expecting great fuel mileage is a pipe dream. Over the 8 years we owned the 36' Journey towing Ford Explorers and then a Honda CRV, we averaged 7.5 mpg. If you travel flat lands all the time you might do better but when you climb hills and mountains, the CAT is going to work.

Finally, regarding wander, check tire pressures and see if they are right for the front axle weight. Get on a scale and see what you weigh loaded for travel. Using the tire manufacturer's load/inflation chart, adjust air pressure accordingly. If I ran my front tires on the Journey at 120 psi, the coach tended to wander. When I adjusted them to 105 based on my actual axle weight, it drove much better. Once you have determined there are no other issues with the front end (something worn, something loose, poor alignment, etc.), you might consider installing a Safe T Steer steering stabilizer.

[thegabrielles]

fcooper... thanks, I'll definitely take a look at all the maintenance required as soon as I get it home.

DRTDEVL, I know the fuel tank is up front and I have a lot of learning on where everything is, but that's a good point. I'll check it out. 9.6 is amazing. I tend to be frugal on the throttle so I'm hoping for the best for mileage but Im sure there will be a learning curve. I have read to keep the RPM about 200 above the max torque of the engine. Not sure if that's true or not but it will all be part of my learning curve.

I definitely appreciate the advice by everyone!

[DRTDEVL]

Find the location of your fresh water tank. On my old Safari, the fuel tank was just in front of the front axle and the water tank was just behind it. Keeping these two full was paramount to good handling, as they added about 1500 pounds to the front axle weight (both were 110 gallons).

As for economy, a lot goes into how it is driven. I got 9.6 everywhere I went, toad or not, but I didn't use cruise control. I have driven trucks for many years and know that the best way to save fuel is to put your foot at one point and keep it there. Build a head of steam going downhill, and bleed off a bunch of speed going up the other side. I put my foot right at 63 mph on the flats and keep it there no matter what speed I may be traveling, unless safety or traffic dictates otherwise.

[fcooper]

We got an average of 8.3 mpg over many thousands of miles in a 2000 HR Endeavor 38ft with the 2000 yr model of the cat 330. Most miles were at 64 mph with a toad.

In addition to the good advice listed above, verify when the engine air filter was changed. I do not recall the recommended time interval, but the glue can break down and allow the filter material to be sucked toward the engine, and allow dusting of the engine.

If the alignment does not solve your wandering problem, check for too much free play in the steering gear box. If on a Freightliner chassis, there is a hole in a frame member on the side of the gear box providing access to the adjustment screw & lock nut.

If the front end is a solid axle, a steer safe will eliminate rut tracking.

Enjoy your new motorhome.

Fred

[tropical36]

obgraham wrote:
I had almost the same rig in a 2003 Journey. Nice solid rig. Mine averaged 8.3 mpg over the 40k miles I ran it, mostly our West, and it climbed the hills just fine.
Clean the radiator and the charge air cooler if you can get at it from inside. Simple Green in a sprayer or Dawn soap works well. That engine/rear radiator can overheat if it gets too full of crud. Make sure the oil "slobber tube" is exiting well below the radiator.
If you don't want to do it yourself, take it to a Freightliner or CAT shop.

One more thing: there is an enormous amount of info downloadable from Winnie's web site, including the full build specs and diagrams for your specific vehicle.

Even though I don't have a rear radiator of concern, I did make up a gator aid bottle with a bunch of holes drilled around the top and a little bit of steel wool in the bottom. Used a section of plastic plumbing and hung the bottle on the bottom of the slobber tube. Keeps any oil discharge from it, off the toad, but so far haven't collected much of anything, worth emptying.
I believe Cat makes their own sophisticated cure and expensive of course, for those who may want to go that route. Others have just hooked on to the tube and rerouted it around behind the radiator somewhere.

[thegabrielles]

Thanks again for the comments. I did read the covered items on the warranty before I bought it, although its not 100%, it does cover a lot of items that could go wrong and since I got it for 7 years the coach will be 23 years old when the warranty is up.

I am definitely going to service it fully... I know the records are with the coach but I did not go through them in detail. I know... probably should have. Everything looks in extremely good shape and usually, if someone maintains the inside and outside well they also maintain the driveline. Hears hoping! 🙂

[Ivylog]

Find the grease fitting on your engine fan and service. Manually downshift on long grades to keep the rpms up for better engine cooling. Congrats...Enjoy

[Nutinelse2do]

Congrats to you.
If there is no record of fluid/ filter changes for the coach, and or generator, you need to establish a starting point guidline. Especially for your extended warranty, as that can be something they can use to deny any claim.
Have a complete service done. Have all the belts, etc., checked and keep of log of everything so you know when service is due, and you have records for the future.
Have a blast. Safe travels

[gbopp]

thegabrielles wrote:
It seems to be in really good shape inside and out but we went ahead with a 3rd party warranty since its good insurance, just in case.

You may want to read your insurance policy to see the exclusions or what is not covered.
Congrats on the Journey. Enjoy your travels.

[thegabrielles]

Thanks, Mile High! That was a lot of info but it is now in my file to go in the Coach! I am hoping to never need any of that... but I know it is the life in an RV to do repairs and upgrades so it will be invaluable to have that available.

I can't imagine that a loaded camper would put that much more weight in the front, but then again... I have zero experience with this. Either way, I am hoping an alignment check will be beneficial. Again, some of it may just be me getting used to it as well, but I don't care for the front end wondering... I understand wind and roads will keep me on my toes but I think this was different.

Thanks again... can't wait to get her home and get it loaded up for the first adventure!

[Lwiddis]

Cheaper and easier to replace tires at home than on the road for “just one more trip.”

[rgatijnet1]

It is hard to tell what the handling will be like once your coach is loaded for a trip. Most vehicles will wander some if the front end is light. Perhaps once you get the coach loaded, it will handle fine.