Mechanic assist to under bed?

[Norman]

'Do owners do anything to make it easier for the mechanics to get under the bed? Do you remove all bedding and maybe even remove the mattress? Does the mechanic usually remove the struts so the bed platform can be raised higher?

Anything else you or the mechanic does that I'm not thinking of?

Norm
'98 40' Serengeti'

[KarenInTheWoods Karen Pfundtner]

'

A long time ago we left it up to the mechanics in our Coachman gasser  motorhome to take care of our rig... not only was it left OPEN all night long, but their greasy boots in and out on my light green carpeting and handwoven woolen rugs just about blew my stack!   Not to mention the greasy hand prints on the wall as they came in and out doing work!  We drove by about 7pm after they were closed up and noticed our rig door wide open!    We went over and found both the drivers door unlocked, and the side entry door WIDE open, facing to the back of the lot where there was a rural field.  Anyone could have easily looted all of our contents unobserved from any passerbys on the road!.   Not to mention, our parts were scattered all over the parking lot and under the rig, along with tools and air hoses.  ARGGHHH!    Turns out the boss went out of state on vacation, and the only workers left were danged kids!---   But I digress-----
Since then, NEVER again will we leave a rig unattended for work... damned with the *insurance regulations* they cite.   My motorhome costs more than most of their employee's houses, so they aint' gonna mistreat me ever again. 
We have covered our floor with four or five cheap plastic tablecloths (99 cent store) and threw them out afterwards on the 3 occasions when we had workmen inside the rig.
We make sure everything is covered and assure them we are there to grab things and help and eliminate less In-and-Out trips.  We observe every step they do, and on the last occasion, Steve assisted with the injector replacement.

We removed our struts from the bed completely and use a very firm heavy propping pole from Harbor Freight that is meant as a freight holder in pickup trucks (apprx.$10)  it's adjustable and has two swiveled ends with ridged rubber surfaces to tilt to accomodate the tilted bed lid.  It extends to rest on the bell housing in the middle of the bed and rests up under the platform by a metal angle iron.   Steve lifts the bed (VERY Heavy with a big king mattress)  and I set the pole in place.  

When we had some engine work done (replacing a rusted/cracked fuel line)  at L&S truck in Appleton, WI   The worker draped our open bed area with sheets of heavy plastic by tucking it in between the mattress and the bottom platform, and let the ends of the plastic hang down inside the engine compartment and he carefully steam cleaned our engine area from the residue of diesel fuel that sprayed all over during the leak.  What a great guy and he was very careful..... and he also sprayed the new line with hi heat rustoleum to prevent future rusting!    Many truck repair places don't even like to work on motorhomes because of limited access to the engine if you have slides.  When we insist there is a wide open space from lifting a king-sized bed, they are amazed and thankful.
--
KarenInTheWoods
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(Our Blog) RVing: Small House... BIG Backyard
 http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com/
(Camping/Family Photos)  http://picasaweb.google.com/pfundt/
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On Thu, Nov 3, 2011 at 5:20 PM, Norman wrote:
Do owners do anything to make it easier for the mechanics to get under the bed?  Do you remove all bedding and maybe even remove the mattress?  Does the mechanic usually remove the struts so the bed platform can be raised higher?

Anything else you or the mechanic does that I'm not thinking of?

Norm
'98 40' Serengeti

'

[dddugger9@q.com]

'I don't know what it would be, just crawl in there and forget about compfort, you will not forget the cramps you got!!!!!!!!!!!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

From: "Norman"
To: Safarifriends@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, November 3, 2011 4:20:16 PM
Subject: [Safarifriends] Mechanic assist to under bed?

 
Do owners do anything to make it easier for the mechanics to get under the bed? Do you remove all bedding and maybe even remove the mattress? Does the mechanic usually remove the struts so the bed platform can be raised higher?

Anything else you or the mechanic does that I'm not thinking of?

Norm
'98 40' Serengeti

'

[Norm]

'No, at 79 I'm not crawling down there. :^)  I'm asking what people do to make it better for the diesel mechanic you are sending down there.
Norm
From the Hermitmobile

On Nov 3, 2011, at 3:54 PM, dddugger9@... wrote:
 
I don't know what it would be, just crawl in there and forget about compfort, you will not forget the cramps you got!!!!!!!!!!!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

From: "Norman"
To: Safarifriends@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, November 3, 2011 4:20:16 PM
Subject: [Safarifriends] Mechanic assist to under bed?

 
Do owners do anything to make it easier for the mechanics to get under the bed? Do you remove all bedding and maybe even remove the mattress? Does the mechanic usually remove the struts so the bed platform can be raised higher?

Anything else you or the mechanic does that I'm not thinking of?

Norm
'98 40' Serengeti

'

[Norm]

'Thanks Karen, I've already told the CAT people that I live in the MH and I would need to stay in it at their facility if they didn't finish the job in one day.  I've mostly heard that CAT dealers are very careful about getting your MH dirty, but I suppose there are many exceptions.
Norm
From the Hermitmobile

'

[KarenInTheWoods Karen Pfundtner]

'Yah.. our bad experience was a local repair place, not a Cat dealer.   Not to mention that we brought it there for an exhaust manifold and ended up replacing both heads.... because they didnt tighten down the pushrods correctly and we blew out all the oil 60 miles down the road! ARGGHHHHHH
The owner (finally back from vacation) paid for the tow and replaced both heads at his own cost.  Even then, we were hesitant to have him even touch it again until he promised he would do the work personally.  And we *popped in* three times to check on him!   


--
KarenInTheWoods
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Our Blog) RVing: Small House... BIG Backyard
 http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com/
(Camping/Family Photos)  http://picasaweb.google.com/pfundt/
(Weaving Photos)             http://picasaweb.google.com/KarenInTheWoods1
(All About Me)                   http://kareninthewoods.com
(Handwoven E-Stores)     http://kareninthewoods.etsy.com/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

On Thu, Nov 3, 2011 at 6:07 PM, Norm wrote:


Thanks Karen, I've already told the CAT people that I live in the MH and I would need to stay in it at their facility if they didn't finish the job in one day.  I've mostly heard that CAT dealers are very careful about getting your MH dirty, but I suppose there are many exceptions.
Norm
From the Hermitmobile

'

[stuplich@ymail.com]

'Norm

I always strip the bed and stand the mattress on is side on the floor on the street side, leaned against the window.

I also try to get someone from the shop to come inside with me so they can see how easy it will be for them to access the engine
compartment and how much working room they will have.

Some are pleasantly surprised because they associate work on a motor home as a real pain and have an image in their minds of very small access panels and much harder to reach components.

Of course that does NOT get me any bargains and they don't lower their hourly rate. (They still charge $20-$30 an hour more than the labor rate for trucks)!

BTW, Karen in the woods' Steveio has removed his struts permanently from their bed/engine area, (in their '96 Serengeti).
He carries an adjustable rod, (designed to secure loads in the rear of pickup trucks), to support the bed platform if he needs to.
They have a king size bed, (big mattress, hard to handle), plus he can support the bed platform up considerably higher than the struts would allow.

Mel
'96 Sahara, 3530, 3126 Cat, queen bed

--- In Safarifriends@yahoogroups.com, Norm wrote:
>
> No, at 79 I'm not crawling down there. :^) I'm asking what people do to make it better for the diesel mechanic you are sending down there.
> Norm

AND........
> > Do owners do anything to make it easier for the mechanics to get under the bed? Do you remove all bedding and maybe even remove the mattress? Does the mechanic usually remove the struts so the bed platform can be raised higher?
> > Anything else you or the mechanic does that I'm not thinking of?
> > Norm
> > '98 40' Serengeti

'