Some truck repair centers perform engine and chassis maintenance on RVs, providing owners a knowledgeable, experienced alternative for service.
By Steve Froese, F276276
September 2021
A reader recently sent an email commenting about chassis maintenance — specifically grease lubrication — on his diesel-pusher motorhome. He raised some thought-provoking questions, so I decided I would share my ideas on the issue. I hope this will help you avoid potential chassis-related issues on your motorized RV, whether it is a diesel or not. I will also discuss how these translate to towable units.
Following are the comments from the reader:
“I am writing about what I believe is a serious service problem. Despite the fact that the majority of large-motorhome owners do not have any idea what is required to keep the monster running properly and ‘safely,’ I keep close watch on mine. But, boy, was I fooled. I have a 40-foot diesel that requires an oil and chassis lubrication every 15,000 miles, or once a year. I have been dealing with the same service facility for five years. I had my oil changed, along with the oil filter, two fuel filters, and a chassis lube. The cost was $418. I drove the coach home and parked it in its house. In March, I brought the coach out to prep for a 10,000-mile trip. I looked under the front end, and there was grease only on the steering components. I looked farther back, and there was no grease on any of the fittings. They were absolutely dry. I then checked the slack adjuster on the air brakes. Dry. If these points cannot move and adjust the slack in the air brakes, you suddenly have no brakes!
“I called the service department and talked to the manager. I asked whether anyone checked the differential for fullness of lube. The answer was, ‘No, they don’t do that unless it is asked for.’ I then asked about the ‘lube’ stated on the bill. I was told that management decided several years ago to only do a ‘front’ lube, but this is not mentioned on the bill. This is going to cost someone their life, so this dealer can save $10 worth of grease.
This service facility is owned by a dealership 50 miles away. They service 25 to 30 coaches per day. Most of the owners have their RV serviced there because they think it is being serviced correctly, but they have no idea what is being skipped just to make more money.”
In some ways, this email relates to the article I wrote about forming a good relationship with the service writer at your RV service center (“You And Your Service Writer,” May 2021). Trust and positive feedback are arguably the most important components when turning over your RV to somebody else to work on.
The writer does not mention what type of dealership did the chassis work. He seems to imply it was an RV service facility. My personal preference is to have diesel motorhomes serviced by Freightliner, Spartan, or Cummins (or Caterpillar in the case of a Cat engine). Heavy-duty truck facilities such as these are accustomed to working on highway tractors (semis) and similar vehicles — units that are mission-critical in terms of maintenance and downtime (well, most of the time).
In Canada, heavy-duty truck dealerships are provincially licensed. As a result, they must maintain the highest standard of maintenance and repair. This includes employing government-certified Red Seal service technicians or apprentices. (Canadian Red Seal techs are the equivalent of certified journeymen in the United States). Most of these facilities also work on diesel RVs (and sometimes gas units). Many smaller independent truck repair shops are certified as well, so they may also be a good place to take your RV.
Besides the peace of mind brought by knowing that comprehensive service is being performed, I like truck dealerships because the service departments tend to have extended hours. Some are even open 24 hours.
I can’t speak for all RV repair centers that perform motorized chassis service, but they would not necessarily be my first choice to service my RV. It is important to note that some diesel RV chassis manufacturers list specific RV dealerships as certified service centers. Still, my preference would be an actual truck shop if available since I know the truck shops will be properly outfitted for this type of work. Even if I have an RV center doing coach/house work on my RV, I prefer to move the unit to a truck shop to have mechanical work done.
In terms of the services offered, be sure to carefully review the work order before signing it. Also, ask for verbal confirmation of each step of the job. In the reader’s case, he was not told about the lack of lubrication to the rear part of his RV. If he had asked, he likely would have been told of the policy. This is another good thing about commercial truck shops, especially national dealers: Work orders tend to be extremely detailed. Truck shops, like RV service centers, often have service specials or offer various packages, such as 60-point or 120-point inspections. These offerings are great in that they detail specific service “points” that are performed.
You might be surprised how many diesel RV owners use heavy-duty truck shops for service maintenance. Servicing RVs has become so popular that some truck shops even cater to RV owners with special incentives. For instance, Cummins offers the Cummins Coach Care at most of its locations. These facilities service Cummins engines and Cummins Onan generators. And, through a partnership with Spartan and Tiffin, select locations offer chassis service. Dealerships operated by Freightliner also provide service specific to RVs via its Oasis network.
Having said all this, do your homework and find a reputable service facility. Online reviews can’t always be trusted, so err on the side of caution. Word-of-mouth recommendations can be especially useful. Obtain in-person feedback whenever possible. Certification also goes a long way to being able to trust a service center.
For travel trailer owners, RV service centers are well equipped to maintain the chassis and frame. It is important to have components such as bearings, brakes, lights, and tires inspected annually on a towable unit. Again, take great care in selecting a facility to maintain and repair your RV investment.
Owners of gas-powered motorhomes are more limited in their selection of chassis service centers, as many mechanic shops cannot accommodate large units. Some heavy-duty truck centers service gas chassis, but otherwise seek out a good mechanic you can trust.
As for the reader who shared his experience, I would suggest that he find a new place to have his diesel unit serviced, and I would recommend a heavy truck dealership as a first choice, preferably one associated with the company that manufactured the engine or chassis.
If you have technical questions or comments related to your RV or RVing in general, don’t hesitate to send an email to techtalk@fmca.com. Also, FMCA maintains extensive user forums covering many RV-related topics. It is worth searching these forums – https://community.fmca.com – to see if your issue has been discussed. If not, feel free to post your issue and one of our readers may assist.