quote:

Originally posted by bildan:
I looked over this coach yesterday. Overall, I think the owner represented the coach well. It's beautiful.

There are a couple of things that bothered me but, since this is the first one I have ridden in, they may not be unusual.

For one thing, the ride of the Spartan chassis was very harsh - expansion joints in the I-5 freeway jolted the interior enough that I was concerned that electrical and plumbing parts might get broken. For another, the coach exibited a roll and weave whenever a quick directional change was made as in changing lanes. My response was yikes!

Is this normal or is it fixable?

Bildan

Tires can not only be overinflated, but be designed for a "harsh" ride. Tires the same size can be designed for a variety of applications, and Toyo does not endorse its rubber for motorhomes.

About the "bob and weave", diesl pushers have the engine behind the rear axle, and usually a generator forwrd of the front axle. This means the two heaviest items (except maybe a full large water tank) are at the ends of the vehicle - this produces a high "polar moment", meaning that it will resist rotating (turning) more than a car or light truck, and once started, will want to continue rotating (turning).

The solution is to develop a "touch" in coontrol.

Components are also mounted higher than in a car, producing the roll. It's what software writers would call "an undocumented feature", meaning "it is what it is, get used to it..."

Also note that the NADA value on this coach is LT $30,000 - any premium over that is the BAF (Barth Appreciation Factor). That is to say, a Barth to the Great Unwashed Multitudes is just another coach. It just never developed the cache' of Airstreams, Bluebirds, or even Hawkins...



[This message has been edited by Rusty (edited January 01, 2006).]

Sounds like the 95 in N.Carolina would be the better of the two. 300 Cummins Big Block (I think) 6 speed tranie, air ride wide body, inverter, looks like a fine coach. Even a bit cheaper yet, but can't tell where it will end though!

You may want to have the shocks checked. They don't last forever and the 92 30' Breakaway that we purchased in Il rode fine and handled well but the first thing we did when we got home was have new shocks installed and that improved the ride alot. We drive on I-5 from Vancouver. BC to Tacoma, Wa and we do not get that bouncy feeling going over the expansion joints.
Good Luck in your search.

AND ... the Monarch has air ride. Air brakes. Heated and a/c basement storage. The wide body makes it more spacious inside.
It should go to $55-60K cause its worth it.
Don

quote:

Originally posted by Creepy Cawler:
Sounds like the 95 in N.Carolina would be the better of the two. 300 Cummins Big Block (I think) 6 speed tranie, air ride wide body, inverter, looks like a fine coach. Even a bit cheaper yet, but can't tell where it will end though!

quote:

Originally posted by bildan:
The tires on the coach were new Toyo's and, according to the owner and my visual inspection, were inflated properly. I have driven a lot of new tires and I have never noticed a 'loose' behavior that later went away.

You can't tell air psi by looking at a tire! Please buy a tire psi guage. I found a chart for Toyo tires and you can tell by looking at this, the range is all over the chart. I would also believe that the person who sold them the tires put it up to the max on the tire and did not follow a chart.

Do yourself a favor and check with a guage. Try this link for interesting reading.

http://www.dickmantires.com/inflationtable.html

This guy seems to know what he's talking about as his chart from Toyo shows a variety of psi readings for the same tire. It has everything to do with weight and little to do with what's stamped on the tire. The tire stamping is for the max of the load range for that tire!
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1991 Barth Regal
460 EFI C6 Transmission
33' Oshkosh/John Deere Chassis

http://www.truckroadservice.com/

[This message has been edited by Bill (edited January 01, 2006).]

This is good advice for any brand. Every brand of tire should be inflated to the manufacturer's chart and the weight on the tire.

quote:

Originally posted by bildan:
I looked over this coach yesterday. Overall, I think the owner represented the coach well. It's beautiful.

For one thing, the ride of the Spartan chassis was very harsh - expansion joints.. Bildan

From BCN: "You may want to have the shocks checked. They don't last forever and the 92 30' Breakaway that we purchased in Il rode fine and handled well but the first thing we did when we got home was have new shocks installed and that improved the ride alot. We drive on I-5 from Vancouver. BC to Tacoma, Wa and we do not get that bouncy feeling going over the expansion joints...."

It ain't the tires. Check the front shock mounts; then check the shocks. The earliest Breakaways were plagued with broken front shock mounts ostensibly due to over-firm shocks (Bilstein??); the cure then was "softer" shocks, which of course would increase any "roll". Broken, loose, or wornout shocks will, of course, cause all of the problems you cited. In any event, it isn't normal and IMHO is a big red flag and should be cured before a purchase.

CARLFLACK: "What would cause the aluminum sheet metal on the driver's side to be wrinkled and wavey? My older coach has more windows so I'm not familiar with this condition........."

Perhaps: direct sunlight with very hot weather causes metal to expand; it is held in place by the rivets, and "wrinkles" as it attempts to lengthen?? Mine has this affliction, but no bad effects.

------------------
"You are what you drive" - Clint Eastwood



[This message has been edited by Gunner (edited January 01, 2006).]

quote:

Originally posted by Gunner:
It ain't the tires.

You may be right. Check it all. I wouldn't spend 49,000k + on anything that wasn't checked out. If you do have broken shock mounts then that should be repaired before you pick it up.

I would still bet the tires were pumped up to the max range. People have a hard time believing the simple answer could be the right answer. Could also be a combination of two or three different things.

I've never worked on that type of coach so I have "zero" experience with broken shock mounts (have seen many times before on other coaches) on Barth's. If Barth decided to run a heavier shock I sure wouldn't know, only another Barth owner like Gunner would know.

Bring a competent mechanic with you if it's ok with the sellers. I have been with alot of rv folks to check out coaches and buses for them. If it's close by it usually cost them about 200.00 to 350.00 and my inspections have always gotten them lower prices then what they paid for my services.

Good luck and let us know if you or anyone else here gets that beauty.

------------------


1991 Barth Regal
460 EFI C6 Transmission
33' Oshkosh/John Deere Chassis

http://www.truckroadservice.com/

[This message has been edited by Bill (edited January 01, 2006).]

Hello,

I dropped the '95 Monarch owner a note about my favorite subject... Thermopane windows. He said the coach does not have them be that the tanks are in heated compartments.

Can Thermopane windows be retrofitted? If so by whom and where"

Thanks,

Bill

quote:

Originally posted by eugarps:
Hello,

I dropped the '95 Monarch owner a note about my favorite subject... Thermopane windows. He said the coach does not have them be that the tanks are in heated compartments.

Can Thermopane windows be retrofitted? If so by whom and where"

Thanks,

Bill

I suggest you ask him to check again; (Helm brand??) "thermopane" windows were supposd to be standard equipment on Monarchs. If there is a small -1" sq - blue sticker on the window it is a Helm(?) brand and most likely insulated. G


------------------
"You are what you drive" - Clint Eastwood

[This message has been edited by Gunner (edited January 03, 2006).]

The window brand is most likely "Hehr." There are earlier posts on Barthmobile about windows. Try a Barthmobile search for insulated windows.

Peninsula Glass made the insulated windows on my 92 Regency.

Peninsula Glass
6005 NE 121st Ave
Vancouver, WA 98682

360-892-2029
800-468-4323
360-892-8152 fax

Bill G

Bill, how do you like them? Were they worth the cost? Does the cold still come in through the frames? Are they quieter? Are they cooler in summer?

I have Peninsula windows on my 85 Regal. It's quiet inside and cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Previous owner put them in/
Jim

[This message has been edited by humbojb (edited January 06, 2006).]

Bill h,

These are original equipment in my Barth. I like them a lot as they are both temperature and noise filters. One nice advantage is that they don't start to sweat when it gets cold until about 20 degrees F.

I think the rear passenger side bedroom unit is leaking and will remove it and replace the gasket this coming season. I'm looking for a resource for the butyl rubber seal that has been mentioned frequently in this forum.

Bill G

[This message has been edited by goodwinw (edited January 07, 2006).]