New Member Needs Advice - Ride Height, Driving Tips, New TV Install

[lrh]

We (wife and kids) are in the process of buying our first Prevost – a 1998 Marathon. We are moving up from a 30 foot class C so this is a big step.

We are having the coach inspected as part of the purchase, but some questions have come up during the process.

• The carpeting in the driver’s area is worn out. Marathon wants a $190 yard for their recommended replacement carpet. There must be something that is easy to clean and cheaper. What have other people done?
• How high should the coach be when the airbags are inflated?
• The coach has an old CRT TV in the cabinet above the driver’s head which we would like to replace with a LCD TV. The coach has the “standard” Marathon cabinet. Any suggestions?
• We will need to tow a car for the first time. What braking system are most people using?
• I am concerned about dragging the rear or high centering the coach. Are there any tips or rules of thumb that people use?
• I am planning on taking some RV driving lessons. Can anyone recommend a good driving school?

Thanks,
Killeen

[flloyd]

Welcome Kileen,

I'll take a stab at a few of your questions. I, too, am a new Prevost owner with a 1997 Liberty.

Carpeting - there is nothing magic about the carpeting. Any decent craftsman can do it, for a lot less than Marathon charges. If I were picking new carpet for my coach, I would select something that was durable and was of a color or pattern that didn't show dirt as much. White carpet is always hard to deal with.

The ride height will be in the 13 foot, 6 inch area. plus or minus a couple of inches. You always gulp driving under a 14' overpass, but, 13' 6" is the standard height limit for big trucks.

I replaced my CRT with a flat panel from Costco. I wanted a larger one but ended up getting a 22" model. To be honest, it's perfectly usable. I bought one which would hang nicely over the hole vacated by the CRT. You can spend a lot of money on a TV upgrade, but in my case, it was less than $400 since I hung it myself (including the cost of the TV). You really have to get a CRT now because none of the CRT TV's will pick up a digital signal. In addition, you save a bunch of weight too.

For braking, you can either get a self contained unit that sits on the floor next to the brake pedal, or, get an air brake hookup. The self contained units have an accelerometer that sense when the vehicle is slowing down and applies the brakes. This can be problematic in some circumstances and I don't really like the idea of them. I opted instead for the air brake system. Air systems are proportional, i.e., the tow vehicle's brakes are applied with a force that is the same as the coach's brakes. Lots of people like the Air Force One system, but it would not fit under the hood in my new Jeep Wrangler. Instead, I ended up getting the Brake Master, which is basically an air cylinder that bolts to the floor and depresses the brake pedal. After 2000 miles, I can't really tell the difference from the cockpit, whether the brake is hooked up or not. After all, the Jeep weighs less than 10% that of the coach.

I also opted for the Blue Ox towbar system. Very happy with that. There is an amazing number of hookup items, however, which is true for any towabar system. In my case, besides the towbar, there are 2 safety cables, a light cable, a brake cable, a brake light wire, and a breakaway switch wire. I've gotten to where I can hook/unhook it in about 3 minutes. Towing is kind of a pain, overall, because of extra driver workload when negotiating tight corners. I couldn't do without the Jeep, however, and am glad I have it.

By the way, I love the new Jeep Wrangler (2-door). Just put the transfer case in neutral and you're done. There is no steering wheel lock and the odometer does not increment while you are towed. After driving the bus for several hours, hopping in the jeep feels like a skateboard. It can make a u-turn in less distance than the length of the coach!

About dragging the rear and center of the coach. The best advice is: don't do it. How to avoid: stay on flat areas. If you know that you have to negotiate a bump or a dip, try raising the coach with the airbags. Raising the tag axle can help too. Sometimes, you're better to leave the tag axle down when traversing a dip because it will keep the tail end off of the ground. Use your best judgment. The worst drag I've had so far came when executing an acute turn at an intersection where the adjoining road pitched up where the two roadways intersected. The sound was horrible and I was frightened. Upon inspecting the underside, it appears that the loud sound came from the generator fan output duct hitting the pavement. Luckily, there was no serious damage. Lesson learned.

-fred

[jack14r]

If the carpet is the Marathon carpet it is very expensive and usually durable,it is not really carpet but a synthetic kind of product.You can replace it with anything but a Marathon person will know that it is not right.Most XLs are about 12feet 10 inches tall at ride height,that counts the satellite dish which is usually the highest point.We all have different preferences but if M&G makes a braking system for your vehicle it will work very well.As far as driving lessons get someone that has driven a bus and let them help you,start on a 4 lane and then transition to smaller roads,you will be surprised how far forward you need to go to turn at most intersections.Learning is always fun.Welcome!!!!

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Here is the third answer on coach height. Make sure the ride height has been adjusted properly and then measure the coach. We all may be similar, but if you encounter a low bridge are you willing to bet your roof top devices on information you got here from folks that don't have roof air and who may have a different satellit dish than you do?

As far as high centering, look under your coach and see what is hanging down. On our Libertys we have a low hanging baffle under the generator radiator that leaves us with about 7 or 8" of clearance near the middle of the coach. We are all spring loaded to stop, raise the coach manually and then cross the hump. The same goes for transitions that will scrape the bottom of the front or rear. Stop and raise the coach if in doubt. Let the horns blow behind you.

Go beyond taking driving lessons. Go get the Class B license. If this is your first bus you really need to learn the air and braking systems.

There are many toad braking systems. Pick the one best suited for your toad. I tow two different vehicles so I have the Brakemaster that I can switch from vehicle to vehicle. I do not like any brake systems that need battery power from the toad.