freightliner service and maintenance

[hammer55]

having trouble on the road from NE. to NV. trying to find a place to work on my seneca was really hard, every place I called and was on the freightliner web site, did not work on motor homes, so if someone says that anyplace that works on freightliner will work on your freightliner motorhome, please correct them, from TA's to Petro, to Flying J's, nope not one would have anything to do with our coach, would not ever sell me tires 

[wayne77590]

Hammer55, most of the larger cities have Freightliner/Western Star shops. You can go to the Freightliner: Find A Dealer and see if there is one on your way.  Out of your way, but if you are coming through Texas, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston have Freightliner dealeres.  I live near Houston so I use them annually.

Here is another link for Freightliner Oasis RV Service and you can "find a dealer" on their web site. 

There may also be some mobile repair services, check the area through a google search.

Edit: If you use the Oasis find a service, put in the city, state and then choose a 500 mile (or what you wish) radius.  There are a lot of Oasis service centers between Nevada and NE.

Edited August 9, 2020 by wayne77590

[bm02tj]

A lost  of the truck shop are like that 

Our local one will only do warranty work on pushers 

mine is a  FL80 super C so they will work on it  

[fly2low]

This is one of the reasons I like Super Cs

[five]

Freightliner dealers are unpredictable....some will work on your RV, some will not, apparently it's up to the dealer as to who they can service.  I've had one who would not say he would not work on a MH, but said we would be 15th in line, and it would probably be a couple of days.  Translation, "go away."

[rayin]

I hear you;  the Spartan website identifies a Spartan shop in Indianapolis, when I looked up the address on Google maps, it's in a housing sub-division in the city.

[five]

My local Freightliner dealer tried to charge me 10% of the total bill for "shop supplies."  She said it's the new owner's policy.  She finally said she could reduce it a little, and did.  The new owner is  Doggett....owns nine Freightliner dealers in AR and TX.  I don't much like mine....no appointments, no apparent method for sequencing drive ins, expensive, could not find the plug in the rear of the engine compartment to insert his computer (a $35 charge), not to well versed in trouble shooting (I ended up diagnosing one issue by standing in the shop and watching), if you drop the coach and wait, count on it being an all day experience.

https://www.doggettfreightliner.com/

[manholt]

RayIN.  The biggest problem with Spartan, you have to take coach to Factory if you absolutely want Spartan to service chassis...I take mine to Cummins.  Never had a Spartan or Freightliner chassis issue with Cummins service!  

[jleamont]

The reason most shops do not want to work on RV's isn't the coach configuration, its the clients. Once they hear its an RV, depending on the shop you could still be turned away. The same thing is happening at free boon docking spots i.e. Walmart, the few spoil it for the everyone. 

Shops do not want people standing over them suffocating their staff. The root of their business is commercial vehicles with deeper pockets, they have relationships with the fleets in their shops and the drivers just drop them and leave unless a quick fix item. They don't sit inside the truck for days while their staff has to work around them. If it's an Over the road tractor, the driver will get a rental car and hotel and come back once the tractor is ready.

Edited August 25, 2020 by jleamont

[rsbilledwards]

No doubt in my mind Joe is spot on. Most driver are likely one not really all that mechanical and many do not own their rigs...someone else is payin the bills, and just get out of the way.  Many RV owners have unreasonable expectations and subsequently over react when results do not match them. However, I think Configuration does figure in to the equation to some degree. Case in point, I had a catastrophic radiator failure a few years back and was hauled back to Pueblo, Colorado. The shop manager did not look happy until I showed him the access by lifting the bed exposing everything at once. Then showed him that removing two bolts the panel covering the radiator swung up and out of the way, he had a full grin on his face. The bill reflected the same at just over 900 bucks.

[hermanmullins]

One other thing fits into the equation. Those that refuse to work on RVs have had a irate owner raise HE double L when they found one spot of  grease or dirt in their RV.

When I am taking our coach in for service I will always cover everything I can to help the service tech do his or here job and not worry. I do appreciate them wearing foot protection just keep the carpet or flooring clean of grease or dirt. Cripes I catch HE double L from the DW when I don't clean my hands before going in the coach. That is why I don't let her pick up the coach from the shop. I will take the heat if something happens. I have several really good shops that do the work I can't.

Herman  

[rayin]

16 hours ago, manholt said:

RayIN.  The biggest problem with Spartan, you have to take coach to Factory if you absolutely want Spartan to service chassis...I take mine to Cummins.  Never had a Spartan or Freightliner chassis issue with Cummins service!  

That's right if you want a Spartan employee to do the work.

Spartan Motors has a listing of authorized service centers.I found the listing is not completely accurate. Cummins Coach Care, they service the chassis, drive-train and coach, with a 7 yrs  old limit I understand?.

Oddly enough, Freightliner of Indianapolis is an authorized Spartan chassis service center.

Edited August 25, 2020 by RayIN

[wildebill308]

6 hours ago, RayIN said:

Oddly enough, Freightliner of Indianapolis is an authorized Spartan chassis service center.

Not odd it just means they are authorized by Spartan not that they work for Spartan. One shop can be authorized by several manufactuers at the same time.

Bill 

[rayin]

9 minutes ago, WILDEBILL308 said:

Not odd it just means they are authorized by Spartan not that they work for Spartan. One shop can be authorized by several manufactuers at the same time.

Bill 

 I think it odd a Freightliner dealer works on a competing chassis.

[manholt]

Freightliner and Cummins is authorized to work on a Tiffin Power Glide chassis also...including Allison!  Sometimes it works out, sometimes not.

[TimeTraveler]

Western Star Freightliner here in Kingman is 180 bucks an hour and does nto get in a hurry bays are full of semi tractors but they do work on mh's

[hermanmullins]

Red River Truck is $114.00 per hour. I make an appointment take it in and can wait on it. Great service and great people. I have found that you always need to establish a relationship with the people that service your vehicle. 

Herman

[jleamont]

1 hour ago, hermanmullins said:

. I have found that you always need to establish a relationship with the people that service your vehicle. 

YES!! bring a couple of boxes of donuts and a box of coffee, food goes a along way with mechanics! Just remember once you set the bar you’ve set the bar.