[kustomkarl]

Hello,
I'm hoping to be Newell owner in the near future. In search of a P2000i era coach preferably with a C15,ZF,Mid Entry,Murphy bed,Multiplex controls. Hoping to learn as much as possible to make educated judgements as we search to find our new to us coach. Our current coach is a NRC conversion on a Freightliner Argosy truck chassis. It was built on a new truck in 2005 and currently has just over 50k miles on it, just barely broken in. It has served us well but we are hoping to upgrade to something with better craftsmanship but can still pull our 28' stacker (21k GVW). 

Thanks,
Karl

[Richard]

When you find your Newell, make sure you have PLENTY of hitch with regard to side forces. The combination of the three axle stacker and the steerable tag will put high forces on the hitch side to side in sharp turns.

[Gnawrocki1]

Welcome.

One concern that this brings up is overall length requirements.  I was under the impressions that in some states, 65' is the limit while others it is 70' or 75' depending if you have a CDL sometimes.

Is this an ignored law ...... unless you get in an accident?  

With a 28' stacker box, plus 5' tongue, plus 1' hitch overhang, on top of a 45' motorhome my math tells me that there is a problem lurking out there.

[kustomkarl]

When you find your Newell, make sure you have PLENTY of hitch with regard to side forces. The combination of the three axle stacker and the steerable tag will put high forces on the hitch side to side in sharp turns.

Thanks for the info, I hadn’t thought about that. The current rig is quite long between the rear axles and the hitch so it may induce a lot of load at the hitch in a turn. I’ll keep an eye on all the components in the hitch area.

[kustomkarl]

Welcome.

One concern that this brings up is overall length requirements.  I was under the impressions that in some states, 65' is the limit while others it is 70' or 75' depending if you have a CDL sometimes.

Is this an ignored law ...... unless you get in an accident?  

With a 28' stacker box, plus 5' tongue, plus 1' hitch overhang, on top of a 45' motorhome my math tells me that there is a problem lurking out there.

We’re at 76 ft now, and would go up a ft or so with a Newell in front. We are based in Wi, a 65ft state so I’m well versed in all the length regulations. So far no issues with the current setup. We can’t fit everything in a shorter length so we will have to just keep our fingers crossed.

[CaptainGizmo]

Hi Karl,

When you reply using a “Quote” from another poster, be sure you insert YOUR cursor to be OUTSIDE of that quoted comment. Otherwise your text gets intermingled and confusing.

Usually, that’s done easiest if you post YOUR reply BELOW that quote…outside of the box that surrounds it.

Hope that makes sense.

[DK on the road]

When you find your Newell, make sure you have PLENTY of hitch with regard to side forces. The combination of the three axle stacker and the steerable tag will put high forces on the hitch side to side in sharp turns.

Richard, I'm interested in buying a stacker, albeit a little shorter but 3 axles all the same. I know the Nascar teams pull stackers, has there been some history or problems noted after pulling a stacker? I always thought the design of the hitch and frame on our Newell's was about the strongest and stoutest compared to Prevost and other high end Coaches. Your thoughts are appreciated.

[DK on the road]

Hello,
I'm hoping to be Newell owner in the near future. In search of a P2000i era coach preferably with a C15,ZF,Mid Entry,Murphy bed,Multiplex controls. Hoping to learn as much as possible to make educated judgements as we search to find our new to us coach. Our current coach is a NRC conversion on a Freightliner Argosy truck chassis. It was built on a new truck in 2005 and currently has just over 50k miles on it, just barely broken in. It has served us well but we are hoping to upgrade to something with better craftsmanship but can still pull our 28' stacker (21k GVW). 

Thanks,
Karl

Karl, I own a coach like you're interested in, except for a few details. I'm not selling, but thought I'd give you my 2 cents.

Some people love, and some hate the ZF trans behind the C15. The plus: its uses 12 gears to keep the engine in a perfect powerband at all times. It really on uses the upper 9 gears. 1st and 2nd are used for pulling out of your shop or the boat out of the lake. You have to manually chose 1 & 2. So, it starts off in 3rd and typically skips 4th and 6th gears if you take off lightly and not starting out up a hill or freeway onramp. Going downhill, like 6% grades, at 65K lbs, it will do 65mph with the full jake on. The Coach runs a little cooler uphill, since the Transmission isn't cooled at the radiator and doesn't need to be cooled, since it's all straight cut gears and no torque converter heating up. The downside, you feel each shift as the coach hesitates at each shift, its not smooth like my Allison was. I love my C15, but don't be concerned out MPG's

Newels, being a Monocoque chassis are far more quitter and helps keep the interior components in place and less abused vs my previous motorhome mounted on a frame, in my prior Class A. 

Good luck with search. I think you'll be happier with Newell.

[Richard]

Dave,

I base my comments on three pieces of data. The first is I saw a failed 20k hitch on a Newell pulling a stacker. The person had installed a commercially available wheeled device between the stacker and the coach in order to reduce the hitch weight of the stacker. When looking closely at the weld failure with the hitch supports attach to the engine subframe, it was very clear the weld failed from side forces. When you look at the vertical supports that the hitch is attached onto, there is NOTHING to resist side force. Some gussets would help tremendously.

The other two data points, both Newell, were failed tow vehicle base plate failures. Both obviously failed from side forces. Both were raised Jeeps with oversize tires.

My generic conclusion is that the exaggerated tail swing driven by the steerable tag, puts a sideways force in low speed maneuvers that may not have been considered in the original design.

This is my opinion, and I am just suggesting that one should at least be aware of the potential.

[DK on the road]

Dave,

I base my comments on three pieces of data. The first is I saw a failed 20k hitch on a Newell pulling a stacker. The person had installed a commercially available wheeled device between the stacker and the coach in order to reduce the hitch weight of the stacker. When looking closely at the weld failure with the hitch supports attach to the engine subframe, it was very clear the weld failed from side forces. When you look at the vertical supports that the hitch is attached onto, there is NOTHING to resist side force. Some gussets would help tremendously.

The other two data points, both Newell, were failed tow vehicle base plate failures. Both obviously failed from side forces. Both were raised Jeeps with oversize tires.

My generic conclusion is that the exaggerated tail swing driven by the steerable tag, puts a sideways force in low speed maneuvers that may not have been considered in the original design.

This is my opinion, and I am just suggesting that one should at least be aware of the potential.

I always respect your input and thoughts.

 I found a trailer that has air bags for each axle and can be independently deflated. Unfortunately, all the switches are in the trailer, so as to facilitate low profile vehicle loading. It sounds like the trick would be to allow me, the driver, to deflate at least 1 if not 2 axles while doing tighter maneuvering like some Provost drivers do on their tag axles. I now have another project to conquer.