[encantotom]

i had air in the coach so didnt need it from the towtruck, so i dont know if they could have provided it or not. i suspect that the trailer could have handled the size of our 45'rs but dont know that for sure either. the rollers on the back were to prevent damage from tilting it and it did get close to riding on the roller for a brief period of time.

sorry, not much more help than that.

tom

[rheavn]

Here is the style trailer that was used to tow my Country Coach on one occasion. It will carry 80,000 lbs and any size bus. The gooseneck detaches and you load it from the front--so the bus sits backwards. Once loaded the truck reattaches the gooseneck and off you go. Loading & unloading is fairly quick.

http://www.traileze.com/TE80DG-BUS.html

[RussWhite]

In both still pictures with buses, it appears each would have needed their own power to get loaded - not always an option I'm sure.

We have Tom's experience with his forty footer and short distance ride. Do we have any members that have had their 45 towed that would care to chime in? Thanks - Russ

[HoosierDaddy]

My Newell 45' was towed from New Mexico to Michigan before I bought it. They ran an airline from the tow truck to the engine bay on the newell. After removing the air lines from the solenoid blocks they plumbed the air line in. I'm not sure what they did with the brakes.

[rheavn]

When they towed my Country Coach they had to winch it up. They connected an air line to the air system to put air in the system. On a Country Coach the air connector was in front. On a Newell it is in the back, which makes accessibility less convenient. The process for loading a Newell would be the same as my 40' Country Coach. The detachable front gooseneck type low boy is the best tow option for a Newell in my opinion.

[Express1]

Here is the style trailer that was used to tow my Country Coach on one occasion. It will carry 80,000 lbs and any size bus. The gooseneck detaches and you load it from the front--so the bus sits backwards. Once loaded the truck reattaches the gooseneck and off you go. Loading & unloading is fairly quick.

http://www.traileze.com/TE80DG-BUS.html

Excellent information..

[Johnc]

My best guess is that 98% of late model Newell's needing a tow, are towed by lifting the front axle. Late model Newell coaches average around 13' 2" in height at the top of the roof A/C's. You may gain three to six inches in clearance by lowering the travel height and reducing tire pressures, but transport via trailer is still difficult given the minimum height for overpasses in the US is only 13' 6". Trailering can also add to the towing mileage costs, as the tow driver uses alternate routes to avoid overpasses less than 16' in height.

Because Newell Coach uses off-the shelf heavy duty truck components, most heavy duty tow truck operators are well versed on caging spring brakes, adding airlines, removing drive shafts or drive axles, etc. You may need to show them the air fittings in the right rear engine compartment, or they may choose instead to splice into the system somewhere else.

One of the most important things the coach owner can do is to make certain during the initial phone call to the tow operator that they absolutely understand that this is no ordinary RV, that it is larger and weighs more than than most commercial busses, and that it is over 13 feet in height. You might also want to confirm that they are sending a heavy duty dual rear axle (tandem) tow truck with a tire lift capable of lifting/handling a 20K pound front axle and tires. I can't begin to count the number of times a second truck had to be sent, or another tow operator found, because the first truck they sent was too small to do the job. Many towing companies have a misconception that all RV's are Winnebago types, and have a hard time understanding that there are 45 foot, million dollar plus, luxury coaches out there, weighing more than commercial transit buses. As the saying goes, "fun flys when your doing time", especially when sitting on the shoulder of a busy highway.

Bottom line- Newell's 24 hour emergency technical support phone line is staffed by Newell Coach service coordinators and service managers with many many years of Newell Coach experience. If you have an emergency and need technical support, they will be more than happy to assist you. If the on-call person is tied up, I am the backup person, but hopefully the next time we talk, it will be about Newell's and the weather, not about being stuck along side the road

[rheavn]

Thanks Chuck,
It is great to know that Newell has our back. It is why I tell people my coach was free---I paid for the 24/7 service.

[Fulltiming]

John, we appreciate your insight. I concur that Newell's 24-hour hotline is worth its weight in gold. I have only needed it once and it was there for me. Your staff got me going again on a Friday night and gave me the knowledge to do the total fix the next morning.

[djimellis]

I know this is a question that only comes up when you have a problem.

i thought it would be a good discussion on how to have your newell towed. i recognize that the different vintages and sizes of newells may have different optimum ways, but i thought we should have some ideas shared so others can find them easily.

i had my 1990 38' no tag towed when i had engine problems. they used a super big flatbed rig and used a winch to pull it up on the flatbed. they had to put a wheel in the trailer hitch to help it roll since it would have totally drug on the ground at the rear when they were tilting it as they pulled it up on the flatbed.

please others please share what you know to be the procedure for towing your coach.

thanks

tom

I have had my 1987 40' towed twice. Once from the front, which the wrecker company said was very difficult because of the "Hush Box" for the generator, which hangs down low and got in the way of the axle lifting mechanism. The second time it was towed from the rear as I had damaged the gears when I got stuck. Both times the tow trucks were triple axle rigs designed for towing semi's. They both said I should ask for a flat bed trailer if possible, much faster to load and no stress on the coach. Hope this helps.