Spartan factory for service

[ron]

Anyone ever go to the Michigan spartan factory for service? Are the
service charges competitive? Happy with the service? What can I
expect?

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[Bernie Dobrin]

Ron

Whenever we are in the area, we try and schedule service at the Spartan
factory. The quality is tops, prices are reasonable and they know your
coach's chassis. If you are a member of the Spartan Chassis
International Chapter of FMCA, there will be a Homecoming rally and
factory service week, with special pricing on service and parts, June 7-10.

Bernie Dobrin/AZ
We Travel Supreme in our '02 TSDP, pulling an '06 Chevy HHR
If you tow, it must be PressurePro
Home is Goodyear, AZ

[Charlie Kendrick]

There's no better place tio have your Spartan chassis serviced.

They conduct a fair in Charlotte in June with classes, chassis service
and offer discounts on parts. Contact Kim at Spartan for details.

We took our coach (a 2001 Travel Supreme on Mountain Master chassis)
there last fall and when we drove away it was like new.

Cheers,

Charlie

[Steven Adams]

Only had a warrantee repair done there, but they were great. Very
accommodating!

Steve

[Tow...@aol.com]

Spartan is a good company.  Run by humans.  Humans make mistakes.  Although this does not say much, I attended many rallies at Spartan and they really seemed to enjoy taking care of their customers.  They take great care of their employees which means that someone has to pay.  Some of us contribute "to the cause" but I personally chose by the jingle in my pocket at the time and convenience which I feel is valuable.  Because the Spartan phone tecks have talked me out of some serious problems AT NO CHARGE, I feel compelled to draw business their way.

 

Depending on what you are trying to achieve...  New brakes and drums.  A set shipped from Spartan is the best part of $3,000.  My mechanic provided parts and labor in Roanoke VA for $1,000.  He came to me in a great parking lot where I stayed for 2-3 days, enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the company of a few other RV travelers who enjoy boon docking.  The locals stopped by for some great conversation and 2 of the stores had open Wi-Fi.  What else could one ask for?

 

Rich

 

 

 

In a message dated 4/30/2010 8:14:57 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, capt...@verizon.net writes:

Anyone ever go to the Michigan spartan factory for service?  Are the
service charges competitive?  Happy with the service?  What can I
expect?

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[Nick & Jeanne Schermer]

Rich, my brakes make a screeching sound when braking and when I put tires on they said the brakes looked good? I'm wondering if it maybe the drums?

 

---------------------
Nick

---

From: "Tow...@aol.com" <Tow...@aol.com>
To: travelsupreme_...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sat, May 1, 2010 5:33:44 AM
Subject: Re: Spartan factory for service

[Bernie Dobrin]

On 5/1/2010 6:36 AM, Nick & Jeanne Schermer wrote:
> my brakes make a screeching sound when braking and when I put tires on
> they said the brakes looked good? I'm wondering if it maybe the drums?

Nick

Your brakes have an adhesive compound in them which, as the brakes warm
up, rise to the surface of the brakes. If you do not use you brakes
enough and without enough pressure (relying too much on your
exhaust/engine compression brake), that adhesive forms a film on the
brake surface. That film can cause the screeching and, over time,
reduces your braking capacity. Try doing some driving without your brake
assist and use the regular brakes longer and harder. You may be able to
wear off that film.

Bernie Dobrin/AZ
Traveling Supreme towing our Chevy HHR
If you tow, you must have PressurePro
Back home in Goodyear, AZ

[Charlie Kendrick]

On May 1, 2010, at 6:33 AM, Tow...@aol.com wrote:

Spartan is a good company.  Run by humans.  Humans make mistakes.  That is why I test drive my rig before paying the bill.  It doesn't catch all mistakes but it has for me.  Although this does not say much, I attended many rallies at Spartan and they really seemed to enjoy taking care of their customers.  They take great care of their employees which means that someone has to pay.  Some of us contribute "to the cause" but I personally chose by the jingle in my pocket at the time and convenience which I feel is valuable.  Because the Spartan phone tecks have talked me out of some serious problems AT NO CHARGE, I feel compelled to draw business their way.

 

Depending on what you are trying to achieve...  New brakes and drums.  A set shipped from Spartan is the best part of $3,000.  My mechanic provided parts and labor in Roanoke VA for $1,000. 

With cars, due to the weight transfer to the front when the brakes are applied, most of the braking action comes from the front.  Could someone change the front brake shoes and drums first and save the rears until another year of time?  Thus applying the expense where needed, not to the entire braking system.  I'm interested in reading other opinions.

He came to me in a great parking lot where I stayed for 2-3 days, enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the company of a few other RV travelers who enjoy boon docking.  The locals stopped by for some great conversation and 2 of the stores had open Wi-Fi.  What else could one ask for?  How lucky was that?

 

Rich

 

 

 

In a message dated 4/30/2010 8:14:57 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, capt...@verizon.net writes:

Anyone ever go to the Michigan spartan factory for service?  Are the
service charges competitive?  Happy with the service?  What can I
expect?

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[JDB...@aol.com]

Thanks, Bernie.  I learned something new today.  I rely too much on the Jake brake.

 

Thanks,

 

JD. Bruhn

2008 Envoy

2005 Saturn Vue

Pressure Pro 

[Tow...@aol.com]

I had my "look like new" brakes and drums replaced as they were glazed and hair line cracked.  This is incredibly common on these rigs when/after used by those who don't use the Jake or assist brake MOSTLY.  Other than city, I rarely use my foot brake.

 

By the way, my braking quality doubled after the replacement.  I had no idea that these rigs could stop!  (almost a ha ha!)

Rich

 

PS:  The man in Roanoke VA is Marcus Hardman  Marcch...@aol.com

 

 

In a message dated 5/1/2010 9:36:51 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, njsch...@yahoo.com writes:

Rich, my brakes make a screeching sound when braking and when I put tires on they said the brakes looked good? I'm wondering if it maybe the drums?

 

---------------------
Nick

---

From: "Tow...@aol.com" <Tow...@aol.com>
To: travelsupreme_...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sat, May 1, 2010 5:33:44 AM
Subject: Re: Spartan factory for service

Spartan is a good company.  Run by humans.  Humans make mistakes.  Although this does not say much, I attended many rallies at Spartan and they really seemed to enjoy taking care of their customers.  They take great care of their employees which means that someone has to pay.  Some of us contribute "to the cause" but I personally chose by the jingle in my pocket at the time and convenience which I feel is valuable.  Because the Spartan phone tecks have talked me out of some serious problems AT NO CHARGE, I feel compelled to draw business their way.

 

Depending on what you are trying to achieve...  New brakes and drums.  A set shipped from Spartan is the best part of $3,000.  My mechanic provided parts and labor in Roanoke VA for $1,000.  He came to me in a great parking lot where I stayed for 2-3 days, enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the company of a few other RV travelers who enjoy boon docking.  The locals stopped by for some great conversation and 2 of the stores had open Wi-Fi.  What else could one ask for?

 

Rich

 

 

 

In a message dated 4/30/2010 8:14:57 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, capt...@verizon.net writes:

Anyone ever go to the Michigan spartan factory for service?  Are the
service charges competitive?  Happy with the service?  What can I
expect?

--
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[Bernie Dobrin]

On 5/1/2010 10:57 AM, Tow...@aol.com wrote:

I had my "look like new" brakes and drums replaced as they were glazed and hair line cracked.  This is incredibly common on these rigs when/after used by those who don't use the Jake or assist brake MOSTLY.  Other than city, I rarely use my foot brake.

Rich

I am confused (easy). Are you saying that using the Jake Brake increases the likelihood of glazing or not using the Jake Brake increases the likelihood? Every Spartan seminar that I have attended, brake glazing was always attributed to over reliance on the Jake Brake.

Bernie Dobrin/AZ
Traveling Supreme towing our Chevy HHR
If you tow, you must have PressurePro
Back home in Goodyear, AZ

[Tow...@aol.com]

Using the JAKE eliminates excessive brake and drum wear.  The JAKE causes braking without any use of friction in shoes/pads/drums.  I use JAKE for 90+% of my braking.  It does not take much to get use to.

 

Rich

[Bernie Dobrin]

Rick

Brakes are probably the least replaced item on DPs. Brake shoes are
cheaper than engine repairs (you cannot say that the engine compression
programming doesn't increase engine wear). Underused brake shoes glaze
and would need to be replaced before the brakes are worn out. I have
over 100,000 miles on my coach and more than 50% of my brake material
remain.

Bernie Dobrin/AZ
We Travel Supreme in our '02 TSDP, pulling an '06 Chevy HHR
If you tow, it must be PressurePro

Home is Goodyear, AZ

[Tow...@aol.com]

Use the engine brake as much as possible.  When using the break pads, use in short hard spurts.  This is how truck driving training schools teach.  Do not allow to heat via long (which is long because of light usage) application.  100,000 miles on one of these rigs is little to nothing.  Consider how an unused generator ages.  These engines are designed for usage.  Most of the RV rigs do not get near enough use to get the life that they should get, out of them.  Mine are no exception.  The brakes are not like engines that "loose if you don't use" (not referring to not using at all, naturally :)  My dump truck and crane love to be used.  That is my take on it.  Rich

[trau...@aol.com]

Heck I wish that Jake brake switch was on the smart wheel !!

j

-----Original Message-----
From: Bernie Dobrin <ber...@dobrin.com>
To: travelsupreme_...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sat, May 1, 2010 2:37 pm
Subject: Re: Spartan factory for service

[SWil...@aol.com]

Well you can expect great service, great overnight hookups, nice waiting room while service is being done,

good restaurants around the area!  but most of all you will have your service done by experts who know your Spartan Chassis better then anyone else in the country.  as for their pricing for service I never had work done anywhere else so can't compare. Scott