Volume XII - Country Coach

Volume XII
Twelfth Edition
Welcome to spring in Junction City, Oregon!!! Finally, the flowers are
blooming and the grass is growing. We had a serious winter this year; the
deep freeze has killed many of the plants around the factory. One of the
casualties was the palm tree in the parking lot; another is the hedge along
the entry driveway.
An article in a recent club newsletter about Country Coach Corporations’ support or lack of the owners clubs got me to thinking, as you know
if and when we resume manufacturing, donations to the clubs become a large part of our advertising program. I try to help out with logo apparel as much as I can but as you know, there
are eleven clubs who have two or three rallies per year, which are potentially thirty or so rallies. As you may or may not know, I direct all of the earnings of the current operation toward
hiring the best Country Coach techs and parts people I can find. The rest goes toward the EB5
funding program; because my primary goal is to restart manufacturing. I pay none of it to myself for rent of my property or a salary for myself. My focus is on having the best parts and
service operation for you Country Coach owners as possible. I believe that is what is most important to you, not spending our income on rallies, at this time.
All this brings me to the point of my discussion, we have a motor home sales department
and those sales are an important part of our program. Something you can be sure of when you
buy a Country Coach from us is that we know these coaches better than anyone. When we
bring them in, we go over them thoroughly to be sure they have all those issues taken care of
that used coaches can have, you know like leaking radiators, dry spline PTO and leaking slide
rooms just to name a few. Other dealers just ignore or cover them up, and you get a surprise
later.
Another thing I would like to bring up at this time is those dealers advertising 2011, 2012
and 2013 Country Coaches? There are no such things. The last coaches built and finished by
Country Coach were 2010s. Those that you hear about are unfinished units left over from the
bankruptcy sale that were purchased and finished in some back yard operation, buyer beware!
They are “counterfeit”. All Country Coaches built at the factory were built to Oregon State
and RVIA (Recreation Vehicle Industry Association) fire life and safety standards, these are
not. We have had owners who have bought them and then call us
for parts or schematics and they do not match up with the records
we have. Legally they can not even be called a Country Coach,
DMV seems to be titling them just off the chassis VIN number,
they don’t know better. I would be very suspicious of the ethics of
any dealer trying to sell one.
Excellence by Design
Ron Lee
Pres/CEO Country Coach Corporation
2
President’s Welcome
VIN and Insignia Information
Here is a little education on VINs and Insignias.
The VIN or Vehicle Identification Number should be located
on the chassis of every coach when the chassis was built not
when the coach was finished. The tenth character in a Country Coach VIN tells you the model year of the coach. For example, at the
Country Coach, LLC Bankruptcy auction, a 50% complete Affinity was sold.
Its vehicle identification number was 4U7DAFE10A1050044. The A is in the
tenth position and indicates a 2010 model year. If they decided to call it a
2012 Model Year, you could tell that were not true by the tenth position character in the VIN. Here are all of the Country Coach VIN model year tenth
position designators:
P = 1993
R = 1994
S = 1995
T = 1996
V = 1997
W = 1998
X = 1999
Y = 2000
1 = 2001
2 = 2002
3 = 2003
4 = 2004
5 = 2005
6 = 2006
7 = 2007
8 = 2008
9 = 2009
A = 2010
All genuine Country Coach Motorhomes have two insignias located close to
the coach entry door as pictured here:
3
President’s Welcome
VIN and Insignia Information
The State of Oregon Building Codes Division Insignia is located on top (blue
color). Note the “C-52” printed on the lower right corner of the insignia
(Manufactures ID number). The C-52 is the unique manufacturers ID number
assigned to Country Coach. Any other number on a Country Coach tells you
that the coach is counterfeit. This Oregon Insignia indicates that this genuine
Country Coach is certified by the State of Oregon as in compliance with RV
safety building codes and standards enforced by the state.
Below the Oregon Insignia is the RVIA Insignia. All genuine Country Coach
motorhomes display this RVIA Insignia telling you that the coach has been
approved by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association for safety code compliance.
Speaking of codes and standards, it is worth noting that Ron Lee, President
and CEO of Country Coach, served on the RVIA Standards Steering Committee for 15 years. David Diamond, Chief Operators Officer of Country Coach
served on numerous RVIA Technical Code Committees as well as the Standards Steering Committee from 1983 until 2009. It is this level of industry
participation in safety codes and standards that makes a genuine Country
Coach Motorhome the best in the industry.
In 2006, David Diamond was bestowed with the RVIA Outstanding Codes and
Standards Service Achievement Award for his many years of participation on
the multiple RVIA Codes and Standards Committees. This award was presented to David in Washington DC during a Standards Steering Committee
Meeting by the President of RVIA, Richard Coon.
4
President’s Welcome
Message from David Hyde in Sales
2008 45’ Magna #6901M
Everything is custom on this ‘08 Magna Rembrandt floorplan. Custom interior, King bed,
PowerTech 12.0 kw Quiet generator, 600HP
Cummins. Full tile floor and custom styled
window boxes compliment the rich Walnut
woods and cathedral arch cabinetry.
2006 40’ Affinity #6632A
Another beautifully unique Country Coach
with a custom interior and Walnut wood.
Sculptured carpet, custom built cabinet in
the A side, flush mount windows, new
batteries and a 525HP Cat engine, make
this coach an absolute dream to drive
and exudes pride of ownership.
2006 40’ Magna #6539M
Hello again from Country Coach Sales!
Natural earth tones, light cherry wood,
stain glass inserts are just a few of the nice
amenities that make this coach absolutely
gorgeous! It comes with electric Vienna
shades, decorative tile inserts, washer/
dryer, radiant floor heat, 525HP Cat and 4
slides! This coach truly has it all for a relaxed and worry free RV experience!
We made it through a very trying winter and boy it is great to actually have sun
and heat at the same time! Sales have been picking up nicely moving into the
spring and early summer season and I know many of you out there are making
plans for the busy coming season and part of the plan is upgrading your current
coach. Maybe more storage, longer, more slides or maybe just an upgrade to your
electronics. This brings me to my message for today. All of our consignment sales
coaches have been through our shop and a complete Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI)
report has been generated for the current owner to advise him of the items that
need to be fixed before we offer the coach for sale.
5
Consignment Sales
Message from David Hyde in Sales
Our technicians are the best in the industry and I assure you anything that is not
right with the coach will be found and the issues addressed before the coach is consigned. Our techs are true professionals and very good at what they do, which
means if you buy a coach from us, you not only know that the coach has been
checked out but the same techs will give you a “walk-through” of your new coach
to ensure that all systems are working and you know how to operate them.
Also they will have valuable knowledge and information about your coach in
case something does go wrong down the road and we can help you get back up and
running again. Our parts people are exceptional and they stand ready to assist you
with any need no matter where you are in the country.
There are many dealers and private parties out there selling Country Coaches.
The reality is there is only one place for sales, parts and service that is owned and
operated by one of the founders and most of the employees actually had a hand in
building your coach.
Check our website, we have a great selection and if you’re looking for a reliable
and dependable Country Coach, come to where it all started and continues today.
We sell them, service them and have parts for them! So come visit us in Junction
City and have a great spring!
David Hyde,
Sales Department
6
Consignment Sales
This 1988 SE Country Coach is owned by Mike and Sandy Peterson.
Excellence by Design
Ron Lee
So
nice to see a classic 32’ Country Coach in our shop, still looking good
President/CEO
and
running
Many of our employees remember working on this
Country
Coachgreat.
Corporation
coach when it was being built. And Ron Lee came up with the original
exterior design. So cool to see!
7
Owner Spotlight
Just a few comments from our service
surveys...
Zack King has great people skills as
well as an intimate knowledge of LED
lights. He deserves to be treated well
by CC.
Kevin and John were great. We
found John to be very knowledgeable
and Kevin’s response to questions
was timely and complete.
Thank you,
Thank you,
Billy Stephens
Henry Riter
Daniel Emanuel is very knowledgeable, personable with good communication skills. Arlene is a very good representative of Country Coach.
Zach was our tech this trip. Brett
was our tech the time before in November. Both of these techs, I feel
are very good.
Very happy with
them!
Thank you,
Thanks,
Jim Kemp
Larry and Linda Hougen
Andy was so great. He was very
knowledgeable and so good to listen,
write down all our needs and gave us
so much information.
P.S. We have always had great service
every time we have brought our coach
in. The staff is great, and we feel like
family when we come in.
Thanks so much,
And thanks to all of you for
being such wonderful return
customers! We truly appreciate all of you and always
look forward to seeing folks
come in !
Tom Vogel
8
Testimonials
Update from our Accounting Department
First Quarter 2014 Country Coach Corporation
We are off to a great start this year, though the first two months were a bit
slow, we are in full gear now and our schedule is quickly growing. We are planning on our sales volumes to increase in all departments.
We invite you to come visit us in Oregon just to say hello, or to enjoy the
quality workmanship, family atmosphere, and accommodating experiences our
customers have come to expect here at Country Coach Corporation. We hope
that you will continue to join our efforts to improve both your investment and
ours during 2014.
CONSIGNMENT
APPAREL
PARTS
SERVICE
MANUFACTURING
A Graph of 1st Qtr 2014 Departmental Sales
9
Accounting
Just spotted in Seattle:
Motorhome towing a small car with this sign in back window says
"I'm a good car, I go where I'm towed to go."- Seattle Times
Sandra Hart
Accounting Manager
Country Coach Corporation
10
Accounting
Ring, Ring, Ring!
CCC Call Report
The First Quarter of 2014 has flown by with lots of you
folks calling for parts, service and sales. House parts had
1269 calls while chassis parts answered 915 calls. The
Technical Support department was busy as always with
1663 calls. Sales had 376 calls and service had a total of
199 calls. That makes a grand total of 4422 calls for this
year so far. Thank you all for calling in and supporting us!
11
Accounting
Employee Spotlight
Jenni Emanuel
House Parts
Jenni Emanuel has worked at Country Coach for many years, starting out in
the Quality Control department of Country Coach in 2000 before moving to the
parts department in 2004. Jenni answers emails and phone calls in the House Parts
Department. House Parts covers lighting and plumbing features, fiberglass body
parts and all other parts not associated with Chassis Parts.
Her husband, John, also works at Country Coach as one of our service technicians. They have three boys. The oldest one just finished his basic training in
the army. After work, Jenni stays busy with her boys’ sports and enjoys spending
time with her family. They love camping, hunting and fishing. If you need house
parts in the future, give her a call.
If you have called or visited Country Coach in the past, you may have talked
to her. Thanks, Jenni!
12
Employee Spotlight
Tech Support Department
Q. The brake lights on my tow car are very dim, and it is difficult to distinguish them from
the taillights, especially during the daylight hours. What can I do to make them brighter?
A. Dim tow car lighting such as the brake and turn signals is often caused by a grounding
problem or large voltage drop between the power source for the affected light – usually at the
front of the coach - and the light itself. Also to be considered are damaged connectors on the
tow hookup cord and poor wiring modifications to the coach or tow car.
If a close inspection of the tow hookup cord, and receptacles on both the coach and tow car
reveal no damaged wiring or contacts, then the next item to check is the grounding. With the
tow car connected electrically to the coach via the hookup cord, but with the tow bar disconnected, have an assistant turn on the headlights in the coach and engage the brakes. Using a
basic multi-meter, measure the DC voltage between the battery ground terminal on the tow car,
and a clean bare metal surface on the chassis framework of the coach. A reading higher than
1.0 volts DC would indicate that a significant grounding problem exists, and this may be
caused by dirty contacts or corroded wiring at either end of the hookup cord and vehicle tow
receptacles. Additionally, check the other end of the ground wire that is connected to the tow
car receptacle to ensure that it is securely fastened to a clean bare metal surface on the tow car
body. This connection is usually made in the engine compartment of the tow car, within a few
feet from the receptacle. If the voltage measurement is about 6 volts DC or higher, your tow
cord hookup installation may not include a ground circuit! In this case, the tow bar is typically
used to provide the ground connection between the coach and the tow car. This is a poor quality ground connection that often causes the lights on the tow car to flicker while in transit. This
example of poor wiring practice should be corrected at the earliest opportunity.
Grounding problems aside, another big enemy to bright tow car lighting is voltage drops.
Voltage drops can also be caused by poor electrical connections, but in the case of the power
wires for the brake and turn signals, the voltage drop is more often caused by long wire runs
(from the front of the coach to the rear of the tow car), and excessive use of diodes from the
tow wiring installation, which will drop the voltage by about 0.5 volts every time they are
used. Multiple diodes used in series (not uncommon…), can reduce the voltage by several
volts which together with the voltage drop caused by the long wire run from the brake switch
in the steering compartment of your coach, may result in a terminal voltage at the brake light bulbs that is 8 volts or lower!
The solution for this problem is to use a relay circuit located at
the rear of the coach, to switch battery voltage directly to the
lights on the tow car, when the brakes or turn signals are applied. All 2002 and newer Country Coach models include a
dedicated controller for this very purpose and this controller is
readily configurable - via a jumper located on the circuit board
- for amber or red turn signals on the tow car. This controller is
available for installation on earlier coaches however care must
be taken to ensure that it is protected from water spray and road
13
Tech/Service
Tech Support Department
grime. A better alternative for earlier coaches is to use three commonly available, single pole,
double throw relays in place of the aforementioned controller, or to replace any tow signal converter that may be lurking behind your rear bumper from a previous tow installation. These
tow signal converters typically cause a voltage reduction of about 1.2 volts and therefore often
contribute to the problem we are dealing with.
Contact our Technical Support Department at (541) 234-2167 for more information on our
tow controller, or for a wiring diagram and procedure to hook up the aforementioned relays.
Q. Why will my coach not maintain cruise speed when climbing grades or overpasses?
A. With the continually increasing power and torque available in modern cars and sport utility
vehicles etc., many of us have become accustomed to our vehicles effortlessly maintaining
cruise control speed when climbing even relatively steep grades. Motorcoaches have also experienced continual improvements in engine performance and it is natural to assume for example that an Affinity with a Caterpillar C12 rated at 505HP and 1550 lb/ft of torque should effortlessly power your coach up almost any grade.
In reality, however, we must remember that a luxury diesel powered motorcoach may easily
weigh over 40,000 lbs and this weight, while not a significant factor when driving on level
ground, does become a significant load on your engine when climbing a grade. We should also
remember that the turbo diesel engine in your motorcoach only has an optimum torque/
horsepower range of about 400 rpm – 600 rpm compared to that of modern gasoline powered
vehicles at up to 5000 rpm.
You might think that heavy trucks seem more capable of maintaining cruise speed than
your motorcoach however, any truck that is coming close to staying with your coach on a
grade is probably running lightly loaded or empty, and certainly not maintaining speed with the
cruise control. With any loaded truck/trailer, ascending a grade will keep the driver busy utilizing the clutch and the gear shift in order to keep the diesel engine in it’s power band.
To summarize, it is normal to lose some cruise speed on slight grades such as overpasses
etc. If optimizing your top speed ascending a steeper grade is your priority, you can use some
of the trucker’s “tools of the trade to assist you”. Try disabling the cruise control when approaching a steeper grade,
taking over control of the throttle pedal yourself. As you begin your climb, note the point at which you are required to apply full throttle to the engine and then manually downshift the
coach to a lower gear, such as 4th. This manual override will
enable the transmission to downshift earlier in the ascent and
will optimize the help that the engine can give you to get over
the hill. Of course, when you are able to pick up enough
speed to leave your selected gear range, you will need to
manually upshift the transmission or return it to “Drive”.
14
Tech/Service
Battery Charging—Shore Versus Generator
Q. I have heard that it takes much longer to charge batteries on generator power than on shore power. Is this true?
A.
This is generally true however poor quality or overloaded shore power will also
dramatically increase your charge time. Making a factual statement such as this is
easy but explaining the logic behind it is another matter entirely. Those of you that are
electrically challenged may want to grab a strong cup of coffee for the following explanation!
If you have ever measured the AC voltage at your convenience outlets, using a basic multimeter, or simple plug in meter while on shore power, you should ideally obtain
a reading of about 120 volts. This reading may vary a little depending on the quality
of your shore power hook up and how heavily it is loaded however, it should remain
relatively stable, with only minor fluctuations in the voltage measurement.
The voltage you would read on your meter is an ‘averaged’ reading and works well
for most purposes however, to answer your question we have no choice but to delve
into some basic AC theory… Let’s take a look at the graph below;
+165 Volts
Peak
120 Volts
RMS
0 Volts
1/60sec
-165 Volts
Peak
The voltage reading that would normally be displayed on your meter when measuring the AC voltage at your convenience outlets is called the ‘Root Mean Square’ voltage which is typically abbreviated to ‘RMS’ voltage or simply Vrms. This is represented by the blue line on the graph. In reality, the voltage at your outlets is actually
alternating between the ‘peak’ voltages of +165 Volts and -165 Volts, at a rate of sixty
times per second or sixty hertz (60Hz). This is represented by the red line on the
graph above, which shows a single ‘cycle’ at 1/60sec. This waveform is called a ‘sine
wave’ and all AC power should ideally look identical to this.
15
Tech/Service
Battery Charging—Shore Versus Generator
Now let’s take a look at how the inverter/charger in your coach
charges the batteries!
Most ‘loads’ that you would connect to your outlets such as
lights, heaters, TVs and VCRs etc. use the entire waveform
shown in the graph above to produce their respective light,
heat or provide power to their internal electronic circuitry. This is not true of all loads
however and the charger circuitry in your Heart, Trace or Invertrix inverter/charger is
one such exception.
While charging the batteries, the charger remains off until the voltage has risen
above a certain threshold level, (this level will vary but let’s assume it is 120 volts for
this explanation). Once the voltage has increased to this level, the charger will turn
itself on, and proceed to charge the batteries. The charger remains on as the voltage
‘peaks’ to 165 volts, and begins to decrease until it once again crosses the threshold
level, at which point, the charger will turn itself off again. The shaded area on the
graph, shows how much of the AC waveform the charger uses to charge the batteries,
and you can actually listen to the charger rapidly switching itself on and off, by tuning
your radio to a weak AM station while charging the batteries. Does that buzzing
sound familiar?
Since the charger only uses the upper portion of the AC waveform to charge the
batteries, it represents a load that is heavily dependant on peak AC voltage for proper
operation and, its output will be considerably reduced if the peak voltage drops for any
reason. This can occur on shore power if you are parked in a busy campground with
many people running their air conditioners or heaters, but is more pronounced on generator power since, the waveform produced is not as clean as that shown above and
becomes worse as the generator is loaded down with air conditioners and other loads.
Another load that is heavily dependant on peak power is your microwave. You might
observe slightly increased cooking times on generator power however, cooking times
on inverter power can almost double especially as your batteries become discharged.
There are other variables involved such as power factor losses etc. however, some
factual sacrifices must be made to keep this explanation simple. In short, shore and
generator power are not equal, and charging batteries on generator power can take
up to twice the amount of time required to charge them on shore power, depending on
what loads you have running such as air conditioners or heaters etc. ***
16
Tech/Service
Pre and Post Trip Inspections
By Kevin Kiscoan
It’s well known that a pre-trip inspection is an important part of traveling, but do you have a
true checklist or do you rely on your memory? Technology today provides us information at
our fingertips, and yes, there is even an app for pre-trip inspections, but for me, nothing beats a
good old fashioned paper copy checklist. If you search for it online, you should find some
good generic pre-trip checklists, but to gain a list that is accurate to your year/model Country
Coach, I’m going to refer you to section one of your coach owner house user’s guide.
Nothing can discount the importance of a pre-trip inspection, i.e., making sure the compartment doors are latched tightly, TV antenna has been stowed and the tow vehicle is secured,
etc., a post trip inspection is just as important, plus it can save you time when you are ready to
hit the road. As most of us know, finding a problem discovered during your pre-flight inspection is never convenient. By performing a post trip inspection, you can avoid feeling the time
crunch when you’d rather be on the road.
Visual inspection of the wheels and tires looking for abnormal wear of the tires, low pressure
or finding oil leaks are examples of items you don’t want to address when you should be already on the road.
Preventative maintenance is vital to preserving your coach and avoiding costly repairs. Though
not all repairs can be avoided, there are some that you can prevent. Air system maintenance is
a crucial item to address once you’ve reached your destination. You’ll find in your coach
owner’s user’s guide instructions to manually expel the air from the air tanks after a day of
traveling. Though your coach is equipped with an air dryer to collect moisture generated from
the engine air compressor, it is important to exhaust the air from the tank too. What most people don’t realize is that the air that reaches the tank is still warm and then cools once it is in the
tank and natural condensation occurs. If this step is missed, then check valves, height control
valves and even brake components in the air system are subject to corrosion and problems.
Depending on the climate(s) your coach is exposed to, the situation can vary.
Ultimately, being an educated coach owner will
bring you a better experience with your coach and
will likely save you time and money in the long
run. If you don’t have an owner’s manual anymore, feel free to contact our Parts Department
and we will be happy to provide the price and
availability of the manual(s) that are needed.
Thank you and have a safe trip!
17
Tech/Service
Pre Trip Inspections
By Kevin Kiscoan
The Pre-Trip Checklist
Driving an RV can be a fun but demanding task. But with the right knowledge, you
could become an expert of your Country Coach. In order to ensure a safe ride, think
like a pilot on a 777 jet and conduct a “walk-around” visual inspection before you hit
the road to your next destination. Here’s a quick check list that can help make the trip
safe and easier.
Make sure bay doors are closed and latched.
Double-check tow bar and safety cables.
Disconnect all power, TV, phone, water and sewer lines.
Retract jacks, steps, and awnings.
Look under the coach for signs of fluid leaks.
Check engine oil, transmission and coolant levels.
Check air brakes, parking brake and tow brakes.
Make sure stove, oven and heater burners are not lit.
Check the propane tank for leaks and intake/exhaust lines for blockages.
Inspect tire inflation pressure and tread wear.
Check interior doors and drawers are locked, latched and secure.
Check your surroundings (weather, overhangs and ground hazards).
Please always refer to your Country Coach owner’s guide for a full and more accurate
list of Pre-trip inspection list. Thank you for your time and have a safe trip!
18
Tech/Service
Maintaining Your Coach:
Preventive maintenance
It seems that anytime two or more coach owners are gathered around the
campground, it does not take long for a conversation to start. Odds are that
this conversation will quickly turn to the topic of preventive maintenance;
"How often are you changing your oil?” “Have you tried that new synthetic transmission fluid
yet?” “Do you rotate your tires?" Seems like everyone has an opinion as to the best way to go
about completing these tasks.
Most of us have heard or read about all the standard preventive maintenance items. You know,
oil change intervals, air filter replacements, and that sort of thing. Following are some items
that you might not have thought about in a while, or seen commonly mentioned before.
1. Have you been thinking about changing over to one of the extended life coolants
(ELC) that are available on the market these days? Due to the reduced maintenance
schedule this would seem an attractive alternative to using standard coolant. One does
need to be careful to use the correct coolant filter however. If you have changed
over to ELC, make sure that your service technician is aware of this and uses the correct
filter, at the correct interval, which can be found in your chassis maintenance manual.
This will be a filter that doesn't contain any of the Supplemental Coolant Additives
(SCA) designed for standard coolants. Also, please note that standard coolant and ELC
are not compatible. Do not mix the two in the same engine. If you are not the original
owner of your coach, you should consider having a qualified service center check your
coolant to see which type is in use. At the same time, they can also use a coolant test
strip to sample the SCA levels to determine if they need to be refreshed.
If you decide to switch to an alternative specification coolant and wish to reduce the risk
of contamination with an incompatible coolant when you have your coach in for service,
simply adhere a label to the surge tank that is readily visible, and clearly identifies the
specification of the coolant used in the system.
2.
The air system is another important part of the chassis that shouldn’t be overlooked
when it comes to preventive maintenance. Purge the air tank regularly (daily if you’re
driving lots of miles) and note whether any water is expelled from the purge valves. On
Allures and Intrigues, these purge valves are located on the forward wall of the steering
compartment (first bay, driver’s side). On Magnas, Affinitys and Lexas, these valves are
located behind the passenger side front bumper, and are operated using the ‘Air Tank
Purge’ switch located on either the shifter console, or the console behind the driver’s
seat. The ignition must be on when operating this system. A small amount of moisture is
normal in humid conditions, or if the system has not been purged for some time, how
ever, greater amounts of water expressed during regular purging could indicate a prob
lem within the system that requires attention. In addition to causing corrosion within the
19
Tech/Service
Maintaining Your Coach:
preventive maintenance
air system, water within the lines can freeze causing possible damage to
control valves and air springs. Also, don't neglect the air dryer desiccant
cartridge. For best performance, it should be changed out every two
years or every 50,000 miles.
3. Another “dryer” that can become easily neglected is the receiver/dryer in the dash or
over-the-road air conditioner system. This dryer should be replaced any time that the
system’s refrigerant has been evacuated to allow servicing, or replacement of components in the system.
4. Does your water heater have a sacrificial anode? If you have a Suburban heater, the answer is probably “yes”. The purpose of the anode is to sacrifice itself to the electrolysis
process that takes place in all water heaters where heavy metals, and salt are present in
the water. To avoid excessive corrosion of the water heater’s tank, this anode should be
inspected annually for signs of deterioration. The anode should be replaced when it has
deteriorated more than 25% (see image below), however, the anode itself is inexpensive
and it is perhaps wise to replace it annually as a matter of routine. The manufacturer’s
documentation for your water heater should identify the exact location of the anode if
one indeed exists. To inspect or replace the anode, first
turn off the water heater at both the monitor panel, and the
breaker in the distribution panel. Allow some time for the
water to cool before proceeding. Next, turn off the water
pump, and disconnect the city water. With this step complete, drain the water from the heater using either the faucet in the water bay, or low point drains, also located in
the water bay adjacent to the water pump. Lastly, use a
suitably sized socket and handle to remove the anode.
5. An area that is especially deserving of periodic focus is the subject of ride height,
weight, balance, tire pressure and alignment. Without going too deeply into all the d
etails at this time, let's just say that these can be some of the most important items to
check on your coach. Letting any of these areas get out of specification can nega
tively impact coach handling and tire wear. Have you ever noticed that the bays can
mysteriously collect items as you travel around the country? (Anyone on board have
the shopping gene?) The weight of these items can add up over time and require some
redistribution to bring the balance of the coach back to proper trim. New coach owners
should pay close attention to this weight distribution until they are familiar with their
coach, and it is a good idea to have the alignment checked once the coach has been
20
Tech/Service
Maintaining Your Coach:
preventive maintenance
loaded with personal belongings, and a few trips have been completed.
Yes, the coach was aligned carefully at the factory, but this alignment can
change with the additional weight of these personal items.
6. Tired of changing out the transmission fluid on a seemingly too frequent basis? Consider
switching to the ‘TranSynd’ synthetic fluid recommended by Allison. This will not only
extend the service interval but will likely benefit the transmission as well.
The list of preventive maintenance items for a diesel coach is quite extensive and detailed. It's
always easy to overlook an item that comes due on a time basis, rather than a mileage basis.
Give the manual another reading and you'll probably find something in there that you've forgotten about. Then the next time you get into one of those maintenance discussions with another owner you'll be able to bring up something new. ***
Country Coach Corporation is your
Hydralift dealer. What sets Hydralift Apart?
Hydralift is a self contained hydraulic lift that
is an easy to use one-person operation. It is the
lightest power-lift on the market that uses a patented auto locking
system.
Hydralift is the most powerful power-lift on the market and it truly
ground level loading.
Hydralift mounts and lifts higher than any power-lift on the market.
Hydralift uses special designed lubricated bearings at all moving
parts:
Country Coach is an authorized Hydralift Dealer. If you want more
information regarding the purchase or installation of the Hydralift
power-lift, please call Kevin to schedule an appointment for service
at 541-234-2167.
21
Tech/Service
Looking Good!
What is new at the Country Coach Apparel Shop?
New natural canvas shopping
totes have just arrived at Country
Coach! They are great for grabbing a few things at the store, or
the day trip while traveling
around in your coach. Available
in red, pink and navy. $25
Country Coach
logo’ed money
clips are also
now available,
Stainless Steel
only $9.95
These stainless tumblers are new to
the Country Coach Apparel and
Accessories store.
Available in
Chrome and Burgundy, they are
perfect for hot or cold beverages.
$15
22
Apparel
Catching Up with the Clubs…Where in the World are They?
Each newsletter, we like to catch up on what is happening with all of our area Country
Coach clubs. If you do not belong to a club, call these fine folks and join! You will love
the friends you make and the fun you will have! Just read all about what kind of fun
clubs have in the Club Spotlight feature.
Country Coach Country Cousins
Jim Ferguson, Winter Springs, FL
(407) 376-3909
[email protected]
www.cccountrycousins.com
Rocky Mountain Country Coachers
Vern Weldy
(480) 595-9580
[email protected],
www.rmccoachers.com
Country Coach Heartlanders
Bob Harbrecht, Valparaiso, IN
(219) 462-2608
[email protected]
Southeast Country Coachers
Roy Stiglich, Powder Springs, GA
(770) 943-7713
[email protected],
www.southeastcountrycoachers.com
Country Coach Nor’easters
Ed Geswell, Hanover, MA
(781) 727-2006
[email protected]
www.ccnoreasters.com
Southwest Country Coachers
Stan Wright, Monarch Beach, CA
(949) 636-8748
[email protected]
www.swccers.com
Country Coach Texans
Rod Reames
(512) 257-7503, (512) 914-1882
[email protected]
www.cctexans.com
Country Coach Friends Incorporated
Jerry O’Connor, Harrisburg, OR
(775) 742-4627
[email protected],
www.countrycoachfriendsincorporated.com
[email protected]
Florida Coast Alongs
Tim Tyler, Clearwater, FL
(727) 744-9900
[email protected]
Country Coach International
Bill Brock
(541) 998-3712
[email protected]
www.countrycoachclub.com
Northwest Country Coachers
Frank Suttell
(360) 876-1197
[email protected]
www.nwccers.org
23
Clubs/Rallies
2014 Rallies
April 23-27 Southwest Country
Coachers
Smithwoods RV Park
Santa Cruz Redwoods
April 29-May 4 FMCA
Rocky Mountain Area Rally
San Juan County Fairgrounds
Farmington, NM
May 14-18 Country Coach Texans
Spring Rally
Buckhorn Lake Resort
Kerrville, TX
July 18-21 FMCA
Northeast Area Rally
Champlain Valley Expo
Essex Junction, VT
August 3-8 Country Coach
International
“Northwest Adventures”
Seven Feathers Casino
Canyonville, OR
August 4-8 Country Coach Friends
4th Annual CCFI Friendship Rally
Linn County Fairgrounds
Albany, OR
May 15-19 Rocky Mountain Country
Coachers
Albuquerque, NM
August 8-9 Northwest Country
Coachers
Pre Rally to FMCA
Bend/Sisters Garden RV Resort
Bend, OR
May 15-18 Northwest Country
Coachers
Rest-A-While RV Park
Hoodsport, WA
Sept 8-12 Country Coach Nor’Easters
Fall Rally
Cherry Hill Park
College Park, MD
May 19-23 Country Coach Nor’Easters Sept 11-15 Southeast Country
Spring Rally
Coachers
Normandy Farms Campground
Virginia Beach, VA
Foxboro, MA
May 29 –June 2 Southwest Country
Coachers
Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine
Festival, Pechanga RV Resort
24
November 4-9 Country Coach
International
ABC Campground
Branson, MO
Clubs/Rallies
Club News
Fundraising for Branson Disabled Veteran’s first golf cart lead by Country
Coach Motorhome Owner’s Clubs
Branson, MO - Two Country Coach Motorhome Owner’s Clubs are proud to have
played a major role in the fundraising for the first SoloRider Golf Cart for our Branson
Veterans. The Country Coach Texans RV Club charity event at ABC Campgrounds
in fall, 2012; combined with the charity funds raised by Country Coach International
RV Club in fall, 2013 met the financial goal. Over $10,000 was raised for the cart by
the two clubs.
As of today, the golf cart will remain in Branson only for the use of our local amputee veterans, enabling them to enjoy golf at its finest on our local courses. Lee and
Jeanne Zaborowski of Branson hosted both RV rallies with around 75 couples bidding
on donated items. All funds went to the Branson Veterans Events and Reunions
with coordination done by Arlen Lipper.
There are eleven Country Coach Motorhome Clubs nationally, most involved in
charitable fundraising. Funds typically go the local charities in the community where
the RV Rally is held.
The CC Texans and CC International are proud to have helped make this donation
possible.
To learn more about Country Coach Clubs and their activities, see page 23 for a
list of these clubs.
Country Coach Corporation has free memberships to FMCA for Country Coach
owners who are interested in joining FMCA and other Country Coach regional clubs.
In order to join one of the nine Country Coach regional clubs or two international
clubs, members must first be a member of FMCA. Call Tonya at 541-234-2167 or
email at [email protected] to get your free annual membership courtesy of
Country Coach Corporation.
25
Clubs/Rallies
Club Spotlight
Country Coach Destinations features a different charter CC Club in each
issue. In this issue, we feature Country Coach Texans/CCI as they travel to
rallies while coming together as a group and raising money for charity.
Gret job! If you would like your club featured in future issues, please contact Tonya by phone: (541) 234-2167 or email: destinations.
Fundraising for Branson Disabled Veteran’s First Golf Cart Lead by
Country Coach Motorhome Owner’s Clubs
By Lee Zaborowski
Branson, MO - Two Country Coach Motorhome Owner’s Clubs are proud to have
played a major role in the fundraising for the first SoloRider Golf Cart for Branson Veterans. The
Country Coach Texans Club (http://cctexans.com/) charity event at ABC Campgrounds in
fall, 2012; combined with the charity funds raised by Country Coach International (http://
countrycoachclub.com/) Club in fall, 2013 met the financial goal. Nearly $10,000 was raised for
the cart by the two clubs.
Rally attendees at the Country Coach Texan’s Ozark Mountain Jamboree Rally in Branson, Missouri, October 8-12, 2012 took away a collection of memorable events, sights and show experiences. Sixty six attendees in 31 coaches created a lively environment at ABC Campground during the entire ally.
The Rally opened with a presentation by Arlen Lipper representing the Branson Veteran
Events and Reunions (http://bransonveteranevents.com/), our rally charity. A rousing
opening ceremony was led by the Branson High School ROTC Color Guard. This established a palpable patriotic mood, which stayed with us throughout the rally.
Wednesday was our Charity Fund raising evening. Kathe’ Letulle was our moderator and
auctioneer. The 'Adaptive Golf Program’ for disabled veterans was our rally charity. The charity
representatives were Arlen Lipper and Dee Elledge. This was a good, local community-based organization to partner with. Our donation helped buy the first Adaptive Golf Cart (http://
solorider.com/) for vets. Arlen had shared stories of double-leg amputees using such a vehicle!
He thought our rally donation could go a long way toward buying the first such cart in Branson, to
be used only by local disabled vets!
The patriotic spirit quickly rose to the
surface during the fund raiser auction.
Wow, was that lively, with many bidders
contesting each other. The highlight of the
auction was four people vying for top bid on
a new driver golf club contributed by Mike
Carnes, with the winner(s) of the golf club to
turn around and donate the club to the Disable Golf Program to go with the cart.
When it was all over, four people (David
Twilley, Terry Ray, Carlton Sheffield, and
Derrel Letulle) had each put up $150, or
$600 for the golf club! Then Rich Toalson
started a $100 donation challenge resulting
in fourteen $100 contributions!!!
26
Clubs/Rallies
Club Spotlight
Everyone deserves recognition for their exceptional generosity. When it was all over, the Country Coach Texans raised $4,150! Later we welcomed back Rally Charity representatives from
Branson Veteran Events and Reunions, who accepted a donation check of $4,150 from the
Country Coach Texans. Jeanne and I, along with
co-hosts, Derrel and Kathe’ Letulle, and Carlton and Pat Scheffield, want to thank the many volunteers who pitched in to
make the Rally run smoothly. It really was a group effort.
Forty CCI families and coaches began arriving days in advance of the Country Coach International Branson Rally, A Holiday to Remember, held the beginning of November 4-9, 2013.
Folks came from 21 states representing most corners of the US. Nine of our attendee families have
been members since the last century! We were pleased again to see a growing number of families as
well.
Our rally was timed to match Veterans’ Week in Branson, which is known nationally for its recognition of our men and women in uniform. We opened the rally with an official welcome by the Marine Junior ROTC unit from Forsyth, MO, and ended the rally with a most successful charity fundraiser for disabled veterans.
We officially opened the rally, as with the Texan’s rally, with a presentation by Arlen Lipper representing the Branson Veteran Events and Reunions, our rally charity. A rousing opening ceremony
was led by the Forsyth High School ROTC Color Guard.
The much anticipated Friday evening charity fundraiser started with the traditional 50:50 drawing of 4 winners, each receiving a cash award with the matching amount going to the rally charity.
Country Coach International then followed the lead of our friends in the Country Coach Texans. CCI
chose the same charity as the Texans - the Branson Veterans Events & Reunions fundraiser to fund
the first golf cart in Branson for amputee veterans. The CC Texans raised over $4,000 last year but
$3,950 was still needed to purchase and deliver that first cart. That amount was the CCI goal for this
rally.
The high item bid was a one of a kind evening jacket made by Jeanne Zaborowski and won by
Gail Merrill. The thrill of the evening was a $100 challenge by Jack and Mary Lou Cassingham and
matched by nearly two dozen families! After an evening of spirited bidding, not to mention much
levity and camaraderie, when all the funds were counted and recounted, we raised over $5,000.
What great news. Those who contributed should really feel proud! When you add the $4,000+ from
the Texans, Country Coach folks raised over 80% of the cost of the golf cart. We did it!
Kathé Letulle, Jeanne and Lee Zaborowski met with Arlen Lipper, Director of the Branson Veterans Events and Reunion Director, on November 12th, 2013. Arlen was quite overwhelmed to say the
least. He anticipated, at that time, the Disabled Vets
Golf Cart will be in Branson, wrapped in logos including of course CCT and CCI, and ready for a formal presentation in early March, 2014.
The Solorider was presented to the Branson Area
Veterans on March 29th, 2014, with over 100 Veterans in attendance. The golf cart will remain in Branson only for the use of local amputee veterans, enabling them to enjoy golf at its finest on our local
courses.
27
Clubs/Rallies
Club Spotlight
There are eleven Country Coach motorhome clubs nationally, most involved in charitable fundraising. Funds typically go the local charities in the community where the motorhome rally
is held. The Country Coach Texans and Country Coach International are proud to have
helped make this donation possible.
Joe Taylor, then President of CCT,
presenting CCT check and golf cart to
Branson area Vets Representatives
The solorider golf cart
Lee Zaborowski and Kathe’ Letulle presenting
the CCI check to Arlen Lipper
28
Clubs/Rallies
What is happening in Junction City, OR?
Coming to Junction City to pick up parts or have an appointment scheduled for
service? Why not check out the local events around town while you are here? We
will be featuring upcoming local events in future editions. You may also want to
check out the upcoming rallies (page 23) for other ideas about your travels plans.
If you have never been to the Oregon Coast, you
are missing out on a beautiful view and great experience. With so much to see and do, it makes for
a great day trip or a weekend getaway. There are
some beautiful beaches to walk, lots of shops to
visit and so many restaurants and adventures to discover.
Located along the Yaquina Bay by the Pacific
Ocean, the Oregon Coast Aquarium is a beautiful and educational stop along the way. 2820 SE
Ferry Slip Road, Newport,
OR 97365 10 am to 5 pm,
541-867-3474.
Another great destination is the Yaquina Head Light (Cape
Foulweather Lighthouse). It is the tallest Oregon lighthouse.
Located at 750 NW Lighthouse Dr, Newport, OR 97365.
If you are looking for some
evening entertainment, the
Three Rivers Casino and
Hotel in Florence has Las Vegas style gaming, restaurants and hotel. They also have free RV parking if you are
traveling in your
RV.
The Seal Lion Caves is also a favorite spot to
stop and see sea lions and other sea life up close.
Located at 91560 US 101, Florence OR 97439.
Open 9 am to 5 pm. 541-547-3111.
29
Local Events
Holidays are a great time
for friends and family to
come together and enjoy a
meal. I hope these recipes
will give you some new ideas and add to fun
times together. Have a Happy Easter everyone!
Cookie Lee
Cream Cheese Berry Cake with Lemon Icing
2 packages of crescent rolls
8 oz. of cream cheese
2 Tbsp of brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1/2 cup strawberry and blackberry preserves
Fresh strawberries
Fresh or frozen blueberries
1 lemon
Confectioners sugar
1 egg
Lay out crescent rolls and press seams together. Mix cream cheese and brown
sugar and vanilla until soft. Spread down the middle of the crescent rolls.
Then spread the preserves on top. Sprinkle with berries on top. Pull the
edges of the rolls over the berries. Add an egg wash to the top of the pastry.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix juice and zest of
lemon with sugar until it becomes icing. Add to top of cooked pastry and garnish with fresh strawberries. Beautiful and Yummy!
30
Cookie’s Cookbook
Sweet Potato Soup
2—15 oz cans of sweet potatoes in heavy syrup, drained
1—13 oz can of coconut milk
2 green onions (one for soup and one for garnish)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
2 tsp fresh or crystal ginger
1 cup of chicken broth
Combine all ingredients (except the one of the green onion and ginger) into a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer into saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium/high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce
heat to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes uncovered. Remove from heat.
Add ginger and remaining green onion for garnish.
Cucumber and Tomato Salad
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin
2 cups of grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/4 tsp pepper
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp of fresh dill
2 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp of Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
In a large bowl, combine cucumbers, onions and tomatoes. Wisk together all remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and pour over
cucumber mixture and serve immediately.
31
Cookie’s Cookbook
Raisin Apple Cuties
4 slices raisin bread
1/3 cup of cream cheese
1/4 cup apple, chopped fine
1 tsp sugar
1/4 to 1/8 tsp cinnamon
Toast bread and then use a cookie cutter to make cute shapes. Combine cream
cheese and apples. Spread onto toast shapes. Combine sugar and cinnamon and
spoon over toast. Yummy!
Helpful Hints
for Baking Powder
Do you know if your baking
powder is still good? If you
have lumps in the baking powder, it is not good. If you still
are wondering, add 1 teaspoon
to 1/3 cup of hot water. If the
water bubbles, then the baking
powder is still good. Have fun
baking and Happy Easter!
Cute Easter idea for a beautiful fruit plate!
32
Cookie’s Cookbook
Service by the experts…
Bring your coach to the Country Coach factory for service because we have the experts to handle all your coach repairs.
OEM Parts…
The only source for Country Coach OEM parts available! Now offering 10% off parts when you
schedule a service appointment.
RV Consignment Sales…
We have many lightly used Country Coach models including all
your favorites; Inspire, Allure, Intrigue, Magna, Affinity and
Prevost. All right here at the factory! Financing now available.
New Apparel…
Visit our apparel store at the factory or at http://
countrycoachwearables.promoshop.com for all of the latest
arrivals.
Country Coach Destinations Magazine…
Keep up to date with the latest quarterly edition of CC Destinations at http://destinations.countrycoach.com.
For all your motorhome needs, there is no place like home!
33