Life Expectancy of a Class A diesel Radiator (Spartan)

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
TB2k82CE

TB2k82CE

Active member
Joined
Aug 6, 2013
Posts
44
Location
Lemon Grove Ca (San Diego Area)
I picked up some road debris with my 2000 American Dream (Spartan, cumming 300 diesel with side mounted radiator) and need to replace my radiator.  The coach is 15 years old this year but it has only 68,000 miles on it.  The insurance company is going to want to depreciate the cost of the replacement radiator up to 70%.  On the radiator only not the removal & installation.  I have not gotten into the discussion with them yet but they just asked how old the radiator was so I know it is going to come down to that.  I told them I had only owned the motorhome for two years. 

Some questions I have are:
-  I really have no idea how to tell how old a radiator is or who is responsible for proving how old it is; me or them?  (is there an insurance adjuster or legal guy out there that knows this?
-  Do they have serial numbers or were there model number changes that could tell the age? If so how do I find those out. 
-  How many miles should a radiator last?  This is the big question.
-  Do years also count?

This coach was a southwest coach so salt and snow issues are not a consideration.  The outside of the radiator except for the three areas where the fan drove the item into the core are the only signs damage.
 
I have a 2007 Columbia custom spec'd like a totter home. As I type this, I have exactly 895,753.5 miles on it and 18,121.4 hours. It is a CAT C-11. I have owned since new. Sorry I can't help you about serial numbers or determining age, but life expectancy...I think this should help.
 
Thanks that says a lot.  Anyone got an American series MH years and mileage maybe.  This will help.

But it sure would be nice to hear from a large truck/MH radiator professional or insurance guy maybe
 
Insurers come up with tables of lifetimes that are ultra-conservative, which suits their needs just fine (max depreciation). In some cases there may be industry accepted figures, but I suspect not for most things.  When I had a major accident, my insurer insisted the ruined windshield wiper motor had a life span of only 7 years (and it was 5 at that point). Preposterous, but where can you get statistics to counter them?  The amount was small compared to the $50k total, so I didn't argue.

Your best hope is to get a number from a radiator manufacturer, but it probably needs to be in writing. The burden of proof is on you, since they have a number they claim is right (and probably other insurers would agree), so you are the challenger.  And they are the ones writing the check, so they have the leverage.
 
I have a 2000 Dutchstar (160K miles-Spartan) that is on it's 3rd radiator at $2000 a pop. The aluminum just tends to rot out. Poor design and poor materials.
 
A friend had to replace the aluminum radiator in his 2004 Endeavor last year, so 7-10 years might be the ball park.

The problem with these things is that the average life span encompasses a lot of uses and abuses and may be far off from your particular rig if yours is lightly driven and well-maintained. In that case you lose out on the percentages. "No good deed goes unpunished."
 
I replaced mine at 8 yrs of age and 45k miles.  It failed due to lack of the yearly exterior flushing and corrosion.  The radiator was ALUM, now it is all brass & copper.  It took 6hrs to get it out and another 6 hrs to put it back in.  That equates to about $1200 in shop labor.  The radiator was $800.  All 12gal of fluid was replaced.  I have read others spending $3k-$4k for the replacement. 
 
  My Tradition was built in 97 and has 93K on the clock, well maintained and kept clean. It shows no wear or deterioration .>>>Dan
 
Bob Flight said:
I replaced mine at 8 yrs of age and 45k miles.  It failed due to lack of the yearly exterior flushing and corrosion.  The radiator was ALUM, now it is all brass & copper.  It took 6hrs to get it out and another 6 hrs to put it back in.  That equates to about $1200 in shop labor.  The radiator was $800.  All 12gal of fluid was replaced.  I have read others spending $3k-$4k for the replacement.
Click to expand...

OFF TOPIC REF:  Your re-roof link!
As a casual newbee here, I've been a hands on guy all my life. I've  done all kinds of home and automotive stuff much like yourself. I'm not sure I'd have taken on that project though. That was an awesome undertaking , I have to say you did an incredible job. Just sayin'.

Doug,
The New Guy
 
I took delivery of my Travel Supreme on a Spartan chassis (side radiator, same chassis as the Dream) in 2002. In 2003 we drove to Alaska and the road debris put a hole in the radiator which Spartan replaced (28,800 miles) when we crossed back into the US. The radiator was still working perfectly 10 years and 90,000 miles later when we sold the coach.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 632 (members: 31, guests: 601)

Forum statistics

Threads
132,300
Posts
1,393,292
Members
138,002
Latest member
watt100
Back
Top Bottom