Need a Beaver Patriot Driver to Identify This......

[Kim (skyking4ar2) Bertram]

As I was getting my haircut today, I notice a vintage Beaver Patriot (it's a 1996, I find out) around the back, and ask the barber about it.

Short version of the story is that he has never owned a motorhome, is some $10,000 deep in the "bring it back on the road stage", having stolen it (I think, price wise) from the original owner. It is like new, never had the washer used or the stove.

In any event, his driver control panel has a set of green rocker switches with the graphics worn from them and I believe they might have something to do with how his cruise control would be activated. If not those switches, then ?????

Take a look at the picture and please help us identify the five rocker switches.

 

[John From Detroit]

I see five rocker switches 3 on one side (Below in photo) 2 above the Joy Pad which I assume controls either the mirrors or a spot light (Same pad is often used for both devices).

They are not cruise control,  May be overdrive, fans, defroster mirror heaters or several other things but they are not cruse control.

 

[docj]

Mine are exactly the same.

The top left switch is cruise control on/off.  The middle push-button is cruise set (also reduces speed by 1 mph per push).  The right top one is cruise resume (also increases speed by 1 mph per push)

The bottom left switch is the Jake brake.  If it is a "rocker" switch middle position is off, back is half Jake, forward is full

Bottom row center switch is battery boost--holding this switch puts the house batteries in the starting circuit in parallel with the chassis batteries.

Bottom row right is heated mirrors.

 

[carson]

Skyking,  I hope the last answer to your problem is the real one.  All others were simply guesses. Not a good way to get real info.

 

[Kim (skyking4ar2) Bertram]

Thanks, Docj! I headed down the cruise control path because the only switch that was readable was faintly marked "RESUME".

I suspect his manual bag had that buried deep down somewhere, but I think he was overwhelmed! I will pass this along.

Appreciate the feedback.

Anything else that's so strictly Beaver, he needs to know? He's already discovered what happens when a fan clutch fails on his Cat with the side radiator....  :'(

Roger, Carson  8)

 

[docj]

You might suggest to the owner that he consider joining http://beaveramb.org/  There's lots of good Beaver information shared on the club's forum.

 

[Larry N.]

My '07 Patriot is completely different (of course it was built by Monaco) and has lots more switches, including cabin lights, suspension and more, so the layout above is unique to earlier models.

 

[Kim (skyking4ar2) Bertram]

Larry,

Not being a Beaver historian, when did that change? do you know?

Kim

 

[Tom]

Kim, Monaco acquired Beaver in 2001 and consolidated manufacturing in Coburg, OR in 2005.

 

[Larry N.]

Larry,

Not being a Beaver historian, when did that change? do you know?

Kim

Other than what Tom said above no, I have no idea when the change occurred.

My switch panel is shown below. The first is the complete panel, including transmission and leveling controls.

Next is just the switches themselves, orange being the engine brake, and the odd thing at lower right (Hold For Off) controlling the Vorad distance. Upper left arrows are mirror adjustments, (select chooses which of three mirror types to adjust).


Below that is the left side of the "Smart Wheel" controls, with ICC headlight flash and cruise control.

And last is the right side of the "Smart Wheel" controls, with ICC clearance light flash and wiper controls.

 

[docj]

The change in instrument panels occurred when Monaco occurred when Monaco starting producing Beavers on the Roadmaster chassis rather than the Magnum chassis which was a Safari unit.  This took place with either the 2002 or 2003 model year.  The OP relates to a Beaver Patriot with a Magnum chassis.