Older Pace Arrow Coach

[grashley]

We are looking to downsize from our FW to a Class A. I recently ran across a 2004 Pace Arrow with 31K miles. On line it appears to be in good shape, and punches several of my buttons including new Lazy Boy recliners IPO sofa, Residential fridge, driver side door.
What was the level of quality when these were built? This is a Fleetwood model before any buyouts. It is a Workhorse chassis. I'm a Ford guy. Is this chassis an issue? I know it is all about current condition, and I will have it professionally inspected before making an offer. Anyone own this vintage Pace Arrow? How well was it constructed and how well did it hold up?
As always, your input is invaluable to me.
Gordon

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

It is a Workhorse chassis

Walk away. Important parts are currently unobtanium and that will never get better.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Kirk]

The orphan chassis would be my problem with it also. Pace did make a pretty good coach for the price range that they were in.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Quality was typical for a top end gas model. Better than the entry level models but nothing to rave about. But neither were its competitors in the same size & price range I really liked the Workhorse W22 chassis and believe it to be superior to the 2004 Ford F53 but as the others say many of the chassis parts are really hard to come by. Even is RV salvage yards. Engines shouldn't be an issue - it's just a GM 8.1L V8 - but much of the rest is Workhorse.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Engines shouldn't be an issue - it's just a GM 8.1L V8

I would say the part I like the most about my WH P32 is the 8.1, it's been a great engine for me. Each turn of the key though is with some intrepidation. Workhorse is 90% GM but it's the 10% that's not that gets you. The 8.1 did not see wide deployment in the GM fleets, so even GM parts aren't prevalent. Add 20 or so years to the equation since they saw that limited deployment and there's just not that much commercial interest in them. Yeah, the block may be a 454 but it's a 4 bolt main which makes even that different. Basic parts like alternators, spark plugs, coils, starter, oil filter you're fine. Throttle position sensor, good luck. For OEM sensors, I'm sure volumes are such that they're now relegated to the secondary market as substitutes or crosses, and they're not directly equivalent. Look at a place like rock auto for say a GM3500 truck with an 8.1, drill down into the engine parts and there's not much there to pick from. I'm sure with enough digging you can eventually come up with a source for specific parts, say custom builders and marine engine sources. But like with the chassis, the workhorse has just enough unique engine parts to make ownership of this chassis an easter egg hunt to maintain and repair as stock. Last year I had to make my own radiator hose, the crossed GM and Gates replacements were too different to fit. To be sure, if you love the thing you can come up with all manner of substitutions and reengineering. If you're not a motorhead you will have a really hard time finding a mechanic that would reengineer anything, much less afford the shop time it takes to poke around coming up with salvage and substitute parts. Frankly I don't think this chassis is worth it, even when it's 100% it's not remarkable. As long as it runs then great, but it's a dead man walking. When I first got mine sourcing parts was annoying enough, today it's game over, the ship has sailed. There is little doubt in my mind that the next stop for mine is as a cabin on blocks somewhere or the boneyard. The whole idea of an RV is to spend time inside it, not under it.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Mr Lars]

I would agree, walk away from the Workhorse chassis. I looked at class A late last fall that was on a Workhorse, and the current owner was waiting on a solenoid/valve of some sort, and it was an 8 week wait.

 

[grashley]

This is why I come here. Mark B - Thanks for being so specific.
The search goes on...

Last Monday, I went to Nashville for a doctor appointment and came home in a different car. We drove down in 2012 Maxima with 170K mi and CVT transmission (NOT towable) and came home in a 2014 Honda CR-V EX-L with 108K mi and the 5 speed transmission - towable 4 down. At least THAT part is done.

 

[garyb1st]

We've had our 2005 Pace Arrow for almost 8 years. Mechanically it has performed flawlessly. We currently have about 75,000 miles on the clock. It was at 32,000 when we purchased it. The previous owner had to replace the Allison Transmission. Don't know anything about that other than his records show he had the transmission fluid changed by an independent who may have used the wrong fluid. Transmission failed within 6 months of the fluid change.

Other than that, the Workhorse Chassis wheels have 8 bolts and are almost impossible to find. One manufacture in Turkey sells them at $300 a pop. When one of ours failed we ended up having it welded. Placed it on the inside rear dually about 10,000 miles ago and so far no problem.

This thread does give me concern however and is pushing me closer to the replace vs keep position.

 

[Racklefratz]

We are looking to downsize from our FW to a Class A.

Assuming "FW" refers to a fifth-wheel, that statement boggles the mind.

Going from a trailer to a motorhome is "downsizing" in your mind? In mine, it's a major step UP.

 

[Kirk]

Going from a trailer to a motorhome is "downsizing" in your mind?

That just depends on the size of the trailer and the motorhome. If you go from a 40', 5 slide fifth wheel to a 1 slide, 30' class A?

 

[grashley]

For health reasons, simplifying travel. Going from 39 ft (55 ft w/ truck) 14,500 lb FW (22K w/ truck) to about 30 ft 18,000 GVWR Class A. So, yes, downsizing.
Gordon