Should I buy a Fleetwood Tioga Chev 3500 with a 454 chev engine

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cajunkev

Active member
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Posts
33
Location
New Zealand
Seriously looking at this 24ft camper setup. Older vehicle in great condition, suits our needs.

Would appreciate any advice on maintenance issues and any design faults.

This 454 Chev engine is pretty common amongst U haul pickups and many Motorhomes I'm told. Given its a truck motor I would expect it to be capable of high mileages at low RPM which in a camper translates into longevity.

Transmission could be a concern...in a truck I would expect a manual to be fitted with a much longer life than an auto.

The vehicle is 10 years old so aircon, batteries, fridge, stove, generator all need to be checked. All the normal bit s will be checked like tyres, brakes etc etc.

If anybody knows the techs of any of the gear on this rig I would really appreciate some comment. Also any alternative rig that may be better value or have higher integrity.

Cheers

Kevin
 
Chris,

It is a pretty common setup in the US. you will be hard pressed to find any RV here with a manual trans., we are just too lazy to push that stick around! ;D

Most everything on that unit will be pretty standard stuff (fridge furnace a/c...) common to most RV's

Have it checked out. Sounds like you are on the right path and know what to look for.

Steve
 
cajunkev said:
Thanks for the comment Capt.
Check the trans out. I just bought a very low mileage '98 a month ago. I made a deal with the seller that I pay to have the trans pan pulled and the trans inspected and serviced. If I didn't like what I saw, he keeps the M/H (and isn't out a penny) and I would be out about $150. In my book, that's the best $150 I ever spent if I found metal in the pan or the seals hard & brittle. At least I would have the opportunity to back out before I bought the thing.

The other thing is, if you found the trans worn out, hard seals or metal in the pan, you could try to come to terms on paying for the repair....... a 50/50 split would be better than paying 100%+ 500 miles down the road. Besides, you would have more confidence in a rig with a rebuilt trans than an unknown. All the guy can say is "No". If he does say "No", I wouldn't touch the rig with a 10' pole. Chances are, he already knows that there is an issue.

You may want to do the same thing with the rear axle. It shouldn't cost much to have the cover pulled, inspected and new grease put in. If you later find that the ring & pinion are worn out, you could be out a couple $grand.
 
As the others have said, this is a very common configuration for a Class C motorhome. The 454 engine was used in a variety if light trucks (a pick-up or van) and in many Class C and Class A motorhomes. The transmission is a solid one, most likely the GM 4L80E, but it is working harder than usual in a motorhome, since it is always in the upper end of its weight range, but problems are not common as long as it is maintained (fluid changed per maintenance schedule) and not run too hot.

See the RVForum Library for a Buyers Checklist - there is an entire section of the Library devoted to Checklists.
 

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