Question for Arveetek

[NH2112]

A very large RV center is hiring in my area (Gary's Sport & RV Center in Chichester NH) and I'm thinking of applying because I'm getting a little bored of forklifts & aerial lifts and would like to go with automotive stuff for a change. Are there any special skills that you're aware of that would be required, or at least very handy to have? I'm fair with a welder but don't really do a lot of it, and it's mostly small pieces. I have to say I'm pretty darn good at electrical and hydraulics, but don't think hydraulics are all that common on RVs. Most of the ones I've seen used standard automotive-type components (axles, trannies, etc) so that shouldn't be a problem. Is there anything that you can think of that I've left out?

[arveetek]

Well, the RV industry is a little different than most....mainly because of all the systems put together to make up one coach. You have a whole house on wheels, so to speak, and many of these RVs have way more sophisticated and complicated systems than most homes do!

First of all, most RV dealers strictly deal with coach service, and leave the chassis work to other shops. You see, when you buy a motorhome, you're almost buying two vehicles...the chassis it was built on, and the coach mounted to the chassis. Most RV manufactures purchase their chassis' from other makers, such as Ford, GM (Workhorse now....they bought the GM motorhome chassis line), Freightliner, Spartan, etc. Some are even built on VolksWagen chassis'. There are a few of the upper scale rigs that make their own chassis in house.

It's hard for an RV dealer to be able to service all these types of drivlines, from a small V-6 gasser, to a 375 HP Cummins diesel pusher, so they will usually just focus on the coach aspect.

On the coach side, you will typically being doing work like repairing water heaters, furnaces, refrigerators, air conditioners, etc, which are all RV-specific. You will also be installing hitches, base plates/towbars, air conditioners, awnings, satellite systems, etc.

If you do find an RV dealer that services both the coach and chassis, and there are some out there, I would imagine that they would have a dedicated chassis tech staff, and a dedicated coach tech staff. I doubt you would be working on both. It's just too much to learn!

Motorhomes do utilize standard drivetrains, such as the Ford and GM gasoline rigs. However, they also have hydraulic systems for the slide-outs and for the leveling jacks. Rarely is welding needed in RV repair.

Whichever area you go for, chassis work or coach service, the RV dealer should be willing to hire and train you, since good help is hard to find. The RV dealer I used to work for sent me to several week-long training schools, and to several RV manufacturers for specific training on their coaches.

RV service is really fun, because there's something different everyday. In the last week, I've installed a fifth-wheel hitch in an '03 Ford 6.0 diesel truck (another perk of this business...getting to play with other people's toys!), repaired several furnaces, replaced a toilet in a fifth-wheel, packed the wheel bearings on a travel trailer, winterized several coaches....etc, etc. I enjoy it.

The main thrust of my business is that I make service calls. There are several RV campgrounds in my area, with a lot of full-timers passing thru. When they need repairs, they don't want to break camp and drive their house to the shop and wait all day. So I go to them. I've been on my own for over 5 years, and I stay so busy I don't even advertise all that much.

I hope this helps in some way!

Casey

[arveetek]

Oh yes, I forgot to mention:

I myself only work on the coach side, and I don't do any chassis work. I wouldn't even begin to have enough time to start anything like that. Plus, I stay a lot cleaner! :D I refer all chassis needs to local mechanics.

As far as special skills go, you need to be a plumber, a carpenter, and an electrician to be able to service these rigs properly.

Casey

[NH2112]

Thanks for the replies, Casey. I looked at the ad in the paper myself yesterday (had been told about it by a friend) and it seems they're looking for diesel and gasoline chassis techs, so that sounds like it's right up my alley.

[arveetek]

That sounds great! In that case, you wouldn't be working on the coach side very much.

The worst thing about motorhomes is the limited access. Some coach manufacturers do a good job in building the coach over the engine so that you can access everything like you would need to. Others don't give it a thought at all. Other than that, they use off-the-shelf parts for all chassis types.

Casey