For a 40-foot diesel pusher, the route to the shop matters almost as much as the repair. River Ridge owners have a direct route, now that the Ridge Road Extension and Suncoast Parkway Exit 25 link Ridge Road directly to the toll road. RDI Power repairs the truck side of diesel motorhomes, meaning the engine, the Allison transmission, the air brakes, the suspension, the steering and the driveline, at our Brooksville shop, about 29 road miles from the middle of River Ridge.
A diesel pusher’s route from River Ridge to the Brooksville bays
The trip we measured starts on De Cubellis Road, turns east on Ridge Road and follows the extension to its diamond interchange at Exit 25. From there it is north on the Parkway to SR-50 and east to 1665 Donto Way, close to 40 minutes in all. A coach that is running right handles that easily. Call (352) 433-3800 the day before so we can make room for its length and height.
A coach with a warning on the dash is a different story. Low air pressure, a coolant leak or an Allison stuck in one gear can get worse over 29 miles, and some of it at highway speed. Call before moving it. Sometimes a technician can sort it out where the coach is parked, and when it needs the shop, we help arrange a heavy tow from a company that knows how to protect a rear-engine drivetrain.
Chassis and air brake checks for a River Ridge coach
A long wheelbase and a heavy body make a coach’s chassis work hard. Our inspection goes through:
- Air brakes. Compressor output, the dryer, leak-down with the system charged, chamber condition, slack adjuster stroke, and drums and linings at each wheel.
- Steering. Play at the wheel, the steering gearbox and its mounts, tie rods, drag link and the power steering pump and lines. A coach that wanders or needs constant correction often has wear here; alignment comes after the parts are tight, as our River Ridge truck alignment page explains.
- Suspension. Air bags, height control valves, shocks and bushings. Uneven ride height shows up as tire wear and poor handling.
- Driveline. U-joints, the driveshaft and its center support, if equipped. A vibration that rises with speed or a clunk on takeoff is worth checking before a trip.
- Tires. Age as well as tread. Sun and heat break down rubber on a parked coach, so date codes matter.
Cummins, Caterpillar and Allison work for River Ridge motorhomes
Most pushers run a Cummins or Caterpillar engine, with a Detroit on some older coaches. RDI Power is Caterpillar certified, and our ASE certified technicians diagnose derates and warning lights, injector and turbocharger problems, overheating and charging faults on all of them. Fuel deserves special attention on a coach that sits: water and aged diesel plug filters on the first trip out, and lines and fittings can start to weep. Our article on RV fuel line problems lists the warning signs.
The Allison automatic behind the engine lives longest with clean fluid at the correct level. A shift complaint on a River Ridge coach starts with the fluid, the codes and a drive, and only then does anyone discuss removing the transmission. Each coach leaves with a digital inspection showing photographs of what we found, and RDI Power warrants the labor for 3 years / 36,000 miles.
Coach warning signs to catch before leaving River Ridge
Listen and look on a short drive around the neighborhood before a long trip. Air pressure that recovers slowly after brake applications, a sweet smell of coolant, a temperature gauge that climbs in traffic, a vibration through the floor, steering that drifts or a transmission temperature higher than usual are all reasons to call before you load up and leave.
Everything we handle on a coach chassis is listed on the RV service and repair page. Owners farther west on Ridge Road can see our Jasmine Estates RV repair page.