A diesel motorhome rides on a heavy truck chassis, and that chassis is our work. RDI Power repairs the engine, the Allison transmission, the air brakes, the air suspension, the steering and the driveline on diesel pushers at 1665 Donto Way in Brooksville. From the middle of Shady Hills that is about 18 road miles, and this page covers what to check, how to get the coach to us and when it should stay put.
Moving a diesel pusher out of Shady Hills on County Line Road
A healthy coach leaves Shady Hills on Shady Hills Road, turns onto County Line Road (CR 578) and joins the Suncoast Parkway at Exit 37, then runs north to the SR-50 interchange and east into Brooksville. The tight part is County Line Road between Shady Hills Road and the Parkway, a 2-lane stretch that Hernando and Pasco have agreed to widen but have not yet rebuilt. Give the coach room through the turns and let us know you are coming so the bay is clear for its length and height.
Sick coaches are another matter. Low air, a puddle of coolant under the engine or an Allison holding one gear are all reasons to leave the motorhome parked and phone us at (352) 433-3800. Sometimes a technician can sort out a no-start or read the codes where the coach sits. When it has to come to Brooksville anyway, we help arrange the move. Ask for a wrecker rated for the coach’s weight and tell the dispatcher the engine is in the back, so the driver disconnects the driveline or lifts the drive axle and the transmission is not dragged along with its pump stopped.
Air brakes and air suspension checks for Shady Hills coaches
Air systems give warnings before they fail, if someone is watching:
- Build-up time. If the gauges crawl toward governor cut-out on a cold morning, suspect the compressor, a leak, or a dryer that has quit.
- Leaks. Engine off and tanks full, we listen and soap-test fittings, lines, valves and chambers. Tanks that are flat by morning mean a leak worth finding before the trip, not during it.
- Brake adjustment. Chamber pushrod stroke and slack adjuster condition get measured, along with drums and linings.
- Air bags and leveling. Sun and age crack the rubber on suspension air bags. A coach that leans or sags after sitting may have a leaking bag or a sticking height control valve.
- Shocks and bushings. Worn shocks let the coach wallow and wear tires; our Shady Hills truck alignment page explains what uneven tire wear tells us.
Cummins, Caterpillar and Allison work for Shady Hills owners
At the back of a typical pusher you will find a Cummins or a Caterpillar, or a Detroit on some older coaches, bolted to an Allison automatic. Our ASE certified technicians chase derates, injector and turbo faults and cooling trouble on all of them, and RDI Power holds Caterpillar certification.
Heat is the rear engine’s enemy. Grime and road film pack into the radiator and charge air cooler fins where nobody looks, and a coach that overheats on a long highway pull may have nothing wrong except a clogged core. Cleaning and checking that stack comes before anyone sells you a water pump. Allison complaints follow the same logic: check the fluid, pull the codes, drive the coach, and only then talk about opening the transmission.
You see what we see: photos and the technician’s notes arrive in a digital inspection before work is approved, and RDI Power warrants the labor for 3 years / 36,000 miles.
Before a Shady Hills coach heads up the Suncoast Parkway
A motorhome parked for months deserves a look before its first long run. Belts and coolant hoses harden with age whether the coach moves or not. Tires age in the Florida sun even with plenty of tread. Driveshafts and U-joints carry a lot of torque on a long chassis, and a clunk or a vibration that comes and goes with speed is worth checking; our article on failing U-joints in RVs covers the signs. Steering gearboxes and tie rods get checked for play, and fluids get checked for level, leaks and condition.
Shady Hills coach owners can find every chassis service we offer on the RV service and repair page. Owners on the Hernando side of County Line Road can also read our Spring Hill RV repair page.