LXI thru the years

[Johnny M Slone]

A

(05-22-2013 18:59)al perna Wrote:  Pete/David

Thank you both for the detailed info on the LXI. There is a great deal of info to go thru for sure . My first thought is around the front axle . Why did BB seem to struggle with weight ?? you would think this to be a manageable engineering problem for them to deal with ? can you imagine the cost of that Courtesy Fulfillment !! WOW!

David . what is "FIITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS " ? would this have been the prelude to the 450 LXI suspension that is rated above the Prevost in Ride ?
would you say thru 1998-2003 BB made improvements in all areas ?

would be nice to pint out the changes and determine which are those we , owners of early models could do to turn a 1998 into a 2003 ??

---

Sorry for the empty post but I am new to this so forgive my mistake. I was trying to answer Al in his question as to some of the changes made to the LXI during its run. My coach was the prototype LXI and it was built in 1997 but titled as a 1998. It was the first coach with the new body change and with slides. I have looked at several coaches from the 98 model to the 03 models and the only inside change I can see is the overhead cabinets in the front. The 98 model cabinets are finished as the rest of the coach. In the 99 thru 03 models the overhead cabinets are black plexiglass. The 99 thru 03 coaches are nearly all the same inside. My coach is 41 feet but BB built is equiped as a 43 footer it has 2 inverters, 6 batteries as the 43 is equiped. I have copies of the 98 sales brochure featuring my coach but BB lists it in the add as a 43 footer. BB used the prototype as a show coach during the year of 98 and sold it to the first owner in late 98. After it was sold BB took the coach back to the factory and completely redid the inside with new carpet, furniture, etc. While there they changed the front overhead cabinets to the new black plexiglass. Later on the coach was back to the factory and the front slide was removed but the bed room slide was left in. I have owned the coach for about 6 years and have found it to be a great motorhome. (except for the norcold fridge which is about to be replaced)

[al perna]

Johnnie . Thanks for the history lesson there , did you say your front slide was removed, and you only have a rear slide ? I would think you could ask HWH to put one in if you wanted ?

[Johnny M Slone]

(05-24-2013 08:19)al perna Wrote:  Johnnie . Thanks for the history lesson there , did you say your front slide was removed, and you only have a rear slide ? I would think you could ask HWH to put one in if you wanted ?

Yes Al the front slide was removed. The original owner told me the story that BB in their first attempt to build a coach with a slide did not go very well. He had trouble after trouble with it and after a while BB ask what they could do to make him happy. His answer was get rid of it, take it out, and that is just what they did. After I bought it the rear slide never worked as it should, never knew if it was going to extend and if it did will it retract. I redid it my way and it works every time now.
Slides are not a big deal with me, I would be just as happy with a non slide coach so I'll use mine as it is. Could probably trade up for what JWH would want to install the front slide.
John

[davidbrady]

Hi Johnny, real nice to hear from you. I said in my initial post "Johnny Slone had" cause I wasn't sure. Glad to hear that you still have and are still enjoying your 1998.

Mine is a 2002. I've never seen another 2002 LXi. I know from Curt Sprenger's owner's list that there are at least two, including mine, but in all these years on forums and at rally's I've never seen another first hand, fwiw.

The production order for my body number: F132512, says that the order for my LXi was placed on 02/14/01. It also specifies the VIN number: 1BBCPB9802FXXXXXX. (I X-ed out the last 6 digits for privacy). You can see that the tenth digit is a (2) signifying a 2002 model, but it started life early in 2001.

It says that the customer was Holland Motor Homes in Michigan, and I know the first owner was Scott Hockett and he lived in Michigan. He took delivery of the bus in October of 2001 and kept the bus for three years and then I bought it.

The build sheet also uses the date 3/14/01 as the "SETUP DATE", whatever that means. I've always assumed that Wanderlodge got the chassis on or around 3/14/01 and it took them 6 months to build the motorhome for delivery to Scott on or around 10/2001, but my bus is documented as a 2002.

So I suppose it's not terribly unlike the automotive industry where vehicles delivered in the the fourth quarter are often given the next year as the official production year. It is interesting that buses which started in manufacturing as early as February of a given year are issued VINs of the following year.

Johnny, you know that in the Blue Bird Wanderlodge world it's hard to make absolute statements. Take a look at the following picture.



You can see that my 2002 has wood cabinetry above the windshield. Turns out sometime in early 2000 the Prevost converter Royale was sold to Monaco. Royale was owned and created by a husband and wife team. Mary Hurly (sp?) the missus, eventually landed at Wanderlodge as an interior designer and she brought with her some of her Royale designs. I know this because my bus is one of her designs and I've actually seen a Royale prevost with an identical interior down to the handles, fixtures, sconces, wall papers, and fabrics.

[al perna]

Jonnie , I agree with you on the NON slide thought . I do however need my wife to be happy, so its a slide coach for me . Look forward to meeting you and seeing your coach one day .

[cmillsap]

(05-23-2013 18:41)timetravelers Wrote:  Just checked my factory rating plate up barely visible under my power operated sun shades and found it lists a 14600 lb GAWR steer axle. I guess ours didn't get the upgrade. :>( Morey

Yeah, Morey,

There probably are several LXis still equipped with the original 14600# steer axle. I'm guessing that they probably are all non-slide coaches tho. My former 2000 LXi that I sold to Rob Willard still had the 14600# steer axle. Coach weight on the steer axle was 14000#.

Interesting also was that it was equipped with the Xantrex 3000W inverters and AGM house batteries. The inverter/chargers did a great job keeping those AGMs fully charged. So, as David sez, it's hard to be absolute regarding a Wanderlodge.

Chuck

[timetravelers]

Chuck, I've got to check the info on the axle per David's numbers. I sitting still now for 2 months, so have some time. Unfortunately, I thought it was 16,000#, so have had it loaded at 16,000# for 5-1/2 years and 50,000 miles. Thank heavens for safety factors.
Morey

[davidbrady]

Hi Morey,

I'm glad you found out now. In an effort to increase awareness, maybe we should start a thread asking LXi owning folks what their axle ratings are?