By Roger Stickley
Each year since 1990, the Ramblin’ Pushers have offered an event that focuses specifically on proper maintenance and safe operation of Class A and Super C diesel coaches. The event was started by a group of Holiday Rambler owners who met in the spring to get their annual maintenance tasks performed and share their knowledge of coach systems with each other. They called their gathering a Maintenance Session (MS for short), to distinguish it from more casual, socially oriented RV rallies.
In recent years the MS has expanded its list of eligible coaches to include Class A diesel pushers and Super C diesels and includes the following coach makes: American Coach, Beaver, Entegra, Fleetwood, Holiday Rambler, Monaco, Newmar, Renegade, Safari, and Tiffin. Former members of the Ramblin’ Pushers who now own diesel pushers or Super C diesel coaches of any make are invited to reactivate their membership and participate in the MS.
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Where and when is this happening?
The MS takes place in the RV Manufacturing Capital of the U.S., Elkhart County, Indiana, at the Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds. In 2022, the event will take place April 28 – May 5. This location enables local manufacturers of RVs and component systems to provide services on-site without having to move your coach.
The MS is also supported by commercial vendors who offer RV accessories and related items. Local service providers can perform troubleshooting and minor repairs and schedule work to be done in their shops.
What will we do and what will I learn?
The mission of the Ramblin’ Pushers Maintenance Session is to provide owners of eligible diesel coaches an educational program that emphasizes proper maintenance and safe operation of their motorhomes. That mission is accomplished by the presentation of seminars by experts in their fields and making maintenance services available in a convenient format. There is one evening during the MS where owners with similar coaches are brought together to do Roundtables where they can highlight problems they may have had, or are having, and to discuss possible solutions other owners have found.
The MS program also includes daily opportunities for social contact. The morning Hospitality and Announcements period offers complimentary breakfast fare and necessary information. Early evenings often find casual groups assembling for conversation and refreshments. RV dealers and vendors may offer a social period that includes food and provides an opportunity to inspect sale RVs and vendor booths. The closing dinner, catered by a local firm, is a time for reflection on the previous week, thank the multitude of volunteers who make the MS work smoothly, and acknowledge the work of the Board of Directors and the entire MS team.
With the exception of the COVID-19 years (2020 and 2021), the MS has attracted about 250 coaches each year since 2000.
Join us at our upcoming Maintenance Session!
An invitation to the 2022 MS along with the full Program from 2019 (the last MS held because of COVID-19 restrictions) is available here.
The Registration Form (in a fillable .pdf format) can be found here.
For more information about the Ramblin’ Pushers, visit our website.
Note that the 2022 registration fee for seven nights of camping, daily hospitality, an extensive educational program, an opportunity to get coach maintenance, and a sumptuous closing dinner is $330 plus a $20 fee for non-members.
We hope to see you at the 2022 Ramblin’ Pushers Maintenance Session.
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We have a Monaco Diplomat and have been to many rallies and trade shows but the two Maintenance Sessions we attended have been by far the most educational and enjoyable. It’s very handy to get work done without moving the coach and the seminars and Roundtable discussions were really helpful. The second time we even volunteered to help a couple who had the same coach as us and we’ve become very good friends. I highly recommend going.
The maintenance session is really cool. You get your oil change right at your campsite ,tires and several vendors will come right to your rig at your site to work on it. They have breakfast every morning and it’s AWESOME!! The classes and what you learn about your rig is AWESOME as well!! Some great people. I’ve been the last couple years. If you haven’t been you should check it out, it’s highly recommended!!