Ride Height

[Rmellen]

I have an '04 Dutch Star on a Spartan chassie. I had an air leak in the rear ride height valve. The local Cummins center replaced it and adjusted the ride height. It is riding higher that it was before.

How do I check to make sure that it's correct?

[GaryKD]

Hi Rmellen,
You coach documentation should have the ride height measurements. There is a front and rear measurement. If that fails, call Newmar service. They should have the measurements.

FYI, on my coach, this is not easy to do.

[tmitchell]

I have the same concern.
You have to trust whoever sets the height that they know what they are doing.
I was a toolmaker and I'm used to dealing in measurements in the thousands of an inch. When I decided to check my front ride height, thought I would measure point to point using a trammel bar.
As I recall it was from the c/l of the front axle to the bottom of the frame and had to be +/- .125.
I was stumped right away because I didn't know what they considered the bottom of the frame. I have IFS and it has its own subframe that nests under the actual frame, in the area where you need to measure from the c/l of axle. I didn't know if I was suppose to measure to the bottom of the IFS and then add the thickness of it?
Could someone that knows let me know exactly which 2 points they measured the distance between, for the front and the rear ride heights.

I will be at Lazy Days Rally Park in 2 weeks and will ask the Spartan rep if he can give me more detailed info on the measuring procedure.
I don't mind paying to have it set, but I would like to double check it when they are done.
Tom

[Windracer]

R mellen,
If you have a Spartan Mountain Master Chassis the rear suspension ride height is 8.25 inches with an allowed variance of +- .25 inches.
According to Spartan's specs you measure from the bottom of the fame to the center of the rear axle.
Finding the center of the axle takes a few minutes but once you have done it, mark the location so it will be easy the next time.

One way to find the center of the Axle
Start with the coach parked on an even level surface.
Using a small level placed on the top of the axle, measure from the top of the axel to the ground.
Then using the level again, measure from the bottom of the axel to the ground.
Calculate the difference between the two measurements and add one half of the difference to the bottom measurement number and you have the distance from the ground to the center of the axel..

Now mark that point (the center of the axel) and then measure from the center of the Axel to the bottom of the frame.
It's not easy but its not to hard to do, it can be a bit awkward...
If it's dead on that number will be 8.25 inches.....
And the specs allow a .25 inch up or down variance.

Adjusting is not to difficult but it can be very "Dangerous". It is possible to let the air out completely and that would allow the coach to lower to the ground and potentially have the ability to crush anyone under the coach....

So if you decide to adjust the ride height yourself, please be very careful...
Once adjusted it seldom changes.

When I adjust the ride height I have a pair of heavy duty jack stands that I put under the frame on each side to keep it from dropping in case I screw up the adjusting....

I service the U-Joints and the slip coupling on the short shaft several times a year and usually check the ride height when I'm under the rig..
I've only found it out of adjustment twice in the 8 years we've had the coach.
Jim A
2000 DSDP
Chino Valley, AZ

["007"]

There is alot to this PDF so not sure it will help. If not will try something else.

["007"]

Welcome to the Newmar forum Windracer.
Thanks for your descriptive post and the cautions you have discribed.

[tmitchell]

I appreciate the information on setting the rear, but what about the front?
Tom

["007"]

If you haven't already try this link on Google different front ends may have different methods of adjustment.

[Rmellen]

Thank you all for the great info.