Community Forums

Geezer80 · 04-19-2011, 05:07 AM

I drove, for the first time, a motorhome. It was an 2003 40' Diplomat. We were pleased with our initial inspection and decided to take it out on the road. We were a little surprised at the number of things that didn't work. The stairs wouldn't retract, the tachometer needle was all over the place and the oil pressure guage was DOA. That's just a few that come to mind now and that's not my main concern. The thing that bothered me the most was the vehicle "wandered" down the road. I was not a windy day, still, I had a hard time keeping it in one lane. Surely this can't be normal, is it? Comments please. Thanks.

H. Miller · 04-19-2011, 06:37 AM

You didn't say..... Is this a prospective new purchase???
It sounds as though the poor machine was "rode hard and put up wet". Yes, all those things can be fixed (for a price) but if the prior owner had such total disregard and/or no pride in ownership - what else will you find?

Mike Canter · 04-19-2011, 06:44 AM

If it has been sitting "For Sale" for some time did anyone check the tire pressures before it was driven? Low tire pressures could cause that. The other possibility is that it has Monroe shocks from the factory and they seem to go bad at around 15000-20000 miles. Look and see if the shocks are yellow on the top dust covers and the lower shock body. If so then they have to be replaced. (Bilsteins are blue on the top dust cover and yellow on the bottom shock body).

Robi.1014 · 04-19-2011, 08:56 AM

WRT road wandering:
Concur with Mike. Lacking specific loading, each tire should at 100 or 105 lbs. Something to consider, however: Many non-tag-axle DP MH have a shortened wheelbase in order to decrease its turning radius and increase its maneuverability in tight spaces. This design, however, makes steering corrections more pronounced. Recall: you're sitting over the front wheel. Compare to a car or a Class-c MH where the front wheels are ahead of you. For my Dip, I seldom place my hands on the steering wheel rim, but rather I place them close-in to the horn hub. This way, I can make minor (but also quick) steering corrections....but "minor" is the key phrase I'm espousing here.

But clearly, having a pro check the front end for worn parts is appropriate.

RVRon · 04-19-2011, 09:26 AM

Johnnyringo,
Hal said what I was thinking. The odds and ends that you are finding in the Motorhome that need fixing would indicate (to me, at least) a lack of routine maintenance and care. If you are looking to purchase a motorhome, there will be better ones available. Walk away.

Geezer80 · 04-19-2011, 10:09 AM

I did walk (drive) away from that one. I'm still looking although the trst drive with the wandering disturbed me. I would be worn out after about 100 miles!

Dutch Star Don · 04-19-2011, 12:21 PM

johnnyringo.......You mentioned that it was your first time driving a motor home......yours is a common complaint with new drivers to large diesel pushers. The coach may need some adjustment and repair, but a lot of new drivers oversteer the DP's. It's not like a car or truck where you watch/steer directly in front of you. With the larger motor homes, you need to pick a point farther down the road and steer toward that point. If you don't, you'll spend all day making corrections.

If you test drive another, you obviously have to be concerned about the mechanical condition, but also try looking farther down the road for a steering point......at least 100'-150'.

JimM68 · 04-19-2011, 07:47 PM

Maybe rent one and go camping for a couple weeks?
Maybe more than once?

The first time I drove a class A (a new tiffin, in 2009) it scared me to death!
Then I bought a 36' older gasser, spent a couple years getting used to that.
The DP I just bought is an absolute dream, I can drive it all day, and feel like I just got up in the morning at the end of 500 miles.

Papa_Jim · 04-19-2011, 09:09 PM

Ya, well. You'd think that these big coaches would be set up so they'd practically guide themselves down the road. But, they don't. I spent a frustrating couple of years getting my coach so it would at least stay on the road. It was pretty scary at first. I don't know how the previous owner did it. Maybe he simply wore into it as it wore.

I've finally got my coach so it's not terribly bad to drive. Yes, keeping my hands near the center of the steering wheel helps, but the fact is that constant corrections are continually required to keep the coach 'floating' straight down the highway.

In my estimation, that's not the way it's supposed to be, but we don't seem to know how to force the manufacturers to make it right.

A little while ago we were in a VanHoole bus with about 50 passengers, and the driver guided that bus down the highway with one finger resting on the wheel. Oh well, we can but dream.

Geezer80 · 04-20-2011, 04:52 AM

Jimkate: Car to share what you did to improve the drive?

Papa_Jim · 04-20-2011, 07:04 AM

Sure. Took it to the best truck alignment shop in our area. They replaced a couple of tie rods and aligned it. After that we went on a 5000 mile trip, and it wanted to go everywhere except down the road. I had never felt so exhausted and frustrated in my life.

So, I found the alignment specs for the coach and took it to another good truck alignment shop. They found that the previous alignment work was done well, although they did change the toe in adjustment. Fine. Didn't help me. It still wanted to wander all over the country.

Finally, I got to scratching my head and playing with it myself. I found out that the steering box had too much steering wheel free play. I adjusted the screw that controls that free play until there was no free play. Problem solved. We did a 4000 mile road trip in February. It was OK. Not fantastic. Just OK. At least I could drive it all day without feeling like I'd just finished a round with a wrestler.

I think the alignment is right because now the coach is not affected by wind (at all), or passing trucks (at all), or road ruts. However, it requires constant, tiny little corrections on the steering wheel to keep the coach running straight down the road. I know that's not right, because I've driven trucks. In a perfect world, it should want to 'float' down the road with minor corrections from the driver.

It's hard to explain the feeling when you're hanging onto the steering wheel, and the coach is heading in directions that have nothing to do with where you've set the wheel. I read another guy's post a while back that said the steering felt kind of 'squirrely'. Yep. That's it. Wants to jump all over the place instead of running straight ahead. I added a Steer Safe steering stabilizer, and that helped immensely.

JimM68 · 04-20-2011, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimkate

Ya, well. You'd think that these big coaches would be set up so they'd practically guide themselves down the road. But, they don't. .

How fair is that Jim?
According to your sig, your coach is a 1995?
Perhaps the manufacturers have learned a few things in the past sixteen years?
My '08 drives very nice.

Drifter · 04-20-2011, 08:06 AM

Our coach wasn't as bad driving down the road as you have explained, but I must admit that I just can't leave things alone when I think is not perfect. I used the knowledge I learned when I wrote the parts books on steering for trucks for twenty years. After checking the factory steps on alignment, ride height and steering specs, I raised the rear ride height 3/4" and lowered the front 1 1/4".
Now it drives with minimal effort down the road. Weight transfer made the difference, something to think about.

Glassalley52 · 04-20-2011, 08:17 AM

We had a 1987 Dolphin that we bought in 2000 and it had not been well maintained (as confessed by the previous owner). It was a 34' gasser and drove like a dream. Remember going across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in the pouring rain and no problems at all.