Wandering, sway bars, alignment, ride height, oh my!!

[rmcb]

Van,
What a great idea. I have used the Tow Ready J-Pin with some success but I am sure it is not anywhere near as secure as your idea. It requires a smaller hole drilled in the side of the receiver next to the hitch pin hole. It also loosens up sometimes if I don't really torque the nut down tight.

https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Locks...RoCzEUQAvD_BwE

[Jeff753]

Originally Posted by Vanwill

This pull to the right has me baffled, but I'm sure I'll find the cause of it. Although something like the Blue Ox adjustable unit would "cover up" the problem, I have no interest in a solution like that.



It is a vehicle. It's a large one, but it's still a vehicle, and with a relatively unsophisticated suspension/steering design. It can be made to go straight without pulling, using only what is already installed on the vehicle. I just have not found the answer yet...but either *I* will or *WE* will. There are some really resourceful folks that have contributed to this thread.



If you want to try to understand my confusion about this issue, remember that I had my alignment checked by a local shop that tolerates (perhaps even enjoys dealing with) my idiosyncrasies. Using their late model laser alignment equipment, they showed me that my front end needed NOTHING--it was well within specs. And that my rear end was indeed misaligned, but within specs--1/16" or less. Fast forward, and I have decreased the length of the two rear trailing arms on one side a full 1/2" and the pull to the right is still approximately the same. Removing the STS allowed using much less effort to keep the steering wheel clocked about 20 - 30 degrees left to counteract the pull to the right, but to go straight, the wheel is clocked to the exact position as before changing trailing arm length or removing the STS. So the centering spring in the STS was probably causing so much effort to be required to clock the wheel to the left, but had nothing to do with how much the wheel had to be clocked to counteract the pull to the right.



And bear in mind that I don't just want a "fix", I want to understand what caused the problem in the first place. There is a reasonable answer. We will find it. Thanks for all your thoughts and help.

Just to toss it out there. My pull to the left was caused by a bad travel valve. They should be 16ohms if I recall. It was hard to figure out since when I leveled the problem went away until the bag deflated around a corner and would not inflate again

[Happycarz]

I did like Myron, but used brazing rod on my previous coach. Sure a lot easier to file to fit.

This coach I use the Blue Ox Immobilizer, which has 2 U bolts to take up the slop both vertically and horizontally.

https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Anti-...SABEgIt2vD_BwE

Roy built me some .035” spacer rings to slide onto the shaft of the Blue Ox removable tabs, to which the tow bar attaches. I’ll also slip thin nylon washers between the “fingers” of the tow bar and tabs. All that stacked tolerance cannot be good back there.

But with 90,000 miles on my tow bar, and being a little sloppy, I figured it didn’t owe me anything and put a new one on, 2 months ago.

[Kurt Averill]

Originally Posted by zmotorsports

I have repaired quite a few of these over the years that have become ovaled out and have had really good results machining reducers/spacers out of hardened steel then TIG welding them into the receiver tube on the coach. I actually have a youtube video on my channel showing how I have repaired the stinger as well as the receiver tubing.

Mine on the actual coach hitch has lasted almost 11 years and over 60k miles since I did mine, many of those miles hauling 12,500 pounds of enclosed trailer around. I also run the U-bolt style of anti-rattle device in addition to tightening up the size of the pin holes.

A couple of the earlier ones I repaired didn't actually live very long because I was using standard ER70S-2 tig rod and there wasn't enough elongation in the filler rod. Once I switched over to using 309L TIG rod, they have lasted a very long time. Mine has actually been the longest lasting one I have done as it was the first one I used the 309L rod on.

Mike

Mike, could you post a link to your U-tube video:? I know I have seen some of those but the how and where to find them escapes me right now...
I would have used ER70S-2 as well... but I am only a hobbyist TIGer and probably make frequent errors - I don't fully understand the elongation issue.

[zmotorsports]

Originally Posted by Kurt Averill

Mike, could you post a link to your U-tube video:? I know I have seen some of those but the how and where to find them escapes me right now...
I would have used ER70S-2 as well... but I am only a hobbyist TIGer and probably make frequent errors - I don't fully understand the elongation issue.

Gladly Kurt, here is a link to the video I made while repairing a hitch riser. I use the same process when repairing towbar stingers and hitch receivers, I just video'd this as it was easier to access for the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvz8Xi46mx8

As for the rod selection, the ER70S-2 being the proper material choice for the parent material but it was not handling the shock loads that the small reducers were experiencing. Upon showing these cracked welds to my local welding supply rep. and discussing he informed me that by using the 309L and it having a bit more nickel and chromium that when mixed with the mild steel the Martensitic cracking that I was experiencing should be either minimized or possibly eliminated. He mentioned that the small amount of nickel would allow for some elongation and help with the shock loads and the chromium would give the strength. He informed me that when these two are mixed with the mild steel they bring the properties of the molten puddle into their "sweet spot" if you will for strength, elongation as well as being somewhat corrosion resistant, although I don't think the corrosion resistance is actually there being mixed with the molten parent mild steel material. Since using the 309L these repairs have worked out beautifully ever since.

I hope you find the video informative.

Please keep one thing in mind however, I'm a mechanic and NOT a videographer.

Mike

[Vanwill]

Guys, I am at Q in one of the outer rows on the far side. Gold and white 2000 Dynasty 36 with 2000 Silverado 1500 Z-71 parked in front.

[alank]

Originally Posted by Happycarz

This coach I use the Blue Ox Immobilizer, which has 2 U bolts to take up the slop both vertically and horizontally.

https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Anti-...SABEgIt2vD_BwE

Happycarz, I too use the U-bolt type clamps, except I made my own. One thing I noticed is that when you tighten the nuts just snug, the hitch is held tight where the U-bolt is, but the front end is not restricted from movement inside the receiver. The U-bolts have eliminated half the movement of the hitch, at the back end of the receiver, but does nothing for the movement at the front end of the hitch. There is no way you can tighten the U-bolts enough to eliminate the movement at the front of the hitch.

My solution to eliminate most of this movement was to put a vertical weld bead on the very front of the hitch to take up the excess space. If I position the nuts on the left, I weld on the right to position the front of the hitch to the left, tightening the entire hitch on the left side of the receiver. Do the same on the top to position the hitch on the bottom of the receiver. Then file the weld bead down until it will slide in the receiver with little difficulty.

Something you may to check to see much looseness you have in the receiver.

[zmotorsports]

Originally Posted by alank

Happycarz, I too use the U-bolt type clamps, except I made my own. One thing I noticed is that when you tighten the nuts just snug, the hitch is held tight where the U-bolt is, but the front end is not restricted from movement inside the receiver. The U-bolts have eliminated half the movement of the hitch, at the back end of the receiver, but does nothing for the movement at the front end of the hitch. There is no way you can tighten the U-bolts enough to eliminate the movement at the front of the hitch.



My solution to eliminate most of this movement was to put a vertical weld bead on the very front of the hitch to take up the excess space. If I position the nuts on the left, I weld on the right to position the front of the hitch to the left, tightening the entire hitch on the left side of the receiver. Do the same on the top to position the hitch on the bottom of the receiver. Then file the weld bead down until it will slide in the receiver with little difficulty.



Something you may to check to see much looseness you have in the receiver.

I did something very similar with a couple of welds lengthwise on the hitch so it fits a bit snug into the receiver tube.

Mike

[Kurt Averill]

Originally Posted by zmotorsports

Gladly Kurt, here is a link to the video I made while repairing a hitch riser. I use the same process when repairing towbar stingers and hitch receivers, I just video'd this as it was easier to access for the video.

As for the rod selection, the ER70S-2 being the proper material choice for the parent material but it was not handling the shock loads that the small reducers were experiencing. Upon showing these cracked welds to my local welding supply rep. and discussing he informed me that by using the 309L and it having a bit more nickel and chromium that when mixed with the mild steel the Martensitic cracking that I was experiencing should be either minimized or possibly eliminated. He mentioned that the small amount of nickel would allow for some elongation and help with the shock loads and the chromium would give the strength. He informed me that when these two are mixed with the mild steel they bring the properties of the molten puddle into their "sweet spot" if you will for strength, elongation as well as being somewhat corrosion resistant, although I don't think the corrosion resistance is actually there being mixed with the molten parent mild steel material. Since using the 309L these repairs have worked out beautifully ever since.

I hope you find the video informative.

Please keep one thing in mind however, I'm a mechanic and NOT a videographer.

Mike

Thanks Mike, Its always great watching your videos. I don't have the tools you do, - or the level of skill, so my stuff is a little more..."backyard".
But this gives me some great ideas and information, Thanks again.

[zmotorsports]

Originally Posted by Kurt Averill

Thanks Mike, Its always great watching your videos. I don't have the tools you do, - or the level of skill, so my stuff is a little more..."backyard".
But this gives me some great ideas and information, Thanks again.

You're welcome Kurt. Glad it was informative.

Thanks for the comments and for watching my videos.

Mike

[RW1997]

Looking for experienced installation mechanic and materials for front Watts link and rear cross bars on 2007 Monaco. Thanks, Scott, Katy, Texas

[RW1997]

Looking for experienced mechanic/shop and materials for front Watts linkage and rear cross bars for 2007 Monaco. Thanks, Scott, Katy, Texas.

[VinceB]

Originally Posted by RW1997

Looking for experienced mechanic/shop and materials for front Watts linkage and rear cross bars for 2007 Monaco. Thanks, Scott, Katy, Texas.

Where to Buy

Installation Shops

[ronspradley]

Thanks for posting these links.

ronspradley