Windsor ride quality

suemac1 · 09-05-2011, 05:14 PM

Hello all,

We own a 2004 Windsor and can say that we are that comfortable with rough road ride quality. We are curious about the potential ride quality improvements associated with replacement of our monroe shocks with koni. Can anyone with experience with this issue chime in with their opinion and or options. Thanks in advance

DtBt · 09-05-2011, 05:27 PM

The difference with new koni FSDs and our warn out Monroes was dramatic. The ride was improved even more by adjusting the ride height

CoryP · 09-05-2011, 06:15 PM

I have a 2000 Windsor that is 35' long. I replaced the Monroes with Koni's and added sway bars. A night and day improvement.

Cory P.

Diplomat Don · 09-05-2011, 11:20 PM

suemac1..... I put the Koni's on in the first year and they took that sharp shuttering out of the front end. With the Monroes, it felt like my TV was going to shake right out of the mounts. The Koni's took away about 90% of that.

I also adjusted the ride height which made an incredible difference. Its amazing what being out of height adjustment by just an inch in the front and rear can do.

Next you need to get the coach weighed and adjust the tires to your weight.

Finally, I had the coach aligned. It further improved steering correction.

Do the Koni's first, even though they're rather expensive. They'll be the biggest improvemnt. The ride height is easy to adjust if you're comfortable doing your own work and the tire pressure adjustment is free. The four wheel alignment should be about $150.00.

After you've done the above (most important) put the sway bars on for the final improvement. They're about $2500.00 installed. I did my own install and saved about $400.00.

suemac1 · 09-06-2011, 05:09 PM

Thanks to all for the info. Sounds like koni's are on our Christmas list. Where is a reasonable supplier of these shocks. The install will be done by DW and me. Again thanks to all, collectively you are a great information resource.

Diplomat Don · 09-06-2011, 09:15 PM

suemac1......The Shox Store use to have good prices. http://www.shox.com/appguide/shoxshop/selectmodel.php When you do the install, there are a couple of secrets. A half inch drive air gun is a big help. When doing the fronts, turn the wheels full right and you'll get easy access to one shock on each side, turn the other way and get the other two.

Getting to the top of the rears is very difficult. It's a stud with a nut on top. Unbolt the bottom of the shock first. Place a box end wrench on the top nut and turn the shock upper housing with a large pair of Channelocks. The wrench will turn and hit the frame and you'll be able to unscrew the shock. I put the new ones on in the same manner. I was able to grip the upper shock housing and twist it until tight.

Robi.1014 · 09-07-2011, 08:29 AM

Don,
WRT "...I put the Koni's on in the first year and they took that sharp shuttering out of the front end. With the Monroes, it felt like my TV was going to shake right out of the mounts."

Please define "sharp shuttering". For our rig, when hitting a pot hole (or something similar), the TV does experience a significant and jarring bounce. But other than that, we've been happy with our rig's ride. But, like me, she is getting older....

TIA. Robi

D Barber · 09-07-2011, 09:03 AM

Hi,
Get a 30 inch + breaker bar to do the bottom nuts, on 3 of my bottom bolts a 1/2 drive air wrench would not break them loose, even after using PB Blaster. One other handy wrench is a box end ratchet wrench(Sears, Harbour Freight). This allows you to take off and put on nuts with little space to work in very efficiently. Torque the bottom nuts to 130 lbs. The tops I had trouble torquing accurately but tried for 40 lbs. I did use Bilsteins, not Koni,s but a major difference over the Monroes that were 5 years old, 50,000 miles.
Would I install shocks again by myself, probably not. I was quoted 40.00 per shock for install, but at least I know it was done right

deSanford · 09-17-2011, 08:16 PM

My 2011 Monaco Cayman approaches the ride of a Lexus. With less then 5,000 miles we changed out the Monroes to Koni FSDs and had the Roadmaster chrome moly sway bars installed. FABULOUS ride........de Sanford PS also added the Safe T Plus with the auto trimmer. Great for high winds, and crowned roads.

suemac1 · 09-18-2011, 05:00 AM

Thanks for the input We have priced out the koni's, $169/unit. the access to some of the shocks will be a challenge (need long arms) but is doable. The top bolts look to be back welded, so all I need to do is remove the top nut and remove bottom bolt and nut. Once removed hang the new shock on the top bolt and try to start the nut on the that top bolt (need long arms) then install and torque bottom hardware. Sounds straight forward (yeah right).