Community Forums

ron55 · 11-19-2005, 09:44 AM

my new 33v voyage drove OK. had the wheel allignment as per tag on gearshift. the truck allignment shop change the camber. went to mi then to fl got such a pain between my sholder blades trying to constently correct the steering. stoped in fl at a rv dealer i respect and they reset the camber and it drove OK again. what is is camber spec for a w20? i suspect their is a range, and good interstate driving is at one end. we need to know so we tell the shop what spec to use.

ron55 · 11-19-2005, 09:44 AM

my new 33v voyage drove OK. had the wheel allignment as per tag on gearshift. the truck allignment shop change the camber. went to mi then to fl got such a pain between my sholder blades trying to constently correct the steering. stoped in fl at a rv dealer i respect and they reset the camber and it drove OK again. what is is camber spec for a w20? i suspect their is a range, and good interstate driving is at one end. we need to know so we tell the shop what spec to use.

Scooter · 11-19-2005, 10:59 AM

Guess the truck alignment shop was NOT a Workhorse service center?

You could contact W/H direct (or a W/H authorized service center) and ask them to send/fax you the alignment specs.

DriVer · 11-19-2005, 01:24 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RON55:
... they reset the camber and it drove OK again. what is is camber spec for a w20? i suspect their is a range, and good interstate driving is at one end. we need to know so we tell the shop what spec to use. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Ron55, According to the Workhorse Gas Motorhome Chassis Guide both the caster and camber are not adjustable.

The caster and camber wheel angles are designed into the front axle of all W Series chassis. If it is determined that adjustments are required please contact Workhorse for the proper service procedure.

Workhorse aligns all chassis prior to being delivered to the body manufacturer. The body manufacturer "must" realign the chassis after the body has been completed. "It is recommended to have the alignment checked after the vehicle is loaded for normal travel."

"007" · 11-19-2005, 03:25 PM

DriVer, does this alignment include the front to rear axels? My rear axel was out of alignment to the front axel 1/4 to 1/2" so the coach if you were following me would look like a crab going side ways down the road.
It cost at a WH dealer $240 to prove the coach was tracking this way an they said they couldn't fix it.
I went to a spring company,their recommendation, cost another $80 to fix the crab feature, I paid the $100 for the front end.
I don't see how Newmar could have corrected the crab problem, WH should have had a correct align chassis to begin with.

"007"

DriVer · 11-20-2005, 02:55 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by "007":
DriVer, does this alignment include the front to rear axles? My rear Axel was out of alignment to the front Axel 1/4 to 1/2" so the coach if you were following me would look like a crab going side ways down the road. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>What you're talking about is called a "Thrust Alignment." (TA) Workhorse checks for this before they release the chassis to the builder. This setting can be adjusted using the correct service proceedures.

When the coach body is completely assembled and the finished product is ready to roll it needs to be checked at that time for FEA and TA. You can see when a shop does a TA because they attach equipment to the rear axles sometimes these are laser they could be lights and mirrors or strings.

The reason why the OEM has to check for FEA and TA is because the frame could get stretched on some models and for other reasons related to increased weight and load positioning.

In the end when we buy our motorhome we are all reminded to have our FEAs checked after we load up our motorhomes. Of course this would mean that it would be full of fuel, lp, some water and all of our stuff. Now the way we load our motorhomes has an effect on how the vehicle will track going down the road.

There is also one other little variable that folks forget about and that's the delivery driver's interaction from the factory to the dealership. Once at the dealership who knows if the unit was run to a show or if it was test driven by an amateur.

After I bought my motorhome I was more concerned about saving "my" tires and making sure that "my" FEA, TA and tire balances were OK so I had this done on my own at a reputable truck tire shop that had the capability to do the work after I loaded up my motorhome.

So having the FEA and TA checked 3 times as it should be there should be no issues with abnormal tire wear, tracking or directional control "unless" something broke the chain of events that changed a setting on the alignment.

Gary RVRoamer · 11-20-2005, 06:08 AM

While there is no camber adjusting mechanism built into the WH front axles, camber can be adjusted by bending the center of the solid front axle slightly, either up or down as needed. This is a standard procedure for heavy duty solid axles and many truck alignment shops can do it.

I think WH is very shortsighted to refuse to provide a camber spec, even though the axle does not include an adjustment. Axles can go out of camber - especially with the severe rebound tendency that the Wxx tends to exhibit in many configurations - and owners need to have some way of determining whether theirs is correct or not. The method of correcting camber if it is out may be the subject of a debate, but there has to be a spec. How else do they set it up at the factory? I guess WH thinks you should buy a new axle if the current one is out of spec, but even them you have to have a spec to know!

The most common sign of a camber problem is BOTH tires worn on the inner or outer edge. However, incorrect toe-in has the same symptoms, so be sure toe-in is set correctly before considering a camber adjustment. The actual load (weight) on the front axle also has an effect, so an axle that has an unusually light or heavy load might appear to be at the extreme end of the acceptable camber range.

Caster is another story - I haven't heard of any way to correct caster on an axle with no caster adjustment.

I'm kind of surprised that a change in camber affects the handling as Ron55 describes, though. Caster would do it, though, and I suppose there are inter-relationships among all the wheel/suspension adjustments. Maybe changing camber is a left-handed way of changing whatever is the real problem on Ron55's coach?

"007" · 11-20-2005, 06:22 AM

The TA was what this WH shop called was out of alignment, for the money charged they should have done the corrections. How would delivery cause this problem unless you mean the driver hit curbings or such before delivery to dealer.

I have never read on this site of anyone having this problem an its the first time I have ever had this problem with any MH's in the past. I wonder how many other MH,ers have this problem and don't realize it.

"007"

M&EM · 11-20-2005, 07:33 AM

I suppose caster might be adjusted using tapered shims between axle and spring. Don't know if that's actually done anywhere.

BellaBo · 11-20-2005, 09:03 AM

I had to have the caster adjusted on my W-22. Turning Wheel in Florida performed the adjustment. This was only after they obtained approval from Workhorse. They told me they had to bend something to accomplish it and is not a regular alignment adjustment. Hence Workhorse approval. After a normal alignment and shock replacement didn't correct the motorhome from wandering, this was the recommendation of the factory represenative that test drove it when I took it back to the factory in Nappanee for other problems.
After this was done it handled 100% better. I was anticipating putting on a track bar but after the adjustment, I've put that off.
Streamerman

ron55 · 11-20-2005, 01:17 PM

can anyone tell me what it might have been, that these wheel alignments adjusted that made so much difference in the drivabilty. It was like day night. If it drives good when you buy it and drive it home, leave it alone! I purchased a henderson track bar after the first alignment and now its ok, but I am going install it anyway.

DriVer · 11-20-2005, 04:41 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RV Roamer:
While there is no camber adjusting mechanism built into the WH front axles, camber can be adjusted by bending the center of the solid front axle slightly, either up or down as needed. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Gary, The folks at Workhorse told me that there's one heck of memory in the axle and when it's bent it just simply returns to its previously unbent posture. So bend as you might in the long run it just returns to its previous configuration.

This is one reason for WCC stating that there is no adjustment however the caveat there is that a service center should call in the event the caster is proven to be out and then WCC can prescribe a method to correct the problem as it exists.

Gary RVRoamer · 11-21-2005, 02:47 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Gary, The folks at Workhorse told me that there's one heck of memory in the axle and when it's bent it just simply returns to its previously unbent posture. So bend as you might in the long run it just returns to its previous configuration. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, that's their story. Here's mine:

After returning to the East Coast after 3 months on Alaska's often rugged roads, I was wearing both front tires on the outer edges. Toe-in was OK but camber had gone substantially positive on both wheels. Hyder Alignment in West Springfield, MA bent the axle for me and swapped the front tires for two of the rears. No further tire wear and no problem since. The camber adjustment was done in May, 2003 and is still holding. Perhaps my front axle has CRS?

I repeat: this is a common procedure in truck alignment shops and I know of several RVers who have had it done on various brands of chassis with solid front axles.

DriVer · 11-21-2005, 04:02 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RV Roamer:
I repeat: this is a common procedure in truck alignment shops and I know of several RVers who have had it done on various brands of chassis with solid front axles. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Gary, 10-4 however I am only repeating what is written in the Chassis Guide, in my words, "the caveat there is that a service center should call in the event the caster is proven to be out and then WCC can prescribe a method to correct the problem as it exists."

This statement suggests that there is a solution for a caster problem, whether it's bending or whatever other solution works, WCC would like to be in the loop especially if the rig is still under warranty.

Out of warranty whatever works .....

I have heard about Hyder, MikeT lives up there and he says that they're a pretty good shop. I think he said that they either fixed his differential gear set or seal but they did good work.

If anyone is up and around that area and they have a control problem this shop is highly recommended.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Perhaps my front axle has CRS? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Now that's funny!