Cheap Handling Fix-Fail! Jayco Precept 35S

[Vicr]

It finally quit raining and was actually dry so yesterday I pulled the 35S onto the driveway to do the CHF. I got the bolts out, jacked the sway bar up to line up with the sway bar link and guess what, the holes lined up perfectly with the leaf springs so I was not able to get the bolts in. Looks like I'll have to take it to a shop with a lift or chassis jacks rated for the weight of the front of the coach to lift it and get the swaybar/link holes to not line up with the leaf springs.

[edfgrf]

Needs to be on level ground or close. I used a sizor jack from my truck to get it to lineup.

[Vicr]

It was on level ground and as I posted I jacked up the swaybar had the holes aligned but the holes were blocked by the leaf springs thus I couldn't slide the bolt thru the aligned holes.

[alank]

Another possibility would be to take the links off the frame, move the ends of the swaybar to a place where the bolts will slip in, then reattach the top ends to the frame.

[Waiter21]

Extend the links two or three inches... You can see how I did mine:

I cut the link in half, inserted the halves into a 1/2 inch water pipe that was 10 inches long, then welded the links back together.

This optimizes the torsion bar to link geometry.

NOTE - I'm getting ready to do the CHF on my "New to Me" Southwind, I'll use a 12 inch pipe this time instead of a 10 inch pipe I used on the Mirada.

Cheap Handling Fix – and then some | 2001 Coachmen Mirada 300QB

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[Sweetbriar]

So in other words you have this problem -



I'm trying to recall what I did when I did the fix several years ago which was at a COE campground with basic tools.

With both ends of the bar disconnected roll the bar up, or down your chose, to clear the springs to install the bolt. Then move the bar to line up with the link. Slide the bolt out until the bolt head is against the spring. You might have enough lateral movement of the link and the bolt to work the link back onto the bolt. It may need a bit of persuasion. The other option is to remove the bushing from the link, install it first on the bolt then push the link onto the bushing. Again persuasion might be necessary. A bit of silicone grease will help.

You could unbolt the two axle clamps which will allow more movement or unbolt the top of the links to allow bar movement to bolt the lower ends in.

The other option is long links as Waiter21 suggested. There are many owners that made or had made new links primarily to maintain the design geometry.

[harleyjt]

I think I'd cut it loose at the axle and drop the SB. Install the bolts on each side, snug up, then position the SB back to the axle and reattach. Check the condition of the bushings at the axle while you have it apart.
jt

[triplewide]

I loosened that bolts that attach the sway bar to the axle, but did not take completely loose. Made aligning holes easier. Have seen posts where owners purchased longer links.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f23/cheap...72335-201.html

Page 202 has info as to where to purchase longer links.

[Vicr]

Thanks for the tips! Looks like I've got more wrenching to do. Now if it would only stop raining.....