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06-14-2019, 08:10 AM
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#15
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,563
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It's definitely "as needed", not every xxxx miles. I think alignment shops suggest annual or bi-annual alignments to customers who never look at their tires or pay attention to the steering. For them, an alignment is essentially preventive maintenance. The effort/cost of checking to verify proper alignment is the same as doing the alignment.
A sturdy front suspension driven on mostly decent highways should go for years and years without re-alignment, but one curb strike or a big pothole at speed could knock it out.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
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06-14-2019, 08:53 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Springfield, IL
Posts: 1,070
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My OP Manual says alignment to be completed every 24K miles or 2 years. Personally I check my tire wear every trip, going and coming. Since I've never had an abnormal tire wear show up during 40 years and multiple MHs I've never had to do a front end alignment but that may change with my DP as I hit some rough, I mean rough roads in Northern Illinois last time out. So far no abnormal wear but going a couple of hundred miles next week and will check again.
I also keep an eye on the steering wheel alignment as this has saved me on a couple autos after hitting a chuck hole.
I would add, do it as often as you are comfortable.
Be safe - Richard
__________________
2011 Itasca Ellipse 42QD; 2012 Buick La Crosse; Retired US Army MSG (20 years AFS); Retired! Retired!
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06-14-2019, 09:24 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 7,494
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Thanks all for posting. I really do appreciate it.
The shop said it costs 120$ to test the alignment.
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2008 Phoenix Cruiser 3100
2012 Jeep Wrangler Sahara JKU.
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06-14-2019, 09:30 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 407
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tha_Rooster
I’m on my 3rd MH and never needed or gotten a alignment.
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On the other side of the coin, we are on our second in three years. Both were badly out of alignment and this last one was not level on the right front corner.
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Bay Star 3124
Inland Pacific Northwest
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06-14-2019, 05:22 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 312
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Freightliner chase and was set wrong from factory hard right pull. Shop aligned and put in more wedge. 450 all aligned steering wheel. Heavy shop specializes in heavy truck chase. Was worth it no more white knuckles
__________________
2009 Gulfstream Caribean
40 ft trio
350 Cummins
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06-14-2019, 11:08 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 1,203
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We had our aligned once early on and have been very lucky not needing a full realignment since. We have replaced one steering component in 36K miles and have had the toe reset three times.
She still drives straight as an arrow.
__________________
Always bring your A game.
1996 Flair 29V, 454 TBI, 4L80E. Your life is your story, don't let someone dictate your story.
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06-15-2019, 04:04 AM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 7,494
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Thanks all,
The roads in Michigan are fairly poor and most trips this year it has been windy. I need to find a flat stretch of road to test on a calm day. Will also check tires for wear.
__________________
2008 Phoenix Cruiser 3100
2012 Jeep Wrangler Sahara JKU.
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06-15-2019, 05:47 AM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 248
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I would think that DP chassis are designed to go many 10s of thousands of miles between alignments. But as others have said if you hit a pot hole and blow out your alignment, in addition to the alignment anything damaged should be fixed. Ball joints, control arm bushings, etc. If you've got an old unit or car, replacing all the rubber in the suspension and aligning should make it drive like new...most people are astonished at what a diff it makes.
When owning an automobile over the course of a few decades the average owner wont notice the deterioration in the steering and handling because it happens so subtly over long periods of time. That's when you take your 20 year old suspension, replace all the rubber and joints, and bam, wth, I had no idea how bad it was!
-E
__________________
-Eric E. 2006 Fleetwood Discovery 39S, Cat C7, Allison 6 speed, Freightliner. CFII/MEI Beechcraft Specialty. Gulfstream Contract Pilot.
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06-15-2019, 06:44 AM
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#23
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Senior Member
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: st.charles mo.
Posts: 1,482
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl II
On the other side of the coin, we are on our second in three years. Both were badly out of alignment and this last one was not level on the right front corner.
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I am a retired mechanic and this statement makes no sense to me. A straight axle should hold it's alignment pretty good although the king pins and tie rod ends should be checked every now and then. I did add 2 degree more caster shims to mine that made it run straighter down the road with less steering correction.
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