Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > MOTORHOME FORUMS > Class A Motorhome Discussions
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-14-2019, 08:10 AM   #15
Moderator Emeritus
 
Gary RVRoamer's Avatar


 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,563
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
Gary RVRoamer is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 06-14-2019, 08:53 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Springfield, IL
Posts: 1,070
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!
rrtribble is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2019, 09:24 AM   #17
Senior Member
 
Unicorn Driver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 7,494
Thanks all for posting. I really do appreciate it.

The shop said it costs 120$ to test the alignment.
__________________
2008 Phoenix Cruiser 3100
2012 Jeep Wrangler Sahara JKU.
Unicorn Driver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2019, 09:30 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
Earl II's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 407
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tha_Rooster View Post
I’m on my 3rd MH and never needed or gotten a alignment.
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.
__________________
Bay Star 3124
Inland Pacific Northwest
Earl II is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2019, 05:22 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
nathaniel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 312
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
nathaniel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2019, 11:08 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
D Gardiner's Avatar


 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 1,203
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.
D Gardiner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2019, 04:04 AM   #21
Senior Member
 
Unicorn Driver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 7,494
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.
Unicorn Driver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2019, 05:47 AM   #22
Senior Member
 
BigEvi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 248
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.
BigEvi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2019, 06:44 AM   #23
Senior Member
 
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: st.charles mo.
Posts: 1,482
Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl II View Post
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.
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.
speed racer is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
class a



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
What is your frequency in changing Oil in D/P and the Generator Kro1957 Class A Motorhome Discussions 32 08-15-2017 06:40 PM
Class A and Class C need Alignment at purchase MrZip Thor Industries Owner's Forum 27 03-26-2017 08:39 AM
Frequency of firing everything Up and lighting problem jlabit Class A Motorhome Discussions 3 03-15-2015 09:42 AM
A Question of Brake Pad Replacement/Frequency & Cost MarkofSJC Class A Motorhome Discussions 14 11-17-2012 09:18 PM
Checking frequency output and voltage output of Onan 5000 Genset Generator. MajesticRV MH-General Discussions & Problems 4 11-07-2012 10:16 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:28 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.