Evaluating Shocks and Air Bags

[ProjectPro]

I'm in the market for a DP and have learned a lot about evaluating used coaches. But reading a few horror stories on IRV2 makes me think that I need to know how to evaluate shocks. Can't just bounce the coach by the fender and watch for over-travel that way one would do a car, so how does one know?

Also, is there a way to evaluate air bags other than how it rides in the test drive?

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by ProjectPro

I'm in the market for a DP and have learned a lot about evaluating used coaches. But reading a few horror stories on IRV2 makes me think that I need to know how to evaluate shocks. Can't just bounce the coach by the fender and watch for over-travel that way one would do a car, so how does one know?

Also, is there a way to evaluate air bags other than how it rides in the test drive?

A good test drive will tell you what condition the shocks are in, and as far as the air springs, you will have to go under it and inspect them for cracking and deteriorating conditions.

[VanDiemen23]

Cracking isn't a reliable indicator of condition. Airbags are built like tires. They crack some on the outside but that doesn't mean they are bad in any way.

The ride of an air-bag RV is VERY cushy with a lot of travel and some jounce as the coach rotates around the rear axle with all that weight out the back.

I know a lot about shocks but it would take some really bad handling for me to diagnose bad shocks on a DP. However, all you have to do is take the bottom bolt off and if the shock can easily be compressed by hand it's done. In my experience, most modern shocks fail in bump, and the rebound function is sort of OK, so the bumper test doesn't really pick up bad shocks anymore,

[palehorse89]

If I had signs of dry rot, cracking on my air bags(outside) I would not choose to take off on a 5,000 mile trip with the condition of the roads in our country, I would choose to change them out for new ones, using roadside assatance sucks.