Community Forums

smokey5209 · 06-20-2010, 03:49 PM

Well, just completed what I refer to as my first long trip. We went approximately 200 miles.

The motorhome handled well. The improvements I have made really helped.
I added new shocks and tires, had the front end aligned with an 1/8" toe, and shimmed to 5.9 degrees. Weighed and adjusted the air pressure in the tires to Michlien specs plus 5 psi.

Added the Davis TruTrac to the front and TracBar to the rear. The trip was very much different than the trip when I first purchased it. No more push by semi's, less rear end sway and a much softer ride with the shocks and air pressure change.

I do still have a small problem, that being, the need for an almost constant steering correction, just a little to one direction and then back again.

I am not sure if it is play in the steering box there is only 17,000 miles on it.

I will have to check this out and if all is OK, I am thinking about Steer Safe or Safe-T-Plus for the front end to try and eliminate the constant correction.

Your opinions as to what you feel may correct this problem will be appreciated.

Thanks
Ed

scenic route · 06-20-2010, 05:57 PM

Hey Ed,

Sure sounds like you've been busy...and doing all the right stuff. My coach also had only 17K registered and I also had some 'wandering' in the front end and excessive 'tail wag'. I went with a set of Konis and added a rear trac-bar as well. I'm very happy with the handling now and after 2k miles on this trip, I'm almost convinced that what little steering correcting I have to do is just the nature of the 'beast'. I mean, we are talk'n 'big honk'n truck' here!

My steering feels solid and tight, so I'm not sure adjusting would help (YMMV) in my case and with the work you have had done, I would have thought that your front end man would have caught any play in the steering box.

I've found that most of my over correcting can be reduced just by loosing my white knuckled death grip of the steering wheel and relaxing a bit.

This has worked so well for me that I'm forgoing the planned front trac bar installation...for now. It's almost like I've found some sort of steering 'sweet spot' and the constant correcting is almost eliminated...I'm now thinking of becoming a professional bus driver...NOT!

Give it a try...hope it helps. Bob

RV Wizard · 06-21-2010, 02:29 AM

Ed, as Bob has suggested I too, would recommend that you drive the coach some more before making any more changes. What you might be doing is making a steering change when none is needed. If you will try to NOT make a correction but hold the wheel straight when the coach lists or leans from wind, road crown or passing truck, you may find that the coach stays in the center of the lane just fine. It takes some getting used to not over correcting and correcting back and forth constantly.

Gary - K7GLD · 06-21-2010, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokey5209

I do still have a small problem, that being, the need for an almost constant steering correction, just a little to one direction and then back again.

I am not sure if it is play in the steering box there is only 17,000 miles on it.

I will have to check this out and if all is OK, I am thinking about Steer Safe or Safe-T-Plus for the front end to try and eliminate the constant correction.

Your opinions as to what you feel may correct this problem will be appreciated.

Thanks
Ed

I've done much of the same type stuff you have, and with similar noticeable improvement in handling - but also still have a small degree of "road wander". But, our local roads are narrow and winding, and usually crowned or cambered enough to not be seriously critical of the suspension. Our older rig has 59K miles on it, and the suspension/steering all seems well maintained and tight - but I suspect age and the added air bags might have affected front end alignment.

Unfortunately, the nearest possible alignment spot capable of RV alignment is about a 250 mile round trip from here - so any economical checking of alignment will have to wait until some RV adventure takes in that area so we can include the alignment check into the trip.

Meanwhile, our perception of the wandering might be as the others have claimed, just needing to get used to a tendency that is common to the RV - or perhaps traveling on a better stretch of level road for a better analysis of handling...