Community Forums

Roamin Mike · 12-01-2017, 11:19 AM

Has anybody out there had this kit installed? I'm getting a really rough ride on my 2004 Tiffin Allegro Bus and am wondering if I can get a noticeable improvement ride comfort and handling from this? Or would new shock alone accomplish that? Any other suggestions?

Pigman1 · 12-01-2017, 11:29 AM

What tire pressure are you running? My experience is that higher pressure than necessary will definitely cause a rough ride. Ten PSI can make a huge difference. Handling is another matter entirely. Shocks, especially the fronts, can make a big difference. Also, from what I've heard, the ride kit has some definite improvements for dive and sway in the Freightliner ride.

Mr_D · 12-01-2017, 11:36 AM

Well, from what I've read it does make a difference but have no direct knowledge.

I talked with one of their people at an FMCA Regional Rally in WA earlier this year about the ride control units. Told him what I had and that's I'd need 6 of them and asked for a price. He told me they don't put them on the tag axles so I'd only need 4. I told him there were four air bags oin the drive axle and he emphatically said No, you only have two. Well, it turns out that I have 4 air bags on the drive axle and 2 more on the tag. Also inquired about the WAX valve.
Just made me a little upset that he wasn't willing to listen to me about what I needed. But others have had good results from them.

BigSkyBob · 12-01-2017, 11:44 AM

IMHO you would be better off installing a front Watts link and X-bars on the rear training arms. I did this and it made a new rig out of it that handles like a dream. I too installed the ride enhancement kits front and rear and it helped but nothing like the Watts and X-bars.

jzeurcher · 12-01-2017, 01:33 PM

BigSky, you have a Roadmaster chassis under your Monaco coach. Different animal.

Roamin Mike · 12-01-2017, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pigman1

What tire pressure are you running? My experience is that higher pressure than necessary will definitely cause a rough ride. Ten PSI can make a huge difference. Handling is another matter entirely. Shocks, especially the fronts, can make a big difference. Also, from what I've heard, the ride kit has some definite improvements for dive and sway in the Freightliner ride.

Just to be clear, I don't really have any issues with dive, porpoising, or side sway. I'm just looking for a more comfortable ride. The slightest imperfections in the road seem to really jar the coach to the point where it is uncomfortable and we fear cabinets are going to start falling off the wall! What will help the most smoothing out the ride?

BTW - I'm running 95psi on the rear tires and 103 on the front.

Pigman1 · 12-01-2017, 08:35 PM

Sounds like your tire pressures are based on individual wheel or axle weights. If so, there's not too much you can do there except to go to larger tires (if they'll fit) and then run them at lower air pressure. I had to do just that on my steer axle. We also had to go to bigger wheels in order to take advantage of the the higher weight carrying ability of the larger tires. That change solved my problem. Perhaps someone on the forum had an issue similar to yours and they could give you some first hand experience. Another thing you could try was to talk to one of the suspension engineers at Freightliner and see what they recommend for your specific problem. For myself I'd try new shocks before putting out the serious coin these complete kits call for.

kwoods · 12-02-2017, 08:43 AM

I installed Koni shocks on my 2004 National, the ride improvement was dramatically better. The original shocks on mine were Sachs, yellow if I recall, the fronts were easy to install, rear, not so much. Huge improvement in side to side rocking made for a much safer ride as well.

Mike_Harriet · 12-02-2017, 09:53 AM

Put Koni shocks in our 2003Dutch Star, improved ride substantially, but also considering larger tires when replacing in 2018. Any advice on size increase to lean toward. Have 275/70 22.5 now, saw same model with 295/80 22.5. He stated it helped a lot, but have been told might be a clearance problem on the Spartan MM IFS chassis. Anyone gone up in size that far on that chassis?? Thanks in advance!

Stiltner · 12-02-2017, 10:56 AM

I just received my kit from Supersteer. Can't wait to have it installed. I purchased Koni shocks, front and back, and a Motion Control Unit (MCU) both front and back. IMPORTANT: Air lines can be different sizes, front and back. My coach (16 THOR Palazzo XC-S Chassis) has 1/2 inch air line lines on the front, and 1/4 airlines on the back. Also, because my coach is 26,000 lbs empty and 29,000 lbs including gear and toad, I bought the UNDER 30K MCU, for the front, and OVER 30K MCU for the rear.

According to the Michelin chart, my corner weights indicates that I run 95 psi in all tires. Without corner weights it's just your best guess as to what tire pressure should be run. Before corner weighing, I adjusted psi for the best ride, which was 90 all around. Happy I wasn't that far off.

Sidenote: My local Freightliner Shop said not to add any type of sway bar.

alank · 12-05-2017, 08:38 AM

Mike, see if you can find the diameter of the two tires on their charts. The new tire you want should be a taller, larger diameter tire & might cause problems.

Mike_Harriet · 12-08-2017, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alank

Mike, see if you can find the diameter of the two tires on their charts. The new tire you want should be a taller, larger diameter tire & might cause problems.

Thanks, been trying to find those measurements for Toyo. Know of a comparison app for truck tires. Not found one yet.

Mr_D · 12-08-2017, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike_Harriet

Put Koni shocks in our 2003Dutch Star, improved ride substantially, but also considering larger tires when replacing in 2018. Any advice on size increase to lean toward. Have 275/70 22.5 now, saw same model with 295/80 22.5. He stated it helped a lot, but have been told might be a clearance problem on the Spartan MM IFS chassis. Anyone gone up in size that far on that chassis?? Thanks in advance!

On our 2002 DSDP I went to 305/70 front tires and wider rims to take advantage of the 14,600# front axle Newmar put under my rig. Slight clearance problem if aired down.

Mike_Harriet · 12-10-2017, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

On our 2002 DSDP I went to 305/70 front tires and wider rims to take advantage of the 14,600# front axle Newmar put under my rig. Slight clearance problem if aired down.

Our 2003 Dutch Star still unfortunately has the original 12,000 lb axle, bigger rims wouldn’t help. But if the tires don’t run you steering gear, then think 295/80 would work. From what I can find out this the largest my 8.25 rims could handle. Just looking for same weight rating with lower pressure.