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Old 08-18-2003, 03:31 PM   #1
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We all remember that lovable Atlantic bottlenose dolphin "Flipper" or species otherwise known as a "porpoise" however when imposed as a characteristic on the front axle of a motorhome we might all be looking for our spear guns.

Honey! You can throw away the Dramamine now!


Monroe Name Plate - Stand Out Yellow

Yes it's a dream come true! Finally we have achieved what we believe is the optimum suspension performance package on a gas-powered motorhome, that gives us a feeling of complete directional control and driving comfort.

The issues are all too well known by the cadre of motorhome owners here that have dealt with road surface irregularities and the bobbing up and down characteristic that we might have reasoned was a normal component of the like-air suspension. In order to make a suspension highly comfortable soft components are needed to allow the axle to float as smoothly as possible.

We all know the reality of driving on ski-jump type surfaces on our highways. What ultimately detracts from our ride is the when the motorhome runs out of lift and comes crashing down and does a dead cat bounce.


Magnum RV Mounted, Note the Spring Bumper

So in order to resolve this control issue a replacement front set of shock absorbers has been authorized by Workhorse Custom Chassis service that totally eliminates the porpoising event that was prevalent on our W Series motorhomes. The shock that replaces the OEM DS stamped black cylinders on the front of our motorhomes is the Monroe Gas-Magnum RV Shock Absorber.

I drove our motorhome some 175 miles on Interstate 95 from Rhode Island to South Western Fairfield Country in Connecticut across some of the most diverse and challenging road surfaces that most of us will encounter on a daily basis. From new surface, to milled surfaces, to construction crossovers, to lumpy asphalt patches the new shock absorbers took it all in stride and delivered the most enjoyable ride that we have experienced to date.


Front Suspension Components - Davis Tru-Trak Frame Saddle Visible -- Gas-Magnum -- Neoprene Air Bumper

I am very pleased with the enhanced ride and drive of the W22 and the shock absorber package finishes it off perfectly. I am so impressed with how well the front rides that I am going to go out of pocket and install the rear shocks as soon as I can get a pair. The shocks are covered by a 2 year or 200,000 mile warranty.

I am including the product description of the shocks in case you may be interested.

2002-03 W Series Chassis
Front Shock: 557031
Rear Shock: 557032

557xx Series
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Primarily for Class A motorhomes, both front and rear engine<LI>1 -3/4" bore<LI>2.38" reserve tube<LI>Single lip piston rod seal<LI>Low pressure nitrogen gas charge (60psi)[/list]


1. Single lip, low-friction oil seal
2. Unique hydraulic rebound lockout**
3. Nitrogen gas charged
4. Fluon-banded piston
5. Large 1-3/8 inch or 1-3/4 inch piston bore
6. Sintered iron rod guide with Teflon® bushing
7. 5/8-inch or 18mm diameter super-finished heavy chrome piston rod
8. Heavy wall drawn over mandrel pressure tube
9. Arc-welded mounts with solid loops and bonded bushings*
10. 10-Stage full displaced valving* automatically adjusts to road extremes for a smooth ride
*on most applications.
**when required.

You can read the full story of the Monroe RV-Magnum RV by clicking on the following graphic link. Read all about it .....

Story By: By Don Magary, Editor, RV News

<font color=blue>03 Winnebago 38G/Workhorse W22 "¢ 22.5" Tire "¢ Adventurer
02 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LS
Aventa II "¢ Brake Buddy
Nor'Easters
"We Will Never Forget"</font color>

<font color=red>88 "¢ Robert Yates Racing "¢ 38
</font color>

[This message was edited by DriVer on Mon August 18 2003 at 11:27 PM.]
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Old 08-18-2003, 03:31 PM   #2
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We all remember that lovable Atlantic bottlenose dolphin "Flipper" or species otherwise known as a "porpoise" however when imposed as a characteristic on the front axle of a motorhome we might all be looking for our spear guns.

Honey! You can throw away the Dramamine now!


Monroe Name Plate - Stand Out Yellow

Yes it's a dream come true! Finally we have achieved what we believe is the optimum suspension performance package on a gas-powered motorhome, that gives us a feeling of complete directional control and driving comfort.

The issues are all too well known by the cadre of motorhome owners here that have dealt with road surface irregularities and the bobbing up and down characteristic that we might have reasoned was a normal component of the like-air suspension. In order to make a suspension highly comfortable soft components are needed to allow the axle to float as smoothly as possible.

We all know the reality of driving on ski-jump type surfaces on our highways. What ultimately detracts from our ride is the when the motorhome runs out of lift and comes crashing down and does a dead cat bounce.


Magnum RV Mounted, Note the Spring Bumper

So in order to resolve this control issue a replacement front set of shock absorbers has been authorized by Workhorse Custom Chassis service that totally eliminates the porpoising event that was prevalent on our W Series motorhomes. The shock that replaces the OEM DS stamped black cylinders on the front of our motorhomes is the Monroe Gas-Magnum RV Shock Absorber.

I drove our motorhome some 175 miles on Interstate 95 from Rhode Island to South Western Fairfield Country in Connecticut across some of the most diverse and challenging road surfaces that most of us will encounter on a daily basis. From new surface, to milled surfaces, to construction crossovers, to lumpy asphalt patches the new shock absorbers took it all in stride and delivered the most enjoyable ride that we have experienced to date.


Front Suspension Components - Davis Tru-Trak Frame Saddle Visible -- Gas-Magnum -- Neoprene Air Bumper

I am very pleased with the enhanced ride and drive of the W22 and the shock absorber package finishes it off perfectly. I am so impressed with how well the front rides that I am going to go out of pocket and install the rear shocks as soon as I can get a pair. The shocks are covered by a 2 year or 200,000 mile warranty.

I am including the product description of the shocks in case you may be interested.

2002-03 W Series Chassis
Front Shock: 557031
Rear Shock: 557032

557xx Series
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Primarily for Class A motorhomes, both front and rear engine<LI>1 -3/4" bore<LI>2.38" reserve tube<LI>Single lip piston rod seal<LI>Low pressure nitrogen gas charge (60psi)[/list]


1. Single lip, low-friction oil seal
2. Unique hydraulic rebound lockout**
3. Nitrogen gas charged
4. Fluon-banded piston
5. Large 1-3/8 inch or 1-3/4 inch piston bore
6. Sintered iron rod guide with Teflon® bushing
7. 5/8-inch or 18mm diameter super-finished heavy chrome piston rod
8. Heavy wall drawn over mandrel pressure tube
9. Arc-welded mounts with solid loops and bonded bushings*
10. 10-Stage full displaced valving* automatically adjusts to road extremes for a smooth ride
*on most applications.
**when required.

You can read the full story of the Monroe RV-Magnum RV by clicking on the following graphic link. Read all about it .....

Story By: By Don Magary, Editor, RV News

<font color=blue>03 Winnebago 38G/Workhorse W22 "¢ 22.5" Tire "¢ Adventurer
02 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LS
Aventa II "¢ Brake Buddy
Nor'Easters
"We Will Never Forget"</font color>

<font color=red>88 "¢ Robert Yates Racing "¢ 38
</font color>

[This message was edited by DriVer on Mon August 18 2003 at 11:27 PM.]
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TST 507, Blue Ox, SMI, Koni FSD, CrossFire
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Old 08-18-2003, 08:01 PM   #3
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Hi DirVer, They sure make a difference don't they? WH/Newmar replaced all four of mine under warranty and sure is easier to handle. Taking a trip to central Fl this week and it will be a good test for them.
I'm surprised that WH didn't replace all four shocks on your rig. Anyway thank you for the help with the handling problems.
Henderson products is next on the list.

go in a good way

Klare/Ronnie
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Old 08-19-2003, 03:29 AM   #4
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WH wouldn't replace my back one either. What is the diff between monroe and bilstein? Besides the fact that the monroe was free (due to WH warranty).

2003 Itasca 38G, W22 with Banks Powerpak, Trailblazer toad, Sterling towbar, BrakeBuddy
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Old 08-19-2003, 03:30 AM   #5
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Glad that helped your ride quality DriVer,I couldn't wait on Workhorse to finally ante up to the fact that they didn't have the correct shocks on the W-22 Workhorse,so out of my own pocket expensive I had a pair of the new Bilstein shocks installed on the front of my motorhome,it made one heck of a difference,it's nice to know that there is a couple of shocks out there that will improve your ride quality

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Old 08-19-2003, 05:07 AM   #6
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Guess I better clean my glasses. When I opened this thread I thought I was looking at a Chiquita Banana!!!
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Old 08-19-2003, 03:25 PM   #7
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I had my shocks replaced over a month ago to correct the porpoising problem after purchasing the Henderson track bar. I was unable to complete the track bar installation due to my exhaust being routed over the differential, so the shocks were put on first. Wow! After the installation the coach drove so much better,that I questioned whether I really needed the track bar at all! It seemed to calm down the "sawing on the wheel" problem I was experiencing before the shock installation. I have driven race cars for over twenty years and still currently compete in SCCA compition in a Formula Ford, so I am very familiar with the effects of shocks and pan hard rods (track bars). In fact a couple of weeks ago I had to make a flying trip home from a race in Topeka,KS. in my motor home. 700 miles with one gas stop and I arrived home with minimal fatigue and this was with just having the shocks changed!

I have the motor home in now getting the exhaust re-routed and should have it ready by the weekend to finish the track bar installation. If that helps as much as the shocks did I'll really be a happy camper!

Driver, are you still going to put the track bar on the front? You know they have Semi races, maybe we should look into motor home racing! Those kids in those Formula cars are getting pretty fast!
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Old 08-19-2003, 03:52 PM   #8
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by sccaracer:
Driver, are you still going to put the track bar on the front? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>They say a picture is worth a thousand words, take a good look at picture #3. You can see the Davis Tru-Trak toward the front of the axle. You can see it right below where the brake line comes through the chassis.

The front mounted track bar by itself did not deliver the night and day difference that I realized when we installed the rear track bar. The front track bar does removes most of the yaw out of the front end and I hope that my Safe-T-Plus, that goes on Friday, will compliment the Davis and additionally remove any additional movement in the steering gear. The motorhome should feel like it's on rails.

I am glad that all my suspension components have gone on basically one component at a time. I got to know the qualities of each piece instead of getting the whole deal installed all at once. The biggest surprise were the front shock absorbers and they DID make a huge difference just like the rear track bar.

I know you're going to enjoy the ride after having the rear track bar installed, it will make a big difference.

<font color=blue>03 Winnebago 38G/Workhorse W22 "¢ 22.5" Tire "¢ Adventurer
02 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LS
Aventa II "¢ Brake Buddy
Nor'Easters
"We Will Never Forget"</font color>

<font color=red>88 "¢ Robert Yates Racing "¢ 38
</font color>

[This message was edited by DriVer on Tue August 19 2003 at 10:32 PM.]
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Old 08-20-2003, 04:05 AM   #9
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DriVer:
The front mounted track bar by itself did not deliver the night and day difference that I realized when we installed the rear track bar. The front track bar does removes most of the yaw out of the front end and I hope that my Safe-T-Plus, that goes on Friday, will compliment the Davis and additionally remove any additional movement in the steering gear. The motorhome should feel like it's on rails.

I am glad that all my suspension components have gone on basically one component at a time. I got to know the qualities of each piece instead of getting the whole deal installed all at once. The biggest surprise were the front shock absorbers and they DID make a huge difference just like the rear track bar.

I know you're going to enjoy the ride after having the rear track bar installed, it will make a big difference. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Workhorse is replacing only my front shocks as well. Rears were not authorized, I guess cause I didn't say wandering was an issue, only bounce.

My question really gets down to the whole package and timing. Posts on other groups indicate that the shocks may make such a huge difference that track bars aren't needed. And I remember DriVer's earlier post inwhich the rear track bar made a huge difference, while the front added only marginally.

In a recent run up to Cheyenne I had two main issues (although neither was particularly bothersome) on my '03 Southwind W22, 19.5 tires). Wander, requiring frequent sawing of the steering wheel, and rear movement ('03 Jeep Grand Cherokee as toad) Wife said at times the back of the coach was really throwing them around.

From all the net group posts I've read I'm sensing that I need to let WH install the Monroes on the front, and that I still will need the track bar in the back. The front track bar and the SafeTSteer are not going to contribute as much for the dollars invested. For my part, I am wondering if I need to go rear shock first and then see if the track bar really is needed. Would appreciate another go round on applications considerations and order of priorities on a budget.

Thanks

Stew
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Old 08-20-2003, 04:51 AM   #10
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Stew Squires:
Workhorse is replacing only my front shocks as well. Rears were not authorized, <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

BTW, these are $48.95 a piece. Not sure if there are any installation issues, but have done that in the past and expect I will be able to do it again. Will attempt it this week on the rears. $$$ appear to more than warrant the shocks in the rear first and then the track bar.

Stew
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Old 08-20-2003, 07:38 AM   #11
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Stew Squires:
Workhorse is replacing only my front shocks as well. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

And, they are out of stock all over so that won't happen anytime soon.

stew
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Old 08-20-2003, 07:55 AM   #12
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Stew Squires:
And, they are out of stock all over so that won't happen anytime soon.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
(Not just trying to up my post count, honest)

Priced Bilstiens just for the heck of it, and they're $98 a piece or twice as much!!!!

Stew
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Old 08-20-2003, 07:45 PM   #13
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DriVer,

Where can one purchase the Neoprene Air Bumper shown in photo #2

Dan

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Old 08-21-2003, 11:56 AM   #14
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mrsr71:
DriVer, Where can one purchase the Neoprene Air Bumper shown in photo #2<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Dan, You can purchase from your dealership's parts counter. Make sure you have the correct part number, you can look it up on workhorse.com before ordering. Different axle weight have different color bumpers BTW.

<font color=blue>03 Winnebago 38G/Workhorse W22 "¢ 22.5" Tire "¢ Adventurer
02 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LS
Aventa II "¢ Brake Buddy
Nor'Easters
"We Will Never Forget"</font color>

<font color=red>88 "¢ Robert Yates Racing "¢ 38
</font color>
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