Community Forums

palehorse89 · 03-21-2011, 05:32 PM

I FINALLY GOT A CHANCE HERE IN PENNA. THIS WEEKEND TO TAKE THE COACH FOR A TEST DRIVE AFTER THE INSTALLATION OF FRONT AND REAR KONI SHOCKS......WOW! I JUST DROVE ABOUT 25 MILES TO WARM UP THE TRANNY SO I COULD SERVICE IT AND I THOUGHT I WAS DRIVING A NEW RIG! WHAT A DIFFERANCE IN THE RIDE! SOME OF THE BEST MONEY I HAVE SPENT SO FAR. THE NEW MICHLIN'S ALL AROUND MADE A BIG DIFFERANCE IN THE RIDE LAST YEAR.NOW WITH NEW TIRES AND THE SHOCKS IT RIDES AND HANDLES REALLY GREAT COMPARED TO WHAT IT DID. I AM POSTING THIS BECAUSE I WONDERED IF SPENDING THE MONEY WAS GOING TO BE WORTH IT OR NOT......SPEND THE MONEY AND GET KONI'S!
P.S. I TOOK BALSTIENS OFF WITH 35,000 ON THEM

GaryKD · 03-21-2011, 05:43 PM

Hi palehorse89,
My experience is the same as yours. The only difference is I waited for 65K miles before I made the switch. You are smarter than me. Congrats

Spino · 03-21-2011, 05:47 PM

So don't keep us in the dark. What did they cost?

palehorse89 · 03-22-2011, 03:36 AM

$573.00 WITH FREE SHIPPING FRONT AND REAR

Custom car parts, performance auto accessories and truck parts

DAN L · 03-23-2011, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palehorse89

I FINALLY GOT A CHANCE HERE IN PENNA. THIS WEEKEND TO TAKE THE COACH FOR A TEST DRIVE AFTER THE INSTALLATION OF FRONT AND REAR KONI SHOCKS......WOW! I JUST DROVE ABOUT 25 MILES TO WARM UP THE TRANNY SO I COULD SERVICE IT AND I THOUGHT I WAS DRIVING A NEW RIG! WHAT A DIFFERANCE IN THE RIDE! SOME OF THE BEST MONEY I HAVE SPENT SO FAR. THE NEW MICHLIN'S ALL AROUND MADE A BIG DIFFERANCE IN THE RIDE LAST YEAR.NOW WITH NEW TIRES AND THE SHOCKS IT RIDES AND HANDLES REALLY GREAT COMPARED TO WHAT IT DID. I AM POSTING THIS BECAUSE I WONDERED IF SPENDING THE MONEY WAS GOING TO BE WORTH IT OR NOT......SPEND THE MONEY AND GET KONI'S!
P.S. I TOOK BALSTIENS OFF WITH 35,000 ON THEM

i like my koni fsd's too. i got a good price at shox.com.
please turn off your cap-lock!

palehorse89 · 03-23-2011, 02:17 PM

My cap lock is always on, i like it that way

p.s. I am not yelling, it is just what i do

Perry White · 03-23-2011, 02:37 PM

I just crawled under my coach with 30,000 miles and both rear drive axle shocks are broken in two. Spartan K2 chassis. Newmar Essex. If you jack your wheels off the ground with the hydralics, it snaps the shocks.

palehorse89 · 03-24-2011, 06:14 PM

The shocks are made also to support(hang) the axle for service. Just as your auto on a lift in a garage your everything hangs on the shocks. Last winter my coach was lifted by the jacks in the garage so i could remove all 4 wheels for replacement and a polish job, no problem. I am not sure why yours are both broken? Is the shocks on the tag axle also broken? Or just the drive? What kind of shocks are they?

scenic route · 03-25-2011, 10:16 AM

Yep, you're preaching to the converted here...the FSDs really made a big difference. You also got a good price as well...I paid $636 shipped, from Shox.com. That should make you feel better.

We had the Bilsteins as OE (w/18K miles) When I took them off, there was no dampening in them at all. The new Konis stopped the porpoising we were experiencing and stopped most of the pounding at bridge expansion joints and road sections.

Bob

Mike Canter · 03-25-2011, 10:32 AM

Bob, what makes you think those old shocks were Bilsteins you took off at 18K miles? That would be real unusual for Bilsteins to go bad at that low mileage. Were they yellow on the main shock bottom body and the top dust shield?

scenic route · 03-25-2011, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Canter

Bob, what makes you think those old shocks were Bilsteins you took off at 18K miles? That would be real unusual for Bilsteins to go bad at that low mileage. Were they yellow on the main shock bottom body and the top dust shield?

As I recall, they were a gold 'ish color..no that's the Konis. Blue, I think. Anyway, they had their name on the shock body. The back ones I changed myself and they had internal spring tension to the extend side with no dampening upon disconnect...either way. The fronts I had changed by a big dude with an even bigger impact than I had. He reported the same lack of dampening. I'm now looking for front replacement tires now that I've had it aligned and the wheel ends weighed. I've been carrying 10 psi too much pressure for the weight we carry, front and rear.

As a side note, Josam reported the front end components are tight and in good shape(30K miles, now). The toe setting was a whopping 3/4 of an inch toed out. I also had them install shims to increase positive caster...camber was good. On the drive home from Orlando, I was getting a lot of lateral movement in the steering wheel, so the front tires are in bad shape. What I don't understand is why the tires really do not show that much wear and didn't vibrate much on our past 10K mile trip last summer. The fronts show a DOT manufacture of 4609, so they're not original...the PO must of had tire problems and just replaced the tires and not fixed the source of the problem. The extreme toe out(I'm guessing) must have kept enough tension on the tires so they didn't have a chance to vibrate that much??? Anyway, after I get the front tires replaced and balanced, I'm expecting an improvement in handling and comfort before our next 'big trip'.

I expect I'll go back with Michelins...wasn't their fault and I'm otherwise satisfied with them. Bob

Perry White · 03-25-2011, 12:30 PM

Both shocks were broken off at the end of the stems. No top dust shields on them either. I ordered 6 new Koni's. I don't think the shocks will hold up the weight of the rear end.

I attached a picture of them. What do you think?

And they are Bilsteins

Mike Canter · 03-25-2011, 01:14 PM

Jan, I believe the OEM shocks on your Vacationer were the dreaded Monroes and I would expect them to be totally gone at 15K-18K miles.

Adjusting your caster and toe in is going to really make a difference on how your MH tracks and how it reacts to crosswinds. No more tensed shoulder muscles.