E 450 Rear Suspension Problems

[hoakken]

My Gulfstream Conquest (2007)32.7 is on a 2006 E 450 chassis and the rear springs are completely flat with only 32k on the odometer. The axle was within 2 inches of the jounce stops. This drug on any incline until the addition of air bags but I am well aware this is a band aid, not a fix.

My concern that heavier springs will result in a rougher ride than I have now which saying is rough is an understatement. I am running the bags at max pressure to gain adequate ground clearance and have also found much less sway from passing trucks but not much help with ride. On the other hand it may be possible the horrible ride is from bottoming out.

I would love to hear others solutions to this issue. I bought this unit used a couple of years ago so I have no comparison with new but can't help but think this suspension was inadequate when new especially as much as this chassis is stretched. I have had other class c units in the past (not this length) and do not remember this issue.

Any and all info and solutions greatly appreciated.

[jpf]

I have a gulfstream bt5291 of the same vintage and I thought the same too. however it has been far more stable than shorter rvs I have driven. I'm pretty sure the rear springs are 'flat' out of the factory. certainly the weight and extended back end don't help at all. if any of your water and waste tanks are not empty when traveling then that isn't going to help either.
I bought a firestone air ride kit a couple of years ago but didn't install it. however, about a month ago I jacked the rv up and put the kit in. pressure on mine is 60psi. it's lifted the back end some (enough to stop stop drag when getting onto the drive) and I can't feel any difference in the ride.
from what info you have given and my own experience I would have to say that you're overloaded in the back and need to redistribute/minimize your traveling weight.

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by hoakken

My Gulfstream Conquest (2007)32.7 is on a 2006 E 450 chassis and the rear springs are completely flat with only 32k on the odometer. The axle was within 2 inches of the jounce stops. This drug on any incline until the addition of air bags but I am well aware this is a band aid, not a fix.

My concern that heavier springs will result in a rougher ride than I have now which saying is rough is an understatement. I am running the bags at max pressure to gain adequate ground clearance and have also found much less sway from passing trucks but not much help with ride. On the other hand it may be possible the horrible ride is from bottoming out.

I would love to hear others solutions to this issue. I bought this unit used a couple of years ago so I have no comparison with new but can't help but think this suspension was inadequate when new especially as much as this chassis is stretched. I have had other class c units in the past (not this length) and do not remember this issue.

Any and all info and solutions greatly appreciated.

I've had a few of those... everyone I took to skips spring shop in vegas and did the re arch and add a leaf...

the stock springs will go away just sitting...


I just did the sumo max kit on the rear of our 2015 .... raised it one inch...took most of the sway... and rides real smooth

[beeker6]

I just redid my leaf springs a month ago. Took to wheelco, they added 2 new leaf springs on each side and re arched them as well. I had firestone airbags on the back, that I always ran around 80 psi, but my leaf sprigns were so bad that they were starting to dig into the chasis of the camper. It rides absolutely awesome now. I dropped my pressure in my airbags down to 45 - 50 psi, the little sway I had is about gone. I was very happy with the driving, parked is a different story. My bigfoot front jacks now just about always have to be blocked, because of how much I raised the back end on the camper. The other downside was that it cost about $1500 to do that, and another $400 for them to take everyting out fo the compartments to get at the rear shackles on the leaf springs. Longest ride was for about 2.5 hours and it handled great, took down interstate at 70 mph, passed a semi and it was big improvement.

[whem2fish]

Go to the spring shop Ray's champion spring by the old Ranch Style Beans building they have been around forever they can redo the springs or add leaf it is off 287 or 35 close to Downtown

[Mich F]

I think if you look at a brand new class C MH on an E450, or even the E350, you will find the springs are flat, or even arched in the opposite direction.

[twinboat]

Before condemning the springs, see if you can find any ride height information, on your MH.

At least, then you know if it's low and by how much.

You don't want to stiffen it up to much.

My 99 E450 may have sunk a bit, but it will never, NOT drag.
There is just to much overhang.

[hoakken]

I'mt going to play with the air pressure over the next week or so but will most likely end up adding a leaf as the ride height is what I feel is good for this chassis. Prior to addition of bags hitch was no more than 8" off the ground. My main concerns are the ride quality and dragging. This actually launched my wife off the bed and into a wall on a rough stretch of highway. I know about Rays as recommended but are you recommending the one near the mall on I35 or the Rays on Henderson near downtown. ?

[whem2fish]

down town have used then since 1970's

[Oldman49]

Bought a used 31' 2008 E-450 about a year ago and I have the same tail wagging and white knuckles that a lot of other rver's have. There seems to be about four fixes that other people have talked about but didn't see any results. Just wanting to know which is the best one to try. The steering stabilizer, front sway bar, rear sway bar or the tru trac.

[twinboat]

I started with the heavy rear sway bar and poly bushings on the front bar. The improvement was so much, that I didn't do anything else. 1999 30 ft. E450.

It was a 1 5/8 inch bar, from Amazon.

[Oldman49]

Thanks for the input. I just wasn't sure where to start or just do them all.

[Oldman49]

I looked on Amazon and the only one I could find for the E-450 was 1 1/2" diameter. The 1 5/8" was for the E 550. Cpould you tell me which store on Amazon you got them from?

[twinboat]

I got the Helwig 7180