Road King shocks

[dgerstel]

Can anyone who has put on the Road King shocks tell me how they help when driving on a section of concrete highway that is not even. The type that I am talking about are the ones with a steady chop, which produces a steady hard fast bounce to the coach. There are sections like this on the 101 between Camarillo and Oxnard in Ca and a stretch of 5 going between Tacoma and Seattle in WA.

Dale

[dgerstel]

Can anyone who has put on the Road King shocks tell me how they help when driving on a section of concrete highway that is not even. The type that I am talking about are the ones with a steady chop, which produces a steady hard fast bounce to the coach. There are sections like this on the 101 between Camarillo and Oxnard in Ca and a stretch of 5 going between Tacoma and Seattle in WA.

Dale

[Rick M]

Hi Dale

I understand that Louie (the photo & take out the garbage guy) installed Road Kings on his Apex.
Does he monitor this web site?
Henderson's Line Up - installs them - his feedback from owners that installed them was very positive.
I know he sells them - but I believe in his honesty. They are also used on heavy Tractors.
Road King Shocks

I am very interested in them also and would like feedback. I am seriously considering them for my next coach.

[Ted III]

Road King shocks are great on off road vehichles. That is where they built there reputation. I am not at all familiar that they built there shocks primarily for motorhomes. that is not where they got there start unless it was a very well hidden secret. I would be very interested when they truly designed and started to promote a shock directly for the RV industry. There ad reads very well but just when did all of this become RV perfected?

[gjstacy]

We had the Road King shocks installed a few weeks ago at the FMCA Western Area rally in Indio. It was all Louie's fault!! He started it with his testimony on how great they were on his 2005, and then Chuck Czuleger found Henderson's at the rally and had them installed on his 2001. There were a number of Alpine owners at the rally, and we were getting together each afternoon for a wine and whine session, so Chuck invited Henderson's over to talk with all of us. After the demonstration and Louie's testimonial, we decided to "spring" for them. Not cheap!

In any case, since installation, we have driven on some pretty rough stretches of US95 and I-40 and believe that they have made a substantial difference in smoothing out the ride. You can really feel the difference when you drive across those small "bridges" along the interstate that cross the various washes, where the bridge and roadway have a big dip.

If you are willing to pay the price, we definitely recommend them.

[swansnest]

Yep, Yep, Yep - Gail! We are getting them on in Pomona. Tris's brother put them on his 10yo Beaver at Quartzsite and thought the ride home was remarkabley different (better).

Ted - You are correct that they were originally manufactured for off road and class 8 trucks (18 wheelers). They were so successful that they have now branched into the Motorhome field. We spoke at length to the young engineer who designed them while we were at QZ. They are manufactured in CA. You could probably call the engineer (Lonnie) at 619-766-9207 and ask him questions if you are at all interested. I believe that Henderson's in OR is the only dealer carrying them right now but Louie took his to Texas and had a trucking co. install them.

Daddy Louie is the one who actually convinced us it was worth the cost - he had them installed in TX and then drove back out to QZ with them.

Oh, and Rick - Louie has a '05 40'QS before the Apexs came out.

[Rick M]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by swansnest:
Oh, and Rick - Louie has a '05 40'QS before the Apexs came out. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks - Bad memory about Louie's Alpine.
But I do remember at Hendersons Line Up - they handed me an Koni and a Road King to look at.
The Koni looked and felt like a much inferior shock compared to a 'heavy duty' shock.
Road King's look like they are built for heavy vehicles and koni's look like a medium vehicle shocks.
The only reason I had Koni's installed - I'm waiting for someone to build my 'perfect' RV - which no one builds yet. Two of many prerequisites mid door - king bed.

[EngineerMike]

Anything born in Jacumba has to be tough to survive!

[swansnest]

Actually, they are built in Garden Grove & Tris has an appointment to go through the plant tomorrow. He is looking into getting them on the police motorcycles!
<span class="ev_code_RED">(Nope - can't put them on cycles - they are too big - maybe police cars and firetrucks!)</span>
Tris toured the factory and was truely impressed with how they are manufactured and the quality of the material and workmanship.
He said that it is like comparing a mercedes to a vw to compare the Road King to a Bilstein or Koni... The technology is far superior.

[Old Scout]

WOW--$400 a piece for heavy duty truck shocks--when only the "best" / most expensive will do? Going from Bilstien to Koni was a dramatic improvement for me--the Road Kings must border on a religious experience [smile]....

[Ted III]

Truly I do not think $ 400.00 is very heavy for a real good truck shock. Consider Koni shocks run in the 200.00 range for motor homes

[Old Scout]

Ted--shocks are so pedestrian, but could I interest you in some Rolex mud flaps or Cartier license plate holders? Sorry, having spent my informative years on the farm, I just cant bring myself to buy $400 shocks--I had to settle for Konis....

[quikduk]

I am VERY familiar with King Off road shocks (same company) and their triple bypass custom shocks are some of the best for off road race trucks, high $ sand cars/buggies and the like.

I would expect the engineering and quality to be identical in these MH shocks...however my Koni's will have to suffice as $1600+ for the GS that is NOT a daily driver is a bit out of the question...to say the least.

That being said, unless Vanhool bus shocks are available to fit your non-Vanhool DP, these would be the next best thing, possibly better...but it takes someone with both the need AND the disposable income to truly appreciate them.

I shall admire them from afar...

Now about those Ulysses Nardin mud flaps and Breguet cup holders...

[Ted III]

Old Scout, I did not settle for the Koni shocks, I chose them and I am extremely happy I did so. They are tremendous.
Ted