Upgrades and Repairs

[AKOne]

List of suspension and steering upgrades and repairs:

1. Safe T Plus – installed at the factory in Atlanta, Georgia
2. Road King shocks – installed in Sacramento, California
3. The Road Performance Assessment (RPA) and four corner weight
4. Weld steering bracket
5. Gear Box replaced
6. Frontend alignment
7. SuperSteer Motion Control Units
8. SuperSteer Trim Unit

Items 3 thru 8, work performed by Henderson’s Line-Up in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Drove from Oregon to Idaho to North Carolina. An amazing improvement from the last time I drove from West Coast to the East Coast – crosswinds, semi-trucks and poor roads. With the upgrades and repairs and the Trim Unit, much much less driver’s fatigue in crosswinds. I know there is much discussion regarding shocks, it does seen the Road Kings on a 40 foot Alpine is a good, if not great match -- coach weighed in right at 30,000 lbs. Next we’ll be ditching the Toyo M610 (drive axle) I needed while in Alaska, for Goodyear or Michelins RV tires. Going for tires with the best road manners.

BTW, I posted in the “Sticky: WRV Alpine Steering Bracket Upgrade Kit” thread. Even if you have an older Alpine, get your steering bracket looked at. Mines was cracked.

[Steve and Linda's APEX]

Originally Posted by AKOne

List of suspension and steering upgrades and repairs:

1. Safe T Plus – installed at the factory in Atlanta, Georgia
2. Road King shocks – installed in Sacramento, California
3. The Road Performance Assessment (RPA) and four corner weight
4. Weld steering bracket
5. Gear Box replaced
6. Frontend alignment
7. SuperSteer Motion Control Units
8. SuperSteer Trim Unit

Items 3 thru 8, work performed by Henderson’s Line-Up in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Drove from Oregon to Idaho to North Carolina. An amazing improvement from the last time I drove from West Coast to the East Coast – crosswinds, semi-trucks and poor roads. With the upgrades and repairs and the Trim Unit, much much less driver’s fatigue in crosswinds. I know there is much discussion regarding shocks, it does seen the Road Kings on a 40 foot Alpine is a good, if not great match -- coach weighed in right at 30,000 lbs. Next we’ll be ditching the Toyo M610 (drive axle) I needed while in Alaska, for Goodyear or Michelins RV tires. Going for tires with the best road manners.

BTW, I posted in the “Sticky: WRV Alpine Steering Bracket Upgrade Kit” thread. Even if you have an older Alpine, get your steering bracket looked at. Mines was cracked.

Please elaborate on your Road King statement. I have a set of fresh rebuilt RK’s ready to install. Our coach has Koni’s on it now. Bought our’s with RK’s needing overhaul. Thanks!

[wolfe10]

Originally Posted by Steve and Linda's APEX

Please elaborate on your Road King statement. I have a set of fresh rebuilt RK’s ready to install. Our coach has Koni’s on it now. Bought our’s with RK’s needing overhaul. Thanks!

Much of the "which are better RK's or Koni's" depends on WHICH Konis you have. Koni upgraded their shocks for the Peak chassis/Alpine to 99 series which are quite a lot better at dampening without adding harshness than the earlier/smaller piston diameter Konis. First two digits of the shock PN indicate what size piston they have-- 88, 90 and 99.

[AKOne]

Back in March of 2019 after only a couple of hundred miles on the new Road Kings I wrote, “Do I think the $1,840.00 I spent was worth it? At this point yes.” Now that I have logged 3,600 miles from coast to coast on the Road Kings, do I think the $1,840.00 I spent was worth it? An unqualified yes! My Alpine has a similar smooth ride of a Prevost. Absolutely no porpoise. It is sure footed and completely predictable. One drive from Sacramento, CA to Lake Tahoe on I 80, very bad ruts. The DP in front of me crossed other the ruts, it was scary to watch. My Alpine equipped with Safe T Steer and Road Kings shocks crossing over the same ruts was a pleasant surprise. I was gripping the wheel expecting a handful. No concerns. And, that was driving a coach that needed an alignment and a steering gearbox replaced.

While at Henderson’s during the Road Performance Assessment, the tech immediately ask what shocks where installed. He commented that my Alpine handled pretty well for a 40 foot coach. I learned they had some issues with Road Kings and the Koni factory folks were serious about the motorhome business. I also learned, my coach needs a true road tire to reduce some backend squirm.

After my visit to Henderson’s Line-Up, driving to North Carolina with a new gearbox and the SuperSteer Trim Unit, a huge difference from the last time I made that same drive. Are Road King shocks better than Koni’s? I have no idea. Are Road Kings a good match for 36 or 38 foot Alpines or an Apex? Again, I have no idea. What I do know, Road Kings and my 40FDS at 30,000 lbs get along just fine.

This is an interesting subject. I certainly recognize I am offering an opinion. I chose Road King based on my research and others experience/opinions. Am I simply trying to justify in my own mind spending $1,840.00? Well ... I will leave that up to others opinion.

Additional reading and pictures of what my Alpine did to my old shocks can be found here: https://www.irv2.com/forums/f104/shocks-422029.html

Steve and Linda I hope I offered some helpful information.

[Steve and Linda's APEX]

Originally Posted by AKOne

Back in March of 2019 after only a couple of hundred miles on the new Road Kings I wrote, “Do I think the $1,840.00 I spent was worth it? At this point yes.” Now that I have logged 3,600 miles from coast to coast on the Road Kings, do I think the $1,840.00 I spent was worth it? An unqualified yes! My Alpine has a similar smooth ride of a Prevost. Absolutely no porpoise. It is sure footed and completely predictable. One drive from Sacramento, CA to Lake Tahoe on I 80, very bad ruts. The DP in front of me crossed other the ruts, it was scary to watch. My Alpine equipped with Safe T Steer and Road Kings shocks crossing over the same ruts was a pleasant surprise. I was gripping the wheel expecting a handful. No concerns. And, that was driving a coach that needed an alignment and a steering gearbox replaced.

While at Henderson’s during the Road Performance Assessment, the tech immediately ask what shocks where installed. He commented that my Alpine handled pretty well for a 40 foot coach. I learned they had some issues with Road Kings and the Koni factory folks were serious about the motorhome business. I also learned, my coach needs a true road tire to reduce some backend squirm.

After my visit to Henderson’s Line-Up, driving to North Carolina with a new gearbox and the SuperSteer Trim Unit, a huge difference from the last time I made that same drive. Are Road King shocks better than Koni’s? I have no idea. Are Road Kings a good match for 36 or 38 foot Alpines or an Apex? Again, I have no idea. What I do know, Road Kings and my 40FDS at 30,000 lbs get along just fine.

This is an interesting subject. I certainly recognize I am offering an opinion. I chose Road King based on my research and others experience/opinions. Am I simply trying to justify in my own mind spending $1,840.00? Well ... I will leave that up to others opinion.

Additional reading and pictures of what my Alpine did to my old shocks can be found here: https://www.irv2.com/forums/f104/shocks-422029.html

Steve and Linda I hope I offered some helpful information.

Tim,
Thanks for the reply! I will soon find out if it was a good decision to spend $950.00 to have my Road Kings rebuilt! The previous owner did not have time to wait for the rebuild, and bought the Koni’s to get back on the road. I will keep the Koni’s as spares.
Who did you use in Sacramento for your service work?

[AKOne]

Originally Posted by Steve and Linda's APEX

Who did you use in Sacramento for your service work?

Oops … it was actually North Valley Diesel in Yuda City.

[AKOne]

Originally Posted by Steve and Linda's APEX

I will soon find out if it was a good decision to spend $950.00 to have my Road Kings rebuilt!

After you get a few miles in the seat, will certainly be interested in your opinion!

[AKOne]

Originally Posted by Steve and Linda's APEX

Tim,
Thanks for the reply! I will soon find out if it was a good decision to spend $950.00 to have my Road Kings rebuilt!

Steve, have you been able to put some miles on those Road Kings? If so, have an opinion?

[Steve and Linda's APEX]

[QUOTE=AKOne;5241559]Steve, have you been able to put some miles on those Road Kings? If so, have an opinion?
[/

Not yet. Have had a full service done on the engine and generator. Just completed a sync cylinder installation for our galley slide. Tomorrow I will be removing our Hydro Hot burner for an overhaul. When that is completed, off to Les Schwab for the Road King install. At least I have a full tank of that California $3.65+/- diesel.

[ALPINEER]

I installed Road King Shocks 5 years ago, have nothing but good things to say about them. The problem is, they went out of business in 2019. I don't know if they are selling you old stock or what. You might want to do some investigation before you put your money down. A friend of mine prepaid Road King for a set of shocks right before they went out of business, and got burned.

[AKOne]

Originally Posted by ALPINEER

I installed Road King Shocks 5 years ago, have nothing but good things to say about them. The problem is, they went out of business in 2019.

Frank it seems the news is true. Road King website gone and phone disconnected. Tried emailing, no response.

[Steve and Linda's APEX]

Originally Posted by AKOne

Frank it seems the news is true. Road King website gone and phone disconnected. Tried emailing, no response.

I had mine rebuilt over the holidays. Contact Juan in Customer Service-714-530-8701. Note: the company name is King Shocks.