Community Forums

matempleton · 07-17-2015, 11:56 AM

I have read through several posts on this forum about chassis leaning.

There appears to be several possible solutions. Would someone be able to provide some feedback on which order to implement if at all. And results.

Mine is leaning to the front driver side.

Air Bags
Leaf springs
shims
etc...?

BFlinn181 · 07-17-2015, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matempleton

I have read through several posts on this forum about chassis leaning.

There appears to be several possible solutions. Would someone be able to provide some feedback on which order to implement if at all. And results.

Mine is leaning to the front driver side.

Air Bags
Leaf springs
shims
etc...?

What chassis is your RV built on? Have you gotten a 4-corner weight when loaded to see if that is part of the issue?

matempleton · 07-17-2015, 01:29 PM

It's on a Ford F53 chassis.
I have not weighed the 4 corners. I'll get that done and post back when I have results.

Karlos · 07-18-2015, 12:05 AM

The suggestion above to do a 4-corner weighing is a good one. You MAY be able to re-balance loads to lighten the leaning corner, if that is the problem.

My rig was built on the Ford 20,500# F53 chassis. When I bought the rig at 12 years old, it had a lean on the passenger front corner. The rear end was pretty level, side to side, but the front side to side had a definite lean side to side. After reading a lot of the prior posts, there were a lot of suggestions and possible solutions.

In my case, the lean was about 2-3", so a shim would have to be more like a block. A replacement spring was about $400-500 without installation labor. I guessed having the spring re-bent would be not much cheaper.

I went with adding air-bags on the front axle. The price was less than either of the spring solutions, and I had adjust-ability. I set the driver side at the 10 psi minimum, and adjust the passenger side air until the rig is level, side to side. Easy.

I still do four corner weights, but I keep the basement storage in that corner virtually empty. The rig sits level now and feels better balanced when driving. I'm pretty happy with the path I took.

Good luck on yours.
Karl

matempleton · 07-19-2015, 06:33 PM

Thanks for the replies so far. In my original post I said the driver side. That was in error. It leans to the passenger side.

I went to a truck stop to try and get weighed. They had 3 scales for weighing. There were Steer Axle, Drive Axle and Trailer Axle scales. I told the attendant my plans to get 3 readings. I was told that it would not be accurate and the scales were not intended for this use.

The scales and surrounding areas were all pretty level so I think these weights, while not perfectly accurate are pretty close.

As a side note, my wife was in with the attendant while I was straddling the scales, and a trucker walked in and told the attendant there was an idiot on the scales with a motor home. She cut loose on him verbally, but refrained from any physical altercation. I'm thinking it was good I was not in with the attendant and she was straddling the scales. There would likely have been a physical altercation.

Here are the readings.
1. Right side of motor home on the scales left side of motor home off the scales.

Front/Right - 2880
Rear/Right - 6420
Total - 9300

2. Left side of motor home on the scales right side of motor home off the scales
Front/Left - 2920
Rear/Left - 6060
Total - 8980

3. Both side of motor home on the scales on the scales

Front - 5800
Rear - 12600
Total - 18400

Measurements of the lean
Front passenger side is 1 3/4 of inches lower than the front drivers side.

Rear passenger side is 2 1/4 inches lower than the rear drivers side.

I moved what items I could from the passenger side of the motor home to the driver side.

Measurements after

Front passenger side is 1 1/2 inches lower
Read passenger side is 1 3/4 inches lower

There is not much else to move without moving permanent fixtures.

My thoughts are at this point is to start with the air bags as Karlos suggested.

But I'm listening and reserve the right to get smarter.

Retiredblade · 07-20-2015, 06:06 AM

I would go with the air bags, helps with the ride and you can adjust them. How is your shocks? Perhaps one shock is bad.

matempleton · 07-20-2015, 10:18 AM

New shocks about 4 weeks ago.

Walter5555 · 08-25-2015, 04:51 PM

Take it to a spring shop.
That's what I did with my 36' Dolphin 1997 and they put another spring in the back and that took care of the leaning .
Just a thought.

Glenn NK · 08-25-2015, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walter5555

Take it to a spring shop.
That's what I did with my 36' Dolphin 1997 and they put another spring in the back and that took care of the leaning .
Just a thought.

I tend to agree with this. The problem is most likely that one spring has sprung (sagged - sorry for the bad humour).

Adding air bags doesn't solve the underlying problem, it's my opinion that it just masks it.

After returning from a long trip in 2009 on bad roads, my rear end appeared to have dropped (drooped) a couple of inches. I had the springs re-arched and another leaf installed in each.

It also very much improved the stability (body roll).

Glenn