Motorhome bounces

[efstewart]

I’m driving on a long trip from Arizona to Colorado. About two hours ago, as I drove through Albuquerque, my motorhome started to bounce up and down. I just replaced both of my front shocks about 9 months ago with Koni Evos.

It is a rapid and short bounce, not like the bad shock bounces , which were long and smooth.

When I stopped for fuel, I noticed that the front airbags were fully extended. I dumped the air out of them. Then I set them to travel mode and the airbags went up too high again. Right now I am driving and trying to get home before dark.

[twinboat]

There is a ride height valve under the front that must have disconnected from the linkage.

[Willee]

Look to see if you have broken a sway bar mount. That will cause the coach to rise up, bend the ride height valve, fill the bags and ride rough.

[efstewart]

Thanks, I will check that out tomorrow!

[Smitty77]

Yep, ride height valve... If a broke sway bar, sometimes the ride arm height valve will slide out of the slot, when going thru a front suspension flexing situation. (Like at an angle into a driveway.). When our sway bar bracket broke, the arm slipped out, and I call the 'wooden wagon bounce'! (Others call it a 'baby buggy bounce'!). I was able to get the arm back into the bracket slot, and made another few hundred miles before it came out again.

Colton Truck did a great job of fixing/beefing up both of the sway bar brackets for me. I went ahead and replaced the sway bar bushings at the sometime.

Suspect Kaiser Brake & Alignment would have no problem also fixing/beefing up the sway bar brackets.

This was in our 2004 40' Allure...

Best of luck to you,
Smitty

[DJLexa]

Originally Posted by efstewart

I’m driving on a long trip from Arizona to Colorado. About two hours ago, as I drove through Albuquerque, my motorhome started to bounce up and down. I just replaced both of my front shocks about 9 months ago with Koni Evos.

It is a rapid and short bounce, not like the bad shock bounces , which were long and smooth.

When I stopped for fuel, I noticed that the front airbags were fully extended. I dumped the air out of them. Then I set them to travel mode and the airbags went up too high again. Right now I am driving and trying to get home before dark.

I suspect your level control valve is either malfunctioning or the linkage has came disconnected. Check to see that the linkage isn't hanging down and disconnected. It should be right under the center of the coach just behind the cross member that the front suspension is attached to.

[birdhunter]

I had that happen once. Front ride height valve went bad.

[CountryFit]

Likely the linkage rod is disconnected or lost. On our coach when the height control valve was replaced, the new HCV wasn't a direct swap, a special linkage rod had to be made. I lost that rod on a trip, the symptom was just like yours.