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07-22-2018, 11:36 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 13
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Monaco Executive Steering
I own a new to me, 2007 Monaco Executive with the Cummins ISM. I love our coach and the power of the 525 Cummins is a blessing (previous Dutch Star ISC 350 Cummins Owner). We recently completed a 5,940 mile Coast to Coast trip and I am looking for a fix to my steering. I felt like I was in a boxing match with the windy days and construction seemingly taking over my steering ability. The coach wondered way too much for my taste.....CAN ANYONE HELP?
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07-22-2018, 01:07 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,746
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Do you have the build sheet's that what accesories came on the coach? That should tell you which make/ model steering box you have.
__________________
Ben & Sharon
2008 43' Holiday Rambler Scepter PDQ
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07-22-2018, 01:51 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Orlando, Florida
Posts: 5,819
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Couple things to check/consider.
1) Coach's weight distribution
2) Tire pressure/condtion - especially the front.
3) Front end alignment
4) Tag Axle air bag pressure
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07-22-2018, 04:17 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Wherever we are
Posts: 389
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Totexel,
That's not right. I had similar issues until I got rid of the Goodyear G670 tires; the Toyos made a really dramatic difference in steering, ride and handling. I'm not saying the Toyos were necessarily that good, but the Goodyears were absolutely crap.
I also had the Toyos "trued" at Kaiser Brake and Alignment in Eugene OR. I thought the coach rode and handled fine until I drove it after truing. That was worth every penny. I also had the front and rear alignment checked.
If you are going to OR, make an appointment at Kaiser to have the chassis and tires checked. I'm sure there are other shops that have the same expertise, Kaiser is just the one I know.
Cheers,
__________________
Bob Covey
Home: 2003 Monaco Executive 43 SDDS, ISM
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07-22-2018, 05:14 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Somewhere Nice
Posts: 1,466
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Have you had the coach weighed at all locations? Then get your inflation right based on weight.
My Dynasty rides beautifully on Goodyear tires. I got inflation right and alignment.
__________________
2008 Monaco Dynasty Squire
Paul & Luci
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07-22-2018, 06:41 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Twain Harte, CA
Posts: 105
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The Safe-T-Plus helps tremendously. I've heard the Watts linkage does as well. Our Diplomat had the Safe-T-Plus already on it when we purchased it last October. Had some real bad winds this spring in Texas and Oklahoma. Real happy after 13k miles.
__________________
Greg and Kim
2019 Dutch Star 4018 Spartan K2
2015 Jeep JKU Rubicon
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07-22-2018, 06:43 PM
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#7
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Blairsville, GA & WPB, FL
Posts: 3,993
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I recently bought much the same and after the first 200 miles I stopped and adjusted the TRW gear box as I had 2” of slop in the steering wheel. On its side there is a 3/4” jamb nut holding a bolt with a straight slot in it...I gave it 1/2 turn CW solving the issue. I put 315s on the front so I’m able to run 105 for the 14K weight on the front axle. Left the 295s on the rear and using 100 in the drive tires and 80 in the tag. I’m going to increase the tags axle airbag pressure from 40 to 45 and increase the tag tire pressure to 85. My weights are 14, 24, & 9,000...probably heavier than your weights...you have weighed your rig.
Today I drove in one of the worst gusting crosswinds ever and felt it more than in the 14 years/88K miles in my 42’ Dynasty. 3 more feet and a foot taller has made a big difference as it took almost twice as much steering input to keep it between the lines. Just a matter of getting used to it and still easy enough to drive but a noticeable increase in the amount of steering inputs needed.
The RR10S chassis does not need any enhancements if it has the adjustable TRW steering gear box. Not knowing how much slop you have I would start with a 1/4 CW turn. It’s also easy to over steer something this long so tightening the nut behind the steering wheel helps too.
Previous owner put a Safe T Plus on...probably instead of adjusting the TRW. I may take it off as unless you have no crosswind or fairly flat road it makes a noticeable increase in the amount of force it takes to compensate from straight ahead...making it more tiring to drive than what I’m used to. I noticed this before today interesting conditions that made it harder to correct. Part of the problem may be the slight delay the Safe T Plus makes to the amount of steering inputs I’m used to.
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07-23-2018, 06:05 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Orlando, Florida
Posts: 5,819
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ivylog
Previous owner put a Safe T Plus on...probably instead of adjusting the TRW. I may take it off as unless you have no crosswind or fairly flat road it makes a noticeable increase in the amount of force it takes to compensate from straight ahead...making it more tiring to drive than what I’m used to. I noticed this before today interesting conditions that made it harder to correct. Part of the problem may be the slight delay the Safe T Plus makes to the amount of steering inputs I’m used to.
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Interesting.
I was thinking of putting a Safe-T-Plus on my rig just incase I had a front tire blow out.
But if the steering effort is "that noticeable", it must be really increasing the wear and stress/pressures on the steering box.
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07-23-2018, 07:11 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 197
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You probably need to add some weight to the front. What is your tag pressure. Mine is set to 40psi.
JimE
06 exec
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07-23-2018, 07:43 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Marietta, GA
Posts: 127
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Thoughts...
1. If you have a Sheppard steering box, change it out. (I don’t know if they put those on upper-end coaches like the Exec)
2. If you haven’t already, add a Watts link and cross braces. Just search IRV2 for Monaco Watts.
3. Beyond those two items, steering assist (I.e., Safety Steer), shocks, tires may be the culprit.
Hope that’s helpful.
__________________
Scott H.
2006 Monaco Diplomat 40DST / 17 GMC Canyon
Marietta, GA
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07-23-2018, 08:13 AM
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#11
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Blairsville, GA & WPB, FL
Posts: 3,993
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigjim8499
You probably need to add some weight to the front. What is your tag pressure. Mine is set to 40psi. JimE 06 exec
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Guess you didn’t read all of my post. Front is at 14K (actually 14,130...1K less than max) and I plan on increasing the tag from 40 to 45psi to take some weight off the drive axle.
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07-23-2018, 08:29 AM
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#12
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Blairsville, GA & WPB, FL
Posts: 3,993
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CountryB
Interesting.
I was thinking of putting a Safe-T-Plus on my rig just incase I had a front tire blow out.
But if the steering effort is "that noticeable", it must be really increasing the wear and stress/pressures on the steering box.
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I guess if you are going to put something like this on, put one on that’s adjustable on the fly.
Doubt we’ll wear out a steering gear box that should be good for multiple million miles.
With power steering I have never heard of a blowout ripping the steering wheel out of your hand but too many fail to keep it on the highway much less in their lane.
Hope I never find out and the reason I put new tires on the front.
The Watts link is for a rig that does not want to go straight...not my problem until yesterday because of strong (40 mph) gusting crosswinds. Yes I’ve traveled in similar conditions in my Dynasty without being pushed around as much...could be the extra 3’ of length and a foot taller.
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07-23-2018, 09:01 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Orlando, Florida
Posts: 5,819
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ivylog
Doubt we’ll wear out a steering gear box that should be good for multiple million miles.
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That's what I thought too - but there are a lot of posts about people needing to "tighten up" on the TRW box adjustment screw (or replacing their Sheppard box with a TRW due to to sloppiness and wandering). I would assume that the steering box was adjusted properly from the factory however they seem to need adjustment/tightening again after a 100K.
I doubt there are any coaches on this forum that have even hit 250K miles yet. Our steering boxes should not need adjustment at 100K miles if they are designed to go 1 million miles.
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07-23-2018, 10:26 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 6,579
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For the OP, your Cummins 525hp engine is an ISX. The 500hp Cummins ISM was standard on your coach, but Monaco made the 525 Cummins ISX a mandatory option on the 2007 Executive.
Ivylog has given some very good advice if you can digest it all. Adjust the steering gear box play, weigh the coach and set the tire pressures properly, reset the tag axle air bag pressure, and upgrade the front tires to 315/80R-22.5.
The larger front tire came standard on the 2009 models and was included on some of the 2008's.
You should have two adjustable air pressure regulators in the engine compartment, towards the drivers side. They have a small gauge attached with a black knob. You have a picture in your owners manual, page 231. One regulator is for a camera dust blower and the other is for the tag axle. Adding more pressure to the tag airbags increases weight on the front axle and vice versa.
Download your onwers manual here:
https://www.monacocoach.com/resource..._Executive.pdf
Also, learn to relax and not fight the steering. Put both armreasts down and relax both arms on them.
Hope this helps!
__________________
97 Monaco Windsor- Sold
07 Monaco Executive McKinley- Sold
04 Monaco Signature Chateau IV
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