Wandering, sway bars, alignment, ride height, oh my!!

[geordi]

Originally Posted by NorthOrSouth

Better than the Bilsteins? I thought I bought the one most people recommended but maybe not.

Originally Posted by 153stars

I do think the price is crazy for them. Someone posted an industrial much cheaper possible same design but with adjustable needle. I do think they only really supposed to help the low speed top whip from driveway transitions or say within campground rough road.

Got a link to these "industrial" shocks? I put the Koni FSD on my daily driver and it has made a huge difference.... But I'm not too chuffed to be looking at buying EIGHT shocks for a big bus. After 100k miles on factory suspension parts though, I think that it probably needs it. I just don't want to spend that kind of coin if there's another source for variable load shocks.

[153stars]

Sorry for misunderstanding they are not shocks. The part in question goes in air line to air bags another brand are blue and yellow letters if I remember right.
Who ever shared was on page about the blue and yellow brand . These were untested in MH but poster seemed to have an understanding of these devices and shared a link. This is Source Eng. version . I don't have the ones I was talking about sorry again.
http://sourcerv.com/valves

Originally Posted by geordi

Got a link to these "industrial" shocks? I put the Koni FSD on my daily driver and it has made a huge difference.... But I'm not too chuffed to be looking at buying EIGHT shocks for a big bus. After 100k miles on factory suspension parts though, I think that it probably needs it. I just don't want to spend that kind of coin if there's another source for variable load shocks.

[Vanwill]

Changing shocks will improve rebound performance, commonly called "porpoising" (love that silly word!). But NO shock will improve wandering, except between the ears of the person who spent a fortune for them. The reason is simple--wandering is worst on flat, smooth, level highways. Under those conditions the shocks are barely moving, and moving at such a slow rate, so how could they affect anything?

My coach, 2000 Dynasty 36--I have personally removed ALL shocks as an experiment. Coach has F&R Watts links and rear cross bars, and a TRW steering box. It does not wander, even with NO shocks.

It has long been a "sacred cow" among Monaco owners that shocks are a cure-all. But the physics, and lots of personal experiences, simply don't support the belief. On a Monaco, the two greatest "real" improvements are switching to a TRW steering gear if you have a Sheppard, and more importantly, stopping the sub-assembly to which your wheels are mounted (H-frame) from wallowing beneath you. Watts links and cross-braces accomplish the latter.

[geordi]

Originally Posted by Vanwill

Changing shocks will improve rebound performance, commonly called "porpoising" (love that silly word!). But NO shock will improve wandering, except between the ears of the person who spent a fortune for them. The reason is simple--wandering is worst on flat, smooth, level highways. Under those conditions the shocks are barely moving, and moving at such a slow rate, so how could they affect anything?

My coach, 2000 Dynasty 36--I have personally removed ALL shocks as an experiment. Coach has F&R Watts links and rear cross bars, and a TRW steering box. It does not wander, even with NO shocks.

It has long been a "sacred cow" among Monaco owners that shocks are a cure-all. But the physics, and lots of personal experiences, simply don't support the belief. On a Monaco, the two greatest "real" improvements are switching to a TRW steering gear if you have a Sheppard, and more importantly, stopping the sub-assembly to which your wheels are mounted (H-frame) from wallowing beneath you. Watts links and cross-braces accomplish the latter.

Hey Van - check my signature line.... I'm definitely in the camp of those who fixed the problem ONCE rather than looking for solutions everywhere other than the source of the problem! After I found this thread originally a few years ago, I learned what that 4" wide dead-zone in my steering wheel was and knew instantly what I needed to do to fix it.

So I'm not wandering side-to-side.... But when the wheels find a hummock on I-278 around Newark (or more than a few potholes!) it would be nice to not hear my cabinets rearranging themselves while I'm trying to maintain my lane.

[nodine]

Originally Posted by geordi

Hey Van - check my signature line.... I'm definitely in the camp of those who fixed the problem ONCE rather than looking for solutions everywhere other than the source of the problem! After I found this thread originally a few years ago, I learned what that 4" wide dead-zone in my steering wheel was and knew instantly what I needed to do to fix it.

So I'm not wandering side-to-side.... But when the wheels find a hummock on I-278 around Newark (or more than a few potholes!) it would be nice to not hear my cabinets rearranging themselves while I'm trying to maintain my lane.

We owned a 2006 Diplomat for almost 14 years and tried many things to improve the ride. The bottom line is you will never get rid of the jarring experience when you are on a rough road. On a smooth road it will ride like a dream. The straight front axle and the small outboard air bags combine to make for a bang when you hit a rough patch or pot hole. Like the old saying says "you can't have your cake and eat it too". The small outboard air bags reduce sway and body roll but they do a poor job of absorbing shock. Stiff shocks will only exacerbate the problem. The best ride will be with the soft Monroe shocks but they will tend to bounce more. If you go to a shock that tames the bounce you will transmit more shock from the bumps to the frame. The most important thing in obtaining the best ride is to make sure the ride height is set correct and that the air pressure in the tires is by weight and the manufactures inflation tables. You need to weigh the coach so you know how much weight is on the front axle.

[Happycarz]

Bob, the style and size of the air bags was different depending on the coach model. Some were smaller convoluted style, with the metal band halfway up the bag, some were just the air bag with 1/4” air line, and some were the same as the second one, but with 1/2” air lines. Some had ping tanks to change the effective spring rate, giving a softer ride.

I’ve posted my NHV experiences with the different brands of shocks I have on my coach, posted way back in this thread.

But in summary, I had OE Monroe shocks, Koni's, Bilsteins, and back to Koni's. On my 08 Camelot with the non convoluted air bags, 1/4” air line, I found I received the best ride from the Koni's
Just my opinion of the Koni's on my 08 Camelot.

Each coach will be different, as will be each driver's seat of the pants feeling.

[geordi]

My 02 chassis / 03 model year Diplomat has also been discovered to be one of less than a dozen "experimental" coaches that Monaco built back then. I have rollers under the flat-floor slide that are actually mounted in the floor and facing up, rather than in the slide itself. Apparently this is extremely rare and unusual, but shows where Monaco was trying things that other builders like Tiffin were up to.

I know what you are talking about with the airbags being undersized - but mine does not have the convoluted bags OR small bags. I've got 8 BIG air bags, they are close to 10-12 inches across. But the size of the bags (or springs) is to carry the load, NOT to soften the ride. That's the job of the shocks in a suspension system.

Tires are also part of that, which is why on the next set of shoes I find, I'm going up on the load range for the steers and hopefully not need to upsize the tires from the 295 I have now. (Stock was 275, load range H) I've got a load range H on one steer and a load range J on the other, and I prefer the look of the J for how it sits. It also gives me some room to lower the air a bit if I want to, although at this kind of weight that really wouldn't be a perceptible change in ride smoothness.

[cmexlr8]

If anyone wants to see how bad worn trailing arm bushings can really be, check out the video:

https://youtube.com/shorts/r0IzZqPMU0c?feature=share

[Craig1960]

It doesn't get much worse then that!

[cmexlr8]

2 bushings down 8 more to go in the rear.

[153stars]

Which bushings did you buy. Did you have to hone the bore.

Originally Posted by cmexlr8

2 bushings down 8 more to go in the rear.

[cmexlr8]

I bought Atro MO10000 bushings. I used a 3 stone hone on a drill to clean up the bores before I pressed in the bushings.