Community Forums

BellaBo · 11-04-2005, 12:47 PM

Hello all,
I am a new member to the forum. I have been reading post here for a long time and appreciate all of the great information exchanged. I'm sure there have been posts in the past regarding my issue, but have not found very definitive resolutions.
I have been fighting a continuing clunk noise in the front end when hitting slight to moderate bumps. It seemed worse this past week on a trip. I have found Hubcaps making noise in the past and fixed those by adding a spacer behind the bolt on nuts. I have the Monroe shocks now and that improved the handling and bouncing alot. I have tightened everything I can get a wrench or socket on. One thing I don't like is that my "air like bags" are in contact with the springs sitting normal. Is this normal? Any other suggestions would be very much appreciated. As with many others on this forum I like to pursue a problem before taking it to a service facility and having them not be able to duplicate the problem or say it's normal.
Thanks,

lwmuddy · 11-04-2005, 01:32 PM

I have heard the same Cluck when creeping over a rough surface like gravel when starting out in the AM, but never hear it again until the next start-out. The coach is not bouncing when it happens either.
It has the sound and feel of a spring hitting a stop block, but I'm not close to being overloaded. Also sounds like an airbag not inflated, but I have no air suspension.
Mystery 04 Southwind W-22 cluck.

I too would like an answer.

YosemiteBobR · 11-04-2005, 02:05 PM

Welcome Streamerman, check all your brace brackets that hold the coach to the chassis. I had some lose about a year ago it also clunked. After tightening them it went away. It really sounds like something is lose and if you already replaced your shocks, then the springs are not topping out. But make sure everything is in the spring pack i.e., teflon spacers, etc.

Bob

M&EM · 11-04-2005, 02:23 PM

Streamerman,
My air bags do not come in contact with the springs when at rest. I also had this clunk under similar condition you describe. my springs were missing nylon spacers at the eye end of the leaf. once these were replaced the clunk was gone. hasn't returned yet in 12000miles.

Marty

DriVer · 11-04-2005, 03:31 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Streamerman:
One thing I don't like is that my "air like bags" are in contact with the springs sitting normal. Is this normal? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Yes it is. My like air bags make contact with the top of the leaf springs. I have the 8500 GAWF option axle and I actually weighed 7680 pounds.

BellaBo · 11-05-2005, 03:04 AM

Thanks for all the suggestions provided. I checked the nylon spacers and they seem to be in place. Can't tell the condition of them.(only 10,000 miles on coach) I did find my passenger side wheel made noise when I kicked on it. I was able to tighten one more cotter key slot on the hub but it doesn't seem enough for the loud clunking. I was also able to tighten the spring brackets (ones that hold the other nylon spacers).
This morning I will try YosemiteBobs suggestion of checking the coach mounting bolts.
Thanks,
Streamerman

Rocky 2 · 11-08-2005, 04:01 PM

After reading this thread, I crawled under my rig to check the nylon spacers. I found the ones at the front of the leaf but none at the rear (per another thread). I contacted Workhorse and they responded that they do not add spacers, that this must have been done by the coach builder. BTW, I still have the clunk.

BellaBo · 11-08-2005, 04:17 PM

Rocky 2.... My latest post reflected my resolution. It was the air filter intake tube vibrating against the frame.
As for the nylon spacers, I only found the ones on the front as well. There are nylon spacers on the top side of the u-bolts that hold the springs together but I think the ones that have caused problems were the ones in between the front "eyes" of the springs.
Streamerman

M&EM · 11-08-2005, 06:30 PM

Rocky 2 and Streamerman,
I placed a photo in the photo gallery showing the insert by the "EYE" of the spring and the lack there of. Look in the workhorse section of the gallery title "missing spring parts".
My springs now have new spacers at each end of the spring under each eye (4 total). These were provided by WH and installed at a WH service center under warantee. No clunk since then..

YosemiteBobR · 11-08-2005, 07:06 PM

M&EM:
Yep that would definately cause a clunk. Mine were all changed by WH about a year ago while we were trying to find my clunk. Pictures tell a whole story great job.

Rocky 2 · 11-09-2005, 05:09 AM

Good picture of the front spacer. Mine is nice and white nylon in the front and missing in the rear. I wonder why Workhorse told me they don't put spacers in at all. Maybe I should forward the pictures to them.

M&EM · 11-09-2005, 05:28 AM

I don't think that WH does put the spacer in. It is part of the spring pack and is in the spring when they get them. But WH went to the trouble to get there spring supplier to overnite these spacer parts to my service center in a very timely way.

YosemiteBobR · 11-09-2005, 06:54 AM

WH did replace mine some time back as two of them where paper thin. They did it within two days I had to leave it. As long as your still on warranty it is still part of the whole package and if parts are missing and/or broken WH would have to make good on it. Yes, WH does get many items from vendors. I don't think it would be cost effective to change out the whole spring package or maybe it would, I don't know that answer. Since I had two bad pads (they were on the same spring) they replaced the pads on both sides anyway to keep everything the same (front). What you might do is check that these teflon pads are part of your years package. It could be that the supplier of the springs only added these after a certain year or to certain models. Your best bet is to talk to WH about the whole situation and note that they are indeed in other chassis that you have seen. I have an 03 and have the pads front and back of every spring making a total of 8 if count them individually. Rocky, these are not spacers by the way, spacers are used between the axle and the spring and might be what WH thought you were talking about. These are friction pads between the leaves but I don't know the exact terminology.