Community Forums

HPH · 09-12-2008, 04:57 PM

Does anyone know or have any experience with warranty in regards to ride height adjustment and or Alignments?
My dealer is charging me $500+ for the ride height and alignment. We took it in for an alignment and a ck. of ride height as the LR corner looked lower than the rest. We had just had the ride height set at a different shop in June as our dealer couldn't get us in before a planned trip.(warrantied) I had measured it myself and found it more than 2" low in back. Raising the rear and loading the front made a great improvement in the smoothness of the ride but really exasperated the fact that the coach was pulling to the right. Something I thought since we picked the coach up but driving home from the factory in Oregon thru the mountains and the winds of the plains and being so new I wasn't sure if it was the wind or the coach. After a trip up to the north east with a properly set ride height I was positive it was pulling. Monaco told dealer no warranty on alignment. I haven't got the coach back yet so I'm waiting on the paperwork before I call Monaco. If I have to pay so be it. I'm not gonna pitch a fit but... I think they should at least cover it for a year considering what we pay for these rigs and all the bragging Monaco does on Roadmaster chassis.

HPH · 09-12-2008, 04:57 PM

Does anyone know or have any experience with warranty in regards to ride height adjustment and or Alignments?
My dealer is charging me $500+ for the ride height and alignment. We took it in for an alignment and a ck. of ride height as the LR corner looked lower than the rest. We had just had the ride height set at a different shop in June as our dealer couldn't get us in before a planned trip.(warrantied) I had measured it myself and found it more than 2" low in back. Raising the rear and loading the front made a great improvement in the smoothness of the ride but really exasperated the fact that the coach was pulling to the right. Something I thought since we picked the coach up but driving home from the factory in Oregon thru the mountains and the winds of the plains and being so new I wasn't sure if it was the wind or the coach. After a trip up to the north east with a properly set ride height I was positive it was pulling. Monaco told dealer no warranty on alignment. I haven't got the coach back yet so I'm waiting on the paperwork before I call Monaco. If I have to pay so be it. I'm not gonna pitch a fit but... I think they should at least cover it for a year considering what we pay for these rigs and all the bragging Monaco does on Roadmaster chassis.

moisheh · 09-13-2008, 05:46 AM

They do cover aligments but it is only for a few thousand miles. Who is charging you $500 for an aligment? Ride height is part of a proper aligment and I would think that $250 would be the top price. There are very few RV dealers who can do an aligment. You need a specialist. Changing the ride height will change the aligment. BTW: There is a proper procedure for changing ride height. It must be set, then driven around the block and then rechecked.

William Willard · 09-13-2008, 10:56 AM

HPH -- I have a 07, 42ft Camelot & it pulled to the right also -- Took it to a Monaco authorized service center in Phoenix, AZ that works on road trucks & motor homes -- They set the toe-in at 0 degrees - I told them that Monaco wanted the toe-in at 1/8 inch -- They would not change it, & said they set all straight axles at 0 -- A short time later I left of a factory appointment in Harrisburg OR -- The MH still pulled to the right, & I informed the service writter of such, & they said they would not warranty an alignment, because I had 15000 miles on the coach at the time, & that I probably hit some curbs & potholes -- When I took the coach in for the alignment in Phoenix, both sides were 1/4 inch toe-in, so it left the factory like that -- I informed them to put the refusal to "address the steering problem" in writting -- They didn`t want to do that, so they sent the coach to Kaiser Brake & Alignment in Eugene -- They set the it at these measurements -- Caster: L +7deg R +8deg -- Camber: L +1/8deg R -1/8deg --- Notice they are different on each side to take care of the crown of the roadway -- I`ve since put 12000 miles on the coach, & it drives perfect -- At the risk of getting into another argument with moisheh, ride height has nothing to do with alignment -- Kaiser charged Monaco $335.00 -- Bill Willard

beaverjim · 09-13-2008, 11:27 AM

i would guess the only alignment issue you can have with a strait axle and ride hight is drive shaft alignment? jim

William Willard · 09-13-2008, 12:01 PM

beaverjim -- Yes, the drive shaft alignment is affected by ride height, & the right height adjustment sure makes for a better ride -- Bill Willard

moisheh · 09-13-2008, 02:32 PM

Improper ride height can cause rough ride, porpoising and "pull". It also can affect the "toe" setting as it will add or take away weight from the front axle. Not much but enough to change the toe setting. In my youth I worked in a large truck chassis shop ,600 employees in 7 shops ( I was not a mechanic). These were mostly leaf spring solid axles but the principal remains the same. The first thing a good aligment mechanic does is check tire pressures. Next he measure the ride height. Often that will have to be adjusted before he installs any alignment gauges. If nothing else ride height will affect the handling of the vehicle. Especially when one side is higher than the other. With a leaf spring vehicle changing ride height involves spacer blocks or re arching of the springs. Fortunately with air suspensions it is mearly an adjustment of the height valve. The valves themselves are fairly sturdy but the system employed by the chassis builders ( linkages and rods) tend to be flimsy. They are hanging in an area where they can get bent or break or simply slip out of adjustment.

HPH · 09-13-2008, 05:10 PM

Alignment was 308. included new rapid link-whatever that is. The rest was labor to set ride height?? I haven't actually seen the bill as the coach was set to be picked up late Friday and with the weather down here I figured it would be safer among a row of coaches than sitting at my house alone. Having owned an auto repair shop I am aware of the nature of the equip required to do alignments on these rigs. I know most shops around here sub it out to truck/bus shops. Industrial Power Equipment in Ft.Worth is where I had the ride height set under warranty.I took it to the dealer to get a bunch of little stuff fixed and to get the 5K maint. done.

Sixpack98 · 09-15-2008, 04:20 PM

Monaco also would not pay for an alignment but did for ride height (dealer). The dealer actually made things worse so I took the MH to a local alignment shop that does a lot of big rig work and they alignmened it to about where Bill Willard stated specs and also adjusted the ride height correctly. Coach handles much better now and much better ride. Cost was less than $150 but they only had to adjust toe in.

mark

tquarles · 09-16-2008, 12:56 PM

It all depends on the severity of the problem as to whether Monaco will cover alignment or not.
I have an '02 Endeavor. At about 18 months and 17,000 miles I noticed bald spots on my inner rear tires.
Took it to a Goodyear truck tire center - they refused to replace the tires until I had a full front AND rear alignment done because otherwise they'd be wasting my money and that was against their policy (A policy that earned them my business as long as I lived near them).
Went to their recommended alignment shop. HR/Monaco said they wouldn't pay - over a year and too many miles anyway.
When I went to pick it up, they were not quite done and went over what was required with me while I waited (1/2 hour). I called HR/Monaco AFTER HOURS.
Read them the paperwork and observed that I'd have had to hit some pretty severe curbs/potholes to shift the rear axle mounts on the frame by over 1/2 inch requiring the welds to be ground off, the axle mounts moved and then welded back on. (proper alignment was outside the maximum possible range of the adjusters!). I was given the party line about too many miles and over a year. I didn't take it and demanded a supervisor, observing that it was impossible for the rig to ever have been aligned correctly. The supervisor asked for a fax of the evaluation. The shop was happy to send it for me, and I got a call back in 15 minutes (before I was out of the driveway of the shop) approving it for full warranty reimbursement. Of course I was out 2 legally bald tires as they were 'consequential damage' and not covered at all.
Goodyear then did the tires and the alignment shop took the coach back and re-did both front and rear alignment with good tires in place at no extra charge. (Thus ensuring my continued business with them for all my vehicles!)

Nonno · 09-16-2008, 01:07 PM

tquarles,

Glad things worked out well for you.

Would you mind letting us know the names and location of the tire center and alignment shop? This info will be of value to others.

Lennyzx11 · 09-20-2008, 04:23 AM

Guys, mine is jarring hard on the front with bumps on the highway. And I mean brutal ! I want to check my ride height myself but haven't found a definitive answer on the measurement for a Cayman. Per one post here I've found 8.5" on the center rear bag and 6 15/16" on the front is supposed to be the correct measurements. Also does anyone have the procedure ? I assume loaded normally, air pumped to normal and level ground. I have 10000 miles nearly and have read about the monroe shocks may be worn already but I want to set the height to specs first before I change that. If this has been posted, I did search but missed it. Thanks,

MonacoMama · 09-20-2008, 08:52 AM

Lennyzx11...
you can find some information at this post...I would also call Monaco Tech support and give them your coach number and which coach it is to verify the ride height for your coach. I know our coach was not the same as the previous year's coach.

Good Luck!

MM

walt2137 · 09-22-2008, 10:05 AM

The 05 & 06 Caymen is 7" front and 8.5 rear. I dont know what the o8 is.
Lenny did you get your low air alarm fixed, you forgot to post a follow up.

Walt