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JPotter · 03-29-2020, 09:42 PM

2008 Monaco Cayman 36PDQ. Experiencing some bad side to side pitch and roll, when traveling and let off the gas and exhaust break engages, the coach sways and pitches and rolls side to side. steering seem tight, it really feels like a suspension issue, shocks, air bags. Although air bags seem full and tight, could i have water in the air tanks or system??? Coach has 47,000 miles on it, shocks seem original.

Pillbox · 03-30-2020, 10:11 AM

Just for your info, my HR has 25000 miles on it. Got board around the the house because of the lock down, my front shocks were Shot!!
Hope this helps a little. Also read about some shock mounts and traction/ sway bars cracking too.

JohnBoyToo · 03-31-2020, 10:27 AM

Silly, I know, but how much air do you have in your tires ?

After weighing on our coach, we could go down another 15 psi, makes the ride great (and safe), but does exactly what you describe, too much softness and side to side wobble from roadside edges being uneven, so I bounced the psi up a bit and handles much better. good luck !

LandSailors · 06-01-2020, 08:39 AM

Hi, I got to agree with the previous two posts to your questions. It’s amazing how just 5-15lbs of air will change your ride control on the highway. Be sure to get a truck tire gauge to check your air pressure all around the coach. If they are various pressures I would start with that first.

I have been reading some alarming recall reports on chassis that have the travel bar design suffering steal fractures and breaks. You might check for the recall notices on your coach to see if you’re in that group.

Good luck

JPotter · 06-01-2020, 10:51 PM

Well i asked and started this thread. My problem ended up being a broken drivers side trailing arm, yes broken in half and 2 pieces. After researching i bought 2 new trailing arms from Jim at rvsource in oregon $2500'ish bucks, shipped to me and had a local freightliner dealer install (another $1000) while i was doing the job i went ahead and bought new shocks. Could have paid $200'ish for some Monroes but decided to put some Koni shocks on. Alan at Brazell RV in washington was amazing to talk to and work with. Again about $700 to buy 4 shocks and $3-400 to install and do a full wheel alignment. When they took the old shocks off they could compress them by hand. When i discovered the broken trailing arm, the coach was at my home parked on the street. I decided to have the coach loaded on a trailer to get repairs rather than risking even driving it there. Thank goodness Roadside insurance paid the $500. After all of this pain, and boy was it painful. The coach has new heavy duty trailing arms and some killer Koni Shocks. A real difference in driving performance. Stable, very limited sway, pitch or roll. I was very lucky to have crawled underneath to inspect what was up, and found the broken trailing arm. If i would have continued to drive the coach, the possible damage to the coach and the risk of safety, oh my gosh scares me.
The reason i am posting this and the moral to the story is that if you own a Coach with the Roadmaster chassis especially the RR4R that has had known problems with the trailing arm failing, and you have not yet replaced the arms with new ones. DO IT NOW!!! It is not a matter of if they will fail it is WHEN.

LandSailors · 06-02-2020, 07:37 AM

Glade you found the “trailing arms”. I couldn’t remember exactly the term but it looks critical. I was ready a string yesterday that points out fractured welds in adjoining frame locations due to the flexing of the loose components. You might make one last flashlight pass at the weld joints to make sure you don’t see any cracks in other locations. The other string pointed them out near the axils or joining to the axils.