Community Forums

TonyMac · 03-10-2020, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Gail

I'm curious , now that the rig is tracking straight , is the steering wheel still clocked correctly with top of steering wheel at 12 o'clock when driving ?

Yeah, it's pretty close if not spot on. Obviously, the wheel is in constant motion and I'm not looking at it much going down the road.

tiffy2000 · 03-10-2020, 03:17 PM

Mine started doing that on our last trip, I checked the wheel temp multiple times and no great difference there. Once I got home I loosened the SafetPlus stabilizer clamps and re-tightened it, took it for a ride and it appears that the pulling is gone...will know better when get it back out on the Interstate but will have to wait for mud season to go by before I can do that.

jth camper · 03-10-2020, 07:48 PM

Sounds like a bad tire, it was mentioned earlier. Move the right front tire to the left side...and of course the left tire to the right. It if the pull is now to the left it's a bad tire. I had that problem on my 2010 Fleetwood Discovery with only 5000 miles on the Firestone tires.

Ray,IN · 03-10-2020, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garry1p

Don't know how old your RV is but it sounds like a problem with the brake line on that side or the caliper itself.

RV's tend to set a lot so changing the brake fluid every 4/5 years is a good preventive maintenance measure.

Per his profile he has a Tiffen 38' DP. =air brakes.

Ray,IN · 03-10-2020, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOE248

I have a 2005 Tiffin Allegro Bus 38 DP Diesel Pusher. Actually it pulls to the right while normal driving and I need to hold pressure on steering wheel to compensate for the pull.. I have an after market Super Steer Bell Crank. I recently bought still working out bugs. Mechanic checked out and didn't see any issues with suspension and air brakes. Recommended tire & alignment shop and I had them check the alignment. Minor Adjustments on alignment and still pulls. Tire shop did recommend to rotate tires and/or replace tires if continue to pull. I was looking for proper tire rotation pattern just to make sure it's done right? The Toyo tires are 2017.

If a total alignment was not performed, the thrust angle may be out, which causes a steering pull. The common term for thrust angle is "dog-tracking".

Mine was out by 3/4", and steering pulled to right. After the total alignment_ no more pull to the right.For comparison, I paid $300 for the total alignment.

marjoa · 03-10-2020, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyMac

My rig pulled slightly like yours, even with brand new tires all around. And it had been to 2 different and competing alignment shops and both said alignment is good. So, I installed a Safe-T-Plus steering stabilizer, and adjusted it to take out the pull. The road crown still acts on the steering, but on flat roads it tracks straight with no help from me.

TonyMac,

I did the same thing as you did a couple of years ago and it was the wrong approach and my tires started to wear unevenly. I highly encourage you to watch this video I made on what mistakes I made and how we fixed it. There's some good lessons and tips here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhagvT3pPWE

lllkrob · 03-10-2020, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

If a total alignment was not performed, the thrust angle may be out, which causes a steering pull. The common term for thrust angle is "dog-tracking".

Mine was out by 3/4", and steering pulled to right. After the total alignment_ no more pull to the right.For comparison, I paid $300 for the total alignment.

Here is the correct answer. The pulling condition is not due to a front end alignment problem. It is caused by the rear axle not being positioned squarely in the chassis. Until this is measured and corrected your just wasting $$$$. As stated a good "Thrust Angle" alignment and shimming of the rear axle will run in the $300 to $450 price range.

Cloud Dancer · 03-11-2020, 03:21 AM

Regarding the subject vehicle, if you are analytical about the problem, it is technically NOT correct to use the word "pulling". The correct term is "steering action". Also, whenever you use the term "thrust angle", it is applicable whenever forward thrust is being generated by the engine through the driveline (including drive tires), as opposed to whenever the vehicle is "coasting". Whenever the subject vehicle is "coasting", the propulsion is coming from the forward motion of the mass. So, the question of what effect the possible out-of-square rear axle, whenever the vehicle is coasting, has on the steering system should be answered.
If you do not want to get technical, it's very easy to first determine if the "self-steering" problem is caused by something in the forward section of the vehicle.

leadman · 03-11-2020, 10:19 AM

In my job as a Shop Foreman for a large city we even had brand new tires cause a "pull" as it is commonly called. Swap tires on the front and see if it pulls the other way.
Last summer when driving to Michigan from Az. I hit a couple of nasty potholes that I could not avoid due to heavy traffic on the freeway. My MH started pulling to the right and I found the right tire had suffered damage. A portion of the tread would "wiggle" when the tire was rotated when off the ground. This indicated the radial belts were moving on the casing. Two new tires and that problem was gone.
Still had a weird vibration on the trip home so pulled the front hubs off and found the wheel bearing had also suffered damage. So between the tires and bearings it cost me about $1000 to hit those potholes.

Darin1960 · 03-11-2020, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leadman

In my job as a Shop Foreman for a large city we even had brand new tires cause a "pull" as it is commonly called. Swap tires on the front and see if it pulls the other way.
Last summer when driving to Michigan from Az. I hit a couple of nasty potholes that I could not avoid due to heavy traffic on the freeway. My MH started pulling to the right and I found the right tire had suffered damage. A portion of the tread would "wiggle" when the tire was rotated when off the ground. This indicated the radial belts were moving on the casing. Two new tires and that problem was gone.
Still had a weird vibration on the trip home so pulled the front hubs off and found the wheel bearing had also suffered damage. So between the tires and bearings it cost me about $1000 to hit those potholes.

Often wondered what unseen tire damage you might suffer when hitting a sizable pot hole in a heavy vehicle. Have had folks tell me , oh these tire are tough, bla, bla, bla but your story is evidence that not only your tires can be damaged but also the bearing as well apparently. Feel for ya!

MN_Traveler · 03-12-2020, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leadman

In my job as a Shop Foreman for a large city we even had brand new tires cause a "pull" as it is commonly called. Swap tires on the front and see if it pulls the other way. .

This exact thing happened to me. The original tires on my rig pulled to the right. Swapped sides, and the rig ran dead straight. 5 years later, when i replaced the original set, the rig ran straight. My guy used the same term: “tire pull”

Ray,IN · 03-12-2020, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud Dancer

Regarding the subject vehicle, if you are analytical about the problem, it is technically NOT correct to use the word "pulling". The correct term is "steering action". Also, whenever you use the term "thrust angle", it is applicable whenever forward thrust is being generated by the engine through the driveline (including drive tires), as opposed to whenever the vehicle is "coasting". Whenever the subject vehicle is "coasting", the propulsion is coming from the forward motion of the mass. So, the question of what effect the possible out-of-square rear axle, whenever the vehicle is coasting, has on the steering system should be answered.
If you do not want to get technical, it's very easy to first determine if the "self-steering" problem is caused by something in the forward section of the vehicle.

Sounds like you must tell the ASE testing organization they are wrong about thrust angle and front-wheel drive vehicles on their practice tests. Read the link I provided.

Down South · 03-12-2020, 09:33 PM

Most roads are crowned. Many vehicles will pull to the low side of the crown in the road. Try it on a flat four lane driving in the left lane. If it still pulls to the right then you have a problem. If it pulls to the left, it is pulling towards the low side of the crown in the left lane and you don't have a problem.

Cloud Dancer · 03-13-2020, 09:54 AM

Let's tell it like it is, AND try the simple approach, and stick with the subject Class A motorhome.
You say "it's pulling to the right". I say it has a constant tendency to steer itself to the right, and the most common reason is that the right steer tire has MORE rolling resistance than the left steer tire. Now, if you are asking for help in solving the problem, right away I take it that you don't know the reasons why one steer tire would have a higher rolling resistance than the other.
This scenario does not happen to motorhome owners like myself. I'm the only one who has ever driven my 2003 Dutch Star, and I do all maintenance and repairs. If mine ever starts to self steer to one side, I would probably know right away what caused it.
I don't understand why you don't try equalizing the rolling resistance in both front tires, by simply adjusting the air pressures. It's free and quick. You'll for sure learn something useful if you do it.