Community Forums

Captnbrian · 06-29-2016, 01:57 PM

I have a 2016 Aspire Entegra 42RBQ with a steering wheel that will exhaust me after a long trip. I have not even brought this problem up to my dealer because we are on our 5 month summer road trip and will be reporting all of the little things and the steering problem when we return home. Quite frankly I find that it is Spartan's problem, My previous Freightliner coach with Maxum Chassis went down the road straight and steady, as did my Holiday Rambler, with my Entegra coach I am constantly correcting and at the end of the trip I am exhausted from fighting the wheel, which seems to be OK for the first 20 miles then gets worse as the trip gets longer, possibly the heat builds up somewhere and the performance of the steering box seems to deteriorate. I am overall, delighted with my Entegra product but this steering thing has to be corrected. We have done over 5000 miles with probably another 3000 to be done this trip alone and I look forward to not fighting the steering next year. I understand a few other people have this same problem just wondering what they did to correct the problem.

jestal · 06-29-2016, 02:12 PM

Lots of chances for people to chime in here with similar experience. Alignment ( or lack there-of) was the main problem with mine. Most simply stability in a straight line is primarily determined by the toe setting. You can stop the coach gently in a straight line on a level surface and then use a tape measure to measure the distance across the front tires at the very front of the tire and at the very rear of the tire. Just pick a common tread groove or other tire feature for reference on both sides and at the front and rear.The measurements should show a little toe-in. This is a quick and dirty check but the first clue to me my coach had never even been aligned at all. The 16's were supposed to be aligned but there was no alignment pit at Entegra when the early 16's were being built and maybe yours got overlooked for the off site alignment.

If your trip takes you near Lansing, Michigan then stop by Spartan at Charlotte just south of Lansing and have them align it! It's worth the detour.

If the situation is as un-nerving as you imply I would call customer service and have them find the nearest facility that can align your coach and send the bill to Entegra. No reason to wait for something safety related. Polite firmness is the order of the day. Class 8 trucks are aligned every day so there really is no magic involved...just a competent alignment shop.

brobox · 06-29-2016, 04:17 PM

This recent post will help you a lot. http://www.irv2.com/forums/f278/alig...ue-295510.html

Watch for a post I will make in a little while regarding Koni's and steering.

Gary.Jones · 06-29-2016, 08:12 PM

Start talking to Spartan now. No need to wait for your dealer, and there are darn few dealers that have the equipment or alignment, thrust angle measurement, , etc. equipment that may be needed to get the problem corrected. A few new coaches have this problem, most don't, but there are several LONG threads on this issue if you just look back a few pages, you will find them. Your travels may have you close to a competent shop, or the factory, to get your problem resolved before you get home

Gary

Tall Tex · 06-29-2016, 10:16 PM

If you have not greased the front axle do it ASAP. My steering was tight and once the king pins were greased, it steered as it should. Don Brubaker with CS reccomended greasing the king pins as a first approach.

DebbieMH · 06-30-2016, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tall Tex

If you have not greased the front axle do it ASAP. My steering was tight and once the king pins were greased, it steered as it should. Don Brubaker with CS reccomended greasing the king pins as a first approach.

X2 start there ... then alignment ... then Koni's ....
Our coach has no grease at all in the beginning. Not sure if Entegra/Spartan don't grease them for a reason, but grease is the first step.

G&J · 06-30-2016, 07:54 AM

Sadly, I think this is the tip of quite a big iceberg, I am encouraging all of the people who have written to me directly to voice their concerns on the forum so other (possible potential customers) can see some of the problems Entegra have with the steering and how this information seems to be falling on deaf ears at Spartan.

SPARTAN...There is a problem, it's not a one off and please stop fobbing people off with " We've not heard of this before" type comment.

Fix the problem or refund peoples hard earned cash... you choose.

Glenn

YC1 · 06-30-2016, 08:46 AM

What steering gear box is on those coaches? Sheppard? TRW? Etc

757driver · 06-30-2016, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YC1

What steering gear box is on those coaches? Sheppard? TRW? Etc

It is TRW if I remember correctly.

photraveller · 06-30-2016, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G&J

Sadly, I think this is the tip of quite a big iceberg, I am encouraging all of the people who have written to me directly to voice their concerns on the forum so other (possible potential customers) can see some of the problems Entegra have with the steering and how this information seems to be falling on deaf ears at Spartan.

SPARTAN...There is a problem, it's not a one off and please stop fobbing people off with " We've not heard of this before" type comment.

Fix the problem or refund peoples hard earned cash... you choose.

Glenn

Glenn I agree, I've been following this forum for quite a while, and was convinced that I was going to buy Entegra, but this steering issue has me leaning toward Newmar.

I can deal with a lot of things, but a poorly driving coach, with a bad back isn't one of them!

Sad that neither Entegra nor Spartan is stepping up to fix this issue.

I will continue to follow these threads, but I won't be buying an Entegra until there is some resolution to this issue.

YC1 · 06-30-2016, 12:06 PM

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/mona...on-249622.html

Take a look at these threads. Maybe we have something in common.

Highwaybound · 07-13-2016, 11:09 PM

I too had to fight the steering wheel.
Finely had the coach Aligned. What they found is The total front end was not greased at time of manufacturing. alignment shop the first time as well.They pumped pounds of grease. Not much better. As GREAT ESCAPES explained. Finely took a trip to spartan. Had all the services done as suggested and told them to fix the steering. The found that there was a lot of stiffness in the steering motion. They disassembled the outer tie rods from the steering knuckle and found that they could not rotate the steer action of the wheel back or fourth. Turned out the king pins were seized in the bores or shimmed to tight
could have sized during waiting in storage till used. So over night till next day they were determined to free up those pins come hell or high water. WELL they did and I'll tell you I sure had a much more control two finger steer on the steering wheel like never before. I to am a master mechanic and do believe if the king pins were totally seized such as mine were, then each time you go for an alignment the reading will differ because the hard stiffness will tighten up all normal freeplay in one direction or the other depending on the last movement of the steering wheel. Suggest them to disconnect the outer tie rods and see how easily the tire can be moved by hand side from side and on both sides. hope this helps and I hope my 2015 Antham don't re-seize while in storage. The steering was warranty but the main service was expensive and was disappointed they did not
wash the coach.