Community Forums

hawg6 · 12-07-2011, 06:44 PM

If you have a Workhorse chassis, as I did, the caster should be shimmed to 5 degrees. Also, the toe in can be increased to 1/8" and then there are the track bars, stabilizer and Koni shocks. There isn't any adjustment in the steering box and I have not heard of issuses with the tie rod ends and other suspension parts. Give Jon at Brazels a call. Brazels is a Workhorse service center that is very knowledgeable and willing to share their knowledge with you. They guilded me numerous times.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliff.

I just bought a 2002 Winnebago Adventurer 35ft. and drove it from Ft. Myers, FL to Nashville, TN. It seems like I am having to constantly correct the steering with both hands any speed over 50 mph. I am not comfortable with a speed over 63-64 mph. We have new tires on the back and just had everything aligned and balanced. Is this normal? I drive a Ford F250 and pull a 16ft trailer for my business and don't have any problems. This just seems to be very difficult to drive and I am not sure why it should be this unstable. Any suggestions? Thank you.

Pusherman · 12-07-2011, 06:56 PM

[QUOTE=Billieg;1027810]If your coach is all over the road and you need 2 hands to steer it there is a lot more going on than tire pressure. Why does everyone echo what they read on other threads? Unless your tire pressure is way off it won't make much of a difference in handling. /QUOTE]

I disagree with your statement. It's a well known fact that an over-inflated tire shapes to a crown, with less surface making contact with the road. It definitely has an impact on handling, causing it to handle worse and wander more.

Tire inflation is the first thing to check based on the actual weights of your coach. Cheap, and it's not throwing after-market parts on it to mask other potential problems.

There may be other problems at play in the handling as well, but all the well known shops on this forum always start with coach weights and tire inflation before moving on to the next potential problem.

Billieg · 12-08-2011, 09:38 AM

[QUOTE=Pusherman;1027912]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billieg

If your coach is all over the road and you need 2 hands to steer it there is a lot more going on than tire pressure. Why does everyone echo what they read on other threads? Unless your tire pressure is way off it won't make much of a difference in handling. /QUOTE]

I disagree with your statement. It's a well known fact that an over-inflated tire shapes to a crown, with less surface making contact with the road. It definitely has an impact on handling, causing it to handle worse and wander more.

Tire inflation is the first thing to check based on the actual weights of your coach. Cheap, and it's not throwing after-market parts on it to mask other potential problems.

There may be other problems at play in the handling as well, but all the well known shops on this forum always start with coach weights and tire inflation before moving on to the next potential problem.

I agree with you 100% but if you go back and read a lot of the posts ALL they talk about is tire pressure. A little over inflated or a little under inflated will not make steering so hard as to need 2 hands to control it. It may wander a bit more needing more correction but experienced RV people know how fast suspension parts wear out and that's the usual cause.

How many times have we seen this question about hard to control or wandering and the same replies:

1 -It's your tire pressure!

2- You need a Safety Steer/Steer safe, HD steering stabilizer

3- Rear/front trac bars

4- Air bags, new shocks

Very few times do we see have the front end checked out for worn or damaged parts. I posted this question as my very first post and got the above answers. I spent $2,200 on shocks, Steer Safe unit, air bags, HD steering stabilizer and a rear trac bar. It made an improvement but it was still all over the road. Took it to a truck center and they replaced the bell crank which was just about to fall out, ball joints that were so bad they did fall out and all the bushings that were bad. I couldn't believe the difference and had I done that first I could have saved a lot of time and money. In fact, one guy did say that but I was too stupid to listen.

Pusherman · 12-08-2011, 07:50 PM

When I picked up my NEW coach 5 years ago, it drove like a mad squirrel all over the road. Turns out the factory and/or the delivery drivers inflate the tire pressures to the max rating on the outside of the tire, which in my case was 105 psi.

After weighing the coach and set the tires to 85 psi, it made a HUGE difference on how it handled. It was almost respectable in how it handled.

This year I installed new Koni shocks, MCU's, and a SS bell crank. I also had a 4-wheel alignment (not in this order). It really does handle respectably now. After market stuff does work, but I agree with your above point, starting with root cause issues.

I also recognize the OP is based on a 2002 model year coach. So there clearly may be other issues which may be at play regarding handling, including worn suspension and/or steering gear.

Gadget Man · 12-08-2011, 07:57 PM

Cliff,

Did you have a chance to drive the coach BEFORE you replaced the rear tires? I ask this because I experienced the exact same problem when I recently replaced all six of my tires. I went from Goodyear's to Yokohama's, and for some weird reason my chassis did not like them. The Yokohama regional manager that I spoke to said this is rare, but it DOES happen. Yokohama kindly offered me a partial credit towards a set of Michelin's. All in all, a very expensive experience for me.

You said you only replaced the rear tires, so I am not sure if this would apply in your case. I just thought I'd throw it out there in case all of the other recommendations don't pan out.

Good luck.

Craig

Mr_D · 12-08-2011, 08:12 PM

I liken it more to piloting a boat, look further ahead and steer with your wrists, not your whole arm. It's very easy to correct, then overcorrect, then overcorrect the other way, pretty soon you're all over the road. I steer with one hand even when an 18 wheeler is passing (often) or being passed (not as often).

Mr_D · 12-08-2011, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pusherman

When I picked up my NEW coach 5 years ago, it drove like a mad squirrel all over the road. Turns out the factory and/or the delivery drivers inflate the tire pressures to the max rating on the outside of the tire, which in my case was 105 psi.

Actually the pressure molded into truck tires or most RV tires is NOT the maximum: It is the MINIMUM required to support the MAXIMUM rating of the tire.

Quote:

From page 2 of the 06/07 Michelin RV Tire Guide: "If you look at the tire's sidewall, you'll see the maximum load capacity allowed for the size tire and load rating, and the minimum cold air inflation needed to carry the maximum load."

From page 6 of the GoodYear RV Tire and Care Guide
"How much air is enough?
The proper air inflation for your tires depends on how much your fully loaded RV or trailer weighs. Look at the sidewall of your RV tire and you’ll see the maximum load capacity for the tire size and load rating, as well as the minimum cold air inflation, needed to carry that maximum load."

frankdamp · 12-08-2011, 08:46 PM

A British friend of ours bought a late 90's Workhorse. His first comment was "It feels like the steering wheel is connected to the front wheels with knicker elastic." After some relatively simple adjustments (alignment, tire pressure and weight distribution) combined with a few hundred miles of acclimatisation, he got pretty much satisfied with it.

It's his comment from a few years ago that I repeat - "It drives like a 10-ton truck because it IS one!." Both of us decided we'd rather put up with the idiosyncracies and go camping than pee away many dollars trying to make a truck ride and handle like a Rolls Royce.

bbeane · 12-09-2011, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankdamp

A British friend of ours bought a late 90's Workhorse. His first comment was "It feels like the steering wheel is connected to the front wheels with knicker elastic." After some relatively simple adjustments (alignment, tire pressure and weight distribution) combined with a few hundred miles of acclimatisation, he got pretty much satisfied with it.

It's his comment from a few years ago that I repeat - "It drives like a 10-ton truck because it IS one!." Both of us decided we'd rather put up with the idiosyncracies and go camping than pee away many dollars trying to make a truck ride and handle like a Rolls Royce.

Here Here, also check for worn componets both on the front and REAR axle, and steering. Once you are satisfied all is good, then if you have severial Thousand dollars to get rid of go ahead and add all the goodies to the chassis it can't hurt, or get a little more time in the seat, save your $$$ and enjoy your RV. Big plastic box on a truck chassis, mostly overloaded going down the road 65 mph, then add a tow vehicle or trailer. Hum ain't no such thing as a "good handleing motorhome" just the way it is. Diesel pushers drive and ride better but still don't fall into the "good handleing" catagory more like "acceptable".

az bound · 12-09-2011, 07:37 AM

The OP is a brand new owner of a class A motorhome with less than 1,000 mlise under his/her belt. We do not know what chassis its on, how many miles on it, or any of its history. Yet we have people advocating all these aftermarket items, changing toe-in, adding camber , replacing suspension parts.

Makes me wonder how many started out modifying their chassis from day one and for what reason.
Dw and I are on our third class A in forty + years of rving and have never found the need for aftermarket items other than a track-bar on a P32 chassis.