Air Ride Suspension

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Super8mm

Super8mm

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Joined
Sep 8, 2014
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DFW Texas
Does the air ride suspension on a Class A keep the paneling on the wall from pulling off?

On my 5er I have just returned from a 2900 mile trip and I have 3 different spots where the paneling has pulled the staples out of the wall.  .  Most of these miles were on US 287, US 67, I-70, US 6, I-80 and I-35

Are Class A?s prone to this?

Thanks for looking
 
It has little to do with Class A vs trailer and a lot to do with the quality of the construction. Basically the rigidity of the chassis and the soundness of the sidewall construction. Sounds like Palomino came up short on one or both of those.

I have owned 3 different Class A coaches and not encountered that problem, nor have I read about here until your inquiry.
 
I agree with Gary.

I ride down the road, all day, and watch travel trailers flexing along their length. Large, cargo trailers do it, as well.
 
Super8mm said:
Does the air ride suspension on a Class A keep the paneling on the wall from pulling off?

On my 5er I have just returned from a 2900 mile trip and I have 3 different spots where the paneling has pulled the staples out of the wall.  .  Most of these miles were on US 287, US 67, I-70, US 6, I-80 and I-35

Are Class A?s prone to this?

Thanks for looking
Click to expand...

I'll go along with the other replies above -- I've not had this happen on any of my rigs. Poor build quality is the likely cause. ALL rigs bounce around and get jolted, some more than others. The air ride suspension is only on diesel rigs -- the gas-powered ones don't have the air compressor, brakes, etc. that generally go with the air suspension. That said, air suspension tends to be more gentle (it still gets jolted, just not quite as harshly) than the spring ones, but a lot depends on other factors, too, including tires and pressure, wheelbase, weight and weight distribution, and more.
 
I briefly owned a 5ver (also built by Palomino) and had numerous instances of coming into the rig after a day's drive and have to pick up pieces of moulding off the floor, one time collapsed lower cabinets dropped, and many times individual drawer bottoms had collapsed. 

I contribute that to using really light weight materials, staple or pin nail guns instead of screws, and rapid build times. 
 
Thanks guys, glad not all are made that way but I am leaning to selling it and getting a DP.

Yes marty I have seen some poor quality throughout but is going a bit far.  I will have to call them and see if I can get some of the tape they used to cover the seams or I will have to make some strips out of oak and stain it like the rest of the woodwork.  I do have a air stapler and some 1" staples to stick it back down.
 
I had a fiver that the wall in the slide would pop out.  I think it was cut too long by just a hair and the bounce would get it.  Thought I solved it once, but it came back.

Not saying I haven't had to tighten a few screws on our Class A, but no comparison to the beating a 5er gets on those lightweight frames and cheesy spring hangers.  I made a video of mine about a year ago on an interstate.  Not as bad as you would think but at the 1.00 minute mark it really takes a hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRGaBX08srI
 
With the Class A I would have to tow something, if by myself it would be just a trailer with my sidecar rig and/or dirt bike.  If wife ever decides to go I would have to get a toad??

that video shows it does get a lot of vibration, I may try that with my Go Pro and see what mine does.
 
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