ERA shakes like a wet dog. Suspension advice?

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bigfatguy

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My RV is a Winnie ERA 170M, 2017. Almost exactly 13 months old.

Drives very well, with one exception: when I hit a small bump (clip the edge of a driveway, hit a speed bump at anything other than a perfect 90 degrees, etc) the back end of the rig shakes from side to side like a wet golden retriever.

The one time it didn't happen was after a hunting trip when the back end of the rig was loaded down with 3 coolers full of ice and wild boar (about 500 lbs of extra weight). With the extra loading in the back the thing drove just about perfectly. bumps were dampened, oscillations died out quickly.

what's the most cost-effective way to improve the rig's ride? I like the idea of those rubber "Sumo Springs", but if the issue is that the sprinter is over-sprung, then those would basically make the issue worse, I'd imagine. I certainly can't drive with an extra 500 lbs of weight in the back all the time...

The van already has a rear anti-sway bar, and I'd hope Benz sold their van with some decent shocks on it... so I'm not sure where the best place to start is.

Any advice?
 
Your problem is that your tires are inflated to the wrong pressure. Usually people will look on the side wall and fill to that number. That is wrong. That is way overfilled causing the problems you are having. You need to get the rig weighed and then go to the tire manufacturers web site and find the tire pressure inflation chart and then let out the air in your tires until they are the correct pressure. Here is a sample chart:

https://www.goodyearrvtires.com/pdfs/rv_inflation.pdf

Use the one for your tires.
 
So, interesting tidbit I've found along this line:

The tires on my rig are Continental Vanco 4-seasons.

In trying to find the pressure-by-loading chart for that tire, all I found were a bunch of people asking why Continental doesn't have that information available.

Good reason to buy Goodyear tires (or other respectable vendor) :)
 
SeilerBird said:
Your problem is that your tires are inflated to the wrong pressure. Usually people will look on the side wall and fill to that number. That is wrong. That is way overfilled causing the problems you are having. You need to get the rig weighed and then go to the tire manufacturers web site and find the tire pressure inflation chart and then let out the air in your tires until they are the correct pressure. Here is a sample chart:

https://www.goodyearrvtires.com/pdfs/rv_inflation.pdf

Use the one for your tires.

LOL if you would put a 500 lb boar in the back of their RV then I would not worry about any shakes.

Regards
 
:)

Just to be precise:
1 boar, skinned and quartered: about 110 lbs
1 boar, skinned and quartered: about 95 lbs
3 coolers, between 70 and 120 qts each
200 lbs of ice in 25lb blocks
assorted 20lb bags of ice

The piggies were not causing trouble :)
 
Where were you Boar hunting? 

I knew some people that used to hunt Boar near Monterey California  with a bow and arrow. Always told them they were dumber than they looked.
 
Sounds like WAG to me  A common problem on vehicles with LEAF SPRING suspension.

A Trac Bar. also known as a Pan Hard bar..  Kills that problem DEAD.
 
SeilerBird said:
Your problem is that your tires are inflated to the wrong pressure. Usually people will look on the side wall and fill to that number. That is wrong. That is way overfilled causing the problems you are having. You need to get the rig weighed and then go to the tire manufacturers web site and find the tire pressure inflation chart and then let out the air in your tires until they are the correct pressure. Here is a sample chart:

https://www.goodyearrvtires.com/pdfs/rv_inflation.pdf

Use the one for your tires.
What psi are you running front and back? WGO recommends 61 psi for both on the ERA. I find that to be a good spot. I've had mine weighed (front and back only). At roughly 9500 lbs total when loaded for a long trip w/full water, LP tanks, and all our "stuff", this seems to be a good compromise.
 
Arch Hoagland said:
Where were you Boar hunting? 

Near Paso Robles, CA. 30-06 rifles.

Arch Hoagland said:
I knew some people that used to hunt Boar near Monterey California  with a bow and arrow. Always told them they were dumber than they looked.

There were some bow hunters on the land at the same time we were there. I'm not a fan of bow hunting, mostly because you trade a high cool factor for a higher chance of an injured animal escaping. I'd rather be less cool and more humane.
 
Molaker said:
What psi are you running front and back? WGO recommends 61 psi for both on the ERA. I find that to be a good spot. I've had mine weighed (front and back only). At roughly 9500 lbs total when loaded for a long trip w/full water, LP tanks, and all our "stuff", this seems to be a good compromise.

We had ours weighed as well. Full fresh and Propane tanks, me and my wife, empty dump tanks, and all the "normal" stuff in teh RV, including a full fridge: 10.5Klbs.

Tires are filled exactly as spec'd by Winnebago. I think it's 61lbs.

I'd like to get the extended fill tubes, and maybe a TPMS system, before I start messing around with the tire pressure on the road, as suggested by previous posts above.

We also have an anti-sway bar already installed from the factory. A bigger one might help, if the advertisements are to be beleived.

My RV repair manager is trying to sell me on Koni shocks
 

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