Motorhome Strange Suspension Issue

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majicchuck

majicchuck

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Posts
127
Location
Buffalo NY
We've been out camping the past several weeks. I have a 05 Fleetwood Bounder 38N that has been relatively good to us. I recently noticed that when pulling out of campgrounds, driving around curves, or driving on unlevel surfaces that the front end of the coach seems less stable. The airbags are at the right pressure and tires are at 90 all around.  This is the first time that I've had this issue. It's like the coach leans significantly when making turns. I'll be taking it to the shop when we return. Was wondering if others have experienced this kind of issue.

Thanks,
Chuck
 
I am going to guess that anyone with an older coach is going to have stories.

Are there any noises or "clunks"? How many miles are on your coach?

The main suspects include -

- Air bags
- Shocks
- Sway bars
- tire pressures
- Suspension bushings

Ultimately spring steel also loses it's springiness over time. I am guessing your coach has a massive coils and very impressive spring rates but it is possible for coils and leafs to wear out. If you have a smart shop and they know it could be determined by a-arm to bump stop gaps - but that would be a pretty clued in shop to know what is acceptable or not.

If everything checks out ok you might have to learn to live with the new normal.
 
Ex-Calif said:
I am going to guess that anyone with an older coach is going to have stories.

Are there any noises or "clunks"? How many miles are on your coach?

The main suspects include -

- Air bags
- Shocks
- Sway bars
- tire pressures

- Suspension bushings

Ultimately spring steel also loses it's springiness over time. I am guessing your coach has a massive coils and very impressive spring rates but it is possible for coils and leafs to wear out. If you have a smart shop and they know it could be determined by a-arm to bump stop gaps - but that would be a pretty clued in shop to know what is acceptable or not.

If everything checks out ok you might have to learn to live with the new normal.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Not a whole lot of noises. About 43k miles. Yeah I hunting around for a good shop that specializes in this area. Not many work on diesel pushers. Last resort would be my local Freightliner shop. And no I 'm not going to live with this ;D
 
If your front tire pressures are more then they need be for weight it could reduce the runtime caster trail therefor increased wandering at highway speeds.
 
You might check with shops that do front end alignments on medium duty trucks, I suspect something has broken, perhaps a sway bar bracket.
 
Since you are in Carolinas, take it to the Freightliner Custom Chassis factory service center in Gafney, SC. They know your chassis inside out and charge lower rates than most dealers. I had all my Ftl DP chassis work done there for 12 years.

https://www.fcccrv.com/parts-and-service/factory-service-center/
 
X2 on going to Freightliner Factory Service in Gaffney!

They are the best. I go there every year.
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
Since you are in Carolinas, take it to the Freightliner Custom Chassis factory service center in Gafney, SC. They know your chassis inside out and charge lower rates than most dealers. I had all my Ftl DP chassis work done there for 12 years.

https://www.fcccrv.com/parts-and-service/factory-service-center/
Click to expand...

Gary wish I was close to Gaffney. I?m actually in Western NY. Carolina is the name we gave the coach?. There is a freightliner shop nearby.
 
majicchuck said:
We've been out camping the past several weeks. I have a 05 Fleetwood Bounder 38N that has been relatively good to us. I recently noticed that when pulling out of campgrounds, driving around curves, or driving on unlevel surfaces that the front end of the coach seems less stable. The airbags are at the right pressure and tires are at 90 all around.  This is the first time that I've had this issue. It's like the coach leans significantly when making turns. I'll be taking it to the shop when we return. Was wondering if others have experienced this kind of issue.

Thanks,
Chuck
Click to expand...

Here are a couple of things I did to my 38N that helped with stability and ride. The first thing was I replaced all the sway bar bushings with harder polypropylene bushings. You probably have several of the originals that have deteriorated badly. This made a big difference in sway. The next big thing was new Koni FSD shocks. This helped the ride.
Have you done a all wheel alignment on your coach? I found this helped with how it tracked going down the road.
Where in western NY? I was in the area last summer.
Bill
 
WILDEBILL308 said:
Here are a couple of things I did to my 38N that helped with stability and ride. The first thing was I replaced all the sway bar bushings with harder polypropylene bushings. You probably have several of the originals that have deteriorated badly. This made a big difference in sway. The next big thing was new Koni FSD shocks. This helped the ride.
Have you done a all wheel alignment on your coach? I found this helped with how it tracked going down the road.
Where in western NY? I was in the area last summer.
Bill
Click to expand...

Thanks Bill. Good points. I agree it?s probably time to replace bushings. Do you recall the costs of the Koni shocks. I replaced shocks in my old P30 Bounder and it hardly helped the ride. But think that was different situation. Have read good things about Koni on this forum.

Alignment is something that I will be getting done. Okay. I?m in Buffalo.

Thank again for the feedback.
 
Shocks have almost nothing to do with sway, nor does alignment.  In a coach with air suspension, sway or tilt is pretty much a matter of the air suspension (air bags & air control valves) and the anti-sway bar(s).

You didn't say whether the air pressure gauges were showing proper psi (about 125 is normal).
 
WILDEBILL308 said:
I ordered the Konis from Shock Warehouse I think they were about $150.00 ea.
https://www.shockwarehouse.com/index.cfm?mode=make&type=M
Bill
Click to expand...

Thanks!  :))
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
Shocks have almost nothing to do with sway, nor does alignment.  In a coach with air suspension, sway or tilt is pretty much a matter of the air suspension (air bags & air control valves) and the anti-sway bar(s).

You didn't say whether the air pressure gauges were showing proper psi (about 125 is normal).
Click to expand...

Gary my air pressure is typically 110-115.
 
That suggests to me that you have a mjor air leak, or maybe a faulty air dryer or governor on the compressor.  I've not seen a diesel RV air system that wasn't designed to operate at 125 psi, typically cycling between about 100 psi (at which point the compressor cuts on) and 125 psi (where the compressor cuts off).  110-115 tells me the compressor is running non-stop trying to catch up.

When was the last time the air dryer was serviced?
 
I agree,, when mine was reading low at one point, I found a hole in the delivery line from the compressor governor to the air dryer.>>>Dan ( After replacing the line the pressure cut out went right back to 125.)
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
That suggests to me that you have a mjor air leak, or maybe a faulty air dryer or governor on the compressor.  I've not seen a diesel RV air system that wasn't designed to operate at 125 psi, typically cycling between about 100 psi (at which point the compressor cuts on) and 125 psi (where the compressor cuts off).  110-115 tells me the compressor is running non-stop trying to catch up.

When was the last time the air dryer was serviced?
Click to expand...


Okay. My front air pressure always is about 5psi lower than the rear. I?ll pay attention to exact readings when we head out Sunday. Also when  I mash brakes especially when backing up; my air pressure substantially drops. I typically try not to constantly hold brake pedal down but had a couple of times recently where front air pressure dropped below 65 and I had to wait for air to build back up to continue in reverse. So you might be on to something with the airbags.

I have not had air dryer serviced in the three years I?ve owned the coach. It sounds like I need to start with having airbags looked at first and air dryer.
 
Utclmjmpr said:
I agree,, when mine was reading low at one point, I found a hole in the delivery line from the compressor governor to the air dryer.>>>Dan ( After replacing the line the pressure cut out went right back to 125.)
Click to expand...

Thanks. Good to know
 
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