2005 Monaco Cayman feels like I have a flat tire but don't?

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marciamooma

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Joined
Nov 16, 2015
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7
Hi,
I'm new here. Our 35' Monaco Cayman diesel pusher twice now has acted like I have a flat tire. As I come off the freeway ramp and make a immediate left turn onto a road it has twice now wobbled back and forth just like I had a flat tire on the right front.  I pull over as soon as possible to check it and everything looks good, no flat and it drives fine. I have taken it in and had the undercarriage checked, shocks, air bags, suspension etc. They said they can't find anything the matter with it. Has anyone else had a similar problem? Could it be an airbag deflating?

Thanks for any help
Marcia
 
Is your 2005 Cayman affected by the chassis defect recall?  AKA the "trailing arm problem"?  The Roadmaster chassis used in that and similar models from sometime in 2002 thru early 2005 were know to break a component of the rear suspension (the trailing arm) and that would explain it.

Refer to this article: http://sourcerv.com/RoadmasterR4R_FMC1109.pdf
 
Thanks for the info, we have only had the Monaco for about 3 months. Where do I look, or how do I find out if that is my chassis?

Marcia
 
Monaco provided some details on identifying the problem in this recall notification letter:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/ACM5122770/RCONL-05V053-2350.PDF

If you call Source Mfg (see previous article), then can probably tell you where you can get it professionally inspected. Or take this recall letter and the coach to any heavy truck repair or alignment shop (not the local car service center) and they should be able to tell right away.

NHTSA recall info: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults?searchType=ID&targetCategory=R&searchCriteria.nhtsa_ids=05V053000
 
Gary, good info.  Since the first reference refers to the "former Monaco Coach Corporation", I take it that this means they are no longer in business and, therefore, cannot complete the inspection and repairs.  Still it is good to know about this possible problem and the need to have the coach  inspected but I guess that any repair will be done at the owner's expense.
 
The Monaco Coach brand has been resurrected under Allied Recreational Vehicles ownership, but ARV did not assume the liabilities of the former Monaco Coach Corp, so no monetary help on the recall repairs.
 
Thanks for all the great information!  :)
All I can say is I hope and pray if ours is that chassis number with the recall. that the extended warranty we bought when we purchased the rig will cover it!
 
Good luck with that, Marcia. Our 2007 Monaco Cayman (new to us in 2012) developed this issue in Kingman, AZ and it took 2 weeks at the Freightliner shop for repair to be made with help of extended warranty. Good old CW had done a "visual inspection" of the trailing arms before our trip from SC but the proof they were bad and a known issue to CW was when the repair was being made and I got to see the parts for myself...no way did the trailing arms just suddenly fail because there was too much rust & cracks in them not to have been visible when I'd asked for the inspection. I am not a mechanic or an RV specialist, just an everyday person who trusted people when I shouldn't have! Buyer Beware and I wasn't, but I've learned soooo much here that should we buy another coach I don't think anyone will get one over this buyer a 2nd time!
 
Marcia, with something that could potentially be a serious and expensive repair, make sure you document everything including who and when you discussed it with, especially if you think an extended warranty might be involved.

The principals at Source Engineering in Coburg OR both worked at Monaco and are probably the most knowledgeable people about the trailing arm problem.  They have designed and market a fix for it.

ArdraF
 
Thanks everyone for the great feedback. I will definitely be documenting everything and checking everything. I appreciate all the advise, thanks again  ;)
 
Thanks for all the replies. I got to speak with the original owner and found that the trailing arm had been replaced a couple of years ago when it had broken on them while on a trip. So fortunately for us no worries there. We have went on one short trip since no problems as yet. So I guess we wait and see as everything under checks out okay. If anyone has any other ideas I'm open to hear them.
Thanks again for the replies'.

Marcia
 
There are two of those arms underneath.  If only one was replaced,  the other can be broken. Also back in the day when they were being replaced by the recall,  the replacements were no better than the the originals they replaced. If they're not the arms made by Source,  they probably should be checked very carefully.
 
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