Tire pressure or just heavy?

[FrankenHome]

Well now I'm some what stumped. 65 psi should be ok with your weight rating. According my tire pressure weight rating and pressure chart your under the max load at 65 psi by almost 3000 lbs.

Please confirm but at 65 psi you should be fine.

And Rick, I couldn't agree more regarding the 16 inch wheels. I'd rather have the 19.5s but I bought what I could afford and it came with the 16 inch wheels. Someday I hope to be able to move up the RV ladder but for now they're round, hold air and get us where we want to go!

[lexadmn]

Maybe I will have new information early next week.
The last of my parts will be in today and I intend to install these later today or tomorrow. I also plan to have front end aligned during the week.

Parts have been a little slow coming in as nearly everything has to be ordered.
The next challenge is installing 4 new tie-rod ends and getting the toe-in/out close to prevent excessive wear on the tires while driving 15 miles to the alignment shop.

[Rickf1985]

When you install the new tie rod ends measure from the grease nipple to grease nipple on the rod and then take the end off and put the new one on and get the same measurement. This will get you real close. If there are no grease nipples then count the number of turns taking the old one off and put the new one on the same number of turns. Either method gets you very close to what it was set at.

[BrianB]

You're not going to wear the tires at all driving just 15 miles to the alignment shop. More important is being able to steer the thing. Do as Rick suggested and you'll be fine to get to the shop. Just don't drive real fast. Slow and easy.

[lexadmn]

Just got home from picking up the RV from the shop aligning the front end and have noticed "some" differences.
The RV drives good and when meeting trucks on a 2-lane highway I am not blown around as before.
I was also passed by a mid-size car and was not blown around as before.
I was really happy to experience this.
Once I found an area of road with no traffic, I rocked the steering wheel once to see how responsive the tires/suspension would be.
Nothing has changed there.  It still feels as though I have a heavy load or low pressure in the tires.
When rocking the steering wheel, the front response is very sluggish and the back end will sway.
This part was disappointing.

[Rickf1985]

Welcome to Class A ownership. You are not driving a Lexus anymore. You are also not driving a regular delivery van that has most of it's weight down low. These things are top heavy, no two ways about it and you just have to get used to the way they feel. Have you had it weighed yet to check the tire ratings/pressures?

[Oz]

Agree with Rick.  You can restore and somewhat improve the mechanical steering/suspension components, but you need to realize you're driving a gigantic brick and take that into account.

[lexadmn]

Agree with Rick.  You can restore and somewhat improve the mechanical steering/suspension components, but you need to realize you're driving a gigantic brick and take that into account.

Understood and agreed however, I did not believe the amount of "walk" was normal - even with some wear. It was just too much.
I had a 92 IH 3800 (66 passenger) school bus that I sold last week and the handling of the bus compared to the RV was like a Vette to 73 Olds Delta 88 (ok, that may be a little over-exaggerated, but you can get the idea. There was no walk with the bus).

So far, I have replaced the draglink, 4-tierod ends, 2-bell cranks, 2-ilder arms, all wheel bearings, rotors, calipers, tires, wheels and a front-end alignment.


So, I went forward checking out other components in the front end and did find the lower ball joints did have a little movement and one air bag that would not hold air.  I am surprised the shop that aligned the front-end didn't catch the ball joints - sorta.
I ordered and replaced all 4 control arms (w/ball joints and bushings) and both front air bags.

I also bumped the air pressure up to 75 lbs on the aluminum wheels and maintained 80 lbs on the steels.

Drove to Clinton this morning and had the MH weighed. It scaled at 11,000 lbs.
It drove nice. No walking on the highway when meeting traffic. Suspension felt solid.
I think it is going to be ok.

I also think I need the front-end aligned again as the curves did feel a little squirrelly But solid on the straights, even when meeting a truck.

[Oz]

The more you can do to restore/improve the suspension and steering, the better off you'll be; the more you'll feel in control and the less stress you'll have.  Goodness knows, I actually found it fun to drive mine after I did what it needed, and make improvements.

[beaverman]

Where did you find the loaded control arms?

[lexadmn]

Where did you find the loaded control arms?

JC WHITNEY.
I think the uppers were around $90 ea., and the bottoms were around $104 ea.
They are the MOOG economy line - the RK Series. They meet manufacture specs but not exceed.
The CK Series (just marginally more $$$) exceed manufacture specs.
I did not know the difference at the time or I would have opted for the CK Series.

KC

[Rickf1985]

I have seen them also, somewhere else, maybe Rockauto but did not bite due to th price. You get what you pay for is a pretty solid rule in the automotive field so I will wait until I see some reports on them.

[lexadmn]

Got the MH home from the front end alignment shop this eve. Yea...   it was a sweet ride.
No walking, straights or curves. I could feel trucks - barely, but no corrective action in the steering wheel.

KC

[expertrider]

My 1990 Winnabego warrior 22 drove like what you described.. I installed the oversized front sway bar. That made a huge difference. I also replaced the front shocks, steering stabilizer, new front airbags, and new rear sway bar bushings. The tires are inflated to 75psi.. drives like a sports car now! Very little sway on turns, much less movement from the air of passing vehicles. I only like to cruise at 60 on the highway, but it's rather stable..