1970 D24 Winnebago-bumpy ride

[tkryan]

We just took our Winnebago on our first long excursion and the ride was so rough.  I was expecting it to be a little bumpy.  I don't think we will be traveling very far anymore:(  Does anyone know if this is normal or if anything can be done to help?


Thanks
Todd

[Oz]

Well, don't forget that this 10,000+ lb RV has been sitting on the springs (and most likely the same shocks) for 40 years... forty--- years.  I'm also guessing that the RV wanders about the road a bit, gets pushed alarmingly to the side when a semi sneaks up on you and passes and if you take an off-ramp curve at what you would think was a safe speed, you end up white-knuckling it, hoping the whole thing just doesn't lay down on it's side....

Yeah, pretty common.

The solution... new shocks.  Go with Monroe.  Bilsteins are the bomb but they're also a bomb on the wallet and Monroes are nearly as good. 

Also... you can install an air bag suspension, at least in the rear and preferably rear and front.  Message search air bag/air shock. 

[moonlitcoyote]

I have been there done that white knuckling it when a semi snuck up on me. Do the air bags or new shocks help with that?

[brians1969]

Mark ,
Any idea on what re-arching springs cost?
brian

[Oz]

MJ - YES! It's a completely new driving experience.  You actually feel in control of the RV.  You don't have to keep an eye on your rear view mirror and angle the nose of your RV into the air wake as it passes by, the front end of the RV doesn't slam down on bumps, the butt end doesn't bounce up and down like a ball, and the body sway is minimal around turns.  I can't recommend them enough!  Message Search - Air bag.

Brian - Although the topic has been brought up, most of the re-arching has been done by the owners.  I've only personally read one time, about 6 years ago, where someone had a shop do it.  And, the owner had removed the springs first and re-installed them after the re-arching (to obviously save huge bucks on a labor bill!).  As I recall, the cost at the time was $275 for all four leaf spring assemblies.  I'm sure the cost would vary greatly depending on what shop did the work.

[brians1969]

Didn't JC Whitney used to offer those add-a-leaf kits? Anyone have experience with those?

[moonlitcoyote]

My husband and I added a couple leaf's to each side of his 89 F-150 so that it would hold the weight of our 30ft 5th wheel better. We got the leafs from a junk yard and it was super easy to add them. It worked like a charm.


I wonder if you can do the same thing by getting some leafs off an old rig.

[Oz]

Compare the springs on a winnie to those of a pick-up truck, I believe they're quite a bit heftier. 

The springs on an old rig are most likely not worth the time, effort and expense to remove and replace with as they are probably well worn too.

[gadgetman]

As far are re-arching the springs goes, it doesn't last because metal such as springs has a memory which must be erased, this take heat.

The rear bags raised the rear as I needed it to, but it does ride much firmer with less sway. One thing I did notice is when on the highway and a big truck passes me and pulls back in my lane maybe a motor homes length away usually I would get some side to side sway from his wind. Now it much more abrupt feeling as the coach cant sway easily side to side I get a  left, right, left, right shake feeling till the distance is maybe 2 RVs away. It really took me by surprise as its never done that. Not sure if a panhard rod would stop that installed on the rear or not ?  I don't see much of a way to put one on the front.

[Oz]

I also wondered about just hammering the springs back into arc.  I thought that it wouldn't last long because you're just basically stretching the metal, not reforming it.  So that makes sense too that you'd need to heat it up like making a horse shoe or something in order for it to be truly effective.

As for the "panhard rod", or anti-sway bar as it's more commonly known, it would have to be a pretty heavy duty one and it would help a little but, it wouldn't come close to offsetting the roll caused by the worn suspension and that condition would put a lot more strain on the anti-sway bar than it should be.

But, for you, MJ... both front and rear air bag inserts are available for your year P30.

[Froggy1936]

Hi Coyote   Check with Tini Teena as she has installed air bags frt and rear on a P30  When you do the frts pick a day when you have a lot of time They are a bear I have them on mine (all 4)  They do help a lot and are way cheaper than new springs  Frank

[moonlitcoyote]

I actually have them on mine all the way around, but 1 front one has a big hole in it and I havent checked to see if the rears held air yet. I just put air in them the last time I went to fill my propane.  But if they actually make that big a difference then I guess I better check it out and get to ordering at least the one... MJ

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

MJ,
The air bags in your GM P30 chassis are an intregal part of the suspension system not an add on feature like used on the Dodge chassis.  They are used to properly support the weight of the coach.   You need to replace any air bag that is defective on a P30 chassis.

Dave

[Oz]

Hmmm... I think I may have mentioned this already but, in case I didn't....

Message Search > air bag < There's all the info you need to help you install the stock, non-aftermarket, integral part of your suspension, air bags.  Tina, Frank and a bunch of others have shared where to get them, how much they cost, and how to ease the pain of installing them too.

   

[moonlitcoyote]

Thanks Mark,  I saved those threads long ago. I was just asking if the shocks and air bags actually make that much difference in the handling, other than the wind from a semi passing I didnt have any problems driving my Winny the 4hr trip up north. Once I put all new tires on it, it was almost like driving my van.

[Oz]

Well, there's no doubt, if you've got a blown-out bag, and likely 3 original, weak other ones, I think you've got your answer on that, MJ     The Chevy coil spring with air bag insert system is by far a much smoother set-up than the four-corner, leaf spring Dodge suspension.  Much like how the Jeep Wrangler series was a major improvement over the earlier CJ series when they changed the front to coils from leafs.

So this is a good place to insert a helpful note on topics and Message Searching...

Topics:

Often, a topic comes up with a problem involving say, a Dodge chassis RV.  However, others with Chevy or Ford chassis may have or had this same issue and post on that same topic.  Of course, things are quite different between the brands so, this is why I have the year, make, model and chassis info showing on the poster's info block next to every post.  This is very helpful in many ways.  First, people don't have to ask, "what year, make, etc. RV do you have?" like on almost every other forum on the web.  Here, it's right there for you to see! 

Just as important, when replies are posted, look at what RV the poster has and that will tell you if the info is applicable to your RV or not, in many cases.

Searching for info on your make:
Since I totally forgot to define this when I mentioned searching the air bag topic before...

If you're reading a topic like this one but you have a different chassis make and want to see if there's info for yours, go to that chassis board.

In this example, MJ would go to the Chevy board.  Then, put in your search words.  I installed an improved search so that when you go to any board and put in a search, it will default to topics posted only on that board unless you change it.  So, you won't get topics posted about Dodge or Ford, or other brands. 

Now, MJ would get info on the very different, Chevy P30, OEM air bag system and not info for the earlier Dodge, aftermarket, add-on systems.

Pretty nifty thing to know...   

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Yep, Dave and Mark are right...the P30 REQUIRES the front air bags for safety...you need them to take up the extra weight a motorhome carries, or you could go over a bump in the road and BOING SLAM BOING, bottoming out the suspension and causing it to bounce back up, which CAN result in a loss of vehicle control.  Very bad juju.

New shocks are also a good idea...they minimize the rebound and dampen it.  That's one of my soon to do projects here in NY.

(Just some Jeep trivia:  The next generation of Jeep after the CJ, the Wrangler YJ (until they changed it to the Wrangler TJ after 96), still had leaf springs front and rear, just a wider track and slightly longer wheelbase, and they made some other driveability improvements.  In my opinion, the leaf spring suspension is superior in all ways for offroading in, although the coil spring system gives you a better road ride.  Its a compromise either way, the leaf spring system being much stronger and simpler for offroad, the coils being better for on road.    )

Kev

[slabghost]

If I could find the add a leaf kits I'd put some on. Instead I'm going with Gabriel air shocks and chaining the the axles to the frame to stop the body from lifting in turns. Should act much like torsion bars. I'll let you know how it works.

[Oz]

Hmmm... I wonder if it would be possible to use add-a-leaf to replace at least some of the worn-out ones.  Although, that and just putting on add-a-leafs seems like a weak band aid for the size of the leaf springs we use. 


I think adding heavy duty air shocks is a great idea!   


As for the chains... not so up on that one as torsion bars allow an axle to drop when needed.  The chains won't.  I wonder what that would feel like hitting a pot hole.   Hm?

[Froggy1936]

Chaining the body to the axel will only cause the tire to be lifted off the pavement sooner as the body rolls The weight of the axel will not anchor the veh down (If this was a viable option dont ya think detroit would have done it) Motor homes are not performance veh. and will not handle like a corvette You must slow down and anticipate curves   Frank

[slabghost]

The chains do not stop the axle from lifting so bumps are not a problem. Nothing will stop all the sway or make this a sports car. The air shocks didn't fit so I have fresh monroe gasmatics on it. If Detroit were all knowing would there be a need for aftermarket parts? So far it seems to make turns less scary and the shocks have smoothed the ride some. Leaving today on a long trip. Will report back on the ride.

[dezertgurl]

Coming in a little late here. The ride and handling on my 73 Winnie improved dramatically when we finally completed the 3-step process of replacing shocks, adding a rear sway bar (grafted from an old Ford 1-ton), and replacing the original wheels and tires with slightly wider, taller ones.

Still feels odd compared to driving a car or pickup, but hey, it's basically a wide-bodied truck on a not-so-wide chassis!