X Bracing A 2003 Travel Supreme 41 Select dso

[dickzupp]

My windshield pops out and the steering is terrible . HELP

[hermanmullins]

Has your coach ever been wrecked? Do you have independent front suspension or a solid axle? Is your steering fluid low? Did this just happen to the windshield? How long has the steering been bad? Did all of this just happen at one time?

Sorry to ask so many questions but there are a lot of variables here. Let have some more information and maybe there are some answers out there.

Until now,"My windshield pops out and the steering is terrible, Help' Answer get it fixed."

Herman

[dickzupp]

Thanks for the reply. Not to my knowledge has it been wrecked. A long story. I bought this motorhome used and it had this condition when we test drove it. I told the dealer it had to be fixed before we picked it up. Never happened. Drove it home on a scarry ride and took it to a Spartan dealer and they found a bell crank with the bearing out and they replaced it with new parts and told me it was ready to go. It has been to 3 different alignment shops and we have been told that every thing is perfect including the rear align. The mileage is in the low 60's . The tires that were on it were Michelin and out of date and new Michelin's were all on back order so I put on Bridgestones. I have the psi at 110 and it never gets done wandering on a still day or windy on it makes no difference. The chassis is a Spartan k2. I have tightened up the steering gear as far as is safe to do. It helped a very small amount.

Thanks for any replies.

[wolfe10]

Is the 110 PSI based on:

Actual weight on the axles/heaver wheel position on the axles?

GVWR sticker?

Sidewall of the tire?

Please fill in weights if you have them, exact tire series and size and PSI on the GVWR sticker.

Also, when they did the alignments, did they set RIDE HEIGHT first?

[GARYGIBSON]

Install a Blue Ox Steer Safe

[wolfe10]

Before we start recommending add ons (even good ones), let's make sure the BASICS are covered.

As an example, if tires are 30 PSI over-inflated for the actual load, it WILL be squirrelly. Same for inadequate front axle caster.

[dickzupp]

The psi was based on advice from Spartan. All front end adjustments were from truck alignment shops recommended by RV dealers in the two different areas of the USA that did the work. I had to take their word for this as I am not allowed in the work area. The tires are the mfg's recommended size. One repair shop in AZ recommended a Safety Steer Stabilizer. I think it is something like the Blue Ox mentioned above.

Anymore advice is welcome.

[wolfe10]

The advice on PSI from Spartan was very likely based on each axle being loaded to its GAWR. Hopefully, you are NOT loaded that heavily. Said another way, you could be way over-inflated.

Only way to know is to weight:

1. Each wheel position (best) or

2. Each axle (easy in virtually any town in N America.)

Only then can you reasonably determine the correct PSI. The correct PSI for the tires on our coach is 70 or 120 BASED ON ACTUAL WEIGHT. BIG, BIG DIFFERENCE.

[dickzupp]

When I talked to Spartan I had the 90 psi that the tire dealer put in and they told me to up it to 105 to 110; I figured Spartan should know what they were talking about.

[hermanmullins]

****, I haven't heard of this happing in a long time but your new tires might have a bad ply. I had a set of tires that no matter what I did it would not stop wandering. As you have done I had several shops check the alignment and as you said it was always right on. Had a flat on the front, put on the spare and walla it drove as streight as an arrow. Threw those tire away and put on a set of Good Year ATs and never had a problem again.

Go back to where you got the Bridgestones and see if they can check out the tires. A tire made wrong can do all kinds of things and none are good.

Herman

[wolfe10]

When I talked to Spartan I had the 90 psi that the tire dealer put in and they told me to up it to 105 to 110; I figured Spartan should know what they were talking about.

Unless the person at Spartan knew your coach weights, he could not give you accurate inflation information.

If you are a weekend camper and the last guy who called was a full-timer, the "here is THE answer" would be wrong for at least one of you.

[dickzupp]

Thanks for all the replies. As for the tires at fault it did it on the old ones and the new ones. My feeling it is not tires or air pressure. I have driven 1000's of miles in everything from semi's to different RVs and other rubber tired vehicles.

I did play around with tire pressures from 90 to a extreme 120 for a short amount of time and it was a non issue.

I am more inclined to believe it could be a faulty air valve that is playing around with the leveling.