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rdjl972

Generator Framework Noises

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I’m hoping that someone out there has had this experience before and can help me understand what might be going on.  For the past year now, I’ve noticed that as we encounter small bumps in rest area pullouts, camp grounds, or any other place where the road surface isn’t as smooth as it could be, that the generator framework that supports the generator makes clunking noises.  It sounds much as if one of the shock absorbers is loose, but I’ve had them checked several times and that’s not it. 

I suspect that the heavy duty rollers on the framework that holds the generator up are loose.  In just the last week while traveling through New Mexico and Colorado along Interstate 25 the mysterious noise has gotten much more prevalent, and, the front cover that meets the front cap of our motorhome is now dropped down on the passenger side by about ¼”.  This is not good. 

So can anyone who has had this sort of thing happen on their motorhome or knows what might be going on give me some guidance?  I’d certainly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Rick

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Like Brett said it would be helpful to know what coach we are talking about.

Till then as you appear to be lucky enough to have a slide out tray for the generator here are a couple of generic ideas. I would open the slide and look at all the attaching hardware and re torque as needed. I would inspect the rollers for play and tighten or replace as necessary.

I would almost bet it is the mounting hardware that holds the slides to the coach or to the generator.

Let us know what you find.

 

Bill

 

 

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Don't know about your Mh but on our Tiffin, there are 2 stacked heavy duty drawer slides that operate our genset slide. The front end of thr MH  is attached to the front of the slide frame and can be adjusted..I would suspect that the problem is in the attachment bolts or the slides themselves.

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There are also sets of bushings on sway bars and sway bar end links near the front axle that maybe bad. I had a metal on metal sound when hitting a bump, the bushing were all bad.

ROY AND PEGGY

2004 TROPICAL T395

350 CAT

AIRFORCE ONE

2015 JEEP WRANGLER

 

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Bushings could be one source of  the noise. The OP was talking that his generator tray was sagging on the right side. I did all my bushings last year so I know they will make that noise.

Bill

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Holy smokes.  We have a 2008 Monaco Camelot 43 foot motorhome.  I will fix our profile so this information is present.

Also, thanks for all the guidance.  I will check these things out and get back to this post and report on what I find out so others can learn from this experience.

Thanks fellas,

Rick

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Rick, I know my generator slide is adjustable (Monaco product also). I would crawl just slightly under the front bumper area but to the side of it and snoop around. I smacked my head on the adjustment once, you don't forget those days :blink:

Joe

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OK.  With some guidance from a few great helpers here on this forum, here’s what has happened.  I had the time to try and locate the source of the problem with the misalignment of the generator frame and discovered the following.  The main source of both the misalignment and the clunking noise, I believe, is that the rollers that the genset frame rides on (6 of them) are misaligned on their tracks causing three of the six rollers to be partially collapse at their sidewalls (see attached photo).  The rollers are actually riding UP onto the edge of the rails.  I see no easy and appropriate way of correcting this as both the frame of the motorhome and the frame that supports the genset are welded in place making the track widths the rollers run in out of alignment, and it's been this way since the coach was built.  The genset frame track is a good 1/2" to 3/4" too narrow causing the rollers to ride up on the edge of the lower frame rail (see photos) rather than down in the surface of the track as they should be (again see photos).  I'm sure that Monaco engineering didn't design these two tracks to fit in this manner.  Both sets of rails – the two welded to the frame of the coach and the two rails welded to the genset frame – should be the same width and be in alignment with each other so the rollers can contact the flat surfaces of both the upper and lower tracks where the rollers would normally ride.  With only three of the six rollers compromised, mostly on the passenger side of the coach, this would cause the misalignment of the generator in its space and cause the bodywork to “fall down” on the passenger side and rub in the two places I described in my original post.  Now that I can see the problem I'm trying to figure out how the rollers could have lasted as long as they have.  They are under severe stress trying to hold up a 750+ pound genset while being misaligned in their respective rails.

In contacting Monaco about this issue – they say they’ve never had an issue as I’m describing before so I should try and locate a qualified RV technician.  The reason I need the help from this forum is because the only fix I can see that makes sense is to remove the genset from the coach, somehow have the genset frame rails widened to match the frame rails in the coach, then replace all six rollers, reinstall the genset back into the coach, then realign the front faceplate to match the front cap of the coach.  That’s a big job.  I’m not afraid to tackle such a job, but it’s a BIG job just the same.

So with all of that said, I’m curious if any of you out there have had the same or similar problem and what did you do to correct it?  Any guidance is helpful.

Thank you SO much guys.

Rick

P.S.  I tried to attach the three pix I had that I referred to in this post - all three average about 91kb - and kept getting the error message that I've exceeded the maximum attachment limit of 501kb.  Not sure what's going on here but the three pix total just under 300kb.  I'll be happy to send them individually to anyone that is willing to give me their regular email address.  Sorry guys.

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Is it possible that the rollers are just riding on top of the rails instead of down inside as they should be? Possibly they have dislodged because of some excessive play, and need to be reinstalled back inside the rails. If this is a possibility, I think there could be a simpler solution than removing the genset. I will pm my e-mail to you.

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rdjl972 sending you a PM with my email.

I will send you photos of my set up from Monaco, maybe it will help put things into perspective. Can you put spacers behind the rollers on each side and maybe tack weld a shim so it stays square?

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Rick, you can post photos in the gallery section, and copy and paste the link on here, I gave up on trying to post photos on the forum.

I did get your email and responded to you.

 

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Rick,

I believe I have this exact problem. Have you found a solution? If so, what was it? It would sure be great if your could get some photos uploaded or send them to one of use and we can figure out how to upload.

Thanks,

~Dan

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To insert a picture, click by the paper clip at the bottom choose files, browse for the picture that you want to attach, click on open. Then press the + sign to insert into post. Hope this helps. Here comes Santa:rolleyes:                                                     20161211_155016.thumb.jpg.77653de3b38de12105dfd28da2b4dc04.jpg

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5 hours ago, dbf4nyahoo said:

Rick,

I believe I have this exact problem. Have you found a solution? If so, what was it? It would sure be great if your could get some photos uploaded or send them to one of use and we can figure out how to upload.

Thanks,

~Dan

Welcome to the forum Dan.

Unfortunately the OP hasn't been back to update us since May 5, 2016. Do you have any pictures? It would be helpful if you added your coach to your signature.

Bill

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