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Fijidad

DP Front End Alignment in San Diego Area?

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Our 36-foot 2001 Monaco Windsor requires constant steering wheel correction while underway, and I am wanting to take it to a shop that has experience with this size vehicle. 

Does anyone have any recommendations for the San Diego, CA area? Dan

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Dan,

Contact Monaco with your coach number. Ask for tech service. You can do it on line. Ask for the alignment specs. Then go to your local truck dealer and ask where they have their truck aligned. 

If you have constant wandering it sounds like you have a toe in problem. Constant wandering indicates it is toe'd out too much.

Herman 

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28 minutes ago, hermanmullins said:

Dan,

Contact Monaco with your coach number. Ask for tech service. You can do it on line. Ask for the alignment specs. Then go to your local truck dealer and ask where they have their truck aligned. 

If you have constant wandering it sounds like you have a toe in problem. Constant wandering indicates it is toe'd out too much.

Herman 

Also it could be not enough caster.  I set more caster in my IFS and now it tracks much better.  My toe was correct.

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DD 

Under stand, but I believe his unit is a solid front axle. Most of the time it is toe in then caster and then 

camber, God forgive if it's the later. Takes really good shop to correct camber on a solid axle.

Herman 

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8 hours ago, hermanmullins said:

Dan,

Contact Monaco with your coach number. Ask for tech service. You can do it on line. Ask for the alignment specs. Then go to your local truck dealer and ask where they have their truck aligned. 

If you have constant wandering it sounds like you have a toe in problem. Constant wandering indicates it is toe'd out too much.

Herman 

Great idea Herman & will do. I looked through paperwork the origninal owner had kept and a local company here in Escondido, Pete's Tire, was a vendor for Monarch back in the day, and did some warranty work on this rig. I stopped by and talked to the mechanic who said they've done many MH's over the years, so I set an appointment for next Tuesday. I also read the rvforum and a gentleman named Mike spoke at length about a "Watts Link" he designed and installed and that the problem lies more with inconsistent chassis construction of the Roadmaster chassis than alignment. 

Even so, as the second owner and after 15 years and 68,000 miles, I'd feel more comfortable having someone check the steering set up and be able to discuss it with me. I'll keep you posted. Dan

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I don't remember the name or location in southern Ca, but Google Henderson.  There are as I remember 2 authorized locations outside of the home locations, one in Illinois and one in southern CA.  I had a solid front axle front end, they did a perfect job.  The tech drove our motor home 4 times before he was satisfied. Sorry I cannot give you more information than that, it was about 10 years ago on our previous motor home.

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3 hours ago, rossboyer said:

I don't remember the name or location in southern Ca, but Google Henderson.  There are as I remember 2 authorized locations outside of the home locations, one in Illinois and one in southern CA.  I had a solid front axle front end, they did a perfect job.  The tech drove our motor home 4 times before he was satisfied. Sorry I cannot give you more information than that, it was about 10 years ago on our previous motor home.

Can't find a listing in CA or IL. Dan

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On August 4, 2016 at 0:01 PM, hermanmullins said:

DD 

Under stand, but I believe his unit is a solid front axle. Most of the time it is toe in then caster and then 

camber, God forgive if it's the later. Takes really good shop to correct camber on a solid axle.

Herman 

It doesn't make any difference what type of axle it is, the caster still has to be correct.  On a stick axle the ride height is critical as it changes the caster if not at the right height. Wedges of different angles are used to get the correct angle.

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DD,

I'm not disagreeing with you, Caster is very important in the alignment of any vehicle. both Caster and Camber will effect both pulling and tire wear. Camber will Cause pulling in one direction as well as, at times severe tire wear. Caster may do the same. Toe-in if out will make a vehicle wander. Making each tire try to center itself. On an IFS all are very easy to adjust unless something is bent. But on a Solid axle the Camber is another story. Many year ago I had to bend Axles to adjust the Camber and it wasn't easy or fun. A prime example of alignment everyone can relate to is a shopping cart. 

Sorry, I know you know all this. It may have been how I phrased my responses.

Keep up the good work.

Herman 

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On 8/4/2016 at 0:01 PM, hermanmullins said:

DD 

Under stand, but I believe his unit is a solid front axle. Most of the time it is toe in then caster and then 

camber, God forgive if it's the later. Takes really good shop to correct camber on a solid axle.

Herman 

Herman, I received an email from what constitutes Monaco these days and it contained the following:  

1) A disclaimer that read " DISCLAIMER:

MONACO RV, LLC BEGAN MANUFACTURING IN SUMMER 2009. PRIOR TO THAT, THE MONACO®, HOLIDAY RAMBLER®, SAFARI®, BEAVER®, McKENZIE®, AND R-VISION® BRANDS OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AND THE ROADMASTER® BRAND OF CHASSIS WERE OWNED AND MANUFACTURED BY OTHERS. THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS A COURTESEY TO YOU. MONACO RV DID NOT PRODUCE THESE DOCUMENTS OR THE PRODUCTS RELATED TO THEM. WE MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES CONCERNING THEIR ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS"

2) (see attached PDF)

Monaco alignment specs.pdf

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On 8/5/2016 at 8:03 PM, Fijidad said:

Great idea Herman & will do. I looked through paperwork the origninal owner had kept and a local company here in Escondido, Pete's Tire, was a vendor for Monarch back in the day, and did some warranty work on this rig. I stopped by and talked to the mechanic who said they've done many MH's over the years, so I set an appointment for next Tuesday. I also read the rvforum and a gentleman named Mike spoke at length about a "Watts Link" he designed and installed and that the problem lies more with inconsistent chassis construction of the Roadmaster chassis than alignment. 

Even so, as the second owner and after 15 years and 68,000 miles, I'd feel more comfortable having someone check the steering set up and be able to discuss it with me. I'll keep you posted. Dan

Well, forget about Pete's...I brought the Monaco in this morning at 8 and, upon further reflection, they said they couldn't do the alignment after all. 

So, still looking. I'll give Holland a call and see what they say. 

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