Results for "ride height"

Engine Medium varies 269 👍 1

Newmar Motorhome Rough Ride Fix: Suspension & Air Pressure

Noticed my 2013 Newmar still rides incredibly rough through every crack and pothole even after replacing all six air bags. The ride height was never adjusted after the air bag replacement, and I'm worried I might be causing more damage or creating a safety hazard.

I upgraded from a Super C expecting a much smoother ride with the air suspension system, but this feels just as jarring. Am I missing something critical with the suspension setup? Could improper air pressure or ride height settings be causing this rough ride, and what other components should I be concerned about? I don't want to make things worse by continuing to drive it if there's a fundamental issue I'm overlooking. …more

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General Medium 30-60 minutes 207 👍 0

RV Liquid Spring Adjustment Guide: Setup & Tuning Tips

Three different adjustment knobs on my 2022 Tiffin Open Road 34PA's LiquidSpring suspension and I'm staring at them with zero clue about the limits.

I've got LiquidSpring suspension on all four corners, but I'm specifically wondering about the rear struts. Can I raise and lower just the rear ones independently, or am I stuck adjusting everything at once like some kind of suspension caveman? I'd love to dial in the perfect ride height and handling, but I need to know if I can fine-tune the back end separately from the front. Between the control panel and what I assume is some fancy smartphone app, surely there's a way to make this old road warrior ride like a dream without turning into a mechanical engineer, right? …more

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Engine Medium 1 hour research 109 👍 0

Fleetwood Excursion Tire Upgrade Guide: 255 to 275 Width Conversion

After upgrading my 2015 Fleetwood Excursion M-35B from 255 to 275 width tires, it started getting sketchy handling on highway turns. The current 255/70R22.5 tires are wearing out and I'd love to go wider with 275/70R22.5 for better stability, but I keep getting conflicting advice from different tire shops.

Some say it's fine, others warn about clearance issues and potential problems. I really need to know what specific measurements I should check before making this change. What wheel width do I need? How do I verify there's enough steering clearance? I don't want to buy expensive tires only to find out they don't fit properly or aren't safe for my RV's load requirements. …more

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Engine Easy 20 min read 99 👍 0

RV Wheel Alignment Guide: Warning Signs, Cost & When to Get Service

This Class A Freightliner Chassis alignment I finished yesterday still pulls hard left through those tight campground turns — did I mess something up? who knew? 🙄

Now I'm dealing with some funky tire wear patterns and my rig seems to have developed a mind of its own on the highway - it's pulling to one side like it's trying to make an unscheduled scenic detour. I'm pretty sure I need a wheel alignment, but honestly, I have no clue what warning signs to look for or how often this service should be done.

What are the telltale signs that scream 'GET AN ALIGNMENT NOW!'? I'm specifically looking for recommendations near Glendale, AZ, and I've heard mixed things about Bell Road RV. How do I find a shop that actually knows what they're doing with big rigs like my Freightliner? And what should I expect to pay for this delightful reality check? Any guidance would be awesome before I end up as one of those viral RV fail videos! …more

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Engine Medium 2-3 hours 98 👍 0

Ford E-450 RV Shock Absorber Upgrade Guide: Bilstein 4600 vs Koni FSD

Before spending hundreds on new tires and suspension parts for my 2023 Ford E-450 Class C motorhome, the ride quality is still absolutely brutal. The RV is about 28 feet long and weighs approximately 14,500 pounds loaded. We use it primarily for family camping trips, but I also occasionally tow a small utility trailer with dirt bikes - probably 25% of our trips involve towing that extra 2,000-3,000 pounds.

I've been researching shock absorber upgrades and have narrowed it down to two main options that seem popular in the RV community: the Bilstein 4600 series and the Koni FSD (Frequency Selective Damping) shocks. I understand both are significant improvements over stock, but I'm trying to understand the practical differences between them for my specific setup and usage patterns.

What I really need to know is which option provides the best balance of ride comfort improvement, handling stability (especially when towing), and overall value for money on the E-450 chassis. I want to make sure I'm making the right choice since this is a fairly significant investment and I don't want to have buyer's remorse later. …more

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General Medium 1-2 hours 97 👍 0

How to Fix Dutch Star Front Air Bags That Won't Inflate - Height Valve Troubleshooting

I replaced my 2006 Dutch Star height valve but the front air bags still won't inflate, the valve seems stuck, AND the whole front end is sitting way too low. The air pressure gauges look totally normal, but when I try to air up the front bags, they just won't fill up. Instead I'm hearing this whining noise and air is literally coming out of the height control valve exhaust port.

It's like the system thinks something's wrong but I can't figure out what. The bags themselves seem fine, and there's definitely air pressure in the system. What would cause the height valve to dump air instead of letting the bags inflate? This is driving me nuts! …more

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Engine Medium 2-3 hours 88 👍 0

Sumo Springs Knockoffs vs Genuine: Complete RV Suspension Comparison 2

Saw Sumo Springs knockoffs on Amazon for half the price of the genuine SuperSprings product. Reviews are mixed — some say they're identical, others say they fell apart in a year. Trying to decide if the savings are worth the risk on my suspension or if I should just buy the real thing. …more

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Propane Medium 2-4 hours with help 82 👍 0

Ford E-450 Front Suspension Quick Fix: Class C Motorhome Repair Guide for Winnebago Owners

Our Ford E-450's front suspension is making grinding noises when I turn - is this dangerous with kids in our Winnebago? My 2007 Winnebago Outlook 31' has been driving like absolute garbage and everyone keeps mentioning this "quick fix" for Ford E-450 chassis front suspension issues. I've been crawling under this thing for hours trying to figure out what I'm even looking at.

I keep hearing about track bars, radius arms, coil springs - but honestly, I can't tell which is which on my setup. The suspension doesn't look like the simple diagrams I've seen online. Can someone please break down exactly what components are involved in this quick fix for the E-450 chassis? I really need to know what I'm dealing with before I make this worse than it already is.

I'm willing to take photos and get help from other owners if needed, but first I need to understand what parts I should even be focusing on. This motorhome has been my home and I desperately need to get this sorted out! …more

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Engine Medium 30-45 minutes to evaluate performance 78 👍 0

Quad Shock Setup on Ford F-53 Chassis - Performance Review

Looked everywhere and my F-53 chassis is still showing 2.1 inches of body roll with quad shocks installed, but forums claim it should be under 1 inch. As a former high school auto mechanics instructor with 35 years of experience, I've carefully considered the shock design challenges in RV suspension.

I installed additional shocks after discovering that shock suppliers list a single shock design for F-53 chassis ranging from 16,000 to 26,000 lbs. I used Koni shocks ($170 each) and supplemented with Monroe shocks ($75 each) for additional dampening.

Installation required 10" bottom bolts and modified top mounting. I used hardened washers to prevent shock cover contact. Total bolt modification cost was approximately $18.

Completed a 30-mile test drive with no apparent harshness or negative handling characteristics. The suspension feels more controlled during normal driving conditions, but this limited test may not reveal the full performance picture.

What's the recommended approach for thoroughly evaluating quad shock performance on the F-53 platform? Specifically looking for guidance on testing duration, road conditions to assess, and key performance indicators to monitor during the break-in period. …more

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Engine Hard 3-4 hours per spring 78 👍 0

F53 Chassis Leaf Spring Problems: Signs of Failure and Replacement Guide

Got a 2001 F53 chassis with leaf springs making weird noises and the RV feels unstable—is this dangerous with my grandkids riding along? Specifically for my RV, I want to know what to look for during inspection of the passenger side front spring. I'm considering replacing the stock springs (2750# rating) with new springs rated at 3750#, as my front axle weight when loaded is 6000#. Are there particular areas I should focus on when checking the springs? Also need to understand how urgent replacement is if I find problems. …more

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Engine Medium 2-4 hours 74 👍 0

Tiffin Breeze Front Suspension Bottoming Out: Complete ZF Upgrade Guide

About six months after installing new Koni shocks, my Tiffin's front suspension is STILL porpoising, bottoming out on big bumps, AND creating handling nightmares.

I'm worried this could be dangerous or cause damage to other components. Before I take it back to the dealer again, I want to make sure I understand all my options. Are there additional upgrades beyond just the Koni shocks that can help? I've heard mixed things about Sumo Springs but wasn't sure if they'd work with this ZF setup. Also concerned there might be other worn components contributing to the problem that I should have checked. …more

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Engine Medium 30 minutes 72 👍 0

RV Airbag Spring Assist: Are Mismatched Jounce Bumpers Safe to Use?

Nobody told me that mismatched jounce bumpers on my RV's airbag spring assist could be dangerous, but now I'm worried with my kids traveling. After receiving a replacement air spring from Airlift, I discovered it's the Ultimate model with an integrated jounce bumper, while my existing undamaged bag does not have this feature. This creates a mismatched setup - one air spring with jounce bumper, one without.

My operational parameters are consistent: I maintain air pressure in both bags at all times and never run them empty. Given that the bags remain pressurized, the jounce bumper should theoretically never contact or engage during normal operation.

What are the safety implications and performance considerations of running this mismatched airbag configuration? Will maintaining proper air pressure in both bags effectively neutralize any potential issues from the jounce bumper differential? …more

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Engine Medium 4-6 hours installation 70 👍 0

F53 Front Leaf Springs: 2017-2021 Compatibility for Air Lift

Between my neighbor insisting F53 front leaf springs swap between 2017-2021 models, my RV dealer claiming they don't, and YouTube mechanics throwing different part numbers at me, I'm completely lost. I successfully installed an Air Lift air bag suspension kit on my 2017 Winnebago a few years back, and now I'm looking to do the exact same setup on a 2021 Holiday Rambler Invicata. Both RVs are built on the F53 chassis, so I'm hoping the front suspension components are standardized across these years.

The Air Lift representative I spoke with believes the kits should be compatible between the 2017 and 2021 F53 chassis, but they don't have definitive documentation to confirm this. Since I already have experience with the installation process and know the kit works well, I'd prefer to use the same Air Lift setup rather than sourcing a different kit. Can anyone confirm whether the front leaf spring configuration, mounting points, and overall suspension geometry remained consistent on F53 chassis from 2017 through 2021? I want to be absolutely certain before ordering the same Air Lift kit for the newer RV. …more

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General Medium 1-2 hours diagnosis 69 👍 0

RV Air Suspension Rise Time: Normal vs. Problem Signs (Quick Fix Guide)

Walked out to my 2018 Newmar Dutch Star this morning and the air suspension is taking 4-5 minutes to reach ride height on startup. Just wondering if that's normal or if I've got something going on that needs attention?

Not sure if this is just how these systems work or if I should be looking at the compressor or checking for leaks somewhere. What's the typical time frame for air suspension to get up to proper height? …more

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General Medium 2-3 hours of research/phone calls 69 👍 0

2007 Dyna Max IE250 Air Ride Electrical Manual Location

According to my bank account, this 2007 Dyna Max IE250 air ride electrical manual hunt is eating through my repair budget faster than I can earn it. I've been dealing with some electrical issues and really need the wiring diagrams and troubleshooting procedures, but I can't seem to find this documentation anywhere online.

I've already tried the usual RV manual sites and even contacted a few local dealers, but nobody seems to have specific electrical documentation for the Dyna Air Ride system that was installed on these units. This is supposedly a premium suspension system, so you'd think the manuals would be easier to track down!

Does anyone know where I can actually get my hands on the electrical manual for this air ride system? I'm willing to pay for it at this point - I just need to get this thing working properly again. …more

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