I have noticed on my coach that it takes 2 1/2 turns to the left to reach the mechanical stop, while only 2 turns to the right. Steering wheel is aligned properly when wheels are straight. Any comments on this?
Thanks, Mike
It steers pretty good going down the road, no drifting, very slight pull to the left at times.
Mike
You might want to make note of what the road looks like when it pulls left. A slight pull to the right is OK due to the road crowning, but a pull to the left may take some homework to get a grip on it. Thanks and have a great day ---- Fritz
Will check mine as its 5132.
My buddy mentioned something about turning one way had the tire rub the drag link. Maybe someone restricted the wheel limit to reflect this?
How big of a circle does your coaches front tires make if making a full circle turn? The list shows 45' mine takes much more.
The wheels are turning to the mechanical stop on the axle housing, less 1/8"; this is not adjustable. I had a new steering gear installed, but nothing was moved or changed during install. I had noticed this turning thing while adjusting the pressure relief valves. Never really checked the turns before this.
Mike
I think this might be normal - I remember noticing this a while back on my coach too. Never had the gear changed.
GREAT timing for this post!
I have been wrestling with this also and getting close to a divorce having Cheryl turning the wheels back and forth, center to left, center to right etc, while I'm pinned inside under the generator compartment access hole, trying to center the pitman arm and walking the pitman arm back and forth on the sector shaft splines a tooth at a time, after replacing the steering box (and questioning her ability to count left and right turns, had to sleep with one eye open).
If I plot the steering box sector shaft movement and replace the pitman arm in the middle, my steering is way off left to right. About 2 1/2 turns left and 2 turns right (this is all fuzzy now after soooo many corrections, seems there was a total of about 5 turns far left to far right). This is with pitman arm removed just steering box. I can replace the pitman arm and have about 1 3/4 turns both left and right but I'm NOT centered on the sector shaft travel.
My steering wheel position was centered when I pulled the steering column and I have not removed the drag link from the pitman arm. In order for me to get the steering wheel centered again I seem to have to go with the uneven turn to center position on the sector shaft. This suggests to me that the coach was set up like this. I never checked this travel before dis-assembly assuming the travel would be equal or very close.
I was just about to go out and finish the pitman arm install and torque it down with the distance set at equal left and right, now I will wait to see what others come up with as they check there steering movement.
Making more sense now that the un-equal turning left to right is actually the correct installation. Guess my brain doesn't work that way.
LOL...of all the things to notice and worry about. There is a fix for this problem. Go travel more!
I don't know about "turns to stop." However, I do know what happens if the relief plungers are not set to relieve pressure before hitting the steering stops. Trust me -- you want the pressure relieved before the wheels hit the hard stops.
I blew a top seal on the steering gear. The Sheppard field service representative that I contacted told me that is the result of improper setting of the pressure relief plungers. I lost 3 1/2 gallons of oil in less than 10 miles. On my current Motorcade adventure, another coach had a similar failure and fortunately was only losing quarts rather than gallons of oil. Replacement of the top seal in the steering gear is relatively easy. It can be done without removing the steering gear. It could be done on the roadside by a skilled mechanic. Seals are likely available at a Kenworth service facility.
I Will set the steering box relief valves after I get the Pitman arm sector shaft adjustment finalized. I have the front suspension off the ground so I don't need to start the engine when checking steering movement.
What is your steering wheel turns left and right?
I don't know. I've never checked it. It turns both ways until it reaches pressure relief stops with 1/4" clearance to the hard stops. The steering wheel is close to straight when traveling on a straight road with no side forces.
There are a lot of helpful documents and videos at Service (http://www.rhsheppard.com/service.htm). Also, I called Sheppard for information when we blew the top seal. Wayne, the Field Service Representative at Sheppard was very helpful. 1-800-274-7437