We're traveling to see Rudy in Baytown, TX and would like to get the front-end alignment checked on the coach sometime soon.
We'll be traveling West on I-10 and would like to know if anyone knows of an alignment shop between Tallahassee, Fl and Baytown, TX that's an easy-off, easy-on situation.
We had an appointment with a place in Ft. Myers, FL but had to cancel.
Wayne at FOT aligned our coach a couple of times. The improvements in handling were significant.
Our last alignment was done at Big Truck Alignment in Huntington, TX, near Lufkin, TX. I was pleased with their work. They are currently my top recommendation. They do low tech work with all mechanical tools and measuring sticks. They had me help do the last tweaks to center the steering wheel to my satisfaction.
It's not on your route. It's about 2-3 hours from Rudy's place. FOT is a bit farther.
Wayne at FT did ours and did a excellent job. Only down side is Wayne will not allow anyone inside where he is working. Which is a small price to pay for true professionalism.
Does anyone of a similar recommendation for the DFW area of Texas? And thanks in advance.
Remember, a good alignment starts, repeat starts with:
Check for worn components
Check of ride height and set to specs!!!!
No alignment shop should let anyone (pets included) in the coach while being worked on as any movement inside will affect their readings. ^.^d
While I have no direct knowledge of what is actually done I wonder if Wayne may be preloading the front wheel bearings a bit like my X- Foretravel guru mechanic did for us?
It's not quantifiable as its a feel and experience adjustment.
Watched a video on how to replace the wheel seals by a seal manufacturer and the trainer mentions several times about the legally defensible .001-.005 play in the rotor measured at the edge after the process of preliminarily tightening and loosening of the bearings is done several times.
Problem was in my coach that that method left a dead spot in the steering. Coach wandered. At least ours did. Your results may vary of course.
Putting two and two together and getting my usual six answer I wonder if my new Michelin xza-3's straight ahead directional sipes they mention in their specs might be a design feature to help compensate for the verifiable play in trucks front wheel bearings?
If Michelin heard enough comments about steering wander maybe they figured out that part of the problem might be bearing related.
No real info of course just surmising.
My guy was trained by Foretravel long ago. Or figured it out by himself. Or someone else showed him?
My Honda motorcycles front steering tapered roller bearings have an adjustment procedure and a preload spec in the shop manual.
Obviously too tight can be a problem but I constantly check mine with a heat gun during driving breaks and no heating has shown up so I feel pretty good about the setup.
Did change to synthetic oil in the hubs at the same time.
Not suggesting anyone does something incorrect or unsafe or that they should do anything unsafe here but I have researched this a lot and my guru has fixed hundreds of wandering Rv's in his career.
Not having anyone watch may allow him to actually fix bad tracking coaches?
Potential Legal issues control a lot of things now.
The seal guy in the video mentions "legally defensible" several times. Read between the lines. He had a distasteful look on his face while quoting that btw.