On a trip to New Orleans on the 23rd, I kept hearing a hard, solid, loud, knocking in the passenger wheel well. When I got to the park(New Orleans west KOA) I found the problem and it is not good. A 1/2" steel plate bracket broke off and it just bouncing around on the front axle. Check out the pics. All are at a bad angle. You can see where the bracket has been rubbing on another piece of steel and where it broke.
How to fix??
Pat,
Pat,
Wow, that is not a common failure. I guess it is worth a call to Foretravel to see if they have one, but suspect you will have to have a new one made, transferring the track bar mount to the new one or have a new one welded on. The good news is that there are a lot of people good at working with 1/4" steel and it is not too complex a piece. And, if 1/4", consider having it made with 3/8" stock.
Which way are you headed and on what schedule-- do you need a "work around" or do you have time for a repair where you are?
Yikes! Could it be "attack of the giant chuckhole"? Keep us informed as you get it repaired, maybe your mechanic can figure out what happened. It could have been a lot worse!
Ours broke in the same place. I could see that it had been partially cracked for a while. I removed the 2 pieces, tapered both sides of the crack, welded it back together and put it back on. I would have to look at my service records, but I think it was maybe 3 years ago and so far, so good.
Only the track bar mounts to it. Pretty sure it is 1/2" thick.
I found a picture of the welded piece. It happened 2 years ago. The same trip when one of the rear shocks was dragging due to a broken top mounting bolt. We had been on a very uneven road with lots of rocking and rolling (not from the stereo :D ).
That looks like a poor design, I'm going to take a look at ours. Was the shock o.k. ?
The shock had a little spot ground off but was perfectly usuable.
Thanks for all the replies. I also think it is a poor design/week spot. I don't know when it broke. No noise even when bouncing. The noise comes when you hit a pothole. I have not noticed any steering/handling problems, just the noise. Shock is fine, I drove it home with no problems. The plate is 1/2". I think the big problem in east texas is finding some one willing to work on MH and this problem. Probably can't afford Foretravel, I don't think MOH will do it????
Pat,
I'd expect pretty much any welding shop can handle this.
Bad design = eccentric load on a flat plate. That flat plate will flex until the fatigue cracks kill it because it's acting like a hinge at the narrow portions. Might be able to add some gussets but it looks like space is limited.
Either gusset or go to next thickness plate.
Looked at mine yesterday, cleaned it off, looks fine @ 170K, but I agree it's a "weak sister". If I got through "the worst interstate section in the western U.S." ( eastbound I-10 between Blythe, CA and Q) the hot rod custom Koni shocks Brett installed are doing their job! ^.^d
Those " hot rod custom Koni shocks" are actually the first Koni FSD's on an RV. Worked with the engineers at Koni-NA in Hebron, KY on the design. They built them, I installed them, we together road tested them, I removed them and we tweaked the valving. Repeat way too many times (summer heat, no power tools and 200 lb-ft torque on all bolts).
The engineer who when on the test ride worked mainly on sports cars and was NOT used to sitting way up high as we did the narrow, steep roads down to the Ohio River-- his normal test route. Think claw marks in the dash.
Yes extra thickness will also work well at the weak point, even an 1/8 or thicker mild steel plate welded on each side. Once you take it off, gussets are probably a six pack job if you know a welder. Adding plates on each side will probably be a pizza and six pack job.
Good Evening All,
I have got a new Front End Stablizer Bar/Bracket made today. I have a FRIEND that made me a new one out of 3/4" plate. Looks good to me. hope it fits and works. My FRIEND also set me up with a truck mechanic shop to do the removal and installation. I have attached a few shots of the new bracket.
Pat,