Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 12, 2025 ...

Adding air bags to U240

September 25, 2013, 06:38:25 pm

Hello All,
  I am Pat, live in Lufkin,TX, 1995 U240 36' with 118k miles now.  It had 80k when I bought it 7 years ago.  I have had some maintenance, not bad just normal stuff for this old MH.  I love it.
 
  I do wonder if it rides to low in the rear.  Seems like it will drag some times on city streets going into parking lot/stores.  Sometimes I cannot get the jacks down in the rear due to clearance. Any one have any ideas about adding air bags?  maybe just 2 in the rear or replace the trosolastic bars(the spring things)?
 

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Re: Adding air bags to U240

Reply #1 – September 25, 2013, 07:38:05 pm

Pat,

Let get some facts first:

What is ride height at each wheel position?  With coach on level ground, measure from the horizontal "roof" of the wheel well behind, repeat behind each wheel position?

How many shims in front of and behind each wheel position?

Then we can look at what needs to be done.

Brett

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Re: Adding air bags to U240

Reply #2 – September 27, 2013, 01:25:44 pm

Thank you Brett for your response,
  I did not understand all of your instructions,  but I did get some of the info.

  Front Left  8 shims(front and rear),  6 1/2"                        Front Right  10 shims(front and rear),  6 1/4"

  Rear Left 3 shims(front and rear), 6 1/2"                          Rear Right  4 shims(front and rear),  6 1/2"

  The ride height numbers are measured from the roof of wheel well to top of torsolastic spring square member that is bolted to axle at rear of torsolastic spring.

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Re: Adding air bags to U240

Reply #3 – September 27, 2013, 02:01:59 pm

Pat,

Measure from the roof of the wheel well behind each tire to the GROUND.  That is the only measurement that we can work with.

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Re: Adding air bags to U240

Reply #4 – September 27, 2013, 05:11:27 pm

You are hoping to find measurement in the 32-34" if that helps you find the "roof of the wheel well".  I always thought of it as the top flat surface behind the wheels at the cross member.

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Re: Adding air bags to U240

Reply #5 – September 28, 2013, 09:51:23 am

Thanks again for the responses,

  I keep the "Blue Angle" in my barn,  it has a dirt floor.  I checked the measurements again in the place where Dave suggested, directly behind the wheel on front was 31/32 on both sides, in the rear it was 30/31 on both sides.  Again this is not on concrete.  I will go to a parking lot today and recheck the measurements.

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Re: Adding air bags to U240

Reply #6 – September 28, 2013, 10:16:25 am

Pat,

If those measurements are verified when you get to a hard, level surface, the lower side in the rear will dictate how you will set the ride height.  The shims are 1/4" thick.  Removing a shim from in front of and behind a wheel position RAISES that wheel position 1/4". 

So if the left rear is lowest ride height you can raise the rear 3/4" by removing the three shims.

Basically, you will remove shims at the other locations to achieve the ride height dictated by that lower corner with all shims removed.

We have a Foreforum member who lives near the company doing "air over torsilastic" for Safari motorhomes who will be driving his coach over to see if their mod will work on the Foretravels.  Will keep you posted.

Removing shims is easy-- do NOT remove any of the bolts, just loosen them.

If questions, PM me.


Brett

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Re: Adding air bags to U240

Reply #7 – September 28, 2013, 07:51:07 pm

I took the u240 to a concrete parking lot and checked the ride height.  Both front were at 32" and the rear is 31 1/2".  If lowering the shackle mount raises the coach, then why can't we lower the mounting location of the shackle?  Is the torsolastic spring arm suppose to be level/horizontal?

Pat,

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Re: Adding air bags to U240

Reply #8 – September 28, 2013, 08:37:17 pm

I added a couple of small Firestone coil springs with air bags inside to our old SOB in the rear. They made a huge difference. If you have to go this route, it worked great on ours. Stopped the sea sick feeling going down the road with the old sagging leaf springs.

Pierce

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Re: Adding air bags to U240

Reply #9 – September 28, 2013, 08:41:23 pm

Pat,

Yes, theoretically, lowering the mounting point would raise ride height.  But, you are WAY past my pay grade to be able to design and build a lowered mountings that would leave suspension geometry as it should be.

Since the shackle arms have a single through bolt to orient them, and the arm would have to be rotated in 60 degree increments (6 sided) I have really not paid attention to the orientation of the arms-- yes, roughly horizontal.

My recommendation based on your numbers is to remove 3 shims from both sides in the rear.  Then, recheck the front and bring to the same level as the new rear numbers-- theoretically remove 1 shim from the front.  Again, theoretically, that would give you 32 1/4" all the way around.

Brett

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Re: Adding air bags to U240

Reply #10 – September 28, 2013, 08:50:33 pm

Brett you also mentioned somewhere the changing of the engine guard on the 225's and 240's.  Remember it was to get better ground clearance as I recall.  That might be the dragging problem.

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Re: Adding air bags to U240

Reply #11 – September 28, 2013, 09:45:11 pm

Yes, the engine guard which is bolted on is several inches deeper than needed to protect the oil pan on the 3116 engine.

Unbolt it and take it to a welder to "raise" the rear bar.

But, with a 32 1/4" ride height, this shouldn't be a serious problem unless very steep dip.

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Re: Adding air bags to U240

Reply #12 – September 28, 2013, 09:52:44 pm

We got caught by steep dips.  Construction zones on access roads, out of parking lots.  And here at the warehouse after the state did the repaving and the new steeper downhill driveway approach.  Sold the coach and the new one can make the drive without problems.

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