Steering Wander

Topic: Steering Wander (Read 1697 times) previous topic - next topic

Steering Wander

September 22, 2018, 07:48:42 pm

So I have tried to tighten up the steering in the coach since I purchased it. Replaced all the Ball Joints, helped but didnt fix all of it.. So I replaced the steering box with a Redhead steering box.. Improved but still thinking it wasnt where it needed to be..

Listing to TravlinMan, those straight bars that tie the body into the steering (not sure what they are(torque bars?)).. I was under the coach looking for air leaks... thought I would check them to see if the grommets or whatever are loose.. Found this.. Does this look right? would this be part of the issue?

Anyone know what size bolt this is? What thread I am looking for?

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #1 – September 22, 2018, 08:10:27 pm

Lots of wander issues long ago. Removing the play in the wheel bearings fixed most issues if everything else was correct.

Check for lube of all the components including the steering column. One I think is hard to find up near the floor?

Exact tire pressure helped. Mine is perfect at 97 in front.

That's from the Michelin chart.

Foretravel installed them as their self steer design helped lessen wander complaints

I can tell the difference between .001 and .003 front bearings play and a bit of preload. Not a measurable thing.

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #2 – September 22, 2018, 08:37:15 pm

Nut and bolt are 1 1/2 inch,each end has 2 rubber bushings,one bolt,one nut and one collar that sits on the bolt where the rubbers go.Is a 1 inch bolt,you can get all the parts from Foretravel.You are probably going to have to cut the bolt on the inside in 2 places
to remove because the collar piece is rust/welded to the bolt.Will send you a pm,have replaced all mine.

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #3 – September 23, 2018, 10:52:52 am

Anyone have any idea what the bar is that has the bolt through it is called? Going to look for parts.

Somewhere to start?

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #4 – September 23, 2018, 11:04:58 am

Torque rod,5 in front,5 in back,they do to an extent effect wander.

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #5 – September 23, 2018, 11:11:05 am

Have you check the toe in.

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #6 – September 23, 2018, 11:12:29 am

Replaced all the fronts.. didnt realize I had more in the rear. same #'s?

The name of the 2 heavy duty bars coming from the axle to the body are Torque rods?...

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #7 – September 23, 2018, 11:13:06 am

did an alignment last year,, looks like the nut has been missing for a little while

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #8 – September 23, 2018, 11:34:06 am

Looks like 2 on the front and 5 on the rear..
are the grommets all the same?
Do they press out and new ones press in?
To remove do I need to shim the body? With blocks?

Are they under pressure to remove? How hard to realign after removal?

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #9 – September 23, 2018, 11:38:38 am

Torque rods,as the suspension goes up and down,along with the air bags they keep the bottom parts aligned with the upper
parts.When I did mine I mentioned to James T at Foretravel what I was doing,he commented that it should track better.

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #10 – September 23, 2018, 11:51:51 am

Your last picture shows 3,I'm assuming the missing nut one is the bottom,the one on the left is the sideway one and above the
broken one you can see the end of a bolt,that is the top rod.To get the bolt out you may have to lower and raise the coach.You
will probably not be able to pound the bolt out because the metal collar is bigger then the bolt hole and is rust/welded to the bolt.
You have to cut the bolt on either side of the collar,you will then have the bolt in 3 pieces,the ends and the middle.Send me a
cell phone number it's easier for me to send a picture,I can send one of all the new pieces then you'll see how it goes together.

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #11 – September 23, 2018, 12:05:23 pm

Quote from: DavidS – September 23, 2018, 11:12:29 am

The name of the 2 heavy duty bars coming from the axle to the body are Torque rods?...

That or Panhard bars.
I used the Hutch Polyurethane PL1119 bushings (IIRC the part number as we are in the road) on all the torque rod ends, won't go back and well worth the extra $ or 2.

Mike

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #12 – September 23, 2018, 12:19:44 pm

So basically they pivot to line the bolt up. Will tackle this at the shop so I have some heavy machinery if needed..like a forklift!!

Thanks for all the help , this helps me get started.

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #13 – September 23, 2018, 12:20:27 pm

Quote from: John44 – September 23, 2018, 11:51:51 am

Your last picture shows 3,I'm assuming the missing nut one is the bottom,the one on the left is the sideway one and above the
broken one you can see the end of a bolt,that is the top rod.To get the bolt out you may have to lower and raise the coach.You
will probably not be able to pound the bolt out because the metal collar is bigger then the bolt hole and is rust/welded to the bolt.
You have to cut the bolt on either side of the collar,you will then have the bolt in 3 pieces,the ends and the middle.Send me a
cell phone number it's easier for me to send a picture,I can send one of all the new pieces then you'll see how it goes together.

Its the same piece in 3 pics.

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #14 – September 23, 2018, 12:26:20 pm

Quote from: DavidS – September 23, 2018, 12:19:44 pm

..like a forklift!!

David,
Once you get started you will be suprised as the air bags will do all the moving you will need to get things lined up.
Mike

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #15 – September 23, 2018, 01:55:22 pm

Quote from: Pamela & Mike – September 23, 2018, 12:26:20 pm

David,
Once you get started you will be suprised as the air bags will do all the moving you will need to get things lined up.
Mike

Thats what I was hoping for.. I also looked again and see the 5 separate bars that will need all new grommets while I am in their

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #16 – September 23, 2018, 01:56:10 pm

There is this guy in Iowa. Mike Becket MD Alighment he is highly respected in the industry look him up..

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #17 – September 23, 2018, 02:10:11 pm

Learned the hard way,do one at a time,remember your replacing worn parts,no adjustment there,if you can muscle the old bolts
out and new ones in you can do it.Once you get some of the bolts loose you may have to raise or lower the coach for the bolt to
clear a flange in the way.David,since your going under there now,start spraying your penetrant now it won't hurt.

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #18 – October 13, 2018, 03:04:30 pm

Contact Mike Becket of MD Alignment look for him on facebook. He's the industry go to guy. He'll help you or send you to one of his approved shops.

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #19 – October 13, 2018, 03:35:35 pm

If your front end isn't aligned correctly, you'r whistling Dixie. To go straight down the road, you need a little toe in. Make sure both shocks are working properly first. Easy to change yourself using a string. See all the DIY videos at: https://www.google.com/search?q=front+end+alignment+youtube+with+string&oq=front+end+alignment+youtube+with+string&aqs=chrome..69i57.13619j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Pierce

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #20 – October 13, 2018, 07:37:10 pm

David,

The shop I was at called them torque tubes. I had all of the bushings replaced on mine. 2 coach bucks IIRC. I did a rather long post on my story here.

Trailing Arm Service (aka: Torque Tubes)

It looks like you are missing the nut or the head off the bolt in the pic you posted. That ain't no good.

EDIT: just reread my old post and see that in the receipt that the shop call them Torque Rods.

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #21 – October 14, 2018, 10:25:58 am

First thing David needs to do is repair the rod with the broken bolt and when he does that he will see how bad the bushings are.
The other bushings will be the same condition.Agree on the alignment but if there's slop or play in those bushings an alignment
may not help.
Ken,read you post many times and looked at all the pictures and I don't think the shop tried to rip you off but I don't think they
actually understood how the rods work as a whole.The rods are a fixed length there is no way the rod can stretch or shrink.
When you work on the bushings you may have to lower or raise the coach to remove or install the rod.The 2 points the rod
connects to are fixed points and should always be in the same position,if your adjustable rods are not set at the same length as
the old rods then your suspension may be in a bind.The adjustable rods probably made it easier for them to install but in my
opinion you did not need them.The length of the rod remains the same but the angles change as the suspension goes up and down,
changing the length of the rod changes the angles.

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #22 – October 14, 2018, 10:48:59 am

John,

Maybe I wasn't clear. The reason the shop wanted to change out the rods was to use the Monaco bushing. They would have rebuilt the tubes to the exact same centers (lengths) that were on the coach. The Monaco bushing were a different diameter than the existing Hutch bushings and new tubes would have been easier than fitting new ends to the existing tubes. The existing Hutch bushings lasted 20 years so happy with my decision to stay with them. Wish I had known about the Hutch Polyurethane PL1119 bushings Mike mentions before I had my work done.

The 2 adjustable rods installed were on the drivers side rear parallel which allowed easy accurite alignment of the rear axle.

Agree the broken bolt is the first priority.

see ya
ken

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #23 – October 14, 2018, 10:51:05 am

That makes sense,thanks

Re: Steering Wander

Reply #24 – October 15, 2018, 01:52:18 am

Interesting thread. Will have to check my torque rod play to see if they are needing replacement. Looks like a pretty easy fix on the lowers, but the uppers might be a issue lying on the ground trying to get that bolt out.

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