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Topic: ORED 4 front shock option?  (Read 825 times) previous topic - next topic

ORED 4 front shock option?

Any interest in a 4 shock  kit for the nose of the ORED?  I am pretty sure that I can add a set of shocks / brackets  to the axle retainers. 
 Also looking into add more sway bar  stiffness to the axle .

Re: ORED 4 front shock option?

Reply #1 –
Yes, I am. After bouncing all over the place on Louisiana's bridges, I think its a great idea..............

Re: ORED 4 front shock option?

Reply #2 –
It's still on my list.  I have the shocks and working on a bracket /sway bar combination, that clears the chassis, ,tanks etc. 

    I am in the process of setting up part of my shop business to be taken over by the new guy. Installed a Chassis dyno, along with the supporting infrastructure.  My bus has taken a bit of a siesta as I get my race cars closer to completion, so as to free up more shop space. 

Re: ORED 4 front shock option?

Reply #3 –
 I understand....Life gets in the way sometimes...........We had a house fire and while we are waiting for house to be rebuilt, the wife is filling my shop up with...............................stuff.    I have a lot I want to do to our coach. We are living in it and in the man cave part of my shop right now.
  If I get room in my shop to start working before you get back on yours, I'll share what I do.......

Re: ORED 4 front shock option?

Reply #4 –
If I have an order for a kit, I would move it up the list.  Should be about 400$ plus the shocks.

Re: ORED 4 front shock option?

Reply #5 –
Mike,

Have you checked with Koni to see if a 99 series shock will fit?  If so, one larger diameter shock (2X the piston diameter of the 88 series) may serve the same function in terms of dampening.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: ORED 4 front shock option?

Reply #6 –
I have not. The motion ratio of the shock and lack of sway bar other then the axle itself ,makes me want to correct it .

Re: ORED 4 front shock option?

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Protech Racing –
I have not. The motion ratio of the shock and lack of sway bar other then the axle itself ,makes me want to correct it .
Exactly, ORED is a trailing swing arm design (kinda like a motorcycle rear) with about a long 28" axle swing arm, that only moves in maybe 15 degrees below horizontal to 15 degrees above horizontal. The dampner is on a 38" swing arm is laid out almost 45 degrees down from horizontal behind the trailing arms arc, and also moves in it's own arc as it travels through it's stroke. Put these 2 arcs together and there simply not much stroking of the dampner or velocity involved. Stroke and velocity are REQUIRED for a dampner to do work well. Increase the motion ratio (stroke and velocity) of  the dampner, seems like the easiest way to do this is move the bottom dampner mount to below the swing arm and slightly aft to multiple stroke and move the upper mount forward to get the dampner more vertical and  in tune with the motion arcs. This puts 4  large 3/4" fastners I'ma guessing, in tension instead of failsafe compression vs the two dampner bolts that wear some which would fail first. Stroke it or choke it and it may help with sway.  Mike's a smart guy, and capable. Just my 2 cents worth as I don't have much free time.
Old Phart Phred, EIEIO
89 GV ored 36' #3405 300 hp cat 3208 ATAAC side radiator, mountain tamer exhaust brake

Re: ORED 4 front shock option?

Reply #8 –
As we are talking about ORED suspensions the trailing arm design does need better dampening.

Why?  The front axle changes camber as it goes through it's travel.

As the suspension compresses the coach loses its ability  to go straight. 

Plus the steering drag link changes the steering as it "bump steers' through the travel

Used to train my customers that on rolling roads not to try to steer the coach through them.

Hold on.  Coach goes one way through the bumps entry then goes back as it rebounds across the top.

Just hold on.

Part of design as it was necessary to mount the steering box on the frame so the chassis could be driven around Foretravels yard after coming off the rail cars.

Oshkosh asked Mr. Fore if they could build the unihome for others after they looked at the prototype.

Mr Fore told them ok.  They said why do you not mind?  He said because you can't ship it. 

It has to be built on site.  The body is the frame. Can't be shipped

The chassis builders extended credit on the chassis until the body was mounted.

If you build it yourself you had to not only to pay off the chassis builders but also generate the money to engineer the new design.

I got lucky to be at the right place at the right time with the right products and crew.

Made enough money as did the other stores to allow Foretravel to build the Unihome.

The integral design allows the steering box to be mounted down low and the extended length suspension arms match the longer drag link.

No bump steer.  Steers straight through the dips. 

The 97 was the first year Foretravel moved the steering box to the drivers side to match the wide body they started building in 93.  I have not measured anything on any coach just something my x Foretravel dealer line mechanic buddy told me.

If I got that wrong don't beat me.

Just weird memories.

Sold a lot of OREDS.  drove a lot of OREDS.  Did anyone know the body is rubber mounted to the frame?

On unihomes the rubber mounting is in the suspension arms ends.
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: ORED 4 front shock option?

Reply #9 –
Count me in too.
1991 Grand Villa 36  -  build 3806
3208T Cat 250hp -  Allison 4 speed
Oshkosh air ride chassis
SBID-ORED
Shelton, Washington

Re: ORED 4 front shock option?

Reply #10 –
Thanks for the clarification, Bob. I was a bit mystified about the four shock design possibility.
Since I had new springs put on the front of our '89 ORED our coach handles like a car. Couldn't figure out why anyone needed to revise it. Now I understand!!
Our coach is ALL spring suspension, an original garbage truck suspension dampened for a smoother ride and built to last forever.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: ORED 4 front shock option?

Reply #11 –
Trying to wrap my head around the "changes camber over bumps with the trailing arm design suspension".

I can see that CASTER would change, but with a solid front axle, camber should not change.

And, yes we need to be careful here to differentiate between ORED's with leaf spring vs air suspensions.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: ORED 4 front shock option?

Reply #12 –
Sorry caster

A Gillig bus chassis had upper and lower axle locating arms with large Heim joints on the ends to not change the caster going through its travel.  And Koni shocks
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4