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Topic: Bumpy Roads (Read 768 times) previous topic - next topic

Bumpy Roads

As our highway infrastructure continues to crumble, the rides become worse and worse.  What tactics do you folks use to soften the blows to keep from beating your MH to death?


Larry

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #1
S--L--O--W  D--O--W--N!!
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: Bumpy Roads

Reply #2
OK, my wife has me driving at a maximum of 53 mph on 75 mph interstates - where you know most folks are traveling 80.

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #3
I feel your pain............. but the upside is that our FTs are tougher than we are.


Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #5
If you don't have the Koni FSD's gettum commin.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #6
Stay out of California,  That is about 45 or 50 mph country.  Have a great day  ----  Fritz
Fritz & Kathy Johnson
1991 36'

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #7
I40 around Kingman is terrible.. just starting a topic on my closet mirror.. came off the track and cant get it back on.. GRRR

I move to the left lane and drive.. they can go around me. Right side with the truckers is to harsh.

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #8
If possible, get off the super slab and take the secondary roads.  If you are already running at 55 mph, shouldn't add too much extra time to your journey.  Besides, you might actually see some sights worth stopping for.  SMELL THE ROSES!

What kind of pressure are you running in your tires?  Load range G or H tires?
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"It goes without saying..."

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #9
Made a BIG difference when we bought this coach,(which was a 'hard rider)' to weigh all four corners. Turned out  she had 20lbs all around MORE than needed!  On the crummy roads we all travel, tire  pressure AND  fresh shocks are mass  important! ^.^d
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #10
I-70 through Indiana has potholes the size of sofa cushions, old concrete roads hailing even when covered with blacktop, the slowest state we transversed last week driving from Denver to Ohio.
Don't know where the gas tax money is going to!
David & Emma Roche
Dino (Golden Doodle)
1999 U270 WTFE 36' Build # 5534
Xtreme "Lights, Stripes & Roof"
Motorcade# 18321
Dayton, Ohio
Towd: Jeep Grand Cherokee
Two Townie Electra Bikes

Life is made to enjoy, the Foretravel helps!

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #11
The last time I was in Texas coming back to Illinois Missouri was the worst. The roads were good but the trucks on interstate will run you over at 55mph. i finally gave up and got in the left land and ran 85mph. Glad I had Wayne at FT align and put on new tires. It was when I wished that I had bought Dave Metzer's coach. I hate being crowded by truckers.
John
1998 U270 34'

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #12
Iowa had a bill in the legislature this session to fine people $100 for driving slow in the passing (left) lane of a 4 lane.  I don't know if it passed but I hope it did and that it is enforced. 
Dave and Kelli
1997 U295 40' Build #5188 CSGI
1995 U240 36' Build #4621 SBID-SOLD
2006 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #13
You can get a ticket in Colorado if you run the left lane, signage read something about right lane unless you're passing. Never heard of anyone getting a ticket 🎫 but there's always a first time.
88 Grand Villa 36' ORED 3208 (throwaway)Cat.
 Build # 3150
Happiness is the maximum agreement of reality and desire.

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #14
Please,  slow, stay right . It's the law and considerate.

 But; to make a blanket statement like that is always wrong..:)
 There are roads where the right lane is virtually useless , making the left lane the traffic lane .  Jersey,  Parts of I90 NYS, etc.

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #15
Find a grain evevator in agusta you can scout out with your car, most have a scale open 24/7 with an outside display. Record  just the front axle weight and then the rear weight,  check for your tires weight/psi rating online. Adust your tire pressures to recommend values based on weight chart + 5 psi safety factor +.. Based on this I can run only 75 psi on my particular coach vs the 110 MAXIMUM PSi indicated on the tire sidewall. Which matches  my foretravel data plate recommended tire pressure.
Old Phart Phred, EIEIO
89 GV ored 36' #3405 300 hp cat 3208 ATAAC side radiator, mountain tamer exhaust brake

Re: Bumpy Roads

Reply #16
Living in so cal with concrete block freeways made me change the suspension and tires and shocks to improve the ride quality and noise.

Most other brand tires "H" rated tires are 6700 pounds at 120 for singles.

Michelin's seem to be the only brand that has their rating at 7160 pounds.

That allowed me to lower the tire pressure 10 pounds for the same loads as my previous "G" rated Michelin's.

It seems likely also that the thicker tread depth on the Michelin's might also contribute to the noticeable ride improvement plus the latest XZA-3+'s tire design was designed to ride better and quieter.

That being said at my 97/87 pressure I run a small amount of tread squirm seems to be present but the directional sipes that this tire has seems to make the tire go straight. 

On top of it the tire seems to "dive" in nicely when turning.  Almost a small transition "thing"  from the self straightening directional sipings effect then to the cornering turn in.

The Michelin specs mention the sipes only work for the first 50% of the tread,

Quite possible that the sipes are not needed after the tires wear down that far as any tread "squirm" effect seems to go away as the tread block is worn away.

Sounds like I am a tire engineer which I am not. Just a careful observer.

Plus the Komi FSD's. 

Between the thicker tread block and the higher capacity "H" rated tires allowing lower tire pressure for my loads and the shocks the sharp kickback from square edges has been greatly reduced.

Five or less pounds too high or too low is noticeable fo me in driving the coach.

Just right makes the steering and ride quality noticeably improved.

Fixed countless rv's long ago suffering from too high of a tire pressure that hurt the owners ride quality.

As mentioned the scaling of the coach is necessary and then referring to the manufacturers pressure vs load chart is needed.

Had a similar problem on two of my old Lexus cars.

Both required tire changes to new Michelin primacy tires to lower the tire noise, greatly improve ride quality and steer straight.

Those particular model tires were noted to help all three issues.

If you drive nice asphalt smooth roads versus the chopped up so cal freeways then your tire and shock choices may allow less expensive choices.

Although I have driven other brand tires long ago who soaked up the square edges fine.  The penalty to me was the somewhat numb steering.  Works but no sharp "feel" to the driving.

I made a game with myself long ago when I was in the sales management of different brands rv stores here in so cal.

I would not look at a coaches tires before I drove it.  At least for me I could tell which coaches were on Michelin's.

Every time.  Remember I was looking for anything wrong and how well the coach drove had a direct relationship to the resale abilitiy and the price I could get for the coach.

Probably just like Foretravel did/does new,  the better the ride and handling and road noise the easier the coach was to sell.

Almost universally I changed nice coaches with worn or older or poorer riding and steering tires to new Michelin's to help my sales and to increase customer satisfaction and therefore my repeat business.

On smooth asphalt roads the differences are greatly reduced as far as ride and noise.

On concrete block roads that are worn the differences are magnified.

Highest possible capacity that then allows a lower pressure then the shocks worked well for me.

Shocks and other brands are reported to work well also but as stated I noticed the lack of steering "feel" the oem Michelin's produced.

Both of our old lexus's had the same exact problems on the so cal freeways and were both greatly helped with the latest Michelin products specifically designed and marketed to address these exact issues
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob & Susan
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: Bumpy Roads

Reply #17
Hate to say it, but---PARK MODEL!!??
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: Bumpy Roads

Reply #18
Wow I just realized, 5 foretravel s in a 10 mile radius maybe more, 1 more 40 miles down the road. time for a mini rally?
Old Phart Phred, EIEIO
89 GV ored 36' #3405 300 hp cat 3208 ATAAC side radiator, mountain tamer exhaust brake