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Topic: Shocks & Tires (Read 485 times) previous topic - next topic

Shocks & Tires

Hi everyone,
Well, my tires are now 7 years old. Time to replace. Currently have Michelins.

A few days ago on our way home we were sitting behind the Cracker Barrel, parked uphill with slight off cambor . HWH Was-dumping the front and raising the rear.
When I turned off the ignition it was still doing its thing.
About 10 minutes later we heard and felt a bang. I thought someone hit us from the rear.
I went outside and no one was around so I started looking under the coach and found the left rear shock mount was broken at the bottom and the shock was just hanging.

My shocks are now almost 6 years old and have approximately 45K miles on them . Is it time to replace the shocks? The shocks are KONI GOLD FSD

Thanks
Frank
Frank & Daisy
NO LONGER  "looking for the perfect Foretravel
36' or less non slide preferred."  She has been found and is ours.
2003 U320 36' non slide  Unit 6103
Cummins ISM 450
Allison 4000MH

Re: Shocks & Tires

Reply #1 –
The airbags pumped to the stop and broke the shock?

Re: Shocks & Tires

Reply #2 –
The coach was leveling itself when it happened . I would've thought that it would've stopped before it would put that much pressure on the shock.

The shock is not broken it's the mount for the shock on the coach that broke. Need to re-weld the broken part back to the frame.
At this time I do not know if the shock is damaged.
How long are these shocks supposed to last?
Frank & Daisy
NO LONGER  "looking for the perfect Foretravel
36' or less non slide preferred."  She has been found and is ours.
2003 U320 36' non slide  Unit 6103
Cummins ISM 450
Allison 4000MH

Re: Shocks & Tires

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Lt403 –
How long are these shocks supposed to last?
I would expect much longer than 45k, closer to 100k, but I'm an optimist by nature.
Really surprised that leveling could create this much force though, how much of a camber was the coach on?
1998 U295 36'
Build# 5358

SMILE!....it makes people wonder what you have been doing.

Re: Shocks & Tires

Reply #4 –
I really don't know but I was in the back of the Cracker Barrel parking lot Just north of Roanoke Virginia
Frank & Daisy
NO LONGER  "looking for the perfect Foretravel
36' or less non slide preferred."  She has been found and is ours.
2003 U320 36' non slide  Unit 6103
Cummins ISM 450
Allison 4000MH

Re: Shocks & Tires

Reply #5 –
Might want to also check out the HWH as there is an 'excessive slope' function that keeps it from leveling when it doesn't have the extension or contraction distance to come to level.  For the HWH to pump it up to the point of tearing off your shock mount is nuts. Even if the shock mount had a small crack in it. It still should not have put that much force on it.

The FSD shocks do have a limited lifetime warranty. I doubt that the HWH abusing them is covered though.
Jerry & Nona and Kimeru the cat that thinks she's a dog
1998 36' WTFE U320  #5314 Motorcade #17711
USAF 1975-1995
2019 Subaru Crosstrek 'toad'
2003 Subaru Legacy touring car
jerry Fincher | Flickr

Re: Shocks & Tires

Reply #6 –
Fatigue on the shock mount. The better your shocks are working the more they load the mounts. Definitely would be a good time to look at all of them closely. Look at the crack part and see if it happened all at once or if it's been happening over the last couple of months. Clean or dirty at crack? Generally shocks decrease in there resistance and perform less as they age.

Re: Shocks & Tires

Reply #7 –
Konis or Bilsteins don't have a maximum lifespan. Unless they develop a leak or the coach starts wearing tires or the handling changes, they are good. 450K on one of our MBZ and 200K plus on others including a Toyota with shocks working fine. Our U300 at about 120K is also handling well. Gone are the days of OEM shocks going bad after 20K miles. Just check for leaks although some seepage is normal and watch for tire wear, etc.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Shocks & Tires

Reply #8 –
It may have been caused by a faulty shock occasionally freezing up (my first guess)...shocks can go bad the day they are installed or 80K miles later...or could simply be a stress fracture, or even a slightly imperfect weld from the factory that has taken it's sweet time in taking its vengeance. :D
Me, I would be looking askance at that particular shock.  Replacing that one shock would be fairly cheep insurance, but I never suggest replacing a single shock unless it is almost new (infant mortality)...go ahead and replace both left and right shocks.  You can keep the "good" one as a hot spare if you want.

Cheers, Bruce
Looking for a Foretravel 
Current RV: 2009 Tiffin Allegro 32BA

Re: Shocks & Tires

Reply #9 –
Another thought; check the bolt in the failed shock.  If it is at all loose, that can be a big contributor as a loose shock will apply lateral stresses on the shock bolt, and, therefore, the shock mount; trying to twist it out.
If the shock bolt was loose, that was probably the issue.  If not, my previous post stands as my best advice.
Looking for a Foretravel 
Current RV: 2009 Tiffin Allegro 32BA

Re: Shocks & Tires

Reply #10 –
Thanks for everyone's input.
Frank & Daisy
NO LONGER  "looking for the perfect Foretravel
36' or less non slide preferred."  She has been found and is ours.
2003 U320 36' non slide  Unit 6103
Cummins ISM 450
Allison 4000MH