cptnhook
San Diego
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Joined: 06/18/2008
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Tim:
Just wanted to thank YOU and all who contributed to the thread. I know there are many Class C folks out there with the same problem who drive MH’s under 26 ft that ride on E-450 frames. I also know after forty years in construction that if I don’t improve ride quality on my coach that I will be re-hanging all my cabinets and chasing plumbing, electrical and appliance problems that could have been prevented with a smoother ride. I’ve driven 1 ton trucks all my life, so I’m accustomed to a stiff suspension and understand that I will never get an SUV ride on a 450 frame. With that said, if I could get the MH to ride like a 1 ton I would be perfectly happy!
Hopefully, my adventures will save RV.net folks a few bucks because I just invested $700 in Koni shocks that did little or nothing to solve the problem.
You are ABSOLUTLEY right with your comment on spring travel. If there is not enough load to flex the spring the best shock in the world will do little or nothing to soften a ride. My springs and shocks do not begin to work until I add 2000 lbs of payload.
I DID read your 6/19 post and started down the same path, reasoning that if I could put an air bag between the frame and the leaf that it would cushion the coach and take the sharp jolt out of ride. Believe it or not, my suspension shop talked me out of the move for the following reasons. E-450 leafs are installed crown up, so if you elevate the frame with an air bag you are actually making the leaf spring stiffer. They use the Ride-Rite air bag mainly for overload compensation and frame leveling. I sure would like to try your remedy--------it’s 9 bills to rebuild the leafs and probably $1500 or more to install the MOR-ryde system. It seems to me that if you put just enough air in the bag to elevate the frame ½ inch it would insulate the frame from the leaf and therefore soften the ride?
Tim, if your engineering background could save this ole redneck from depositing any more hard earned SSI checks in my waste tank, it would be sincerely appreciated!!
Questions?
What do you think about the shop theory that says raising an under loaded frame with an air bag will stiffen the ride?
Does the Air Lift system differ at all from the Firestone Ride-Rite?
What pressure do you run in the bags?
Did you alter your coil bound spring to get an 1 ½ “ of travel?
Thanks again for your post------------------hope to hear from you soon.
Dave
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pnichols
Santa Cruz Mountains
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Joined: 04/26/2005
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cptnhook,
Did you mention whether or not you tried lower tire pressures than the 65 psi front, 80 psi rear that is recommended on your E450's door panel?
These pressures are more than likely for the E450 to carry it's full weight capacity - which you and I aren't!
You might want to check your tire manufacturers inflation tables for your type tires versus what actual weight your rig is.
Less pressure than 65/80 psi, if your rig's lighter weight permits it, WILL indeed serve to insulate your rig from road bumps regardless of how Ford designed/engineered/installed the leaf springs and their factory shocks.
I DO NOT run 65/80 psi on my tire pressures - less is better on our rigs for improved ride, since they understress the E450's front/rear suspension's weight carrrying capacity so much anyway.
I do love the E450's better braking, better tranny cooling, thicker rear torsion bars, and wider rear stance over that of the E350, though. These make for a real feeling of handling confidence and extreme hot weather reliability on the road.
* This post was
edited 07/09/08 06:07pm by pnichols *
Phil, 2005 E450 Itasca 324V Spirit
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cptnhook
San Diego
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pnichols:
Agreed---the brakes on our coach are fantastic and it handles hard curves with little or no sway. I weighed our rig and set pressure per Michelen's website spec's at 55 front and 60 rear. Correct tire psi did cure 40% of the problem
however freeway MPG went from 11 to 10.5 MPG.
Thanks for the post
Dave
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pnichols
Santa Cruz Mountains
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Joined: 04/26/2005
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"I weighed our rig and set pressure per Michelen's website spec's at 55 front and 60 rear."
Dave,
Yeah .... those look like pressures that would be more reasonable for your rig. I haven't weighed my rig yet, but I probably should/could go down that low too. I also have Michelens.
What Tim (Healeyman) said above about air bags makes sense too, as a possible way - in addition to lower (proper) tire pressures - to add further cushioning in series with the too-rigid FORD spring suspension. However, this absolutely requires making sure that your rig is indeed riding on the air bags' air, on average most of the time, instead of riding on the FORD springs. This means you must RAISE your rig with air bag pressure enough to get off the springs. My rig happens to be just about at the perfect height and level all over already, so I hate to raise it in the rear in order to get onto the air bags. This definitely would be the next thing I would try though after, or instead of, lowering the tire pressures .... if I could get the rig just onto the air bags while at the same time minimally increasing coach height in the rear.
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buchrob
Stanstead QC
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Joined: 10/10/2002
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Without having to spend BIG BUCKS, get your rig weighed at a public scale: loadf it up for normal travel then weigh front and rear separately. (About $6 so far).
Then check the tire mnanufacturer's web site for recommended inflation pressures to carry whatever you normally carry.
Add about 10% to your inflation pressure to allow for a safety margin.
Pay NO attention to the jerks at the RV dealership. They just got promoted from pumping gas or propane, especially if they claim that the inflation pressure listed on the tire is the correct one to go with.
'99 Glendale Royal Expedition 24' Class C
2003 Subaru WRX wagon as toad.
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Healeyman
Carrollton, TX
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Joined: 09/08/2006
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cptnhook wrote:Thanks again for your post------------------hope to hear from you soon.
Hi Dave
I have not been ignoring you. We were out of town late last week and have out-of-town company this weekend. Not much time for Internet.
I tried to send you a Private Message in an attempt to discuss this further over the phone, but I am not on your "Buddy List" and couldn't get through.
I live in north Dallas, but am driving to Laguna Hills for the next couple of weeks (mom lives there). If we can't get this resolved by email or phone, I'd be glad to come and take a look and offer my opinion.
If you'd like to discuss this further, please send me a PM with your out-of-forum email address and/or phone number and a good time to call.
Tim
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pnichols
Santa Cruz Mountains
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Joined: 04/26/2005
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Tim,
Now ....... is that a stock inline 6 in that beautiful Healey body ... or do you have a sweet li'l ole small block V8 - perhaps a 289 - sneaking undercover in there?
(I used to always want one of those in my younger years -> had to settle for an MGA instead, that needed it's twin SU's syncronized at least once a month. Now I'd sure like to do it up right with one of those 427 Cobra roadsters kits!)
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Healeyman
Carrollton, TX
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pnichols,
What in the world would make you suspect that I am not a "tweed hat purist" and that I would "ruin a perfectly good Healey" with one of those crude American V8's ?
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Actually, it is a 300 HP 302 with a 4 speed Automatic.
HERE is a link to my web page.
You mentioned your 2 MGA carbs. Be sure to take a look at the 4 Jag SU's that I will be installing.
Tim
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oldusedbear
Brookings, OR, USA
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Joined: 08/12/2003
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I mentioned earlier in this thread that I was considering MorRyde. After looking at the clearance requirements, I determined that I'd have to move the genset to get enough room for the goodies. Additionally, I would have to drop the gas tank - - plus the usual hard work of cutting/grinding off the rivets to remove the spring hangers. Doesn't sound too appealing.
So I decided to THINK BIG and consider the UltraRide - - Turns out that although their website shows it as a current product for the E 450, they have discontinued building them for that chassis.
I have the full set of Koni's on order, but have very little hope that they will help very much.
My 23 foot Coach House rides like a little kid's wagon on a cobblestone path. I'm not sure which is worse - - The bone rattling jarring or the horrendous noise - - The combination of BOTH, is overwhelming.
We loaded and weighed some time ago. 65 rear and 50 front for the Michelins.
Doesn't ANYBODY ELSE build an aftermarket suspension I can install??
The reason for spelling is so that all of the words don't look the same.
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pnichols
Santa Cruz Mountains
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Joined: 04/26/2005
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Roger, you might want to also try these two links:
http://www.keldermanairride.com/
http://ridewellcorp.com/ridewellcorp/rv-rad227-ford-e.shtml
So...you haven't tried air bags and lifting just a little to get you off the Ford springs but still not too much out of level in the rear?
It seems like any amount - even just 1/2 inch - should get you some relief from the Ford spring stiffness.
* This post was
edited 07/14/08 10:42pm by pnichols *
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