ALnCORY
Idaho
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Joined: 10/06/2005
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Mine only pulls right when I have a stiff cross wind from the left!
I don't think anyones dying statement ever contained the words "I wish I had spent more time in the office", so lets go somewhere!
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RedRollingRoadblock
Oregon
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Joined: 11/26/2007
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bts1985 wrote:I was told by the "experts" at Lazy Days in Seffner Florida that my coach and all RV's and heavy trucks are all set up to pull to the right by the manufacturer. When I first complained that the coach wouldn't track properly they said it was road crown. Then that changed that to the wind, then oversteering, then the final insult was that the truck was designed that way. This happened of course after I had paid, test drove and came back to complain. Anyone else every handed this story? And how far off the scale was the BS meter? Ask them if they can produce any data to back up their claim. Have them fix it, or if they can't/won't tell them that you will be happy to take it some where else and let them pay for it. Then find a different dealer to spend your money at.
Lazy Days is just being lazy.
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Harvard
51.4N 114.4W
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Joined: 12/24/2005
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While I cannot speak for the sprinter chassis I can say the +caster on an Ford E350/E450 has a slight bit of MORE +caster on the RH wheel to allow for a road crown. The more + the caster the more directional stability at highway speeds.
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Ponderosa
Western US
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Joined: 06/24/2003
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It's the "they all do that" diagnosis. Mostly heard around Chevy dealerships, but maybe with motorhomes as well. What they are telling you is it is set to spec and you will just have to live with it. I do know that my E450 happily follows any irregularity in the road or puff of breeze. I would not be surprised if a tendency to drift right due to crown is, in fact, normal. When I think about it, most every car I owned drifts right slightly when the steering wheel is not held.
2011 Coachmen Freelander 27QB
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara
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bts1985
Land 'O Lakes
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Doc - Yes, but it's a little more neutral than that. It will always pull to the right eventually no mattter what road, lane or speed I go. 99% of my corrections are to the left but I don't have to hold it there. Still, I've never had any vehicle that didn't feel completely neutral after an alignment, no matter how crowned the road is. Except my Navion of course.
Ponderosa - you're right, most vehicles if left alone going straight are going to drift right, especially on the right lane of a highway or a two-way road due to crown. But the feel of the steering should be neutral. If you correct left and let go, it should keep going in that direction. Mine will always come back to right from a left correction. That's my concern.
A lot of great responses thanks - I thought the BS meter was off the scale too! I got my money back on the alignment but I still have my problem.
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Jim Shoe
Amelia, OH
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Joined: 02/06/2004
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bts1985 wrote:I have a Itasca Navion that I tried to get a front end alignment done and was told that the chassis are set up for a slight pull to the right. Is this true? Will a perfectly aligned RV still always drift to the right? Or is this only an issue with the Sprinter chassis?
Most RVers are a little older and tend to be conservative, so their rigs pull to the right. If you want one that pulls to the left, you need a VW microbus with flowers painted on the side. 
The Hippie National Anthem.
Retired and visiting as much of this beautiful country as I can.
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bts1985
Land 'O Lakes
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Jim,
LOL that's great! They actually said that I might fall asleep, so the right pull will safely steer me into the grass away from others. I thought that was a joke but they all agreed. Can you believe that?
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j-d
Sunny Florida USA
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Joined: 09/04/2003
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I have heard the "might fall asleep" story but I think if it was ever true it's not anymore. But I believe with Harvard that the angles on the passenger side are a little different to allow for road crown.
But this I DO BELIEVE: A good tech starts with the specs, sets it there, THEN tweaks it, based on how it DRIVES, to get it to drive correctly.
But let me add this: A radial tire can cause a "pull" from irregularity in its internal construction. If you suspect that, simply switch the two front tires. The pull should follow. You still won't know which of the two caused it....
On a level road, or straddling the crown, absent a crosswind, coach should trackk forward. You should not have to hold rudder on it to track straight.
God Bless, jd
2003 Jayco Escapade 31A on 2002 Ford E450 V10 4R100
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bts1985
Land 'O Lakes
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Great post - thanks JD.
What you said about the "pull" I've actually heard before. I took it to a local Dodge dealer and told them about my problem and the tech mentioned "radial pull" which sounds a lot like what you're saying. I thought that maybe he made that one up like the falling asleep story! On a whim I told him to switch the front tires because they barely have any miles on them so I figured it might help. I did get a little better but it still pulled right even after they tried aligning it again. Frustrating. So I called a Mercedes rep and he said that if the tires are good, it should align with no pull. Why can't they align this thing?
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Harvard
51.4N 114.4W
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Joined: 12/24/2005
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bts1985 wrote:.... Why can't they align this thing?
Speaking from experience, from these tire chain stores, adjusting the toe is a 10 minute task...adjusting the camber or caster can be a can of worms! The approach one shop I took my E450 to was to tweak the toe and jury rig the camber and caster so they looked perfect on the paper report, charged me their $165.00 and went on to the next easy prey. JMO
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