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DieselDon

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Posted: 08/05/09 04:33pm

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I have a 2003 HR Ambassador that had 2 recall for suspension concerns done in 2005. The recall included 2002, 2003 and some 2004 Monaco Knight, Cayman, HR Ambassador, Neptune, Safari Cheetah, Sahara and Zanzibar. A few days ago I was driving my RV on I80 near Sacramento and it started to get very "squirrely" on me. I pulled into an RV dealer and ask they inspect it. Tech found right rear wheel was several inches back of the left one. Further inspection revealed a broken rear trailing arm that was part of the 2005 recall.

Monaco doesn't supply the parts any more but referred me to a "Source Manufacturing" in Portland who is now making the parts. They only ship both arms because they are hearing from quite a few HR and Monaco owners who are having this same problem.

NHSTA didn't think they could do anything because Monaco is out of business. Monaco wasn't much help. FMCA may put something in their magazine.

I don't know if there are any other Monaco chassis that have the same rear suspension, but it would be wise to have somebody inspect the rear trailing arms and U-Bolts. I'm lucky I didn't make the 6 o'clock news.

2003 Holiday Rambler "Ambassador" 36'
Toad = 2003 Explorer "Sport Trac"
Northern CA

SacsTC

N. California

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Posted: 08/05/09 04:42pm

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It's called a trailing arm and is only applicable to the RR4R Chassis

Coaches Potentially Affected

Monaco Knight 2002 - 2004
Monaco Cayman 2002 - 2009
Holiday Rambler Ambassador 2002 - 2004
Holiday Rambler Neptune 2002 - 2009
Safari Cheetah 2002 - 2007
Safari Simba RD All Years
Safari Zanzibar 2002 -2005

[image]

It was a recall on some of the early years, but since Monaco underwent bankruptcy, they are no longer considered responsible.

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snowhawkwoman

Lyons, KS

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Posted: 08/05/09 04:55pm

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Thank you for the information...that is very scary...glad you had a "squirrely" RV and not a totalled RV!!

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DieselDon

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Posted: 08/05/09 05:30pm

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Thanks SacsTC for the additional info on the affected Models and Years. I got my info from NHSTA Recall list which goes back to 2005 only.

Don Don

Pleasant Grove, AL {Suburb of Birmingham}

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Posted: 08/05/09 05:39pm

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DieselDon wrote:

You did not say, was it fixed during the original recall?

SCHARLEY

Atlanta, GA

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Posted: 08/05/09 05:59pm

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Makes me have even more appreciation for my “illegal” 23K rear axle. I’ll bet the same component on my rear axle weighs at least ten times as much and is massive in comparison. [emoticon]

SCHARLEY

SacsTC

N. California

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Posted: 08/05/09 07:21pm

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The list is the coaches that use that Chassis. That is why the "Potentially Affected" Some of them were probably built with a beefed-up arm that Monaco was using to fix the problem. The reason for the picture of the broken one is so people know what to look for.

[image]

The arm from Source Engineering appears to be quite a bit stronger.

Gadget Guy

Calgary

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Posted: 08/05/09 08:05pm

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I experienced the same break on mine 2 years ago, you are lucky that it did not completely break off like mine did. Monaco sent me replacement ones thay did not look much different then the one that broke so I built up the both sides with 3/8 inch plate running the full length plus welded the full length before we installed them. No problem since the repair was done but it is one of the things that I do keep an eye on. Later on that same trip we stopped at the factory in Elkhart and they had a whole fenced area with crates of these trailing arms ready to ship out for the factory recall. When I got my recall notice I took our unit in and they assured me that mine was fine and did not need replacement but it broke with a bang so it was definitely faulty. I still partly blame the horrible condition of the Trans Canada highway in Manitoba as well as Northern Ontario but the suspension should be designed to withstand rough roads.