Question A better ride

[Dutch Star Don]

I put the EVO's on the front and the FSD's on both rear axles. I find my 2019 DS is much more top heavy than my 2014 DS. I found the FSD's on the rear helped with some of the lean. JMO

 

[NWIP]

We are on our way to have the coach weighed this week (4 corner) thru SmartWeigh. Still don’t have a lot of miles on the new coach but not impressed with the ride so far. After getting weighed and correct tire pressure think we are going to put Koni’s on the front later this month. Hope this improves the ride.

 

[Neal]

We are on our way to have the coach weighed this week (4 corner) thru SmartWeigh. Still don’t have a lot of miles on the new coach but not impressed with the ride so far. After getting weighed and correct tire pressure think we are going to put Koni’s on the front later this month. Hope this improves the ride.

Shouldn't you engage with Spartan first and have them correct this at their expense?

 

[NWIP]

Shouldn't you engage with Spartan first and have them correct this at their expense?

I know the Koni’s improved the ride on the Freightliner chassis and am willing to put on the Spartan chassis. When we go to Spartan mid September I will have more miles under my belt and if I don’t feel the ride is satisfactory I will voice my displeasure.

 

[sheridany]

My FL "go to person" said Koni's and motion control units were also suggested. First I have ever heard of motion control units. Doing some research, the MCU seems to be more for lean and porpoising etc instead of a smoother ride.

 

[NWIP]

After having the coach weighed and correctly setting tire pressure I felt ride was slightly better as I reduced tire pressure in the front by 10psi. I had the Koni EVOs installed and am pleased as the front end harshness is significantly better. I believe it was definitely worth the price.

Anyone want “slightly” used Bilstein shocks?

 

[sheridany]

@NWIP did you replace all or just front.

 

[NWIP]

Just the front which is the same that I did on our 2017.

 

[sheridany]

Alright folks the final posting on this topic hopefully for a while. I had my coach up at FL Sacramento for its annual service. While there, I decided to bite the bullet
and I had them put the Koni shocks on the front. WOW. What a difference that made. It’s not perfect but it is a LOT better. Even on a choppy road, it absorbs that rough road by more than 1/2 I would guess. The true test will be when I get the DW in it and see what she thinks. I think she will be pleased. I still have some rattles to find and adjust those blinds but at least we aren’t riding in an old dump truck anymore.
Thanks to many here on the forum for their advice on this. YOU made a difference.

 

[Chuggs]

I haven't road tested yet...but I just finished replacing all of my SACHS with KONI EVO's. It was a useful project. I was able to more easily check my airbags with soapy water, hit the ZERK fittings with some grease, check the zip ties on the HWH levelers that somewhat hold the pressure sensor wire, drain and fill my wet axle hubs.

We'll take a trip next week...and see if it improves our ride any. We do have the solid front axle, so I know there is only so much they can do.

 

[Chuggs]

Update…

Yeah…the cool new shocks work great on smooth roads.

Unfortunately, our Highway system is a hodge podge of cracks, bridge joints, potholes…an debris everywhere. We lost a hubcap on a pothole going into Nashville. Didn’t see the hole until it was too late, traffic in both sides of us. Boom! My wife noticed the hubcap missing when we stopped. I knew exactly where that had happened.

So, we’ll go the rest of the trip without and order one when we get home.

RV’ing would be 10x more fun if our roads weren’t in such horrible shape. Downright dreamy when you get a section of smooth asphalt. You would think in today’s day and age…our technology would evolve to better. But, I’m sure the better is just filling someone’s pockets and not being used to lay substantially better pavements. And having shoulders that aren’t maintained just brings in more and more road hazards. Litter, debris builds up making them more hazardous to use in the event of an emergency.

We almost hit a shopping cart in Atlanta on I-75N. It was corralled by the concrete divider and couldn’t see it until you came around the corner and are lined in by 8? 10? Other lanes of traffic. How does a shopping cart get into an interstate highway. Why is it even there for more than a few minutes before being removed by crews responsible for maintaining the roads?

 

[Old-RV'er]

All - Our 2019 was rough on roads which were rough. We did not change the shocks, nor tinker with any steering things. I liked the system which helps you steer them in high wind, worked on ours great.

FWIW-If you transit Atlanta, GA, and have 6 wheels or more, YOU MUST TAKE THE I-285 AROUND THE CITY, unless you are stopping inside that loop. As a person who was born and raised there, I would not transit ATL for love or money now, I would go way west/east to get around it using back roads. The traffic (at midnight maybe to transit it) is horrible, and GA has some of the worst drivers I have ever seen, turn signals are an option on most vehicles in the state.

FWIW#2-Ga Law says, you can only have to be able to see in one eye, and that does need correctable to 20/60.

FWIW#3-Also, if your windshield wipers are on, you also must have your headlights (daytime running lights don't cut it) on as well, if your vehicle has "auto setting on the headlights", most likely they will come on within 20 seconds or so. Tips for you today.

Some campgrounds to recommend: Tallulah Gorge/Hard Labor Creek/bunch around Savannah too/Moccasin Creek/COE-County Parks around Lake Lanier, lots of very nice ones. North GA Mountains have also some great ones too. I personally own the Good Sam Campground Directory, which is the best reference for CGs IMHO. Also, Please note, GPS using phone in Applications Mountains is spotty, using dedicated unit is recommended, as it has two modes on all the time, Satellite/database stored inside on memory, so it always has location in it's brain. DO NOT Recommend Black Rock Mountain CG, is very winding/and almost straight up for 3K feet, use caution if your rig is 30' or longer.

 

[Neal]

My wife noticed the hubcap missing when we stopped. I knew exactly where that had happened.

So, we’ll go the rest of the trip without and order one when we get home.

Just give FCCC (Gaffney) parts a call, they can 2-day one to you and spare(s) if desired. Not expensive compared to other places. I can't be in a campground with you like that so I hope you can get that resolved

 

[Chuggs]

FWIW-If you transit Atlanta, GA, and have 6 wheels or more, YOU MUST TAKE THE I-285 AROUND THE CITY, unless you are stopping inside that loop. As a person who was born and raised there, I would not transit ATL for love or money now, I would go way west/east to get around it...

Born in Marietta...Lived in Cobb and DeKalb until I left in '79. Still have Family in Acworth. All this time...I had never seen or heard of the 6+ wheel restriction. Yeah --- we got 8...and the toad has 4...so, we drag 12 around.

Thanks for the heads up. Since Smyrna was my home for most of my childhood...guess we'll revisit the West 285 route. We've used it many times before. Just enjoy seeing the Varsity and the North Avenue Trade School on the thru city route.

 

[Chuggs]

If I trusted shipments. It was already stressful enough trying to get HWH to send us a part overnight. After half an hour getting our details...she couldn't say what the shipping would cost, and when asked when it would go out...she said 4-6 weeks. REALLY????

Thank goodness Stuarts stocked the part and we happened to be only 15 minutes away from that days parcel pickup. She knew the cost and the part did arrive next day. Good to have levelers again.

Don't worry...I won't snag a hubcap off your coach

I guess you can put into VRM...a do not pair with request...