Returned yesterday from our first weeklong camping trip thru Missouri. As a new Barth owner, I acquired a lot of replacement parts and things over the winter to be installed before venturing out. We installed a new surflo 5.7 pump (cured the recycling problem but didn�t seem to supply more pressure) , 4 new Bilsteins , 6 new tires, (Hankook 12 ply steel belted radials with steel sidewalls for the rear ( really smoothed out the ride), balanced all eight, new dinosaur refer board (and now all three modes work) , fixed broken engine temp gauge (temp stayed at the 220 mark the whole trip) . Everything worked just as I hoped it would except�� This is the squirrelest (?) vehicle I�ve ever driven. It was all over the road and required constant correction. Two hundred miles and I was beat. Seemed to pull slightly to the left requiring the steering wheel to be constantly turned a little to the right � if you let go of the wheel for an instant, the unit wanted to head for the curb and usually required and over correction to get it straight again. I had replaced the bell crank last fall � dealer stated it was worn (not sure what it does) but other than that I have done nothing to the front-end. So the 64-dollar question is now what? I�m sure I need a front-end alignment. But I�ve read where there are different specs for a P-30 as a motorhome vs. std truck.. Is there anything else? I purchased a Bilsteins steering stabilizer off Ebay but haven�t had it installed yet � will this help?
Of course � I need more POWER�. 55 to 60 was max � and 5.5 was all I could manage� Thorley�s are next�.
HELP�
1988 33� Regal

OK, here are the recommended alignment specs from two good sources. As you can see, they are close to each other and the factory motor home manual recommendation.


Henderson-Super Steer suggests:

Left Camber .25 deg. +/- .25 deg.
Right camber 0 deg. +/- .25 deg.
Cross camber .25 deg.Left caster 5 deg. +/- 1 deg.
Right caster 6 deg. +/- 1 deg.
Cross caster 1 deg.
Toe in .25" +/- .06"

.............................................

IPD suggests:

Camber 0 deg. +/- 1/4 deg.
Caster 6 deg. +/- 1/2 deg.
Not the same side to side to allow for road crown.
Toe in 5/16"

BUT, before any front end work is done, your ride height has to be correct. That is 1 1/2 to 2 inches at the bump stop. A more exact measurement from the manual is metal to metal. If you have a fax, I can shoot you a copy of that page. Many P30s have saggy springs and the air bags won't lift them enough. The Super Steer replacement springs are the answer. Hellweg makes an add on transverse leaf spring that is a helper. You said you had to replace "the bell crank"? Just one? They are both usually sloppy. The Super Steer bell cranks are the way to go. Also an IPD or Hellwig front stabilizer bar really helps. And Bilstein shocks all the way around. Be sure the lower ball joints are good before having the front end done.

What are your air bag pressures front and rear?

The rear leaf springs also sag on P30s. Having a spring shop add or replace a leaf really helps, but you might get by with add on air bags on the drive axle. Again, I can fax you a copy from the manual page. I use a Steer Safe steering stabilizer in addition to the Bilstein.

http://www.steersafe.com/

It really helps. Safe T Plus is another product that does the same thing, but adds a little more damping.

Since yours is a tag, it should go straighter than a non-tag P30 when everything is right.




[This message has been edited by bill h (edited August 03, 2005).]

I had similar handling problems with my Brand X motorhome on a Vironex chassis with Mopar front end, and saggy P30 rear springs. It already had all the good stuff Bill H. suggests on the front, (except the bellcrank), plus both Bilstein & Safe-Steer stabilizers, but it was a tail-wagger, and scary to drive.

Two things made a notable improvement; new rear springs and some Timbren rubber auxiliaries, plus a track bar fabricated by my local 4X4 off-road specialists.

Handling much improved, no longer scary, but still a lot of steering correction is necessary.

Henderson makes a rear axle track bar for P-30 chassis. Last I heard, Camping World carried them.

I e-mailed Henderson with some questions about track bars before I had one made, but they never gave me the courtesy of a response.

The one my local guys made looks more sanitary than the Henderson job, and cost half as much. Main difference is the Henderson bar is a bolt-on, my brackets are welded to the frame and axle housing. So far, 4K miles with only good results.

I don't know how the presence of a tag axle would affect the installation of a track bar.

Speaking of Bilstien (sp?) shocks� What is the recommended amount of mileage or age for the recommended life of the shock? I have a 25� P30 and am wondering when I might need to plane for replacements.

Additionally, where does one go to purchase this brand of shock? Can I get it at a regular part store? Or is it a RV type item?

Hi Mike,

If you are doing the labor, one of the cheapest places is www.eshocks.com. If you live near a Camping World, they have them and periodically have a $5.00 installtion special.

I have Bilsteins on mine and the ride is great. And, for those with plenty of expendible income and want the greatest ride possible, check out www.boxerwheel.com . This is what I have and it drives very true and straight.

Mike, Dave has a link here to a good shock joint. As far as when to install bilsteins, I would say, oh, about one mile from the factory or so.

Roy, I wonder if you had a lot of overhang on youyr previous coach. My last coach was a Southwind P30 whick handled OK after all the mods, but got real waggy with a motorcycle on a rear rack. A full black tank even affected handling. What year and model is your coach? I would like to hear a little more from you on your Panhard rod and its effects. Spoke with the patriarch himself at Henderson's, and he said that if I had the big P30 chassis, the one with discs on the rear and 10 leaves, I probably wouldn't need his Panhard rod. I am pretty sure Rusty's coach has the heavy chassis. However, being a fiddler, I might cobble up one myself, anyway. The tag would not interfere.

Rusty, I would suggest upping your front bags to 90 or 100 lbs right away. That will give you some help till you can do the good stuff. What are your front tires? Perhaps moving the Hankooks from the tag to the front would help. Your oldest tires should be on the tag, as it is very lightly loaded.

What tire pressures are you running? Have you had each wheel weighed?

And you're right in wanting Thorleys.

Great information ... My front tires are new Goodyear 159 - previous owner just installed them. The rig also has the safe-steer system installed I'm wait on a fax to check the height up front. Side note - the fellow that installed my shocks did it in my drive way in about 20 minutes. Fronts has already been changed before with a car quest brand but the rears appeared original.
As another observation, on our return trip, the unit appeared to ride better with only a quarter tank of gas and the tanks dumped. After filling up with 50 gals of gas the handling issue started to show up again

For Bill H, re: tail wag & track bar.
Unfortunately, the problem is with my current coach, not a former one.
It 's a 1990, 24' Class A Sterling, Mopar 360 powered.
Why am I on a Barth website? I've coveted a Barth (at first a trailer) since 1969. Dumbest thing I ever did was two years ago. I was ready to fly to Texas for a 1988, 28' Regal/Ford/Oshkosh for $18K , but needed knee surgery. When I was better, my current coach was for sale here. Low miles, low price, a nice high quality coach. But it's a little too small and it ain't no Barth.
Bill, I'm olroy@tenforward.com. Send me your e-mail address and I'll give you the details about my handling problem and it's solution.