The Bilstien shocks that I got were the following part numbers:

Front: B46-1731
Rear: B46-1732

According to Bilstien, they don't list anything for a Breakaway before '94 but my coach has a chassis build date of 3/93 and a Barth build date of 4/93, it was first registered in early '94 and registered as such.

I have the 230 HP Cummins and 6 speed Allison so it is one of the latest '93/'94 30' Breakaways.

First---Thanks Bill for your attempt to help me edit my profile. As you can see, I was able to do it!
Second---Thanks Ed for the Bilstein part numbers. I do not know if there were any chassis changes from one year to the next by Spartan. I also found the same info. you did on ordering the correct ones as far as the '94 start date for Spartan. I dropped off the Breakaway to my mechanic for servicing yeaterday. I told him I would have to advise him on the proper replacement shock part numbers. He said for me to not to worry about it, as he will make sure the proper ones are installed....hopefully today! But I will forward your info. along to him.

I just replaced the two front shocks on my 94 Regency with Monroe Gas Magnum and it made a terrific improvement in the ride and stability. I wish I had done this before my trip to CA. One of the old Monroes was completely shot with only 60K miles.
Try this site for pricing:http://www.stengelbros.com/Shocks.htm.
Their prices were much better than any dealer I tried --- about $50 each and the site will provide a Monroe link to search part numbers. Be sure to get the Gas Magnum model, it's more heavy duty than the OEM. Call Monroe if you have any doubts ---- they were more helpful than Spartan.
I recommmend you take it to almost any shop for installation. I did my own but it requires some pretty heavy tools and my bolts had self locking nuts with an extra inch of bolt length. It took me forever with hand tools and my air lug wrench wasn't strong enough.
But the new shocks are really sweet!!!
Good luck!

Just for the heck of it I looked at the shocks on the front of my 92 Breakaway and the only thing I saw was that they are white and have BEARCLAW stamped on them. Looked like in good shape, no leaks! Back ones are black and I did notice a little seepage on one of them

My mechanic gave up trying to find out what the proper shock is for my Breakaway. I can understand that. As I previously stated, all the charts start at '94 for the Spartan EC-2000 chassis. Not that I do not believe you, Ed, but I did find a chart that showed a Bilstein #B46-2097 & 2098 for 90-96 EC-2000 and Alpine chassis. I also saw a recall from Spartan on the 92-93 chassis for front shock replacement, as the original factory installed shocks were too short. So, since I now must buy my own shocks for the mechanic, I need some clarification from my friends here:
Is the 30' Spartan EC-2000 the same thru 1990-1996?
Does anybody have documentation that shows the actual part number of the Bilsteins that were on the RV originally?

You could call Spartan Coach with rhe serial# and they will give you the Shock number for that coach. You have made me think maybe thats the reason for the Bearclaw name on my 92.

Well, now I have another problem and I hope that maybe new shocks might take care of it...I went over a pretty good dip/incline (one of those "water gutters" they put in crossroads around here) while making a right hand turn last night and it seems the front passenger side tire rubbed on the wheel well. I looked at the spacing of the two front tires in the wheel openings and found the passenger side to be set back where it is almost touching the back of the wheel well, with a good 3-4 inches in front of it. The drivers side seems to be centered in the wheel well. HELP!!! Do I have a problem here???

If you look under Barth's sold (Breakaway-$32,000), you will see a passengers side photo of our Breakaway and you can see the problem I am referring to.

I understand the shock confusion, but I actually installed the shocks with the parts number listed, I got the number off the shock for the post, they do fit and work well. I haven't bent anything or noticed any clanking or banging sound from them being to short.

You might call Bilstein tech number for a discussion.

(704) 663-7563

Here is the link to the Bilstein RV application guide, it shows for the Spartan EC-2000 chassis that the part numbers that I listed are the correct ones for the leaf spring chassis.

Bilstein RV application guide

I also had a deal with the shock wherehouse that if for any reason they didn't fit, I could return them.

I have the same issue with the set back of my wheels. On mine ALL wheels, front and rear are located to the rear of the wheel well. I have a rubbing on both side of the front and in a tight turn I can hear it rubbing. It is now less after I changed the front tires to 225R19.5 which is a little over an inch smaller in diameter then the 8R19.5. I still get rubbing in extreme turning and when going thru a dip in the corner.

You might also look at the drive shaft that connects the steering box to the right/angle gear box, My drive shaft was to long and was deforming the end of the slider of the driveline. I since have taken about an inch off the driveline and have no further issue there. That may have lead to the failure of the steering box by constantly banging the input end of the box.

Thank you Ed. You have just made me feel a whole lot better. Funny thing is, I have not had a rubbing issue until I went thru that "dip" last night. I will order those Bilsteins today and hopefully have them installed next week. My mechanic agreed that I DO need shocks. He couldn't find them because he kept asking for shocks for a 1993 Barth. All he kept getting asked was.....a what? Do you think that all EC-2000 Spartan frames with springs that Barth used were basically the same? I'd like to hear your and others opinion for future reference.

A "rubbing issue," after banging through a "dip" suggests something got bent in the process. Years ago in a FWD GMC, I did the same. The "dip" made the suspension first top, then bottom, and afterwards the handling got squirrelly. There was no visible bending of parts, but when it was realigned, some of the components were at their maximum adjustment travel.

Another episode involved a Dodge van conversion that had been smacked in the side before I got it. Though properly aligned, it didn't handle right. I got underneath, measured the chassis to opposite corners front & rear, & found a 2" difference. Fortunately, there was enough adjustment in the torque rods that located the lower control arms fore and aft, for me to even it up. After realignment, it was no sports car, but it did handle properly.

A third example was a '64 Plymouth that got smacked by a drunk. The new bodywork was beautiful, but they couldn't get it aligned. Eventually, they had to replace the "K" member, though the original was not visibly damaged.

Bottom line - look underneath for any visible damage, & any difference in appearance side-to-side of suspension components, then make some measurements to see if both sides bear the same relationship to other parts of the coach & chassis. Odds are, you'll find something not exactly as it should be.

Sounds like it could also be a center bolt in the spring. Check the leaves in the spring to see if they look like the otherside.Maybe the axle has moved out of the notch the centerbolt seats in.

Here are some pictures of the shock installed, maybe you can compare or your mechanic can compare and wee if the mounting is the same.

For the pictures of these and of the wheels in the openings here is the link to all that I took today.

Wheels and shocks








Rubbing wheel



Driveline after lengthening, the arrows show the distance after lengthening, before these areas were actually touching.



Hope this helps

That IS odd. My '94 28' has no such issues, but also, my wheels are centered in the wheelwells.

It also appears my wheelwells are larger. The '94 28' went through a major redesign (mine's the prototype), so maybe this was an issue recognized and corrected by Barth...

Interestingly, the rear spring saddle where the lower shock mount is located, is different on mine, not having the horizontal pedestal at the bottom, and the vertical tabs are much longer.

Rusty, what is your build date? You have an entirely different rear diff and I wouldn't be surprised you have a completely different front axle as well. What is your axle rating front and rear?

I can definitely say the wheels are NOT centered in the wheel well, if they were no such rubbing would take place. It is absolutely how the body is placed on the chassis that is causing the trouble.

With the smaller tires up front, I only get rubbing (very slightly) when in a hard corner and going thru a dip like a driveway drain area.